On the FLT with the Botanical Hiker

I recently found out about a woman who is attempting to hike the entire Finger Lakes Trail and all the spur trails in one shot.  No one has done it before but she has plenty of experience and despite the excessively wet conditions this summer will probably make it.
Her name is Heather Houskeeper (yes that's spelled right, and yes it's her given name) and she's hiked the entire Appalachian Trail, after doing 1000 miles of it as a test run.  She also hiked the Mountains to Coast Trail in NC (twice) and wrote a book about the edible plants that grow along it.
She plans to write a similar book about the Finger Lakes Trail.
I had contacted her and offered to go along for a stretch in our area and help her avoid four miles of road walking to get around a closed section but hadn't heard from her.  Someone alerted me to an article in the local paper saying she was in Ithaca so I got in touch with a friend mentioned in the article and the next thing I knew I was on the phone with Heather planning a day to hike 15 miles together during the day between GrassRoots set-up and the actual festival.
We had a lovely walk, it didn't really rain much and she got an appreciation of the area from someone who lived just off that part of the trail for many years.  And only got her lost a few times in one day.

On the FLT with the Botanical Hiker

I was particularly thrilled to be with her when she hiked the section of trail I maintain with Gail and a neighbor between Shindagin Hollow Rd. and South Rd. in Caroline.  Besides being one of the most picturesque sections I know of (OK, I haven't hiked all that many, but people say it is), it's where I've created some art out of piles of stone made long ago by farmers trying to get a crop out of the thin soils on the hilltops.
They should have waited for her book to come out, there was plenty to eat without cultivation.  We stopped for lunch at the lean-to by the waterfall and ate some good food we had brought with us.  Some of it from a store.

On the FLT with the Botanical Hiker

Part of the detour around the closed section of trail in Caroline involved a stop to meet and visit with friends Connie and Andy and eat lots of their fruit and vegetable harvest of the day.  I hiked with Heather across their property to show her two more rock piles, then Andy picked me up and gave me a ride to Ithaca while Heather continued on the trail for a few more miles to spend the night in the lean-to in Robinson Hollow where it got down to the low 40's during the night.  When I contacted her a few days later she was glad to hear it was that cold.  She was afraid she was getting soft when she got cold during the night.
Soft is not an adjective I'll ever associate with her.

Graduation

An annual tradition I'm glad I got into a few years ago is to attend IHS graduation ceremonies at the Springsteen Center at IC.  This year was particularly touching as two of my favorite students of all-time, Melissa O. and Cassie S. graduated.  I wouldn't go so far as to say they couldn't have done it without me, but I'm glad they didn't. 
Cassandra is an amazing writer and I'll be showing people the short stories she wrote for me when she's a best selling author. 
Melissa not only was the first student to ask me for a letter of recommendation for her college application, but wrote me a thank you letter for helping her make it through all four years of school.  I like to think my letter helped get her into IC and that she'll continue to show appreciation by staying friends for years to come.
Not supposed to have favorites, right.

Graduation

Some kids I've only known a year or two, others stay with me four years.  The girl in the top photo, Kyla, is going to be a CEO or senator someday, she is one of the most charming and coolest people around, sorry she only attended IHS for her senior year.  Middle picture is Melissa again and Jane, and with me in the bottom photo is Angelina who once when discussing depreciation said her car is worth less than when her dad bought it because she hit a tree.  Farewell Angelina.

Graduation

A few kids I think I get some credit for their graduation, and for being nice people.  I spent quite a bit of time molding them, they'll go on to wonderful things.