Search Results for: photo from tent campsite 3 on hill

Final Day of 2023

Made it to the end of year. Kind of a cloudy, gray, cool day to end out the year — certainly not the best day to be out doing outdoor activities, especially with the breeze and gray skies. Maybe it’s best that my planed camping trip didn’t work out after all.

I was originally planning to be out camping today, but when I got up to camp 🏕 the campsite was taken and everything up at Rensselaerville State Forest was a complete mosh pit, after all the rain we’ve had and above normal temperatures. I poked around the state forest for a while, thought about pitching a tent, but I would be setting up in the mud, and the other campsite — Campsite 3 was a mess because they’ve been logging off CCC Road. I think that red clay is as slick and muddy as I can remember due to it being such a mild, ice free winter. Maybe that black powder guy parked in the campsite did me a favor. I don’t think he was camping, though it seemed like he swapped off that site with another person, which makes me think maybe he had his stand up there and wanted to reserve the site. I’m not that heart broken 💔 about not camping this weekend. I might be back for Martin Luther King Day Weekend, ❄️ which believe it or not is only two weekend away this point. I’m hoping it will be cold enough at that point that I won’t be dealing with all that mud and slop. Some snow would be nice, and most of the big hunting seasons are done 🔫 though trapping is open and as small game.

Back to the table format on the weather, as my blog’s weather template always seems to break for the last day of the year. 🌆 There is a one-day-a-year bug which I should fix but it happens only once in 365 days. I didn’t blog yesterday, at least with a status update as I got a bit of a late start, and was planning to do it up by camp which didn’t happen. Instead, I came home, unpacked my gear 🎒 which didn’t take long as nothing was disorganized or dirty, made some lunch and spent the balance of the day reading and studying my machine learning course. 🤖 This morning I finished up the Udemy Neural Nwtworks for R course and started one on Support Vector Classification for R. 💭 I’ve been thinking I should also do some machine learning courses on Python so I get a full knowledge and various platforms. 👩‍💻 I’m not opposed to Python though I tend to use R more then Python.

Today for exercise 🚲 I think I’m going to ride out to Voorheesville 🚂 and maybe stop at Hannaford out there to get some baker’s vanilla which I like in my coffee and warm milk at the end of day, plus also some more apple cider vinger which I like in my glass of warm milk at the end of day.. That said, I’m still cringing after spending $200 at the grocery store on Friday, though fortunately I got paid early — I couldn’t believe I got my first 2024 pay check on Friday, when the official pay day is next Wednesday, January 3rd. Paychecks have been coming earlier and earlier, often on Monday mornings, and I know New Years Day or Monday is a holiday, but I just assumed the money would come in on Tuesday. 💵 It’s good though as I paid rent on Friday, 🏘 and I’ve been concerned about having the minimum in bank account.

I guess this sort of makes December, rather then January a three paycheck month, but as long as I keep things coming in and out consistently, I’m good. I just ended up buying a lot groceries, in part for camping but also there was a lot of things I wanted to keep my pantry stocked. That said, it should cut back on what I need in future weeks, as most of the more expensive things I stocked up are the kind of things that should last for a while. I don’t waste food, if things start to go bad, I cut off the bad parts and eat that first. 🍎 But I generally prefer frozen and vegatables, and aren’t afraid to use my freezer.

My parents have continued to be sick on and off 😣 so I’ve not been able to visit them in the few weeks 👪 and I’m not totally sure if we are going to do a get together for New Years Day, 🎆 though we’ve been talking about doing a holiday celebration 🎄 getting together next week for Mom’s birthday with my sister, niece and in-laws, assuming everybody is feeling better by then and the weather is good.

As you will note below, going to be a mild week to start out January, and we are definitely starting to pick up more daylight at end of each day.

This Afternoon.
Feels like …
December 18th.

Mostly Cloudy

 Mostly cloudy.
Northwest wind around 8 mph. and		 37 degrees , 4:33
sunset.
Tonight.
Feels like …
December 3rd.

Slight Chance of Snow Showers

 A slight chance of snow showers between 10pm and 4am. Mostly cloudy.
Northwest wind 3 to 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. and		 26 degrees , 7:23
sunrise.
New Year’s Day.
Feels like …
December 22nd.

