Award-winning NYC-based Margie Goldsmith has written about 117 countries on seven continents for national magazines and newspapers. She also blogs travel for huffingtonpost.com.
Harriman State Park
The sun poked through the forest canopy like fingers of God and the wind whispered through the leaves as Brian and I climbed the last part of the trail in Harriman State Park. Five white-tailed deer bounded across the trail ahead of us, so quickly they were gone by the time I’d pulled out my camera. We sat at the summit looking down at the Hudson River that glistened like liquid silver as it snaked towards Albany. Two hawks circled above us. Read more…
The Hudson Valley Traveler 
Oh Margie… you ARE a trailblazer in more ways than one now… what an adventure!
Thanks, Darlene! Trailblazing doesn’t have to be all sweat and toil!
Haha, good story, but yeah, try to be more careful. It’s not just adults on the trail!
–Mark
Who knew it was a trail?
Margie,
It looks like you are carrying through with you favorite word that you related to me at Nancy’s and my wedding in 1964. Hopefully, the hikers that rudely interrupted your embrace with Brian on the trail had a camera and we ‘ll get to see you on You Tube. You’ll be famous!
Bill
Bull, I have no idea what the word was and am afraid to ask! “Hiking?””yellow?”
Let’s just say it is the common four letter word for making love that rhymes with luck.
hmmm. so what’s wrong with a little exhibitionism? just kidding. funny story…….
Thanks, Judy — believe me, it was NOT intentional exhibitionism.
This isn’t a story, it’s a lark (and possibly pure invention?) that took 15 minute to write, right?! It’s a decent parody of a bodice-ripper, too. .Call it a T-shirt ripper? As for a few details…the sun wasn’t winking through pine needles of nearby fir trees; firs, pines, (and spruces too) are distinct conifer varieties, with different needle shapes and formations. And if you were hiking in Harriman State Park, near Poughkeepsie, or anywhere else south of Albany for that matter, the Hudson was not “snaking its way towards Albany.” The river moves north to south, away from Albany if you’re below the state capital; it begins in the Adirondacks and empties into Upper New York Bay. Granted this was intended as a light, spirited entertainment—and the photo’s a stunner—but 5 more minutes pulling it together would not have been wasted time.
Hey, Margie, you’re horning in on my territory here! Oh, what the heck, there’s plenty of things to write about sex so go for it.
Pierre,
I would NEVER EVER try and out-Ruth Dr. Ruth!
Have never been to Harriman State Park but Margie you paint a lovely picture of the view from the summit. You wouldn’t take the chance of stripping off in one of our National Parks in Australia – might get surprised by a snake rather than a hiker.
Yikes, Kate!
It’s been a while, but there’s something about al fresco sex that’s uniquely exciting — and maybe it’s the very notion that you *could* get caught. Thanks for jarring my memory in this fun piece.
I’ve always wondered about people who would deconstruct a light lark like this. Talk about time that could be better spent…
Good one, Margie
I hope you didn’t get poison ivy too!
🙂
Sounds like fun in the sun. Certainly fun to read.
Blazing the trail – and then some! Wonderful story.
Thanks, guys — all of you. No poison ivy! We were on a ROCK!
I remember when I told an editor at a writers conference that I would love to write about stripping and making love in a forest and she said Ew! I’m glad someone agrees with me. Good one.
Thanks, Judy. I believe in writing them first, THEN letting the editor go EWWWW. Sometimes they don’t!
Why do these things always work out so beautifully in the movies? Myhusband used to work for the National Governors’ Association and during a meeting in Puerto Rico, we used some precious free time to go to the resort’s beach. There was a sectiion that was clothing optional and we — being wild and crazy newlyweds at the time – decided to go for it. Almost as soon as we had stripped off our bathing suits, along came security: men on jet skis, and then SWAT-like characters patroling the beach! The Puerto Ricans take their security seriously. After the first sighting, we tried again. After the second, we decided we’d be more comfortable with some clothing on!