Tons To Do!
by
Elizabeth Bassett

Celebrate Walking!
Imagine a network of trails and dirt roads linking villages and
communities on both shores of the lake, the goal of the Lake Champlain
Walkways. Celebrate Walkways' inaugural weekend, October 13-15, with a
menu of guided walking events.

Hikes:
Coon Mountain, Saturday, October 14, 10 a.m.
Adirondack Nature Conservancy naturalist leads a moderate 2.5 mile
round-trip hike. Spectacular views of the lake and Adirondacks from
the rocky summit just north of Westport; trail lush with wildflowers.
Contact Michael Carr at (518) 576-2082

Rattlesnake Mountain, Saturday, October 14, 1:30 p.m.
Short, moderate hike of less than a mile to a long rocky ridge
overlooking Willlsboro Bay and Willsboro Point. Spectacular vistas of
the lake and basin farmlands, Green Mountains, and front range of the
Adirondacks. Jim Papero of New York State Environmental Conservation
leads the trip. Contact him at (518) 897-1285.

Flock to the Birds:
Dead Creek Discovery, Friday, October 13, 4-6 p.m. Join Audubon
naturalist Warren King and 10,000 honkers for a sunset symphony at
Dead Creek Wildlife Management Area in Addison. An easy two hour walk
through marsh-field and woodland with thousands of migrating geese.
Contact Warren King at (802) 388-4082.
Dead Creek's 2,800 acres of aquatic habitat offer nesting, brood
rearing, and stopovers for migratory waterfowl. Peak viewing for
Canada geese is the first two weeks in October, snow geese the third
week. Parking 1.5 miles west of Route 22A on Route 17.

History on the Hoof:
Port Henry
Legacy of Iron, Friday, October 13, part 1 at 10:30 a.m., part 2 at 1 p.m.
Part 1- A 40-minute architectural walking tour of the village for
school groups, fourth grade and up, and the general public. Visit the
Iron Center Museum (518 546-3587) to learn more about the mining era.
Part 2- Intermediate loop hike of industrial archeology follows the
abandoned railroad bed past the remains of the iron industry, lake
shoreline, Canal Terminal Pier, and Powerhouse Park, then back through
the village to the Iron Center. Contact Marcy Neville at (518) 546-3606.

Vergennes
Heroes and Heroines of Otter Creek, Friday, October 13, 9-11 a.m.
Step into the 1800s as inventors and boat captains recount tales of
iron works and ship building at Vergennes Falls. Steamboats plied the
lake and local ships battled on Lake Champlain. Contact Paul Vachon at
(802)877-6340.

Fall Activities, Part 2
By
Elizabeth Bassett

Colorful History and Bright Future: Otter Creek at Vergennes Falls,
Saturday, October 14, 10 a.m.
America's earliest steam ships were constructed at the Vergennes
Shipyard; Commodore Thomas Macdonough's warships were also built here.
Past, present, and future of Vergennes and the Otter Creek Basin.
Contact Nina Bacon (802) 877-3070.

Exercise and Enlightenment:
Shelburne Farms- Miles of walking trails thread the fields, hilltops,
woods, and shoreline. "Envisioned in a Pastoral Setting," art
exhibition and sale in the Coach Barn, runs from September 23 to
October 15. Numerous special events for children and adults. Call
(802) 985-8686 for details.
Shelburne Museum- A national treasure in our own back yard. Norman
Rockwell exhibit to December 3; Harvest Days, ongoing: cider pressing,
apple butter, fall agricultural rituals; 1950 House remains open when
museum reverts to limited hours after October 15. Admission ticket
valid for two full days. Information at 985-3346

Pedal Power:
Adirondack Coast Bikeways, part of Lake Champlain Bikeways, proposes
itineraries on roads and mountain bike trails in Essex County. Six
road loops range from 14 to 38 miles. Booklet includes directions,
local lore, and a listing of eateries, lodging, bike shops, ATMs,
restrooms. Copies at cooperating businesses or Lake Champlain Bikeways
at champlainbikeways.org.

Strolling:
The entire village of Essex, New York merits the National Register of
Historic Places. The tiny hamlet contains one of the most intact
collections of pre-Civil War village architecture in America. Gracious
Georgian, Federal, and Greek Revival homes stand proudly beside humble
cottages. Wharves, docks, and warehouses cluster around the natural
harbor where enormous trade once flourished. Churches, schools, inns,
and a tavern are among the ghosts of Essex' past. Brochure and map
from Essex Community Heritage Organization (518) 963-7088.

Food, Wonderful Food:
Eighth Annual Ethel Atkins Chicken Pie Supper. Saturday, October 7 at
5 & 6:30 p.m.
Need we say more? Delicious homemade dinner starring Charlotte's
favorite cooking grandmother. Tickets in advance at 425-3176.###744
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