Burnt Hills to The Battery – Hudson Valley Greenway Trail

By Jack & Judy Rightmyer

Jack: On our second date we went on a 35-mile bike ride, an 80-degree day through the towns of Glenville and Clifton Park. All I could think was, wow, here was a girl who was smart, pretty and willing to go on a long bike ride on such a warm day. She didn’t mind getting sweaty. She was funny, and she was a good biker. That perfect day decided it for me. Forty years later, biking remains one of our favorite things to do together. We’ve biked from Buffalo to Albany along the Erie Canalway Trail, across England from the Irish to the North Sea, and along the C&O Canal towpath in Maryland. READ MORE

Celebrate Paddling in the Adirondacks

By Rivka Cilley

The first canoes used in the Adirondacks were dugout canoes, used by the indigenous people from the Algonquin and Mohawk tribes. The canoeists enjoyed a variety of usage including transport, warfare, hunting and fishing. The new European settlers arrived in the mid-1800s. They were immediately drawn to travel by boat along the connecting bodies of water which make up the Adirondacks. READ MORE

June is for Mountain Laurel

By Rich Macha

Mountain laurel, Kalmia latifolia, is a native evergreen shrub with leathery deep green foliage and, in our area, is generally found south of I-90 at elevations above 500 feet. In June, exquisite clusters of delicate blossoms burst out in a colorful display that ranges from white to pink. Good places to go and witness this display include the southern Taconics, the Appalachian Trail in Massachusetts and Connecticut, the Catskills, and the Shawangunks. READ MORE

Best Half and Full Marathons

By Darryl Caron

If you are signing up or are considering a half or full marathon this summer or fall, now is the time to pick a race and lead-up races so register early to set you up for success. Whether you run, jog or run-jog/walk, start building a base now, pick a training program, and find the experienced people, club or group to help get you to that finish line!

Fortunately, we have a great variety of races in our region that will energize and inspire you with high quality, affordable events that you’ll love. READ MORE

“Leaving It Better Than We Found It”

The unofficial motto of Saratoga Mountain Bike Association

By Erin Lasky

For over 20 years, the Saratoga Mountain Bike Association has been quietly maintaining miles of trails at Daniels Road and Pittstown. Lately, though, SMBA has not been so quiet. At the last Trail Day in April, over 40 volunteers, ages five to 65, showed up ready to work. If you have been to Daniels Road, you have probably noticed that there is no litter in the parking lot or along the trails. Downed trees are cleared within days. SMBA VP Owen Dougherty may have been spotted riding in with a chainsaw on his back and a rake in his hand (SMBA does not recommend this!). Each and every ride becomes an opportunity to maintain the trails. That sense of collective responsibility and ownership is what makes SMBA a special organization. READ MORE

What’s With Those Adirondack Mountain Names?

By Robert C. Lawrence

It was a beautiful June day on a peaceful, calm Lake Durant, located not far from the hamlet of Blue Mountain Lake. Schools were not yet out for the summer, so the adjacent Lake Durant State Campground (William Durant, builder of Adirondack Great Camps) was empty. A pair of adult and young loons put a show on for my wife and me as we sat in our kayaks. While observing these majestic Adirondack icons, we noticed Blue Mountain looming above us. Knowing that I have both a degree and a self-taught background in history, my wife, Carol Ann, asked, “Where does Blue Mountain get its name?” I told her I did not know the answer and suggested we drive to the Adirondack Museum at Blue Mountain Lake (now the Adirondack Experience) the following day to buy a book on regional place names. READ MORE

Jim Nolan

By Jack Rightmyer

It was Labor Day 2010, and Jim Nolan, a professor at Siena College, was enjoying a bike ride on the Warren County Bike Trail with his wife Mary and three of their friends. “I was near the Glen Lake area and coming down a steep decline that has an S turn at the end,” Jim said. “I made the right turn and was getting ready to make the left turn when all of a sudden coming up the hill was a family of three riding side-by-side.” READ MORE