All of us have busy lives, but why is it when winter arrives, we'd rather sit in
front of the boob tube (there's a cultural anomaly! There are no tubes in our television
sets anymore, so there goes the "tube," and since the new gen of TVs are all connectable
to computers, there's a case to be made for losing the "boob" as well. But I digress)?
Where was I? Oh yeah, sitting around growing blubber all winter. Well, rather than
continuing that trend, herewith are some suggestions for mostly outdoor activities
– emphasis on activity! – that are worth rising off the recliner or couch, getting
dressed appropriately, and heading out into that cold, clean, fresh winter air.
Ice Skating
While there are numerous ponds located throughout the area (and even the bays freeze
over most years to some extent), the smartest places to skate are, naturally, man-made
rinks. Nowhere save on the North Fork will you find sea-side ice rinks, however.
The portside towns of Greenport (villageofgreenport.org/ice-rink-skating-greenport-village.php)
and Riverhead (a specific site for the rink has not been established yet; check
www.riverheadbid.com for
info) — the former in Mitchell Park, the latter behind East Main Street, fit the
bill. Greenport's rink utilizes real ice, while the Riverhead rink will use synthetic
ice. Both should be in operation by the time you read this.
Ice Boating
While a spectator sport for most of us — unless you happen to own your own iceboat
or know someone who does — head out to Hallock Bay in Orient (commonly called Long
Beach Bay) when the water freezes and check it out. Beware, however: if you get
bitten by this particular bug you're in for a lifetime of cold, superfast, fun,
and chasing-the-ice a la Endless Summer in reverse. For more info, check out Ice
Boat Long Island (www.iceboatlongisland.com/Club_News.html).
Cut Your Own Christmas Tree
Remember the opening scenes in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (a Christmas
classic in my house. If you haven't seen it, do so) – Chevy Chase extolling the
familial togetherness and sense of group accomplishment achieved by cutting one's
own tree? Well, if you want to give it a try, there are several places on the North
Fork at which to do it. From west to east they are: Lewin Farm (Sound Avenue, Wading
River; lewinfarm.com/cut.html);
Shamrock Christmas Tree Farm (Main Road, Mattituck; www.shamrockchristmastreefarm.com); Santa's Christmas Tree
Farm (Main Road, Cutchogue;
www.santastreefarmofli.com); and Dart's Tree Farm (Main Road, Southold;
www.dartstreefarm.com).
And remember the dialogue in the aforementioned flic between husband and wife about
their daughter as they're searching for the perfect tree:
Ellen: "Clark, Audrey's frozen from the waist down."
Clark: "That's all part of the experience, honey."
Bowling
Yes bowling. And, yes, we know that's indoors, but sometimes that isn't such a bad
place to be in winter, is it? Although the Mattituck lanes are long gone, and the
Riverhead lanes fell victim to the downturn in the economy in the a-building phase,
there is still someplace local to toss the ol' apple and that's at Wildwood Lake
Bowl, just outside Riverhead Town. Despite the trend of naming businesses and residential
complexes after geographical entities that are no where nearby, Wildwood Lake Bowl
actually resides on Wildwood Lake. No webpage, so call 631-727-6622.
Mountain Biking
Although a little west of the North Fork proper, the Calverton Mountain Biking Trail
is an 8.5 mile loop, administered by the New York State Department of Environmental
Conservation, in Calverton, just west of Calverton National Cemetery (the trailhead
parking area is immediately adjacent to the Wading River Motel). It's rated beginner
to intermediate with about two additional miles of optional expert terrain.
You'll need a DEC permit, which is free and good for three years (download it at
www.climbonline.org/pdf/decpermit.pdf).
Mailing instructions are on the bottom of the permit. Check out Concerned Long Island
Bicyclists (C.L.I.M.B.) for more info and trail maps (www.climbonline.org).
Hiking/Exploring
There are numerous pristine areas for hiking and nature watching, even if much of
the nature is hidden or otherwise smart enough not to be out in the cold. Nonetheless,
if communicating with nature is your aim, try Cedar Beach Country Park in Southold,
Inlet Pond Park in Greenport, the Sarnoff Pine Barrens Preserve in Riverhead or
the huge Mashomack Preserve on Shelter Island. There are others or you can simply
find a spot along the Sound to park and start walking east or west; there's nothing
like the beach in the winter (if you haven't been to Orient Beach State Park, put
that on your hiking list). A good source of information is the Long Island Trail
Lovers Coalition at www.hike-li.org.
Horseback Riding
While I'm not aware of any trail riding available on the North Fork (at least not
with livery horses), if you'd like to take some private lessons and learn some equestrian
skills — or polish up your latent ones — there are several farms on the North Fork
which offer lessons, and most have indoor facilities. Check out Hill Crest Stables
in Riverhead (www.hillcrestsatble.com),
High Wind Farm (www.highwindfarm.com)
in Mattituck, or Paard Hill Farms on Shelter Island (www.paardhillfarms.com). These folks are serious about their
equitation, so if you're dabbling, don't bother…go up Island.
