A walk in Van Cortlandt Park

After months of cold and snow I've been dying to get outside and go for some nice long walks--especially since we live within walking distance of the third largest park in the city.

Saturday was a beautiful sunny 50+ degree day so we decided to take the opportunity to walk across Van Cortlandt Park and into the neighborhood of Kingsbridge.

Of course, we didn't think about the fact that the trails would still be full of snow--and worse, mud. Poor Dave was wearing his brand-new sneakers!

Throughout our several-hour traverse, we encountered many trees, babbling brooks, and even a couple of cardinals.

It being the Bronx, however, we also saw discarded shopping carts,

the remains of what must have been a raging keg party (i.e. beer cans and red plastic cups galore),

and some sweet graffiti in a tunnel going underneath the Major Deegan. Speaking of which, several highways run through the park, and at one point the "John Muir Nature Trail" actually puts you alongside the Mosholu Parkway. Which makes for kind of a funny "nature trail." No matter though--I like some city in my nature.

I'm not sure what this building is for but I like the graffiti.

The other side of it seems to have been at the receiving end of a paintball battle.

I tried to take some pictures of the geese in this field but the broken fence looked cooler.

We saw a lot of these signs towards the end of our walk. There is a giant tortoise and the hare statue at the entrance in Riverdale but I don't know what the significance is to the park.

Here's about where we came out of the woods and saw civilization--the end of a long and muddy hike.

Coming out of the park we passed the Van Cortlandt House. Built in 1748, it's the oldest building in the Bronx and is now a museum.

There were many children playing on the lawn.

After all that exercise we rewarded ourselves with a carrot cake from Lloyd's Carrot Cake and some beer and mediocre bar food at the Bronx Alehouse. Which I guess defeats the purpose of all that exercise but I don't care. (Lloyd's calls themselves the "bakers of the world's finest carrot cake" and I think they might be right!)