I recently visited NYC for the first time, and what an interesting experience it was – crowds, skyscrapers, overpriced dinners, a myriad of different pizzerias to try (brick oven thin crust definitely wins over deep dish – sorry Windy City folks), and a million things happening everywhere all at once. It was a bit overwhelming to say the least, but I’ll spare you the typical photos of Times Square, Central Park, Rockefeller Center, etc. The real treat was spending a few days hiking and camping in the Hudson Valley region of Upstate New York. It being Fall, the opportunities for ‘leef peeping’ abounded – the reds, oranges and yellows of the leaves made scenery much more colorful than when Aspens change colors in the Rockies.