Kamp Kerberle: Day 3 80 car miles; 10.7 walking miles

Most days I enjoying contemplating  perspective, ever hoping for guidance toward a right path. Today, after cooking one of my favorite Mario Batali breafast recipes for the Kampers, Ryan and Erica set out for the city and Ed and I set out to gain a fresh perspective of the area. We intended (And we did.) to spend much of the day hiking in the Minnewaska State Park Reserve. On the way there we passed through the small village of Ellenville, established in 1802. That's when the notion of perspective struck me today. In 1802, the giant fir trees in Commencement Bay (Tacoma, Washington), well fed by sun and water and as yet unharried by the axes of progress, stood tall, wide, and proud along the edge of the water. The towns people of Ellensville had more than a thirty year foot hold when Captain Puget sent his long boats (1834) on what could be the first foray by white men into what we now call Puget Sound. At the time he remarked something to the effect that the  Indians (Likely Puyallups) were so well fed, they appeared to have pot bellies. As a side note, the Spokane Indians of the time were pulling salmon from the waters of Spokane Falls while the only white men to be seen were the trappers who happened by. My, how perspective changes. Ellensville is now a sad caricature of itself, subsisting as it does in an economically depressed upstate New York. In contrast, the Puyallups after years of abuse and oppression are seeing a rebirth due to casino profits as are the Spokanes. It speaks to the inconstancy of this temporal world. Perhaps Ellensvillle will see a renewal as well heeled city dwellers make their way to the Catskills, either as second home owners or as burnouts seeking reinvention. All over the Hudson Valley (And many other places in America), there are smart, talented, industrious people seeking solitude or reinvention or rebirth or freedom or whatever else drives them away from the maddening crowds. For tourists like me it's great because I find stunningly good restaurants, inviting inns, incredible bakeries, and delightful coffee shops to enjoy. In my travels two constants appear true (Caveat: Everything is evolving so constancy is illusory): First, the places people choose are naturally wondrous  and beautiful. Second, cash talks. A person may feel the need "to move to the country" as it were, but any such endeavor requires money. Take today's "best" human, Erica Morici. Her father moved his family from Brooklyn when Erica was ten to get away from the bad influences of the city. Since a lady doesn't reveal her age, her weight, or her secrets, I'm not sure of her age, but I am certain that she is a quite beautiful and a quite young lady. At any rate, she is carving her life in the Catskills by running a very good Pizza Restaurant. While she did admit to being bored sometimes, and that she missed the immediacy of everything in the city, I could sense that her attachment ran as deep as the strong mountain trees whose roots claw into the granite. I got the feeling she clings to the area because somehow it nurtures her. (I'm just making this up. She didn't tell me any of this). What she did do is greet Ed and I as if we were favorite uncles. Her smile brightened and her attitude oozed genuine affection, not because she knew us or even liked us ( She might change her mind if she really knew us.) but because (Just my guess) that is how she treats people. That is what is special. The best humans treat others with kindness, joy, and respect. Erica embodies this quality. Ed and I got to enjoy the beauty of nature today: the beauty of Erica's nature and the wondrous beauty of God's creation, affirming once again  (From my perspective) that life is good, especially today. For that, I am thankful.

This morning's thin gruel: Eggs poached in a sauce of heirloom tomatoes, sauteed onions (And a garden carrot), seasoned with basil over crusty garlic bread, and topped with grated Romano cheese.

Google Boy on his morning coffee break at Java Love Coffee Roasting Co. In White Lake, NY.

A painting of someone's coffee loving grandmother hanging in the restroom at Java Love Coffee.

Erica Morici, today's example of what's best in humans.

Simply a treasure.

Selfie of the day.

The reserve is a maze of carriage roads, hiking paths, and viewpoints.

Lake Minnewaska from its north shore.

The lake as viewed from the top.

One of the sloping carriage roads.

Humans making art, or vainly trying to emulate God's handiwork?

As way leads onto way (Thanks Robert Frost), I may never pass this way again.