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.33. (Part - II)

"Boat tours!" I exclaimed and suddenly the little nauseated feeling I was having, vanished.

"Wow! Let's hurry then."

Riley was already at the other end, waiting for us. We clicked a few pictures then went for the boat tours in Hunter Mountains.

The lake and the boating was still and calm as compared to the last event. We asked Riley to join us for the ride. But he insisted us to go alone. At the end, he finally agreed and jumped into the boat.

For about one hour, we spent there. It was 3:30 p.m by the time we came out. We all were feeling hungry. So, I asked Riley to get the food basket from the car. Till then, we found a suitable place to sit to have our little lunch picnic.

I laid down a cloth I brought, on the grass bed and arranged the basket on one side with some place for us to sit.

•••

After enjoying a hearty laugh at the lunch, it was now time for my last stop. From the time I moved to New York, I had heard a lot about the Kaaterskill Falls and the view it have from its top of the Hunter Mountains. I had always wished to see it but never got a chance till today. Soon sun was going to set, adding only an another awesome view.

While the falls are on public land, they can only be reached via the Kaaterskill Falls Trail, a state-maintained yellow-blazed path running 0.4 mile (650 m) uphill from NY 23A, the only road through the clove.

The trail is served by two parking lots along 23A, both of which require a walk of at least 0.2 mile (400 m) to reach the trailhead at Bastion Falls, just above 23A at a bend in the road.

Due to both the rugged surrounding terrain and the limitations placed on Forest Preserve land by the state constitution, New York's Department of Transportation (DOT) has been unable to expand the narrow shoulder on either side of the road, requiring that, visitors walk very close to high-speed traffic, including trucks, some of which are in the middle of descending a pronounced grade. The risk of serious accidents is very high. Both DOT and DEC have indicated a willingness to sit down and work out a solution that will accommodate their concerns, however this has not happened as of 2006.

So to avoid all of this, we, actually I decided to go by parking at North-South Lake and then following the closed route of the former Escarpment Trail. Though, this wass equally risky as it runs very near the edge of the falls but would also be a thrilling experience.

To hear the sound of the falling water so closely, could make anyone dumbstruck. We walked, keeping ourselves as away as possible, from the edge. Few times, my foot slipped, making some of the rocks of the steep and rocky slopes of the trail.

I wondered what would happen down there if I fell down.

Walking made me tired and I started expereincing shortness of breath. I stopped to have a few sips of water. Theo suggested to wait for a while but I didn't wanted to miss the sunset view. So, I chose to keep walking till we reach the Falls.

Finally, we made it to the falls. The top of the falls was officially closed for hiking due to safety purpose after few incidents took place. But the real view was from there.

The trail officially ends, and is blocked off at, the lower of the two falls. However, the former treadway is still usable, and many visitors continue past the brush pile to get closer to the falls. I decided the same.

Theo asked me to mark a stop here only but I refused. I told him that if he wanted to stay, he could but I will go on further as it would hardly take 7-9 minutes to reach there.