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Descending Sunset Rock

If you take the main South Taconic trail up or down from Sunset Rock, it's a much easier hike then Cedar Creek, especially when it was as flooded as it was during my hike.

Taken on Sunday June 14, 2009 at Bash Bish Falls.

December 21, 2019 Evening

Good evening! Partly clear and 22 degrees in Delmar, NY. Calm wind. Already not as bitterly cold as a day ago but I did turn up the heat because I am cold and it’s going to be mild the rest of the week. There are 3 inches of snow on the ground. โ˜ƒ ๏ธThings will start to thaw out at tomorrow around 11 am. ๐ŸŒก๏ธ

Today was a cold and gray day โ˜ but it was pretty when the sun peaked through the clouds out skiing ๐ŸŽฟ in the Pine Bush. It was just me and Burt Shou on the Save the Pine Bush Ski trip but then I went out for a while myself. I think I may have gotten a bit of a sun burn because of the reflection off the snow and from my photosensitive skin after taking the antibiotics for three weeks. I was glad I finished them up but I am now feeling a bit stiff in the knees and I had a bit of a headache for a while but sometimes a bit of Lyme hangs around. ๐Ÿœ Or maybe I’m injuring my knees a bit with all the time lately I’ve spent on the bike ๐Ÿšฒ.

I did fine skiing ๐ŸŽฟ except the one time I crashed ๐Ÿ’ฅ- my skis are touring cross country skis and they are a bit fast and unstable for descending the steepest dunes. I missed a turn in the trail and ended up tangled in wild grape ๐Ÿ‡ vine. They’re quite old at this point but they still work great. I like to use things as long as possible as it saves money ๐Ÿ’ต and I don’t have trash pickup so I’d have to pay to get rid of them at the transfer station. ๐Ÿšฎ I have more photos ๐Ÿ“ท to upload tomorrow.

As the first day of winter it was pretty cold and gray. โ˜ But it was a productive day and it’s going to be warm and sunny over the next few days, โ˜€ especially on Monday. Too bad I have to work that day but I’ll enjoy my lunch time walk ๐Ÿšถ.I’m just hoping that the nice weather will continue into the next weekend when I’m out in the Finger Lakes National Forest.

Finally took out the garbage from the kitchen. ๐Ÿ—‘With the compost usually it doesn’t stink and I can leave it in the can for weeks — but I guess I must have scrapped something off a pan or something and it started to rot and stink. ๐Ÿ‘ƒ๐Ÿป I should do it more often but I don’t like to waste trash bags, and it’s not like I have a day I have to do it except when I go to the transfer station myself.

Took another sleeping pill ๐Ÿ’Š because I was concerned about waking up in the early hours and didn’t want to have that happen again like last night. Might be a bit foggy ๐ŸŒ in the morning but without work or anything to do early tomorrow I’m fine with that.

Tonight will be partly cloudy ๐ŸŒค, with a low of 15 degrees at 5am. Four degrees below normal. Maximum wind chill around 17 at 6pm; Light south wind. In 2018, we had mostly clear skies in the evening, which became cloudy by the early hours of the morning. It got down to 34 degrees. The record low of -8 occurred back in 1955.

Tonight will have a Waning Crescent Moon ๐ŸŒ˜ with 10% illuminated. The moon will rise at 3:16 am. The New Moon is on Wednesday night with mostly cloudy skies. The is on Wednesday night. The sun will rise at 7:21 am with the first light at 6:49 am, which is 32 seconds later than yesterday. ๐ŸŒ„ Tonight will have 14 hours and 57 minutes of darkness, an increase of 3 seconds over last night.

