2018-08-25 42 -78

Location

Edge of a field, just off Bryant Hill Rd, in the town of Ashford

Participants

Pedalpusher

Expedition

Looking at the map when the weekend hashes were published, I was certain that this would be behind a Posted sign and nearly dismissed it. However, I was also looking to get the dogs out for a hike over the weekend and I noticed a large State Forest near this hash. I thought about it and decided that this might be a good place to try out and the hash would only be a small detour.

Because I was so sure that this would be a No Trespassing, I decided to stop at the hash first and then use the remaining daylight hours to hike around the hash. That way, I wouldn't have to worry about rushing or timing my hike to get to the hash by 16:00. We arrived at the hash right around 14:00 and found a spot to pull off the road right next to the driveway into the field. I was shocked to see no posted signs so I hopped out but left the dogs in the car since it was on the edge of the road. I wandered around the bushes at the edge of the field to try to get a good reading. Successfully getting a screenshot off the HashDroid app and a few other pictures, we headed to the State forest a few miles away.

There were 2 cars in the grassy 'parking lot', so I just parked on the side of the road by the trail head I found researching this area online. This main trail meandered across the entire State forest ending near a large pond. It was a great hike as the forest changed many times, starting with pines, transitioning to hardwoods, into a vast section that had been logged in the past few years and back to pines. Halfway through, we came across a lean-to shelter for camping (the trail is a part of the Finger Lakes Trail that goes into the middle of New York State). Getting to the end of the main trail, we found another trail that made a loop around another section of the forest. Seeing as I had a few more hours, we decided to continue exploring. No one had been down this trail as I continued to run into spider webs, some quite large. Right near the end of this trail, I came across a guy heading the other way. We said hi and I jokingly said 'Your welcome' for clearing out all the webs on the trail for him.

Getting back to the area by the pond, I came across some apple trees. Feeling hungry, I picked a few and enjoyed the very tart and surprisingly non-wormy apples.

Heading back on the main trail, we found our way back to the car and headed for home totally exhausted. What a great day!

Photos

Made it!
Hash is on the other side of the bushes from the hash-mobile.
Surprised but happy for another success.
The dogs waiting not so patiently in the car.
Arriving at the State Forest.
Not too far in on the trail, we came across GIANT piles of pinecones. This might be the largest pile I've ever seen. There's a very busy squirrel somewhere close by.
A different section of the trail that I found interesting.
The dogs enjoyed cooling off in the pond near the end of the trail.
On the way back, we stopped at the lean-to and found this funny sign. The toilet had a privacy screen, but was open to the woods.