my friend's crappy directions to frost valley, it says "right not left or you will go into Liberty and get killed by crackheads."

Ah... another week, another yoga ashram. No this is not exclusively a blog about yoga ashrams, I promise I'm just going to one more this weekend and then I'll talk about something else. Okay maybe I'm going to a yoga workshop in new york next week but then really, that's it! I am not a yoga addict.
This week I visited the Sivananda Yoga Ranch in Woodbourne, NY. This ashram is situated on a hill that faces the Catskill Mountains, so it makes for some picturesque views while you're going through your asanas! As long as the weather permits, all the yoga classes take place on an outdoor platform which I thought was nice. I got pretty sweaty it being July and all, but everyone else was sweaty too so I didn't fret. The ranch is also equipped with a sauna, but who the hell is going to utilize a sauna when it's 93 degrees outside and there's no air conditioned buildings in sight? Not me, sister!
I was a little frightened of the food situation before I got to the Yoga Ranch, since they informed me that they not only eschew the use of meat or dairy (which is typical yogi fare) but they also ban garlic and onions for some reason. Bland-town, anyone? I thought I would be munching on raw carrot sticks the whole time but actually the meals turned out to be excellent. There were plenty of grilled zucchinis adorned with tahini-based dressing and veggie pâté and whatnot to keep me satisfied. I definitely stuffed my face at every meal time, since we only ate twice a day there and the asana classes and "walking meditation" (hikes) were pretty physically intense. I like how every time I visit a yoga ashram I write a little about the yoga and a lot about the food. I know where my priorities lie.
To sum up I'll repeat my exact words from the last entry--- Overall it was a good visit to the ashram. However I do have gentle warning about Sivananda Yoga ashrams in general: if you're not into Hindu Mysticism and chanting and all that jazz, find another yoga retreat.
Other than yoga-ing it up, I've been hanging out in White Lake and eating lots of pizza and going on lots of fun hikes. One of my new favorite hiking spots here is Frost Valley in the Catskill State Park. My friend took me to Slide Mountain, which was very pretty but also very rocky so I got too tired and couldn't make it to the top to see the hot views. We decided to go back soon for round 2: Mary vs. the Mountain. I'll get you yet, you inanimate pile of rocks!

8:31 PM;

Like a drifter i was born to walk alone...