Time to get out and enjoy all the snow.  Conditions on the Greenway are nice,  The trail is packed down by snowmobilers which makes for easy skiing or snowshoeing.  For those hardy souls who are brave enough to venture out in the polar temperatures, we will be gathering in Mt Morris to travel a few miles on the Genesee Valley Greenway.  All skiers/ hikers will follow the same route although at different speeds.  The number and abilities of the participants will determine the subgroups.

Skis or snowshoes are recommended.  The trail is largely exposed so please dress for bitter cold temperatures.  For information and maps go to http://www.nysparks.com/parks/189/details.aspx

Directions:Our meeting place will be at 2:00 on Sunday February 15 at the public parking area on Rt 36 just north of the junction of route 408  and 36 north in the village of Mt. Morris.  I

After Hike Social will be at the Questa Lasagna, a cozy Italian restaurant, at 55 Main Street, a few steps away from our parking place.  For a preview of their menu go to www.questalasagna.com

This Sunday, we will be hiking the west end of the Ontario Pathways Rail Trail, in Canandaigua.  An invitation was issued to OP members to join us on this hike.  If this flat, old railroad bed, trail is snow covered this Sunday, (if the little varmint saw his shadow, last Monday) it will make a great XC ski mid winter hike.  It can also be done on snowshoes or waterproof hiking boots with traction devices attached.

We will meet at 2 PM at the parking lot on Ontario St., at the west end of the trail.  Going north on Main St. in Canandaigua, turn right on Ontario, till you reach the parking lot, on your left, right after the railroad crossing.  I will check the Springwater Town Hall parking lot at 1, to see if anyone would like to carpool.  If you do, get there before 1.

From the meeting area, we will form carpools to the starting points.  There will be a long hike, about 4 miles, from Freshour Rd., and a short hike, about 2 miles, from the Ontario County Fairgrounds, on CR 10.  All hikes will end at 4, at the meeting place.

For those who believe that a good hike should be followed by a good beer, the optional after hike social will be at the Beehive Tavern on Niagara St., 1 block south of Ontario.  We’ve been there before and enjoyed a selection from their wide assortment of tasty brews and good food menu.

Couple of other events, this month:

Saturday, Feb. 7, 5 PM, Castle at Highland Park, Rochester.  RAMA (Rochester Mushroom Club) dinner.  We’ve enjoyed some joint ventures with this club and learned allot about mushrooms.  Members will prepare dishes using wild mushrooms collected last summer and frozen or dried (including Georgia’s black trumpet pate).  Bring a dish to pass (doesn’t have to be mushroom), and slippers to wear, inside.

Saturday, Feb. 14, 10 AM, Penfield Town Hall, 3100 Atlantic Ave.  Celebrate Valentine’s Day by bringing your hiking valentine to the Hiker’s Jamboree.  It’s an assemblage of hiking groups, in the Rochester area, and we should be there too, with our literature and schedule.

Anyone interested in arranging carpools to these, contact me at [email protected].