Tag: New York State

What makes a tradition?

I remember Aloysius asking me that very question a couple of years ago as the Laker guys and I started talking about revisiting Mountain Jam. Since we had all gone together the previous year, was returning to the festival for a second time, in fact, a tradition? Operating on the premise that traditions bring us … Continue reading What makes a tradition? →

Minnewaska must mean “beautiful” in Native American

In what feels like a previous lifetime, my girlfriends and I would meet in the mountains outside of New Paltz for our annual hike.  There were years before the babies came, and even a couple of years after the oldest of the babies were born, when we would simply amble along a path by the … Continue reading Minnewaska must mean “beautiful” in Native American →

Riding that train

Last week in our (delayed) haste to soak in the last of Summer 2013, two of my boys and I hopped aboard the scenic Saratoga-North Creek Railroad.  Despite the late night I had thoroughly enjoyed the previous evening at a concert at SPAC, we left Albany a little after 9:00 a.m. to catch our train, … Continue reading Riding that train →

History in Hyde Park

A long delayed return to Hyde Park finally occurred last weekend as history buff, Liam and I spent the afternoon visiting the Hudson Valley.  The primary purpose of the trip was to see Val-Kill, Eleanor Roosevelt's cottage retreat.  I wasn't aware of this lovely property prior to Liam and I touring the FDR mansion a … Continue reading History in Hyde Park →

4, 3, 2…

Four of us attended Mountain Jam for what was consecutive year number three and I learned two very important things... the first had something to do with knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that everything will be fine because your oldest friends always have your back.  The second was equally practical but involved mud, … Continue reading 4, 3, 2… →