Tomorrow will be mostly sunny ๐ŸŒž, with a high of 39 degrees at 2pm. Five degrees above normal, which is similar to a typical day around December 7th. South wind 3 to 6 mph. A year ago, we had light rain in the morning, which became mostly clear by afternoon. The high last year was 59 degrees. The record high of 60 was set in 1990. 12.3 inches of snow fell back in 1969.โ„

I am glad we are having a big warm up tomorrow โ™จ as it will save on the heat. It will also make it easier outside for skiing and walking. I’m interested to see if the voltage switch does its job properly. I checked the connections with the Volt meter – for a while I brought it inside for future testing when something looked like the output polarity reversed but it seems fine now. โšก I’ll probably need to tweak the voltage thresholds but I think it will work well. I’ve learned to test and check โ˜‘ when wiring things up and always stop and reconsider things โ›” when I discover something isn’t working as expected.

One week from now will be my first night ๐ŸŒƒ winter camping โ›บ and that should be a lot of fun. I’m just hoping that it won’t be too rainy – looks to be quite mild and cloudy for sure with a chance of rain throughout the week. โ˜” I almost prefer snow showers to rain although at least the roads won’t be so bad with just rain. I can’t control the weather but I can control my attitude.

In four weeks on January 18 the sun will be setting at 4:50 pm,๐ŸŒ„ which is 25 minutes and 23 seconds later then tonight. In 2019 on that day, we had snow showers, mostly cloudy and temperatures between 35 and 21 degrees. Typically, you have temperatures between 30 and 14 degrees. The record high of 59 degrees was set back in 1973.

Looking ahead, 4:30 PM Sunset ๐ŸŒ† is in 1 weeks, Winnie the Pooh Day ๐Ÿฏ is in 4 weeks, Martin Luther King Day ๐Ÿ–ค is a month away, 5 PM Sunset ๐ŸŒ† is in 5 weeks, February ๐ŸŒง is in 6 weeks, Average High is 50 ๐ŸŒธ is in 14 weeks, Average High is 60 ๐ŸŒผ is in 17 weeks, Average High is 70 ๐Ÿฎ is in 21 weeks, Memorial Day Weekend Starts ๐Ÿ•๏ธ is in 22 weeks, Last Day of Session ๐Ÿ› is in 26 weeks and Summer ๏ธโ›ฑ๏ธ is in 26 weeks.

White Rocks Overlook

October 15, 2015 update

I decided to leave West Virgina on Tuesday, in part because I wanted to stay at a developed campground where I could get a shower, and because I was getting awful tired of the narrow, steep roads of West Virgina. Iโ€™m sure not every road is awful in West Virginia, but it sure seems like I have been driving up them โ€“ from Dolly Sods Road to Spruce Mountain Road โ€“ to say nothing of the somewhat larger but much heavier traffic of US 33 as it crosses Judyโ€™s Pass to Franklinton then again over Shenandoah Mountain. I just hate the steep climbs, the descending in low gear, and the traffic wanting to blast pass.

Shenandoah National Park was on my list to see. I figured if I was going to be in West Virginia, I better also swing east to Skyline Drive and the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. I was generally heading that way from Grandy Creek, the other alternative was to head south to WV 22 and out that way, but I wanted to see Spruce Mountain, which there is a road that takes you up 4,823 feet to the highest point in West Virginia. You certainly canโ€™t drive that high anywhere in New York on a public road, and only the highest of high peaks take you up there. The summit of Spruce Mountain is remarkably beautiful and mostly undeveloped besides a narrow paved road that takes you to the top, a small picnic area and observation platform. The drive down Spruce Mountain was so steep though.

US 33 was quite the climb and descent over the two mountain ranges from where I was to Virginia. It was steep but once you reached the Shenandoah Valley, US 33 cuts through a beautiful section of the George Washington National Forest without a bend  in miles. You quickly forget the awful drive you just made over Shenandoah Mountain. To make matters worst, US 33 was being repaved over Shenandoah Mountain, so I ended up getting stuck at the bottom weighting for the pilot car to bring me and a long line of traffic up the three miles up it on the West Virginia side. The Virginia side was just as as steep, but the lanes were wider and despite the hairpin turns,seemed much more navigable.

