August 24-27
This weekend I headed to Sugar Hill State Forest in Watkins Glen, New York for some camping with Cory and Dags. They had to work all day, which left me in charge of exploring — and let me tell you, my ebike and I made the most of it.
I spent the day cruising through the Six Nation Trail System and the Finger Lakes Trail (FLT), weaving between towering trees, chirping birds, and the occasional “whoops” moment when I hit a patch of ground that looked like it had hosted a horse dance party. (Note to self: hoof prints make for interesting traction tests.)
At one point, I climbed the Sugar Hill Fire Tower — amazing views, a little vertigo, and a great leg workout. The adventure took a turn, though, when I lost my phone at dusk, right before a rainstorm rolled in. No GPS. No flashlight. Just me, my bike, and a rapidly growing sense of, “Well, this is going to be a story.”
Luckily, I found my way back to camp and borrowed Cory’s phone to call Steve, who can track me through an app. Armed with coordinates and sheer determination, I went back out and — miracle of miracles — found my phone just after the battery died and before the sky opened up.
The next day I treated myself to a calmer activity: a visit to Apples and More Orchard. Their sparkling cider was super sweet — basically autumn in a bottle. I even picked some apples and cut zinnias to make up for yesterday’s chaos.
On the way home, I stopped in Watkins Glen for a little shopping and discovered a gem of a gift shop called “Guano Crazy.” Hilarious magnets, quirky stickers — exactly my kind of humor.
Then came the grand finale. I returned to my van parked on Main Street and found a police report tucked under my windshield. Turns out, a touring bus had sideswiped me and ripped off my driver’s side mirror. Nothing like a little vehicular vandalism to wrap up a weekend in the wild!
But the best part of each day wasn’t the trails, the tower, or even the cider — it was coming back to camp. After the sun went down, Cory would whip up a wonderful dinner (how does everything taste better outdoors?) and we’d sit around the campfire, swapping stories, stargazing, and laughing about the day’s misadventures. The crackle of the fire, the glow of the embers, and the smell of wood smoke made it all feel just right.
Still, even with all the surprises — horse-hooved trails, phone rescues, and mirror mishaps — I wouldn’t trade it. Every bump, twist, and lost-phone panic made it a trip worth remembering.