Harriman Reservoir, May 28

[John P]

(As sent to me, but unfortunately not personally experienced.)

We had a beautiful day for our hike, with highs in the 80's and lots of sunshine.  The water was not warm, but also not cold enough to set off alarms by the thermal indicators.  Two people got in a good long swim, and others of us at least had an invigorating dip before or after lunch.

Several of us had other engagements that kept the day shorter than we would have liked -- probably only 4 miles or so roundtrip.  But others went further and did perhaps 9 miles roundtrip.

All in all, a good day to start the summer season.

[nuduke]

John(P)
Was that SOC or the other group, whose name (or acronym) geriatrically escapes me as I write!
John(N)

[John P]

Sorry John, it's even worse than that! I relayed the trip report from my hiking friends back in America, and the location was in the state of Vermont. Here's a map; the trail is along the west side of the reservoir:
https://caltopo.com/map.html#ll=42.84196,-72.89479&z=12&b=t

The Ledges, New England's best-known nude beach, is on the east side of the lake, at 42.837N, 72.877W. It isn't marked on the map, though it certainly should be.

[nuduke]

Well, equally good, John.  Vermont is a wonderful place by the look of it!  I thought you were in Britain at the moment or is that someone else?  Or have you returned?
John

[eyesup]

Thanks for the link to CalTopo. Nice!

Too far again, for me! Dang it!

Duane

[John P]

John Nuduke, I will be in England until the end of the month, and then it's back to dull old Boston. Anything I've posted about our group's events in New England over the last couple of months has been based on messages that my friends have sent.

[nuduke]

Oh good.  It's not my memory failing!  You're just planning ahead! 
Gosh, Boston seems anything but dull compared with ...er is it Surrey or E. Sussex where you are at present?  But then, the grass is oft greener etc.....
John

[jbeegoode]

Boston is dull until you actually find a place to park your car. The Dropkick Murphys won't allow quiet, I'm told.
Jbee

[John P]

Oh no, John Nuduke, not dull at all in Kent where I was yesterday with the Naturist Ramblers! (You can tell it's Kent, because there is an oast house in the picture. An oast house is a structure used for drying hops, and they're particularly common in Kent where a lot of hops were historically grown.)

And Jbee--better the Dropkick Murphys than those damn cicadas.

[yeldew]

A great walk, John.   
Even if I don't appear in your photo. 
I must have been leading the pack at that stage!
And weren't we lucky with the rain?!   
Norman.

[nuduke]

I know what an Oast House is!!
John


....Cracking pic!  And what a good turn out.

[eyesup]

Was there a brewery nearby?

Important details are missing! 

Duane

[John P]

No, the oast houses are built on or near the farms where the hops were actually grown; perhaps the crop is perishable and needs to be dried soon after picking. But I'm afraid the hops are now processed by industrial methods and there can't be many oast houses still in use. But they're considered so distinctive that there's probably a law against demolishing any.

Naturist Ramblers trips typically start in a pub:


In this case it was the Fountain, in the village of Cowden. It serves beer from Harveys Brewery just across the border in Sussex:

[eyesup]

Naturist Ramblers trips typically start in a pub:

I recall when Ian posts his reports, he frequently visits a pub at some point. Whether with the SOC or on his own. Beginning, middle or end it seems to be in there somewhere.

There is nothing better for the spirit than to sit with friends over a brew in a local pub and discuss whatever is on your mind. That interior shot says it all.

Duane