Get out on the Mohawk Towpath Byway.

The foliage is off the trees and the leaves are matted down from fall precipitation.  This is a great time to make some unique discoveries among the natural and man-made features.  There are no insects to make your visit miserable.  In fact you will have to go hunting in leaf litter or under the remaining bark of an old elm to find a bug.  Take a picture of one of your kids as he discovers an insect.  Old canal structures constructed over a century and a half ago await your camera.  Historic foundation walls which have been covered with foliage for the past six months now stand out in the bare landscape.  Sand dunes that have grown over with forest regrowth are now quite visible.  Creeks and drainage ways are also more noticeable and provide a reflection for a unique photograph.

Anytime of day will work.  Frost in the pre-dawn light can provide unique discoveries.  Are deer out and about, yet?    Sunrise is at 7:06 AM.  A great time to take a dramatic photograph or watch that wisp of steam of that early cup of caffeinated beverage.  The low angle of the sun even mid-day can provide an interesting perspective to the half-dozen leaves still holding on and rattling in the crisp gentle breeze.  Sunset is at 4:23 PM.  This is another great time to take a picture.  Catch a flock of geese looking for a spot on the water to overnight.

Wear an extra layer as you venture out.  If you are in the more remote areas remember to wear highly visible colors so you can be seen by your family members, by other enthusiasts and an occasional hunter.  Get out there and enjoy the autumn quiet and discover something new along the Byway.