Hello Hikers!
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Update: This web site is currently somewhat broken — the embedded photos are supposed to be clickable so you can call up a high-resolution version — the function’s not working — if you want to see good versions of the 12 photos in this post, go here. When you’re looking at any individual photo, you can access a high res version by clicking “View Original” in the menu bar — click this version once to blow it up. We’re working to repair the web site but it’s taking a little time.
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Wednesday Dec 9 — Ellis Hollow Nature Preserve
Saturday Dec 12 — Treman SP on the Finger Lakes Trail
Sunday Dec 13 — Monkey Run Natural Area, north side of Fall Creek
![Monkey Run - north side 247](https://i0.wp.com/www.ithacahikers.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Monkey-Run-north-side-247.jpg?resize=840%2C453&ssl=1)
I hope all of you were able to spend enough time outdoors during this fantastic warm spell. We hikers had a wonderful time on each of our three walks — at the moment, it looks like the mild days will be gone by next weekend — it sure was great while it lasted.
![Monkey Run - north side 232](https://i0.wp.com/www.ithacahikers.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Monkey-Run-north-side-232.jpg?resize=840%2C481&ssl=1)
Our group is maybe a little different from other groups in that the older you get, the more and more respect you automatically get — for being able to continue keeping up with the rest of us. We have two hikers over 80 — Eckhart, 84, and Jack B, who turned 81 Sunday — some of our best singers treated Jack to “Happy Birthday” while the rest of us looked on — I couldn’t get Jack in the group photo but here he is the day before in Treman SP
![Treman SP on the FLT 185](https://i0.wp.com/www.ithacahikers.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Treman-SP-on-the-FLT-185-1.jpg?resize=840%2C493&ssl=1)
No matter how rugged the trail is, Jack never uses hiking sticks or a walking staff — it’s amazing to watch him navigate without any support.
Any speaking of amazing, look at this
![Monkey Run - north side 175](https://i0.wp.com/www.ithacahikers.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Monkey-Run-north-side-175.jpg?resize=840%2C461&ssl=1)
…. that’s Eckhart walking on the top of the big girder on the old Monkey Run Road bridge — Roger has done the girder in the past but he didn’t feel up to it Sunday — I was hoping our hiker-athlete Tracey would give the girder a try but she had already zoomed ahead with a small group of speed demons so she missed the whole challenge event.
![Ellis Hollow NP 187](https://i0.wp.com/www.ithacahikers.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Ellis-Hollow-NP-187.jpg?resize=840%2C474&ssl=1)
On our Wednesday hike at Ellis Hollow, it truly felt like spring. We ended up alongside Cascadilla Creek across the street from the preserve — a balmy wind from the south started blowing and it seemed just like winter had finished and spring was on the way in — I know our skiers dearly love the snow but I’d be delighted to fast-forward four months That’s Marianne in the photo — it might look like I posed her but I didn’t.
![Treman SP on the FLT 096](https://i0.wp.com/www.ithacahikers.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Treman-SP-on-the-FLT-096.jpg?resize=840%2C525&ssl=1)
Saturday’s walk in Treman SP started out chilly but we kept up a very lively pace on the steep outbound leg — everyone was in good spirits — it warmed up pretty fast — our Mr Hot-Blood, Jack V, soon was in his shirtsleeves
![Treman SP on the FLT 167](https://i0.wp.com/www.ithacahikers.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Treman-SP-on-the-FLT-167.jpg?resize=840%2C445&ssl=1)
and it had climbed to the low 50s by the time we wrapped up the hike
![Treman SP on the FLT 234](https://i0.wp.com/www.ithacahikers.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Treman-SP-on-the-FLT-234.jpg?resize=840%2C442&ssl=1)
Sunday’s hike was mild from the start, and we had a fabulous time
![Monkey Run - north side 284](https://i0.wp.com/www.ithacahikers.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Monkey-Run-north-side-284-1.jpg?resize=840%2C503&ssl=1)
This is the spot where we always turn around on this walk — the bluffs across the creek on the left are where Boomer the dog fell and survived.
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Parking lot shots and head counts:
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Sunday
![Monkey Run - north side 025](https://i0.wp.com/www.ithacahikers.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Monkey-Run-north-side-025.jpg?resize=840%2C451&ssl=1)
I like to do parking lot photos because they give you a rough idea of how many hikers turned out, and you can get a sense of the energy level of the hike — I generally like to squeeze in as many people as I can — of course the result can be that they’re very small — I remind you that you can click on any photo in these hike reports and you’ll get a full-size high resolution version — click once again and you’ll see a blow-up — I try to always use photos where you can see the people’s faces more or less clearly in the blow-ups.
Sunday’s official head count: 46 hikers, eight dogs
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Saturday:
![Treman SP on the FLT 073](https://i0.wp.com/www.ithacahikers.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Treman-SP-on-the-FLT-073.jpg?resize=840%2C444&ssl=1)
Official head count: 29 hikers, six dogs
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Wednesday:
![Ellis Hollow NP 052](https://i0.wp.com/www.ithacahikers.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Ellis-Hollow-NP-052.jpg?resize=840%2C467&ssl=1)
Official head count: 22 hikers, five dogs
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More photos online
Some people have told me they never click on the links to our online photos, which are posted on a photo-sharing web site run by Microsoft called OneDrive. If you do look, you’ll see photos, usually by Annie and Jack V, that give you the larger picture of our hikes. I only take photos of people, and typically I crop the photos quite tightly. Annie and Jack focus on the scenery — they also zero in on unusual and picturesque sights. If you click on my online photos, they’re similar to the ones I use in the hike reports. OneDrive lets you access a high resolution version of any shot, which you can then enlarge — click “View Original” in the header. You can also download any photo you like.
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Sunday:
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Saturday:
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Wednesday: