Hudson River Train

The river appears moody this morning as we pass alongside it on the Metro North train to Poughkeepsie. Gray, clear, gray, and grayer on the width of it right to the hills on the opposite shore. A mist hangs over the hills. A barge pushed by a tug plies the waters. I see the Point at Croton Park and think about scrambling down the slope to throw stones into the water, or maybe, to pick up colored glass.

For two hours we’ll ride beside this river, one of the prettiest train rides in America. Domino Sugar borders the river in Yonkers, and a notorious prison in Ossining.

“Cortlandt Station will be next.” It’s the only station on this line that doesn’t have a view of the river. Tarrytown, Peekskill, Garrison, Cold Spring, Beacon . . . We sold our car in 2005 and began to ride the train. Since then we’ve become acquainted with these towns that border the River. Their parks, hiking trails, coffee shops, and unique stores charm us. Most importantly, the train takes us to Poughkeepsie where our friends live and where we can do the Walkway Across the Hudson.

Seasons come and go along the river. The new green of spring gives way to the verdancy of summer, the color of fall, and the bareness on the hills in winter. The sun beams a path on the water and then slips behind the hills as we ride back into the city.

“Manitou will be next,” a stop for hikers only. Soon we’ll see the flagpole at Bear Mountain Inn, the ruins of Bannerman Castle, the fortress of Westpoint, and the island where the sisters lived who wrote the song, “Jesus loves me.”

“Yes, Jesus loves me!” Safe travels. Berniece