Something I wouldn’t typically take the time to see- but as I was driving along 78, right before I turned in Lebanon to pick up Carra, there it was… like a spill of orange and pink paint splashed together in a puddle in the center of the sky. I wanted to yell to the quiet world, “Wake up everyone, How can you sleep at a time like this?” (Jason Mraz, Make it Mine) , but thinking better of it- I snapped a photo to share with the “world” later on and helped Carra pack up and settle in for our hour and a half drive. Sterling Ridge Forest, located in New York State… our destination.
A place where we would take time to be “grateful for the precious gifts in life” (Jason Mraz, Anything You Want) and avoid “worrying our lives away” (Jason Mraz, The Remedy). 
It would be the place where we would each burn 2,444 calories, take 25,000 steps, and hike ten miles over the span of 7 hours. (Believe it or not, among our counterparts- there were devices to track all of these items). 
A note about the weather- it was absolutely perfect. It was about 70 degrees, sunny, and bug-free.
Plus, when you are “making new friends along the way” (The Sunshine Song), everyone “sends out their own ray of sunshine”… making for a carefree, happy afternoon. Through our walks and talks, we found out that we had 3 Danielles among us- (from left to right in the photo)… Danielle Anne, Danielle Kathryn, Danielle Marie. Now what are the chances?! 
While the last signs of snow were evidenced on the trails, we began looking for signs of wildlife along the way. The only breathing beings were a chipmunk and a butterfly. HOWEVER, can you see the signs of a beaver and a woodpecker in these pictures?
The trails along the ridge were narrow in spots, making it essential to “balance, careful and steady” (Make It Mine) and for those of us who are a little afraid of heights, it was important to NOT look down. We were faced with elevation on this hike, as you can see from the photo- we were face to face with the tops of trees in some cases.
The terrain was interesting, a mix of rock and incline, flat shale-like rock slabs and incline, and just woodsy trail AND INCLINE. 
Our favorite however, was the incline scrambles. Carra, Greg and I took a pre-scramble photo, a “during” scramble photo, and an after-scramble photo.
As you can see from the “during” scramble photo, we would follow a narrow trail where rocks would hug you as you made your way up the trail- using your hands to hold on as you scrambled your way to the top. 
The top presented the opportunity for some shout outs of “Good Job” and “Gimme that High Ten!” (The Dynamo of Volition) . At the top, we found a comfortable shady area to take off our packs, share some lunch and good conversation!Carra had her i-pod so we played some tunes, caught up on the events from the past week, and refueled our bodies.
I’d love to say “there’s no need to hurry” (The Remedy) however, one of us had made afternoon plans that “nothing was gonna stop him from but divine intervention!” (I’m Yours). So, as a team, we pulled together- and trudged on to the visitor’s center to hail a cab for our fellow hike-mate. Lucky for him, he made it to his destination with a minute to spare!
The rest of us, enjoyed the comforts of an actual rest-area, before heading back for yet another five or so miles. Shortly into the hike, I just couldn’t ignore the forming blister that was on my foot. I had heard at a gear training seminar that duct tape was a save-all for many things, blisters included. So, I pulled out my Sharpie pen (in my estimate- these are save-alls as well) which I had carefully wrapped in purple plaid duct tape (so I didn’t have to carry along the whole roll, and for those of us who are fashion-istas, they sell all colors at Target!). Sorry for the photo of my foot, but really, I had to “rid myself of vanities and just go with the seasons”, (I’m Yours) and de-sock, duct-tape-up, and get ready for the remaining inclines to come.
The rest of the hike was a quiet one. I felt like a member of the elephants who migrated in the Planet Earth video- it was like “survival of the fittest” as we literally trudged up hill for miles on end to the parking lot. It sounds simple, but the inclined was laced with running water and muddy paths, making it more difficult to find secure places to step. We were already becoming “sloppy” in our walking, so the mud just really didn’t help!
It was when we would see new faces that we knew we were close to the parking lot. We really didn’t see many people when we were far into the hike, it is always only around the parking lots where people and dogs are smiling, and enjoying a hike. Each step to the parking lot felt just a bit easier as we would hear the sounds of fellow human beings.
We couldn’t wait to get our boots off, change into sweat-free clothing and set our sites on a place for an early dinner. It was 4 p.m. when we all crossed the finish line from trail into parking lot. We quickly packed up, and caravanned to a local hot spot called “Rhodes North Tavern” where we enjoyed food, drink and revelry- especially for the weary traveler. (I got that saying from their business card).
Afterwards, we parted ways, for some strange reason- with anticipation of our next hike together… BUT- Carra and I will not be joining the next couple of hikes due to our own hiking plans. We are off somewhere to prepare for the heat of our Canyon hike.
3 hints as to where:
- there is a lot of fresh fruit,
- it is near the equator
- the show “Lost” is filmed there…
My next blog will reveal! Until then…