Harrisonburg, VA is a pretty large city. I had no idea until I arrived downtown and had to fight traffic on six lane roads. The Shenandoah Valley was pretty with a lot of chicken farms and some dairies, but this general area was also rapidly suburbanizing, with houses abutting farms. Iโ€™m sure that leads to a strained relationship at times between the farms and the suburbanites. Smelled somewhat like farm country, not unlike around Lowville or any of the great agricultural valleys in New York. Harrisonburg sucked to drive through, but once you got 5 miles out of town it was a four lane road with occasional traffic lights and a fairly heavily volume, but eventually it became open, rolling country. US 33 drops down to 2 lanes with occasional passing lanes as you entered the park. I would like to get down and see more of the Shenandoah Valley away from the city. Maybe tomorrow or Friday.

When I first arrived at Shenandoah National Park I was under-impressed, as the section of Skyline Drive  north of US 33 isnโ€™t immediately impressive despite the overviews. The wonderful weather of Tuesday morning had turned to clouds as I headed east into the the front. It might have been sunny and beautiful in West Virginia, but by the time I was east in Shenandoah Valley it had gotten cloudy and hazy. The Shenandoah Valley also suffers from a major air pollution problem, which is somewhat less in West Virginia in the very rural area around Spruce Mountain. The wilderness area around Spruce Mountain and Dolly Sands is very impressive, some of the views at Shenandoah were less impressive.

I decided to camp at Matthewโ€™s Arm Concentrated Camping Operation, the farthest north campground along the parkway โ€“ 21 miles from the northern start of Skyline Drive. It was a nice campground although it was fairly rustic. It has flush toilets and running water in the bathrooms, but it refill water containers, you had to drive to the trailer dump station and water filling area (separate faucets, obviously). One thing this campground lacked was showers, which was a disappointment. But they recommended you visit the pay showers 15 miles down the road at Big Meadows. This campground was $15 a night with no taxes or fees, it did not have electricity in the campground. They had heated bathrooms with running water. No hot water at Matthewโ€™s Arm but they did have hot water at Loft Mountain. I had dinner and a few beers and was in bed by 9 PM. They openly allow (and sell alcohol) at the Shenandoah National Park campgrounds which is kind of nice. Still having neighbors and having to keep the music down and being brief with idling the engine to keep the batteries charged, is less nice.

I had to get up early to go to the bathroom, and ultimately decided to get up around 6:45 AM to drive over to one of the overlooks to watch the sun rise.
While a somewhat cloudy morning, it was a beautiful start to the day. Broke camp around 9:30 AM and started south on the parkway, stopping at several of the overlooks, then when I got cellphone service, uploaded some photos to share with people, along with previous nights posts. Stopped at Big Meadows Visitors Center and also at the showers at Big Meadows around noontime.

In the nicer weather, spending more time on the parkway, showed how beautiful many of the views are along the parkway. The haze wasnโ€™t as bad in the clear, drier weather, although still notable across the valley. Some of the overviews from Skyline Drive are remarkably beautiful, others less so. The leaves arenโ€™t peak everywhere, but there is some nice colors showing up in various directions. Got a campsite at the Loft Mountain Concentrated Camping Operation. Picked a site high up on the hill, hoping to get cellphone reception and at least good radio reception. The cellphone reception was pretty marginal from camp, but I did have good radio reception for listening to any local radio station within reason. Watched the sun set from one of the overlooks. I retired to bed around 10 PM. Nice flush toilets, hot water, and heated bathrooms. Showers just down the road.

Todayโ€™s plan is to head further down Skyline Drive until I reach the Blue Ridge Parkway. I will probably go a ways down the Parkway, and hopefully find some place to camp at a campground along it. When I reach Interstate 64 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, I will take that west back to West Virigina and on Friday night camp on at site along one of the roads in West Virigina. From there I will take I-99 in Pennsylvania to Wellsboro and the Grand Canyon Country, overnight there, and return to Albany on Sunday afternoon.