Mostly Cloudy

 Mostly cloudy.
North wind 3 to 6 mph.
and		 36 degrees , 4:33
sunset.
Monday Night.
Feels like …
December 10th.

Mostly Clear

 Mostly clear.
Northwest wind 6 to 8 mph.
and		 24 degrees , 7:23
sunrise.
Tuesday.
Feels like …
December 9th.

Sunny

 Sunny.
West wind 5 to 9 mph.
and		 40 degrees , 4:34
sunset.
Tuesday Night.
Feels like …
November 30th.

Partly Cloudy

 Partly cloudy.
 
and		 27 degrees , 7:23
sunrise.
Wednesday.
Feels like …
December 6th.

Mostly Cloudy

 Mostly cloudy.
 
and		 41 degrees , 4:35
sunset.
Wednesday Night.
Feels like …
November 23rd.

Mostly Cloudy

 Mostly cloudy.
 
and		 29 degrees , 7:23
sunrise.
Thursday.
Feels like …
December 18th.

Chance of Rain/Snow

 A chance of snow before 10am, then a chance of rain and snow between 10am and 4pm, then a chance of snow after 4pm. Mostly cloudy.
Chance of precipitation is 30%.
and		 37 degrees , 4:36
sunset.
Thursday Night.
Feels like …
December 21st.

Mostly Cloudy

 Mostly cloudy.
 
and		 21 degrees , 9 max wind chill, 7:23
sunrise.
Friday.
Feels like …
January 5th.

Mostly Sunny

 Mostly sunny.
 
and		 33 degrees , 9 max wind chill, 4:37
sunset.
Friday Night.
Feels like …
December 17th.

Partly Cloudy

 Partly cloudy.
 
and		 22 degrees , 11 max wind chill, 7:23
sunrise.
Saturday.
Feels like …
December 31st.

Partly Sunny

 Partly sunny.
 
and		 34 degrees , 11 max wind chill, 4:38
sunset.

Escarpment Fence

May 6, 2023 Morning

Good morning! Happy Saturday. ⛺

Made it to the May camping trip, the first quote unquote summer camping season. The black flies are swarming but as far as I can tell they aren’t biting. I’m glad I’m not getting eaten alive in the Adirondacks and truth be told it’s a lot quieter than camping on NY 8 East Branch Sacandaga River with all the road traffic.

Kind of a chilly start to the weekend, especially with the wind. Mostly sunny and 47 degrees at the Burnt-Rossman State Forest. There is a northwest breeze at 6 mph. 🍃.

I kind of played hookie and snuck out of work at 1 pm on Friday, that is with the big directors permission, ⛺ I wanted to get up to camp early so I could ensure I could get the Duck Pond campsite which sometimes is taken, and then have time to do some hiking before dark. Plus I had the time I would otherwise loose come next Wednesday so I made the leap.

I managed to forget my day pack 🎒 at home. I realized it yesterday when I was in Middleburgh. What to use for hiking to have food and carrying water? 💦 I figured out a chair bag would work for that slung over my shoulder. It looks a bit odd but works okay. I think I need to update my packing list – things have changed but my packing list hasn’t kept up with the changes. 📃

Today will be sunny 🌞, with a high of 63 degrees at 5pm. Five degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around April 24th. Northwest wind 6 to 11 mph. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies. The high last year was 63 degrees. The record high of 89 was set in 1930. There was a dusting of snow in 1994.❄

Black flies are out and swarming 🐜 but they aren’t biting. If it’s anything like yesterday, get into the darker parts of the woods away from water or come dusk they’ll be gone. I’m sure it would be worse in the Adirondacks.

But regardless it’s a nice morning. 🌅 I woke up at six o’clock like usual but decided after peeing to get some more sleep. Then it was coffee ☕ and oatmeal – banana pancake 🥞 mix topped with blueberries. Going to read 📖 and listen to a podcast until around 10:30 then start a road hike, heading back to the woods 🌲🌳 after spring turkey 🦃 closes at noontime. I want to check out the Rossman Hill Leanto and Looking Glass Pond 🎣 and then maybe head down to Panther Hollow along the Long Path.

