paul and rose's hike up "vroman's nose"

Still going back in time, the second thing I did from my “favourite-things” list was a hike up “Vroman’s Nose” in Middleburgh, New York about ten days after my birthday. The occasion was Paul’s 80th birthday which, happily, was celebrated only minutes away from this favourite hike of Paul and Rose’s.

It was truly stunning. The fall leaves were perfect and the view was spectacular (if a bit stomach lurching); we walked uphill on a winding path through trees and then came out on a plateau made of massive slabs of stone. Someone noticed that dates had been etched into the stone from the 1800s (1848 was the earliest date we saw) in a font very much unlike the more recent dates. There was a sheer drop to the valley below (it looked like miles below) and we had one scary moment when Farley bounded over to the side seemingly unaware of the perils of the edge. After that we put him on the leash.

My favourite story related to this hike: Allie wanted to see the sunrise from Vroman’s nose when she was around fifteen and so Rose, in her 70s, woke at 5am and took her on this hike, setting out when it was still dark. I was impressed!

My top 5 favourite hikes in no particular order: 1) hike to Galliweide in Wengen, Switzerland. It is breathtaking and gorgeous and feels unreal (all those cows wondering about, all those Swiss with their immaculate houses perched on green hills with frightening drops to the valley below [even more harrowing than Vroman’s Nose], all those fields and fields of wildflowers) and always makes me happy; 2) the walk (it’s not really a hike) in Tilden Park that takes you to a point overlooking San Francisco and the Bay Area (thanks, Seth, for introducing me to this); 3) the old Roman Way outside Varaire, France that goes forever and smells of honeysuckle; 4) the hike up to Keswick Tower at our family’s cottage in Muskoka; 5) hikes through the ravines of Toronto as a kid.

Actually, I’m just realizing that these hikes move back through time. I also realized that none of my top favourite hikes are in the Ottawa region. I really love hiking and walking in the Gatineau but for some reason don’t have a favourite hike there. I’m sure I’m forgetting others, but those are the hikes that come to mind for now.

I never did find out why the Vroman’s Nose hike was called Vroman’s Nose. Who is Vroman?