Hiking, camping, sunburns, climbing, kayaking, sore feet, riding, surfing, blown tires, snowboarding, skiing, frost bite and all the rest.

The New York area, Outdoors

On the fringe of driving distance from New York, Vermont’s Stowe is everything you want from a winter mountain. Amazing runs, tons of great snow, cool town and scenery that makes you feel like you really went somewhere.

Tip: Stay at one of Claudia’s dog friendly cabins, and try snowshoeing around her property before curling up at the wood burning stove.

About 4 and a half hours north of NYC

44.480, -72.629

New board, new bindings, ready for Stowe

New board, new bindings, ready for Stowe

On the trail from Breakneck Ridge to Cold Spring you pass a few sets ruins. 

About an hour from NYC on Metro North.

41.44783  -73.96305

The Hudson Highlands, just past peak color

The Hudson Highlands, just past peak color

The view from Monument Mountain outside Great Barrington on a fall day. An easy couple mile hike with some nice elevation.  Maps are available at the trail head which can be found through the Falcon Guide. 42°14’52.3680”, -073°20’25.4400” About 2 and a half hours from NYC

The view from Monument Mountain outside Great Barrington on a fall day. An easy couple mile hike with some nice elevation.  Maps are available at the trail head which can be found through the Falcon Guide.

42°14’52.3680”, -073°20’25.4400”


About 2 and a half hours from NYC

This is your view on the last 10 or so miles of the North Fork Century ride as the route snakes through to the end of Orient Point and back.

About 2 and a half hours from NYC

 41° 8’5.20”N,  72°15’18.11”W

The Sunken Forest makes a nice daytime distraction if you need a break from the beach. The trail is all wood plank and only a couple miles long but it gives you a good view of just how narrow the island actually is and by the look of it, is home to most of the deer population there. About 3 hours from NYC  40°39’13.09”N,  73° 7’2.30”W

The Sunken Forest makes a nice daytime distraction if you need a break from the beach. The trail is all wood plank and only a couple miles long but it gives you a good view of just how narrow the island actually is and by the look of it, is home to most of the deer population there.

About 3 hours from NYC

 40°39’13.09”N,  73° 7’2.30”W

14 to 18 foot waves on fire island

14 to 18 foot waves on fire island

To reach the most remote valleys of the Adirondacks, you still have to lug everything overland - hopping from pond to pond, creek to creek

Adirondack Waters Welcome Paddlers Back, NPR

iPhone Bike Rental Test Coming to NYC

I like this idea but I don’t see what keeps someone from just throwing the whole thing in a truck, disabling the GPS and keeping it.

Biking the South Fork

I didn’t notice the second group of wild turkey’s I ran into until they were right next to me, probably 10 of them staring while I blew by on my rented road bike on one of the 2 lane backroads between East Hampton and Montauk.

Wild turkeys, deer, ospreys, clam shacks and mansions. These are the little pleasures of road biking the south fork. You really don’t even need a route since every dead end leads to the ocean and you are never far from Route 27’s wide, well kept shoulders (a favorite with road bikers). The road to out Montauk isn’t for people looking to test themselves on hills (only 1, not big) or turn in a century ride (for that, get off the train in Patchogue) but for scenic, flat and fun road rides, you cant really beat it.

If you don’t want to put your bike on the train, you can easily rent one at a few spots in the different towns.

Bermuda Bikes, Amagansett Beach and Bike, and Montauk Bike Shop all do affordable multi-day rentals. A couple of them will even deliver your bike if you rent for long enough.

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About 3 hours from Manhattan