Talk about changing plans! My original plan was to be in Maine hiking the Grafton Loop trail. Due to nasty torrential rains from tail end of a tropical storm that would be every day of the trip, I decided to change my plans and head to the Adirondack Mountains to hike the Cranberry Lake 50.  Again, heavy rain all 4 days and nights. Not worth a 7 hour drive to be stuck in rain storms,  so I decided to head to the Catskills and hit a short loop I have been wanting to hike for a while now. Well, guess what? Last minute weather reports showed heavy rain every day and night in the Catskills.  I now had my last option available,  showing nice weather and a very close drive, so I decided to give it a go. It was time for me to be out there and I had to do something,  even if it was my local stomping grounds and even if it was not somewhere new and exciting. The truth is, its never the same!! Its always different  even if its the same trails or same place or same mountain. Yes I use mostly the same gear but the scenery,  the views , the weather, the seasons.. they always make it different.. every time! Just hiking and the experiences are different.  A huge tree fell right near us, taking out 2 other trees with it!! So many trails closed from recent flooding,  so we had to improvise and push on.. pitch the tarp or dont pitch the tarp.. animals coming thru camp,  camping by campfire,  sunsets and clouds..