Backpacking Again

It was time to try backpacking again!  Sophia reluctantly humored me for "just one overnight" and 'NOT where we went before."  We headed for Schuyler County again, this time to Birds Eye Hollow State Forest.  Armed with kayak and fishing rod "just in case," we found a sweet park at Birds Eye Hollow Pond, complete with bridge and fishing dock.  Our mission, however, was to find the snow mobile trail and get away from it all.  An hour later, however, we were still driving up and down gravel roads, gathering landmarks.  Wait.  What?  The gravel roads around Sanford Lake ARE the snow mobile trail?  Well that is no fun!  Back to the pond we went to park and hit yet another section of the Finger Lakes Trail.

  

Crossing the road, we followed the white blazes to the left and found a remarkable old cemetery in a clearing.  The dates spoke to times of local settlement with the most modern date registering 1913.  A bit beyond we found the river along which we hoped to camp, but we were on the wrong side and abutting the road!  Sophia groaned as we retraced our steps and plodded on the pavement to cross the bridge taking us to the other side.  Soon, we were on yet another delightful leg of the trail and found a shoot that led near the river.  This would be our home for the night! She waded the creek with the dogs, caught frogs and built a fire ring.  

Campsite buddy!

On the menu for the night was beef stroganoff and much anticipated SMORES.  This, however, taught us a new lesson.  Slate rocks explode with heat.  (Lesson learned: water trapped inside layers of slate can heat up in the fire causing them to explode and jump into the river!)  Needless to say we backed up a bit until the show was over! The evening ended with spotlighting crawfish and a continuation of our book, tucked snug in the tent.  All was quiet, save the bubbling river and a few dog sighs.  After a bit of exploring the next morning we hiked back, despite a poorly fitted pack, had lunch and then back to Ithaca.  Sophia is still grumping about the detours, but I'm chalking this one up to a successful backpacking trip!  Where next?