Coalition to sponsor trail ride in state forest on May 4

Stewart State Forest — Stewart Parks and Reserve Coaltion (SPARC) is sponsoring its 8th Annual Stewart State Forest Trail Ride on Sunday, May 4. Horses and riders can enjoy a scenic ride on marked trails on the 7,000-acre Stewart lands, that SPARC successfully saved as open space in November, 2005. Riders can choose between a long 3-plus hour ride and a short, easier 1-hour ride, after registering and parking at the North Ridge Rd. parking area, starting at 9 a.m., with last riders out by noon. Horses will get free apples and there will be free raffles including five chances to win 400 lbs of top quality horse feed donated by Charles Thompson of Hudson Valley Farm Supply. n Wagon Ride Linda and Dave Denman of Denman Farms are once again donating their wagons and mules for a wagon ride unmatched in the Valley: an old-fashioned leisurely two-hour ride on old roads throughout the Stewart lands offering views of the woods, wetlands and fields, and far-off ridge, as well as frequent encounters with the horse riders and their mounts. The trail ride donation is the rider’s choice of $15, $20 or $30 dollars per rider. Horse riders may pay at the gate. The Wagon Ride is $20 per person and must be reserved. Start time for the wagon ride is 11 a.m. promptly. (We advise a cushion to sit on.) Bag lunches are available for all with a prepaid order of $9. All proceeds go to help SPARC, now watchdogging the land for the public’s benefit. For more information and reservations, call Chairperson Linda at 901-3665, or e-mail SPARC at sparc@frontiernet.net or call SPARC at 564-3018.