Springwater Trails & Victor Hiking Trails groups share common bonds (& hikes)

       Springwater Trails (S/T) hikers will have some broadened combined hike opportunities easily facilitated in 2014.  Starting with the S/T 2/23/2014 AWEN hike thru the Evergreen Farm & to the radar tower, Springwater trails saw the start of at least one hiker from Victor Hiking Trails (VHT) joining in some Winter S/T hikes.  Some cooperative discussions and mutually supportive efforts have been ongoing now for a few months between VHT & S/T.
       The VHT website (www.victorhikingtrails.org) prominently featured two paragraphs about the S/T Fundraiser – Maple Syrup & Pancake Breakfast/Lunch, on the home page in the second week of the fundraiser, which was immediately after an S/T hiker had submitted the info in an article to VHT.  Also of note, in the “VHT Pathfinder” (Spring 2014) newsletter which was published on 3/27/2014 and is available thru the VHT website, there is an article about S/T on pages 5 & 9 of the newsletter. Included in the article is info about the Maple Syrup & Pancake Fundraiser, and overall the article is an introduction of Springwater Trails to the VHT audience.
       Generally VHT holds one guided hike per month, usually on the second Saturday morning of the month, and hike locales vary greatly.  The hike calendar (schedule) is posted at http://www.victorhikingtrails.org/vhtcal.php. In 2014 Spring, Summer, &  Autumn a number of VHT hikes may be of interest to some S/T hikers for varying reasons.   Some of those hikes are in the “home range” of S/T, particularly in the area of Canadice & Naples, thus likely an easy reach for many S/T hikers.    So perhaps some of our S/T hikers joining in on some of those hikes would be a welcoming event and fine cooperative gesture.   Page 2 of the VHT Pathfinder Spring 2014 edition, has 2014 VHT upcoming hike locales listed, and hike specifics are posted on the VHT website homepage respectively as a particular hike date approaches.  VHT forms carpools to distant hikes, and as a norm carpools are formed behind Victor Town Hall unless another location is listed.
       For a calendar month listing of VHT hike locales from 2014-1996, this URL (link) —    http://www.victorhikingtrails.org/monthlyhikes.html  – shows hike history.
       VHT hikes are open to the general public just as S/T hikes are.  S/T has received a specific invite to join VHT for the VHT monthly hike on Saturday April 12, 2014 at the Canadice Lake Trail.  9:00AM starts the carpool from Victor Town Hall, 9:45AM is hike meet time at Purcell Hill Rd parking lot, near the north end of Canadice Lake.  An opportunity is thus afforded S/T hikers to welcome some other hikers to the area and share a hike with some new faces.  In addition, a blanket invitation to S/T hikers has been extended from VHT to join in on any other VHT hikes. S/T has made a reciprocal specific invite to VHT.
       VHT has some monthly hikes coming up in 2014, which may be of specific interest to S/T hikers, one of which is at Chimney Bluffs State Park in northeastern Wayne County along Lake Ontario shoreline on Saturday, May 10th, 2014 in the morning.  Since Chimney Bluffs SP is likely a bit far in distance for S/T to Hike Plan a hike at this locale (lying some ~48 miles as the crow flies from Springwater), and being that VHT is scheduling a hike there, perhaps some of our S/T hikers may want to join in on that hike.   VHT will be forming a carpool at Victor Town Hall for any hikers who wish to join in that carpool.   Likely S/T will post the hike as an ancillary hike on the S/T website calendar, and perhaps coordinate a carpool effort from Springwater area to Victor.
       Also of note: July and August 2014 will find VHT hiking in the Naples area, one hike of which is designed specifically as an educational hike.  And Keuka Lake Outlet trail from Penn Yan to Dresden is being hiked by VHT on Saturday, October 11, 2014.    An external reference resource for the Keuka Outlet trail for those who want to learn more about this trail is:   http://www.cnyhiking.com/KeukaLakeOutletTrail.htm
       VHT & S/T may draw individually upon each other’s “hike history” webpage listings as impetus for some hike locales for future Hike Planning.  I can see that in identifying places where VHT has held hikes and where S/T endeavors to hike (yet has not previously Hike Planned), S/T hikers can get some hike assistance from VHT counterparts, and vice-versa.  There is even possibility of a VHT hiker who has hiked one of those locations, becoming a Hike Planner for S/T for that location for a future S/T hike.   In fact Mary Frances Blue Bird Haven and “Monkey Run Trails” in Victor may be put on the S/T Summer hike roster with a VHT member participating in Hike Planning it for S/T.  Something for our Birdwatchers to consider in a S/T Hike Plan.
       Also of note Sunday 4/13/2014 at 1:30PM  holds a hike opportunity for S/T hikers to join in a hike in the Towns of Victor and Perinton and hike along with VHT & Crescent Trail Hiking Association (CTHA) in a celebratory hike and brief ribbon cutting ceremony in recognition of trails within the two towns meeting at the town borders.   And that trail joining is not the only connection here.  As many S/T hikers are aware, Chuck Winship who was integrally involved in Springwater Trails until his death in Autumn 2013, was years ago integrally involved with Perinton Parks & Recreation Dept, in the capacity of fostering the Crescent Trail in Perinton.   And the cumulative various branches of the Crescent Trail in Perinton,  & cumulative various hiking trails in Victor (as fostered by VHT) serve as model for development of the Springwater Trail.
       One symbiotic piece,  … being that Mother Nature has dealt a late arrival of Spring blossoms, the S/T hike at Durand-Eastman Park Arboretum that was postponed to 4/13/2014 for viewing blossoming trees in the Arboretum has again been postponed until 4/27/2014 when certainly there will be a show of Spring.   A decision was made to not schedule a different locale hike for S/T on 4/13/2014, but instead to offer the opportunity for S/T hikers to join in the hike in Victor and Perinton.
       Yet one more quintessential networking and learning opportunity with all kinds of possibilities is the 17th Annual ADK Expo to be held at Mendon Ponds Park on Saturday June 14, 2014 10:00AM-4:00PM.  Organized by the Adirondack Mountain Club – Genesee Valley Chapter (ADK-GVC) this day consists of hikes, bike rides, kayaking and canoeing,  equipment trials & info,  demos, learning workshops and presentations, and more, all with the outdoor enthusiast in mind.  Beginner Orienteering, Geocaching, GPS selection & use, kayak selection & technique, personal gear & clothing, Backpacking 101, Camping essentials, Smart Phones for the outdoors, Family hiking with kids & curiosity, and much more are all on the schedule.  In fact there are as many as 10 activities to choose from at one time and about 70 separate activities planned in the schedule, so pretty much guaranteed to be numerous opportunities of interest for all outdoors oriented folks.   With so many activities, and participation and presentation by so many hiking and outdoor related groups, outdoor equipment outfitters & retailers, municipal and service agencies alike, perhaps the toughest part will be choosing which opportunity you want to participate in over another.   Further details can be gleaned from  http://www.adk-gvc.org/Expo      Oh, and did I forget to mention, it is all FREE?  No admission to Mendon Ponds Park or to the ADK Expo.
        If you as a S/T hiker wish to volunteer for two hours at the ADK Expo, the organizers would greatly appreciate the offer.  Of note: many hiking groups are participating, two of which are VHT & CTHA.
       So, there you have it Springwater Trails hikers, some varying new opportunities for sharing.  One never knows what we can learn, and apply to the Springwater Trail and our S/T hiking group.   Hope to see you on the trail along with some new faces and newly acquired knowledge as well.