Gorging on Gorges, An Adventure, Day 2

I awoke for Day 2 of Gorging on Gorges, and it was a fairly warm morning, at least for the day before Columbus Day, in the back country of the Finger Lakes National Forest. I decided I wanted a full breakfast this morning, so I got some sausage frying up, the coffee peculator doing its thing, then scrambled some eggs with mushrooms and sweet peppers. It was a good breakfast. Packed up my gear, folded the flag, headed out on Potamac Road, and stopped grab a few pictures of the pastures along the road.

Potamac Road 2

Driving along all these back-country roads, I was amazed during most of my trip in New York State, on how many anti-SAFE Act signs there were in front of houses and farms along the way. If there ever was an issue that galvinized the backwoods of Upstate NY, it has to be that stupid gun law. I would reminded of the opposition to the SAFE Act all week, until I finally crossed into Pennsylvania state-line โ€“ the last SAFE Act sign ended a ยผ mile before I left the state. I bet you that poor dairy farmer, was awful pissed to live on the wrong side of an imaginary line, so they had to be subjected to stupid laws, high taxes, and anti-farm regulations.

Across the Gorge

Drove down to Trumansburg and then to Taughannock Falls State Parkโ€™s Gorge Overlook. The main overlook, next to the parking lot was a complete tourist trap, with dozens of tourists, many obviously traveling a long ways to get there, crowded around the overlook deck, as everyone โ€“ myself included โ€“ scrambled to get that one trademark photo of the falls. I was glad to get away from that overlook.

Started along the North Rim trail along the gorge. I was looking for secret places to find isolated, beautiful views of fall, and the hike did not disappoint. I found one perfectly shrouded in colorful fall leaves, but with a view of falls. I snapped a picture. I continued along, and found some good views in the gorge, showing the depth and width it below the falls. Then I ran into Robin Smith and his wife โ€“ Twitter and Facebook friend. Chatted for five minutes, then I proceeded on.

A Secret Spot for Observing the Falls

In part, I was in a bit of a rush, trying to find a place to take a piss. All that coffee plus maybe an eye-opener drink wasnโ€™t great for the bladder. There also were a few to many people around to do it right on trail, especially being so close to the road most of way. But eventually I did it, and was on my way.

The North Rim trail runs into the Black Diamond Trail, which crosses an old railroad bridge, converted to a hiking trail via some concrete slaps and fence placed on it. The high, old railroad trestle provides views of a smaller, upper waterfalls and the little known, but quite impressive upper gorge. The upper gorge, above the falls, is a deep, narrow, but beautiful gorge where the Taughannock Creek runs, cutting deep into the valley. For the best views, you have to take the South Rim trail, which is what I took next.

Upper Gorge

The South Rim trail is impressive. There is the big parking lot from the Gorge Overlook on Taughannock Road, or you can alternatively take Gorge Road, and halfway down it, park in the smallish pull-off. Donโ€™t miss it though. If you follow the South Rim Trail, there are some views of the gorge below the falls, and one view of the gorge, extending out to Seneca Lake.

I hiked back to my pickup truck, and then drove down to the main part of Taughannock Falls State Park. I parked in main portion of the park, rather then the always crowded and tight to park in lot next to the trail to Gorge Trail, which runs inside the gorge to below the falls. Not wanting my truck damaged by an overly excited tourist, I figured itโ€™s always safer to park in an empty lot. Walked down to Seneca Lake, and noticed how green the trees were still on the lake shore. This contrasts to sections of US 20, the previous day, where the colors were burnt out to say the least. I was also surprised to see the AES Cayuga in Lansing, across the lake, burning coal today. They must keep in standby for when the line frequency drops to low locally. Stopped in the bathrooms at Taughannock Falls State Park, which were just very gross โ€“ clean, but rusty and in old shape โ€“ like so many state facilities.

