Despite the fact that it’s directly adjacent to New York City, Westchester county actually has quite a lot of open areas, once you get beyond the main suburbs.  One of my favorite parks is the Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, barely a half hour drive from suburban Westchester.

I’ve been to the park more than a dozen times in the past few years, but always in fall or winter.  So in the morning, I got up early, and took the drive up the Saw Mill River Parkway toward Katonah.

I opted for a short route out to one of the park’s lookouts.  It was a pleasant walk, but somehow not nearly as picturesque as I remembered.  In fact minus the colored leaves or the snow, it was almost monotonous winding through the trees and up and down the little hills, each almost indistinguishable from the rest.  It was good to be outside after several 90+ degree days, but I certainly didn’t get many interesting photos.  In fact the drive ended up being the more picturesque part of the trip.  Nothing is ever quite as one remembers it, I guess…