Are You A Leaf Peeper? ...
Chances are you probably are and don't even know it. Ever been driving on a beautiful Autumn day and see spectacular view of the rolling hills spotted with many different colored trees? Probably pulled over for a better view, stop right there! You are now a Leaf Peeper, don't worry, a lot of people are just like you. Many people go out and enjoy the natural beauty of the trees in their Autumn foliage.
Leaf Peeping describes the act of photographing and or viewing the Autumn foliage of the trees. The term Leaf Peeper or “leafer” is a New England slang term for a person who rides around slowly in their car looking out at all the Autumn trees. The Autumn foliage is actually a big tourist attraction for New England area. Sometimes this is hard to do cause the trees are only in their peak for a few weeks. Making the time to catch the trees in their peak very short.
New York is also well known for its fall foliage. With a great variety of broad-leaved trees, New York fills up with a wonderful range of colors each year. One cool fact is that New York almost has as many acres of these trees as the rest of the Northeast combined. The change of color from bright green to the many different hues of fall happens in a predictable patter across the whole state. The change happens high in the Adirondack and Catskill mountains in late August and early September. It then spreads out and down over the hills and valleys of the state. Its ending spot is on Long Island and in New York City in late October and early November. In any given area, it only takes about two weeks for the change to happen, with the spectacular peak lasting three to four days in any given spot.
The reason behind this color change is cause of seasonal conditions and the resultant of chemical changes in the leaves. Generally having clear, sunny days with cool nights and temperatures in the 40s will bring about the most striking autumn colors. The three chemicals: ChlorophyII, Carotenoids and Anthocyanins that are within the leaves are all involved in the yearly color changing. As the days get colder and shorter, the cells at the base of the leaves deteriorate, blocking passages from the leaves to the branches and causing chlorophyII to decompose.
This chlorophyII is what gives most plants their green color. As it fades, colors in the other pigments, specifically the carotenoids and the anthocyanins come to the surface. When trees have a greater number of carotenoids, like birch, beech, and willow, the leaves turn different shades of yellow. Now when a greater number of anthocyanins exist as in many of the maples, dogwoods and sumac, the leaves turn shades of reds and purples. With the many different types of trees located in New York its sure a number one hot spot for Leaf Peepers from around the area.
Wether you have been a Leaf Peeper all your life or just now finding and interest in it, the Adirondack region is a beautiful place to be when the trees are at their peak. If driving is your thing, there are plenty of back roads to follow for a fantastic scenic drive, or if you prefer to walk, then there are also lots of walking trails for you to take your time on and enjoy the natural wonder of the land and trees. If you are walking be sure to print off a map so you don't get lost. Also a camera is a great idea too, fall makes for some great photo shots.
Learn more
fallgetaways.iloveny.com ... with reports
