FURTHER THOUGHTS ON THE BLACK PANTHERS OF PIERMONT

As the winter season closes its icy hand around us, my thoughts turn to the oft talked about infamous black panthers of Piermont. Yes, the very beasts that had villagers clamoring at Town Board meetings with pitch forks and torches. Some crying for their heads on a pike, others wanting to abandon the town as not to disturb these mythical predators (forgetting the fact that the purported panthers were invaders from a foreign land). Why did all the supposed sighting take place in the spring and summer months? Now that a snow cover would provide irrefutable proof positive of their existence, they are nowhere to be seen! Could it be that panthers migrate, or maybe hibernate? Come to think of it Bigfoot and the New Jersey Devil also make themselves scarce during the winter time. Maybe they all hang in the Bahamas for the holiday season. Now the Abominable Snowman; that’s a different story, but then again, who else is hiking the Himalayas in the winter.

THE EAGLE HAS LANDED…

West Nyack has become the winter home to a migratory group of bald eagles. It seems a flock of these majestic fishermen have settled in behind the Shop Rite on Rt. 59. It would appear they have been attracted by the open water of the Hackensack Creek. The velocity of the water, caused by the dam at the southern end of Lake Deforest, helps to keep this section of water ice free in all but the coldest of winter weather. There is also a large population of fish, especially carp, swimming in the creek. Eagles will scavenge most any food, but they are magnificent catchers of fish, their preferred meal. A bald eagle swoops down and can pluck fish up to several pounds in their talons without missing a wing beat. They then maneuver the fish to be facing head first making their often heavy meal aerodynamically correct as they fly off to a high perch to enjoy the hard earned meal. Bald eagles don’t develop their distinctive white head and tail until 5 years old. There is at least one immature eagle with the group, easily recognizable by a mottled plumage of brown and white. By itself, it could be mistaken for a hawk, but its large size is a dead giveaway to identification.

Many people have gone out and bought telephoto lenses for their cameras, binoculars, and spotting scopes to enjoy this natural spectacle from a distance. It is against federal law to harass or disturb eagles. The DEC thinks this group has traveled down from Canada, following open water as they go. Although many people think this year is a unique occurrence, Rockland has become home to several bald eagles every winter for at least the past several years. It would seem their proximity to the Palisades Mall has increased public awareness this year.

The Best Places in Rockland for Christmas Trees!

Are you sick and tired of searching for Christmas trees and always winding up over-spending on a Charlie Brown tree? Here is a list of great places to look if you want to get fair priced, full, beautiful Christmas trees while having incredible service from the staff.

Hungry Hollow Coop- 841 Chesnut Ridge Road, Chestnut Ridge, NY. 845.356.3319 – - Hours of operation Monday-Friday: 7:30am – 7pm | Saturday: 9am – 7pm | Sunday: 11am – 5pm
***ASK FOR TOMMY AND TELL HIM BAER & MCINTOSH SENT YOU***

DePiero’s Country Farm – 300 West Grand Ave, Montvale, NJ (Garden State Parkway to exit 172) – - Hours of operation Sunday - Wednesday 7am-6pm, Thursday – Saturday 7am-7pm

Celetti Nursery Inc – 937 Route 45 New City, NY. (845) 354-0791 – - Hours of operation Mon-Fri 8am-5pm,  Sat. 8am-3pm and Sun 9am-3pm

Hoyers Ice Cream – 17 Treason Hill Street in West Haverstraw, NY

Empire Hook and Ladder Co #1 – 330 N Broadway, Nyack – (845) 358-0198

If you have any other places please feel free to leave them in the comments and we will update the list as needed! Enjoy!

Horseback Ride in the Winter At Ramapo Equestrian Center!

Ramapo Equestrian Center is located in Suffern, NY. The riding center is one of the most versatile in the country. It offers hunter/jumper training, dressage training, western lessons, and pony rides – just to name a few. It also has an Olympic-sized indoor arena, top-level training in every discipline, and horses to suit all types of riders. 

