NY Walkman: Albany

Showing posts with label Albany. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

2011-05-08 - USS Slater - Washington Park

In the past I described several walks around Albany that start at the USS Slater. This is direct walk to Washington Park. From the USS Slater, walk up Madison Ave., and loop around Washington Park. Return by State Street and the Hudson River Way Pedestrian Bridge.
Once a year (since 1949) Albany hosts a Tulip Festival. I took the walk during this year's event (Sunday Morning, May 8th). This year the city planted over 200,000 bulbs (~ 140 varieties).

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Weight Watcher Walk - 5/22/2011

Walk will start at 9:00 AM Sunday, 5/22 at the USS Slater Parking Lot (Directions). Probably take 2 hours.

Weight Watcher's has been very good to me (down over 100 lbs). Walking is an important element of my weight loss program. Every year Weight Watcher's encourages members to walk a 5K in May. While this is not an official walk, it's one of my favorites. On many Sundays I am a volunteer tour guide on the USS Slater. Often times I start the day with a 1-1/2 hour walk through down town Albany. Albany is built on a hill, so the climb is 285 ft. It is a little longer than a 5K (full loop is 4.2 miles, 6.7K). However, if you don't want to walk the distance there are cut-offs that can shorten the route and reduce the climb. The short loop is less than 2 miles, and avoids most of the climb. In any case, bring good shoes, and make sure you can walk. If you need coffee, Bruegger's and Starbucks are on the route (about half way).

The history of Albany is spectacular. Albany can trace it's settlement to an early fort built in 1540. Permanent settlement was established in 1614 (6 years before Plymouth, Mass). Albany also claims to be the longest continuously chartered city in the United States (since 1686). I'll try to point out interesting sites along the way. The route that I organized follows in the footsteps of Henry Hudson, Ben Franklin, Benedict Arnold (when he was still a hero), George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Aaron Burr, Abe Lincoln, General Grant, Teddy Roosevelt and Franklin Roosevelt.

After the tour of Albany, if anyone still has energy I will be happy to give a tour of the USS Slater. My shipmates and I will be there until 4:00 PM (so you can take a lunch break before starting). There will be a fee for touring the Slater. There is a little stair climbing, but the ship is only 306' long. The Slater tour will take approximately an 1-1/2 hours.

Last year when I offered to do this at my regular weight watcher meeting no one took me up on the offer. This year, I'm not sure how popular this will be. It would help with my planning if you could send me an e-mail (dedocent@gmail.com), or let Chris know. There are limits on how many people I can accommodate on a tour.

A few relevant Links:

Saturday, April 16, 2011

2011-04-16 - Slater / Albany Walk Update

In the past I describes several walks around Albany and the USS Slater. This post details three separate walks: 1.) a short (less than 2 mile walk) to the Albany Visitor Center; 2.) a 2-1/2 mile walk to the NY State Capital; and 3.) a 4.2 mile walking tour of Albany that combines both walks, and a little more. The walks start at the USS Slater (link to visitor information and directions).

These three walks are designed for Scout groups visiting the USS Slater. The walks could help scouts who are actively seeking to earn the American Heritage Merit Badge and the Citizenship in the Nation Merit Badge. The USS Slater has volunteers who are merit badge counselors for these badges.

Each of these walks passes several sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The National Register is detailed in this great brochure. Wikipedia has a page detailing all of the Albany sites on the National Register.

Albany is one of the oldest cities in America. European History starts in Albany around 1540. Permanent (and continuous) settlement from 1614. The Albany City Charter dates from 1686 (Dongan Charter). On the walk, you'll walk in the footsteps of some very notable Americans. Benjamin Franklin chaired the 1st congress here (Albany Congress). Philip Livingston, a signer of the Declaration of Independence was born here. On the tour you will pass the site where the Declaration was 1st read to the citizens on Albany, on July 19th, 1776 (Dunlap Broadside). George Washington visited in 1782-83 (Mohawk Valley Tour). President Lincoln visited in February, 1861. General Grant visited on the 4th of July, 1865. Three Presidents lived in the Executive Mansion (when they were NY State Governors): Grover Cleveland, Theodore Roosevelt, and Franklin Roosevelt.

Not only did Lincoln visit here, he attended a play - guess who starred (details in Albany Times Union September 21, 2009 and May 7, 2009). During the visit, Lincoln stayed at the Delvan House (located at the Union Station) and the Actor stayed at the Stanwix Hotel (located at Maiden Lane and Broadway). The walking tour passes all these sites.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

2010-10-20, Schuyler Flats Cultural Park to USS Slater

This is roughly a six mile walk along the Hudson River. During the fall fo 2010 I was working on a Scouting Outreach Program for the USS Slater. One requirement for a Second Class Scout is to take a five mile hike. I wanted to explore the idea of taking a five mile hike to the USS Slater. I used http://www.mapmywalk.com/ to lay out a walk along the Hudson-Mohawk Bike Path.

I arranged to have a friend pick me up at the USS Slater and take me to Schuyler Flats Cultural Park in Menands, NY. From the park it's a short walk north to the Hudson-Mohawk Bike Path Parking Lot (4th and Broadway). At a reasonable pace the walk takes a little over two hours. The day I walked the National Guard was conducting a run along the trail. The walk passes the old site of the Al-tro Amusement Park. Near Albany there were plenty of lunch time walkers.

Please note that the USS Slater is moored on the Albany side of the Hudson River from April until November. It's also possible to take a bus from downtown Albany, to a point near Schuyler Flats (I believe it's route 22). Next year I'll probably test this option.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

2010-06-06 - DE 5k walk washout

On the 6th of June I had planned a 5K walk in downtown Albany. I arranged discounted USS Slater tour coupons for everyone who participated. Unfortunately the 6th of June was a washout, and the DE Docent had to walk alone (which I did).

Albany is a great place to walk. I outlined two 5K walks with the USS Slater as a starting point. The 1st is a walk was along the the Corning Preserve. (about 1-1/2 miles). It includes a quick loop to the State Capital. The 2nd walk goes along Broadway, toward the visitor center and the AquaDuck Tour (also finishing with a loop around the capital).

Monday, May 31, 2010

2010-05-31 DE Docent 5k Walk (2)

This is a variation of an earlier published 5K walk with the USS Slater as the starting / end point. Instead of looping through the Corning Preserve it uses the Broadway Underpass (under 787). It then follows Broadway to Quackenbush Square and then goes uphill to the State Capital. It returns to the USS Slater by the Hudson River Pedestrian Bridge.

USS Slater Fees & Schedule

Map My Walk - USS Slater - Quackenbush Square Visitor Center Loop

span style="font-weight: bold;" >A few DE Docent 5K related links that may be of interest:

Saturday, May 1, 2010

2010-05-01 DE Docent 5K Walk (1)

This is a 5K walk with the USS Slater as the starting / end point. This walk goes north into the Corning Preserve, then crosses the pedestrian bridge to Albany. It then goes up hill and loops around the NY State Capital and returns to the USS Slater. It's a great walk. Idea for scout groups to finish off a shipboard camping experience aboard the USS Slater.

MapMyWalk.com | USS Slater - NY Capital in Albany, New York

A few DE Docent 5K related links that may be of interest:

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