Another Amazing Place

After Jeff mowed the lawn (and fixed the mower, I might add), we decided to head out to a region of NY we had never been - Tug Hill.  It's north of us and just west of the Adirondacks. Molly's soccer starts up this week and bug season is about to be upon us, so we decided to go for a hike.

We went to Whetstone Gulf State Park, known for it's great views that are hard to see when the vegetation gets thick. It's not thick yet, so we were thinking it would be a good time to try this.  And it was dry, also a great time to hike "Gorge Trail: dangerous."  It was quite a climb, with narrow trails and sheer drop off edges.  Which means the kids will stay interested, and the parents will have nightmares. 
Another thing that makes a hike interesting for the kids is having to ford little creeks.  Molly posing in the middle of one. 
At one point on the hike we passed through a particularly impressive stand of Jack Pines.  
At the halfway point, the views of the gorge were really amazing.  Amazing views also makes kids interested.  Even so, a five mile hike is a long one for five year olds and shih-tzus.  But everyone did great!  Having Swedish fish to snack on (not for the dog) helps too.  Though Anna was concerned at first that Swedish fish were "really fish from Swedish?" 
Michigan had its share of beautiful places, Lake Michigan from Warren Dunes to Muskegon, Sleeping Bear and Grand Traverse Bay, Mackinac Island, Pictured Rocks.  But I have honestly never lived in a place where there were so many beautiful, spectacular places within a two hour radius of my house.  We've been on so many great hikes with the kids already.  

I also appreciate the spectacular Italian cuisine in this area as well.  Halfway home we stopped at a little local restaurant and had a wonderful meal to treat ourselves.  End of Spring Break, End of the Month, End of a Tiring Hike, and Biscuit's birthday (just kidding on the last one - Jeff wouldn't even let him have a meatball).  And a year ago, we were house hunting here, not knowing all the treasures NY holds.