Hiking is something I enjoy but don’t have the opportunity to do that often. So when my friend Aki invited me to go for a trek on the Mohonk Preserve, I jumped at the chance.
Cafe Mio
First though, some pre-hike sustenance. We had lunch at this place in Gardiner, New York. I got the eggs over corned beef hash:
Yum!
Mohonk Preserve
Turns out I really need that fuel because the hike turned out to be pretty grueling, especially in the heat.
First, a little about the preserve. It’s 8,000 acres in the Shawagunk Ridge (nicknamed the Gunks), which is part of the Appalachians. Nearby is the Mohonk Mountain House, an amazing looking spa and resort.
Back to the hike. At least two other times Aki has said we were going hiking, and we ended up not hiking. So I thought this was one of those times, and as a result, I dressed completely inappropriately: dress, Keds, purse. The only right thing I did was wear a hat and sunglasses.
We hiked about three miles, much of it uphill. Despite my non-hiking gear, I did okay (all that running, I suppose), although Aki left everyone in the dust.
Tuthilltown Spirits Distillery
After our strenuous excursion, we were rewarded with a trip to this distillery. Along with a couple of the guys, I tried a flight of their spirits, one of which was basically making your own mini Old Fashioned with their yummy Basement Bitters. Needless to say, I got pretty tipsy.
Saigon Kitchen
Our last stop was this pho restaurant in Fort Lee. Exhausted, hot, starving, and slightly drunk, it was the perfect way to end the day. I had the seafood noodle soup:
It was sooo good, especially the broth, which was positively delectable. Even Aki the picky eater liked it and in fact finished what I couldn’t.
Check out all my New York adventures.