05-09-2019: Final Walk

Last September, I devised a goal to walk every mile of roadway in my hometown of Durham NY. Last December, I began documenting this endeavor on this site. And last night, departing from Fish Road in Oak Hill, I completed this goal. On a cool windy day in early May, one that began with me scraping ice off my car, I walked six miles through Oak Hill, for the first time bringing my new camera with me. This has been a truly fulfilling experience, encouraging my love for photography and taking me to parts of my own town I didn't even know existed. I hope it has been equally enjoyable for all those vicariously joining me through my pictures and paragraphs on here.

Schoolhouse Hill Road, north of Oak Hill, is on the far side of the Catskill River, and houses line the steep hills that rise towards the Helderberg Mountains.

This eastward view towards a forest-enveloped field caught the last blue skies of the day.

An abandoned quarry on Schoolhouse Hill. Quarries, mostly abandoned, dot this area, and most roads have one or two on them somewhere.

A view southwards to Mount Zoar. Note the line of green is higher than it was the previous day.

Blackhead and Black Dome peek out from behind Acra Point and Burnt Knob in this shaded view of the Catskill Escarpment.

A view westward shows Steenburg Mountain (right of center) over bright green fields.

View towards the farm on Allen Teator Road, past which I walked back in March. The farm is over four miles away in this picture; on the high-quality version you can see some cattle in the fields to the right.

The crest of Makley Road, just below the county line, provided spectacular views of Windham and his brothers.

The limb of Stoppel Point reaches out from behind Acra Point.

The notch between Windham and Zoar was just starting to turn green. Below, a young tree keeps watch over its field.

Looking straight down Makley Road from its crest. Mount Ginseng looms in the background.

View down Makley from the county line. The tractor sign is of a design I haven't seen anywhere else in Durham.

Lee Road in Oak Hill forms the southernmost extent of the Rensselaerville-Durham Turnpike, which was once the main route connecting Durham to its northern neighbor.

Haze paints the mountains in this view down Lee Road from the county line.

A multicolored tulip, found on the roadside in Oak Hill.

Mount Pisgah looms over the historic Oak Hill Cemetery.

A lake on a farm along NY-81, just outside Oak Hill.

Mount Hayden peeks in the background in this centralized view of the cemetery. In the high-quality version, you can read some of the tombstones in this photo.

From another angle, Windham looms over it in shadow.

A telephone pole divides Windham and Zoar in this view from Fish Road.

A view of Cairo Round Top from Fish Road. The distant hill is nearly fourteen miles away in this shot.

Heading back towards my parking spot I walked through the historic district of Oak Hill. It seemed every single building was covered in historical markers like these.

A view of central Oak Hill during springtime, looking down NY-81.

So that's it then. Those are the last pictures you'll see of Durham, save the occasional mountain hike or overlook stop. I have been debating where to go from here for some time now. The plan in general is to go roadwalking in Greenville, Durham's neighbor to the east. However, I have been considering not walking every road in that town. I want to see as much of the world as possible, and spending eight months in one town is a terrible way to do that. I have considered walking only the main roads in Greenville, or only the backroads. However, my new camera allows me to walk in any weather conditions (see: clouds and haze above), which may enable me to get through Greenville far faster than I have Durham.

The next walk I have planned is to follow some trails in a nearby state forest, so I have a little time to decide. Input from any readers out there would be welcome. Having completed my goal, I'm not quite sure what to do next, but I am eager to continue this journey, wherever I may end up.