Whether you are looking to compete and win at West Palm Beach, hope to take your beginner riding skills to the next level, or just want to treat your child to a fun pony ride, the center is a great place to begin your journey!

One of the main attractions is the Winter Camp will be offered Dec 21st to Dec 23rd and Dec 27th or Dec 31st. A full week will cost $500 and a half week will cost $300. So if you are looking for a budget friendly lesson, Ramapo Equestrian Center is definitely the place to go!

For More Information:

Ramapo Equestrian Center 1152 Haverstraw Rd (Route 202) Suffern, NY 10901 Phone: 845.354.7669 E-Mail: ramapo.equestrian@me.com

Hiking Breakneck Mountain

Last Saturday a friend asked me if I wanted to join him for a hike along the Hudson River.  I happily agreed, imagining meandering along trails that would allow me to enjoy beautiful views of our majestic waterway.

Well, most of that was true. The views were spectacular!  The weather was seasonably pleasant. And the trails were well marked.  What I didn’t know was that we would not meander.  We climbed….at times, straight up!  It seems that we ascended what is called Breakneck Mountain which is part of the Hudson Highlands, namely the Fishkill Mountains.  This mountain is part of a quarry which supplied rock to the area in the 1800’s.  While rock from Breakneck Mountain is no longer quarried, many nature lovers enjoy the sights and sport the mountain still provides.  I had no idea that I was going to be as challenged as I was.  It’s not called “break neck” for nothing.  What a treacherous climb, that involved using all fours as well as knees and butt to maneuver the rocky crevices and surfaces!  Challenge was the word for it.  And I, for one, was up for it and would do it again.  I never once felt frightened, except when I took a more difficult path instead of the obvious one…one of life’s metaphors, I guess. Once at the top, the effort was well worth it.  One can see the Hudson River Valley for miles north and south.  Directly across was breathtaking Storm King and in the distance were many ranges of which I can’t begin to know the names.  It’s a wonderful adventure for anyone who wants an exciting, exhilarating, autumn afternoon of exploration of our area. It’s appropriate to pay homage to this vast waterway that is such a party of our country’s history as we celebrate the four hundredth anniversary of Henry Hudson claiming the area for the Dutch and the one hundred and second anniversary of the voyage of the Clermont, Samuel Fulton’s steamboat, which significantly changed commercial riverboat travel from then on.

 

Dare to hike Breakneck Mountain.

Panther Sightings Continue in Rockland

“The first reported sighting was by Jane Bernick, a retired travel agent. She said she got up at 7 a.m. on March 6, and came downstairs for coffee. Looking outside she saw two large black animals she thought were bears. (“Panthers weren’t on the radar at that point,” she said.) She got out binoculars and saw what seemed to be two black panthers, which she watched for 15 minutes but didn’t report to the police. A week later, her next-door neighbor Grace Knowlton, a sculptor, was entertaining two guests when she saw at least one panther, maybe two, She called the police, who were not impressed.

The trouble is, no one really knows what, if anything, is out there. A camera set up for months found nothing. There’s been no photograph, definitive footprint or scat that’s correlated with a panther. An eviscerated deer, taken by some as more panther evidence, could have been injured and then done in by coyotes or other predators, experts said. There have been hundreds of reports of wild cats in the Northeast, usually tawny, not black, over the years, so it will take something definitive to excite the state Department of Environmental Conservation.” – www.nytimes.com

There have been multiple sightings of the panther that its hard to not believe it exists in rockland county. If you have any stories of encounters or sightings please let us know!! Leave any comments or concerns as well!

