walking | Andy Arthur.org

So Why Does the Albany Pine Bush Commission Choose Not Recycle?

Andy | January 10, 2012

The Albany Pine Bush Preserve as seen from the Frontage Road on Washington Avenue …

And view from the Overlook Dune…

And the Albany Pine Bush Preserve from the Alfred E Smith Building Observation Deck …

Walking in the preserve, I noticed the Albany Pine Bush Commission’s dumper, very full, and very full of recycables.

Exploring the dumpster, I found it full of junk mail, office paper, and plenty of other recycables …

The more you dug around there, the more aluminum cans and office paper you found in the dumpster.

And even more recycable trash …

… so if the Albany Pine Bush Commission is such a green organization, then why don’t they recycle paper, tin cans, magazines, junkmail, and so many other recycables ?

..here’s Some Tip “Green” Sheets for the Albany Pine Bush Commission, brought to you by the New York State Power Authority Recycling Exhibit.

The Evening Walk

Andy | March 2, 2010

One of my favorite activities is the evening walk. I go out almost every night for a 2.5 mile walk, to spend about 45 minutes clearing my mind, looking at the stars, and just observing nature. It’s a chance for my legs to get out and stretch, and to enjoy some fresh air after a day stuck in a stuffy office.

I go out nearly every night regardless of the weather. Sometimes it’s hot out. Other times it’s frigid and the cold winds are blowing snow in my face. Sometimes it’s raining. Other nights, it’s totally pleasant, and I see half a dozen different people walking dogs or going down to the local convenience mart.

I really dislike missing my evening walk. I’ve been doing it for almost 6-years every night, and when I miss it I feel as though I am missing something important. My legs don’t feel right just heading home. I think something important is missing in my day if I miss the evening walk.

Walkway Over the Hudson

Andy | October 22, 2009

On a rather cloudy day that I had taken off from work last week, I decided to drive down to the Walkway Over the Hudson. I got down there around 9:30 PM, on a cloudy Wednesday, and the parking lot only had one parking spot left on the Pougkeepsie side. It is accessible from the Poughkeepsie side via taking US Route 9 North from Pougkeepsie then turning onto NY Route 9G south. Alternatively, you can access it from Haviland Road in Highland.

The newly extended bike trail leads directly to the Walkway from the rather large Poughkeepsie parking lot. If you can’t find space in the lot, there is plenty of space on nearby city streets.

Big crowds of people entering the Walkway.

At 28-feet wide and nearly two miles long, it’s pretty big and wide. Despite probably several hundred folks on the bridge, it doesn’t feel at claustrophobic or tight.

Looking across Poughkeepsie at the Mid-Hudson Vehicle/Pedestrian bridge.

From the center of the bridge looking directly south.

North along the Highland side of the Hudson River.

All and all it is a beautiful walk across the bridge. If you plan on taking some pictures, and want to walk from one side of the bridge to another, you should figure about two hours of time. More at walkway.org.

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Point Au Roche State Park

Andy | August 17, 2009

Back in my college days I used to either ride my bike or drive up in the pickup to Point Au Roche State Park, which is located about 8 miles from Plattsburgh. It has fantastic views of Lake Champlain, and on less humid days, some great views of the Adirondack Mountains.

I went for a walk out along Long Point on Sunday Night and Monday morning. It was amazing to come back to the place which I so much remember from when I was back in college. The only difference I noticed was the wind turbines you could see on Rand Hill, just barely through the evening haze.

When I went for the walk this night, it was very hazy and hot. It wasn’t raining, but from the amount of fog and humidity you might not have guess it.

The next morning was almost as hazy and hot and humid, but with some nicer views.

At the end of Long Point.

Map of hikes (red = Sunday, yellow = Monday).

View Hikes of 2009 in a larger map