Wingdam Trail in Wawayanda Park

Yesterday we walked for an hour and 20 minutes on the Wingdam trail in Wawayanda park. A lovely day, and more than the usual number (zero) were on the trail.

That's one reason we go to this park. Even on a crowded Saturday afternoon in summer, there are rarely any hikers huffing and puffing on the trails. But yesterday we saw about 17 people here and there. The last group, a family of four, nodded and said hello was we all passed each on the trail. A moment later, their six year old boy yelled back at us breathlessly, "We saw a bear!"

We stopped and turned around. "Oh, where?"

The boy just stared at us with this grin on his face and I wondered if the kid was just having fun with us. "By the lake!" added the boy's father. The lake was the direction we were headed. "He was eating. Having lunch."

We've seen bears before in Wawayanda, but, as we hiked the last bit of the trail, getting closer to the lake and the smell of charcoal and charcoal lighter fluid, we did not see this bear. The lake is where EVERYONE goes, so that's why the trails are usually so quiet.

The day was so pretty and I got so relaxed, I completely forgot to tape that PRETTY MAIDS IN A ROW movie. Fortunately, Mark Evanier suffered through it. Thanks Mark!