After my blog a few weeks ago, describing my return to outdoor activity (courtesy of my “Ferrari” roller), a long-time running friend, Sarah, suggested a walk around a nearby gem, Crown Point State Park and its associated bridge. This place was an old favorite of mine, which I hadn’t been to in many years, and I was also glad when another former running friend (former on the running bit, not the friend bit!) Meg, who was also dealing with life altering physical challenges, came along as well! We were also happy to have a gorgeous fall day at peak foliage for our outing. Congregating at the parking lot by the two old forts, on the NY side of the bridge, we had a great view of the bridge, which was to be a big part of our walk. At the outset of this blog entry, I have to thank Sarah for her photography, as in my excitement, I apparently forgot to bring a camera or cell phone. Just getting old and forgetful probably?

This trio started our walk heading north along the grassy lawns. Many years ago, a colleague in the Geology Department at Middlebury took a group of faculty and high school students fossil hunting here – and in addition to the usual “sea shell” fossils that are pretty easy to find, he pointed out a few rather spectacular examples of the Paleozoic sea creature known as Ammonites in one of the many rocky ledges. If my memory serves me correctly, the ammonite fossils here are of the “straight” rather than the more common “spiral” variety, which probably looked much like the contemporary Chambered Nautilus. I came here many times with my daughters when they were younger, and they always loved locating and relocating these ancient creatures. I had hoped to share this memory with my walking partners, but the ground got a bit rough for me and my wheels, and I discovered that I wasn’t quite as adept as exploring the ledges as well as I used to be. Fortunately, a rather handsome and far from fossilized frog posed for a photo.

Thwarted in my attempts at rock hopping, we turned around and headed back towards the bridge, traversing past the pre-Revolutionary War French Fort. Rolling/walking up the modest incline of the bridge gave a great view back over both the forts, the French Fort in the foreground, and the more substantial British Fort, identified in the background of this photo by its chimneys.

There were equally spectacular views back towards the NY side in the direction of Bulwagga Bay (purported home of Lake Champlain’s legendary lake monster, Champ) Port Henry, a few miles north of the bridge.

The roll up and over the bridge was breezy, and to call the scenery stunning would be an understatement. I wish that my old, and long ignored Garmin GPS watch was in better working order, as this was also probably the most ascent and descent that I have walked in a long time, and it would have been nice to know how far I have come in this regard. Sarah did Meg and I the favor of getting our picture in this effort from our less attractive side. (I don’t show faces in my blog – I know, weird, but it is part of my longtime shtick!) And yeah, I need a haircut.

Returning back over the bridge, and to the parking lot where our cars waited, this ended up being about 1.7 miles, my longest distance in a while, and felt pretty good! Thanks to my dear friends Sarah and Meg, once again, for joining me – it was great seeing both of you. I am always up for joining old friends on walks, as long as they are suitable for a good roll,