Day Hiking

In Colorado, "day hiking" means either 1) meeting at the base of Mt. Sanitas at 6:45 a.m. to squeeze in a quick summit before work, or 2) covering 16 miles in Rocky Mountain National Park with enough time to make happy hour at Terrace Maya. Yesterday, I had my first New York day-hiking experience—and it was, shall we say, a bit more involved. But so much fun, and such a great adventure, nevertheless.

Step 1: 9 am, get coffee.

Step 2: Get a car. In our case, Veronica reserved a Zipcar—a godsend for people like us who don't keep cars in the city but still need wheels for Ikea runs, Fairway runs, carrying heavy shit, or going somewhere that trains or buses don't go.

Step 3: Pick up fellow former-Boulderite Julie in Bushwick.

Steps 4–29: Leave the city, which took us over several toll bridges, through tunnels, onto a half-dozen state highways, through several boroughs, on and off exit ramps, through New Jersey, and back into the state of New York.

Step 30: Get more coffee. (If I had a dollar for every time I mention the word "coffee" in this blog....)

Step 31: 12:30 pm, arrive in New Paltz—a really cute college town with vegan restaurants and yoga studios and maté shops. Buy sandwiches for lunch from a guy who keeps making jokes about bologna. 

Step 32: 1:15 pm, park at the Mohonk Preserve, in the Shawangunk Mountains, which costs 9 bucks a person—ouch! Gawk at the leaves, which seem to be on fire against the sky. The vividness of everything around us was amazing. 

Step 33: Scramble up to Bonticou Crag, which has spectacular views of the Hudson River Valley and all the rolling, burnished, red-orange-green hills. Decide, in a fit of inspiration about the fall colors while descending, that Ev is going to name her first three kids Vermillion, Cerulean, and Chameleon (Franco, of course).

Step 34: Take many photos (see below for a couple).

Step 35: 3:15 pm, start driving back to the city. Hit Columbus Day/outlet mall/leaf-peeping/farm-standing/urban-jungle traffic. Read New York Times stories aloud, including a funny op-ed called "People of the Button." Decide that Veronica, though she's not Jewish, is an honorary Person of the Button thanks to her collection of Obama pins.

Step 36: 5:15 pm, make a wonderful and revelatory stop at Trader Joe's. (Items acquired: Harvest Grains blend, frozen mangoes, baguettes, Puffins, tomato medleys, Scotty-dog-shaped licorice, marinara sauce. Bill: under 40 bucks!)

Step 37: 7 pm, drop Julie off in Bushwick.

Step 38: 7:45 pm, return car, unload groceries, make dinner, watch Project Runway.

I tell you, it was hardcore.

Veronica, Ev, Julie on top of Bonticou Crag:

One of many ridiculously beautiful trees:

My camera just doesn't do justice to the colors, but here's a taste:

A view from Bonticou: