Off-Friday Classes add Variety to Bard LLI
by Carmela Gersbeck
If sitting in a classroom doesn’t appeal to you or you want to add some variety to your LLI experience, consider taking one of the many off-Friday classes. They were a success in the fall semester, when the offerings included Hiking, Farming in the Hudson Valley, Stained Glass, and Horse Farms and Stable Tours, among several others.
Hiking in the Hudson Valley
I participated in the hiking class this semester. On the Monday before a scheduled hike, Jon Wechsler, hiking leader, or Christopher Taverner, class manager, would send out an email to the approximately 25 people who had signed up. The emails provided detailed information about the hike, arranged carpools for people on each side of the river, and often planned lunch afterward. Jon, an avid outdoorsman, has been leading Bard LLI hikes for the past five years and has hiked with Bard LLI since its inception.
Hiking classes have been offered for years
Bard LLI’s original hiking class used to traverse the 3,000-foot-high Catskill peaks, such as Indian Head and Slide Mountain. Back then, the class members were mostly men and the hikes were quite difficult. Today, Jon, as the leader, tries to have a variety of hikes, from easy to moderately strenuous, and more of the hikers are women.
focus on safety and fun
Jon’s focus is on having fun and making sure everyone is safe. Hikes this fall included Minnewaska State Park, North-South Lake State Park, Falling Waters Preserve, the Mohonk Preserve, and Overlook Mountain. While about 25 people signed up for the course, the hikes generally averaged around 12-16 people. Once the weather appeared to be suitable, people met up on either side of the Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge to carpool or they drove directly to the location. We spent approximately two to three hours hiking, usually with a break for lunch. On the shorter hikes, lunch at a nearby restaurant was often planned. On a recent hike to Falling Waters Preserve, 13 people enjoyed a fixed-price lunch at Reginato’s, an Italian restaurant in Lake Katrine. It was a nice way to sit and get to know one another in a casual setting.
spectacular views!
The hikes were a great opportunity to enjoy socializing, exercise, fresh air, and magnificent Hudson Valley views. We are lucky to live in such close proximity to natural beauty, and enjoying it with others on a beautiful fall day can make one glad to be alive. As a new member of the Bard LLI community, I especially enjoyed getting to know people in a more social and unstructured setting.
check out the off-friday offerings next semester
The Off-Friday classes vary from semester to semester. This semester, Bard LLI students visited dairy farms, horse farms, wineries, distilleries and learned about stained glass at a variety of Hudson Valley churches and the Vassar College Chapel and Library. Next semester, check out the Off-Friday classes if you want to add a little variety and zest to your Bard LLI experience. When a cow at a dairy farm nuzzles you or you enjoy some good wine on a winery tour, you’ll be glad you did!
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