Further Down the River

These Soviet-era apartments are on their way out; no big loss for the city, they all look exactly the same anyway and go on for at least 1/2 mile All that remains of some sort of Erie Canal infrastructure The historic Genesee Brew House The bridge that carries bike route 1 and the main drains across the river into Irondequoit Your writer, in a cage The destination: a cave entrance, deep into the river bank One soaking wet climb up to the drain section of it! The exit... beautiful daylight!

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Apollo 12

I said I was looking for adventure -- it didn't take me long to find it! I climbed Mt Marcy (5348', highest point in New York State) last weekend with my scout troop. Lesson learned: mountains are big! It was an epic experience, even if it's an experience that a certain someone doesn't believe I could ever do, despite the photo evidence! I should have known from the start that this was a bad sign, that not many people go this way. The beginning of the hike was flat and easy enough, about 5 miles to Calamity Pond, where we…

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In The Beginning

I should have seen the signs for a while, maybe I even did see it; summer of 8th grade year, getting absolutely covered in poison sumac, and all I did was apply to be a CIT at my camp, come back for four weeks of it. Then once I got there, it was almost a calling, teaching wilderness survival. It came naturally to me, I felt like it was useful knowledge I'd need someday. Sure, I could have avoided a lot of deerfly bites specializing in basket weaving or rugby, but I couldn't stop learning the ways of nature. Then…

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