Septemberfest in Nyack

Nyack’s street fairs are known for their combination of merchandise for all tastes and Food, entertainment, arts, and crafts all located in the heart of the Village of Nyack. This artsy and Victorian town is known for their street fairs across the county. There is always a plethora of things to do, buy, and eat! Defintely something for everyone!
“Up to 25,000 people are attracted to the Nyack street fairs, when Main Street and Broadway are closed to traffic, making it a pedestrian paradise. Stroll throughout the village’s downtown and street fair booths. Make a day of it by spending time in Nyack’s Memorial Park by the mighty Hudson River. Take part in the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the exploration of the Hudson, called the Quadricentennial Celebration, which goes on for all of 2009.” – Nyack-ny.com

Septemberfest will be held on September 13,2009 and will be something you wont want to miss!!! Make your way down to the streets of Nyack on that Sunday to see the grand events!

Nyack Beach State Park

Enjoy the upcoming beautiful weekend at Nyack’s Beach and State Park! August 14-17th should be the best days of the summer so far. Where else would you rather enjoy the day with little to no chance of rain and sunny weather all weekend long! Temperatures will range from 80-90 degrees, the weather will be perfect for picicking, hiking, bicycling, boating or fishing!! There are so many things to choose from, it will be easy to relax and enjoy the beauty this weekend will bring. With 61 acres of waterfront, there will be plenty of room for everyone to come and enjoy the tranquil setting of the park!

According to hvnet.com;

“Pack a picnic and take the family or friends on a stroll north from Nyack Beach State Park. The pathways hug the shoreline and are shaded by trees and the palisades towering overhead. The path is nearly level and wanders in and out following the little bays and outcroppings of the shoreline. On your walk you see people fishing from the banks, families and couples with blankets spread picnicking under the trees, kids playing and other people just like you strolling enjoying the day and the spectacular view. The path is broad, level and an exceptionally easy stroll.

If you like to stroll in scenic locations, and you think that actually being able to see the river close up is possibly more fun than seeing it out the window of your car as you drive over a bridge, then a visit to Nyack Beach State Park should be put up high on your list of places to go in the Hudson Valley. You’ll have a great time in the outdoors and the view and breezes cannot be matched anywhere else in the Valley.”

 

Located in Upper Nyack on North Broadway!

Great Hudson Valley Pedal August 11 – 16

The greater Hudson Valley Pedal takes place from August 11th to August 16th and “is designed for fun and relaxation and to acquaint you with the richness of the Hudson Valley. You don’t need to be an expert to participate in this tour but you and your bicycle should be in good physical condition. You’ll cover 35-45 miles per day. Elevation changes are moderate. The route has been carefully selected for optimal bicycling but, especially as the tour approaches NYC, some busy roads are inevitable”

Will be stopping in Nyack on Saturday, August 16th! Come and cheer on the bikers as they pedal to their final destination, Battery Park!

 

Women featured: Left Mrs. Cashin Right: Mrs. Nadratowski from Upstate NY.

Elephants on the Street!?

For the first time in over 100 years, a live elephant will parade down Nyack’s Main Street on Saturday, July 25th at 10am to kick-off the two and half week celebration of the 400-year old Hudson River discovery and the 200-year birth of the American Circus as part of the “Circus-in-the-Park Extravaganza.”

Amazing Grace CIRCUS!, the region’s only year-round children’s and youth circus, will present a Circus-in-the-Park Extravaganza! July 19 – August 2 at Memorial Park in Nyack under the beautiful Cirque du Soleil-like tent.

Over 5,000 people are expected to fill the streets of Nyack during this two-week run, billed by the co-founders of AGC! as ‘a community event like no other…an antidote to the economy…fun and entertainment for the whole family at a reasonable price.’

The AGC! Youth Troupe, a circus company of 13 teenagers from Rockland and Bergen Counties, will perform on the weekends and lead the Old Tyme Circus Parade Down Main Street on July 25th.

Nyack’s Mayor Shields and Rockland County’s Chairwoman of the Legislature, Hon. Harriet Cornell, will be co-Grand Marshall’s of the Parade AND co-Guest Ringmasters in a Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony in AGC!’s tent.

Tickets to all circus events are on sale at the Riverspace box office.

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