Great Atlantic Seaboard Bicycyle Tour: Kamp Keberle: Day 2 9.7 walking miles

Fall crept crisply onto Swinging Bridge lake this morning. I awoke to a cool air not quite visible on the breath, but clearly the warmth of Indian Summer has given way to Father Fall. Like opening the hard cover of a much loved book, the shades of many greens has given away to the beginnings of splendorous autumn color. As I gazed into the emptiness of my morning meditation, I felt like one of the forest leaves readying myself like a blushing bride to be for her exuberant burst onto the scene. When the others stirred, we discussed plans for the day. It was decided we'd venture out for lunch, so Ed and I got in a few thousand steps walking along the rolling roads near Kamp Keberle. In the light of the sun, Indian Summer clinged to the forest, and could be seen (In my imagination) chasing shadows through the trees. We enjoyed a very good lunch at the Arnold House, a crisply run Inn in a quaint Catskill town called Livingston Manor. The Inn has nine rooms, a tavern space, a chef trained in the city (NYC for us Western rubes), a spa, and an event space. They are booked solid for the next few months, and the food is largely responsible. First "best" human of the day (Only because we met her first) was Jaime Snow, the do everything bar girl/waittress. She was excellent, but she gets "best" human because of her irrepressible spirit. She greeted every customer while cheering unabashedly for her beloved New York Giants whose game was being broadcast on one of the bar televisions. She said, "I've been a Giant fan for as long as I can remember." Her joy, both obvious and contagious, infused the space with warmth. After lunch, we met our next set of "best" humans, the owner operators of Root and Roost Farm, Sean and Cheyenne Zigmund. Their farm, an organic space, teemed with life, including veggies, turkeys, chickens, ducks, and a very large pig. I asked Cheyenne how she handled insects, she replied, "I let them have some." She also said the farm is a labor of love. It was clearly evident from the moment we drove in when Lily, Sean's mother's Great Dane, loped up to greet us. We dropped Erica off at her car so she could go to her riding lesson while Ed, Ryan, and I did sone shopping for tomorrow's breakfast. As soon as we got home, Erica called saying she forgot her riding boots. Ryan and I drove them to her, which then accounted for the highlight of my day. I got to go to Woodstock! Of course, they've comnercialized the place, but in the fading fall light, I could easily picture the throng of idealistic peace nicks. I didn't let myself consider the disillusionment of my generation; instead I let myself travel down romanticism lane. What's an old hippy without his rose colored glasses?Ryan cooked a delicious dinner, grilled chicken with fresh farm vegetables. Our tycoon, Erica, called it a victory dinner because she just received a full price offer on the Schenkman property. She's cautiously optimistic, but cash could be in the bank as early as next week. Simply put, life is good, especially today here at Kamp Keberle.

Selfie of the day: Single Whip poster.