AES Cayuga Coal Plant in Lansing

Then I hiked along the gorge trail to the fall, taking several moments to stop and take photos, and explore the river bed. I had previously been here, in mid-July, but it certainly was different now that fall was in full swing. The trail was popular, and in some places, downright crowded, but the riverbed, at least as far as one could hike, wasnโ€™t nearly as crowded. The gorge walls were pretty with the fall leaves, although by the time I got the falls, the sun was right over the top of the waterfalls, so most of the pictures of the falls came out pretty poorly.

The Falls From Below

Headed back to the truck, then drove down to Ithaca. The traffic was as awful as always in that city. I had stop at the pharmacy, then it was off to Buttermilk Falls State Park. I was surprised they were still charging โ€“ the last day must be Columbus Day. By now, it was too late to keep Robert Treman State Park on my list; that will have to wait until tomorrow. This time, I intentionally hiked up the North Rim trail, up to West King Road, then down into the gorge. Last November, I hiked up the gorge, so I figured it would be interesting to go the other way this time.

North Rim Trail

Hiking down Buttermilk Falls was scenic, but not as a scenic as I remember it. Maybe after all this time hiking in gorges and exploring the gorges, they also start to look a bit alike โ€“ and we are only day two. Itโ€™s more scenic then most of other glens, besides Enfield Glen and Watkins Glen, but itโ€™s still a step below them. The gorge swimming pool at the bottom of the gorge it was nice.

 An Autumn Afternoon at the Falls

It was a good hike, until descending the slippery stairs, I slipped, and dropped my camera, and it fell like 20 feet, hitting a dozen of the stone stairs before coming to a rest. The fall did some serious damage to the camera, as one might expect. The protective UV filter was shattered, the case was cracked up the lens. I was not pleased, to say the least. There may have been a few cuss words. But so be it. The camera was under a drop warranty that I bought when I got it, but I was more worried that the fall would damage the camera, so I would be out of luck for taking more pictures for the rest of the trip.

I might have been pissed at myself for my careless handling and missteps, for a little while, cussed myself out. I was less pissed when I discovered the lens wasnโ€™t destroyed, only the $5 UV filter. The camera seemed to continue to work well, although the flash doesnโ€™t always pop up โ€“ a feature I almost never use at any rate. The camera seemed to work okay, and I picked up a second UV filter at Walmart later in the evening. Later in the week, I noticed the automatic focus was sticking โ€“ fortunately I have a drop warranty on the lens too. One of these days, I will get around to sending the camera back to the factory for warranty repairs or replacement.

Nice Little Falls

Once I got over the shock, anger, and amusement of smashing up my camera, and got the shattered UV filter off the camera โ€“ it took a little fiddling, as the impact of the fall bent the ring โ€“ I enjoyed the remaining hike and vistas of falls. Snapped several other quite nice pictures. Went to Walmart to pick up a few supplies, then back to Finger Lakes National Forest, for another evening at camp.

When I drove up to the campsites on Chicken Coop Road, I was pleasantly surprised to find out the campsite I like was vacant. Whoever was the night before packed up, and there was no mess left over. Hung the flag up, set up the table, hung lights up, and gathered wood. Started a campfire, cracked open a beer, had soup and sandwitches for dinner. The colors in the woods were about peak here. Around 6:15 PM, walked across the road, to take a closer look at the cows grazing in the pasture.

Pasture View from Campsite

I stayed up until 8:15 PM, when it started to sprinkle, and quickly turned to a heavier rain, and decided it was time to seek shelter under the truck cap. Again a bit annoyed about the rain, and my stupidity about not setting up a tarp earlier in the evening. I listened to the radio for a bit, played on my cellphone, and retired for the night. The good news was that by morning, the rain would have passed, although the skies would be cloudy, damp, and the temperature only around 47 degrees.