Solar noon 🌞 is at 12:55 pm with sun having an altitude of 64° from the due south horizon (-6.9° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 2.9 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour 🏅 starts at 7:24 pm with the sun in the west-northwest (287°). 📸

Hsd a loose connection on the inverter last night 🔋 which kept it tripping out due to under voltage. Tightened it up and now it seems great. After all these years I’m really figuring out the system working out all the bugs. 🐛 That said, I’m already considering what I might do different on a future truck. 🛻 I was thinking about how much I miss having the little truck for navigating the back roads – I’m always careful about where I take Big Red as he’s tough to navigate on the narrow roads and sways a lot on the rough roads which I don’t want to break my big expensive truck on.

The sunset is in the west-northwest (294°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 8:03 pm after setting for 3 minutes and 9 seconds with dusk around 8:34 pm, which is one minute and 6 seconds later than yesterday. 🌇 The best time to look at the stars is after 9:13 pm. At sunset, look for mostly clear skies 🌄 and temperatures around 55 degrees. There will be a west-northwest breeze at 7 mph. Today will have 14 hours and 19 minutes of daytime, an increase of 2 minutes and 21 seconds over yesterday.

When I get back I want to do a wrap 🌯 with chicken 🐔 rice 🍚 tomato 🍅 and fresh spinach. Maybe include some tofu, mushrooms 🍄 and hot sauce. Already my mouth is watering. 😋 I was going to go that last night but I ended up doing fish with asparagus and tomato 🍅. Also good. Next time I might bring more beer 🍻 and I might get a small package of cookies. 🍪 I’m really trying to improve my diet but I think I can make exceptions in moderation especially if I’m planning a high activity day. 🦵That said in general I’m not going back on my now healthier and often more delicious eating habits.

Tonight will be mostly clear 🌃, with a low of 39 degrees at 5am. Six degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical night around April 21st. Southwest wind 3 to 7 mph. In 2022, we had mostly clear skies in the evening, which became partly cloudy by the early hours of the morning. It got down to 45 degrees. The record low of 29 occurred back in 1874.

Last night I did a nice hike 👣 down into Cole Hollow along the Long Path. Strangely enough I had never done much hiking down there. That Cole Hollow campsite ⛺ is pretty nice, I should keep it in mind especially if I’m going to Mine Kill Pool or planning to bicycle 🚲 ride in the Schoharie Valley. I feel like I could potentially ride right from there as the elevation is relatively low. Deep hollow though, no cell service or likely much radio service. Kind of like Betty Brook.

Too bad it was so cloudy yesterday night for the full 🌕 moon. It cleared out late but not until very late when I was in bed for the night. Maybe I can enjoy the moonlight tonight. I do enjoy how much quieter it is up here compared to what it would be on NY 8. Plus far less black flies, or maybe not they were really swarming last night when the sun was still up. It’s May everywhere.

Trying to upload some pictures this morning 📸 but the internet up here is a bit temperamental though at least I now have a card reader that allows me to upload photos taken by my good camera on the phone. 📱 But even that is a bit tricky as my phone doesn’t like the uppercase JPG extensions which force me to rename the files 📂 before I can even preview them on my phone.

Looking ahead, there are 7 weeks until Latest Sunset 🌆 when the sun will be setting at 8:40 pm with dusk at 9:13 pm. On that day in 2022, we had partly cloudy and temperatures between 86 and 61 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 82 degrees. We hit a record high of 96 back in 1943.

White Tulips

February 20, 2023 Morning

Good morning! Cloudy and 36 degrees at the Moscow Hill Camping Area. 🌥 There is a south-southwest breeze at 9 mph. 🍃. Temperatures will drop below freezing at around 5 pm. ☃️

The past few days I’ve decided to take a break from social media and the blog 📜 so I can spend more time in the woods hiking and thinking, 👂 listening to podcasts and drinking 🍻 beer and being away from it all. Two nights is never enough, especially since I got used to remote work from camp. I could have taken tomorrow off but rain is coming.

I was on the fence about where to this long weekend ⛺ but settled on Brookfield as there was more trails I wanted to explore and the forecast while cloudy for Sunday and today looked less wet. I had been at Rennselearville State Forest three weekends ago and wanted to mix things up especially so I didn’t burn up too much firewood. Plus I like the rural landscape 🚜 heading out to Brookfield. Longer drive though but a pleasant one.

Saturday I walked around Glimmerglass State Park 🏞 and it was cold by the lake but in the woods with the wind 🍃 blocked by the mountains it wasn’t so bad. I didn’t stick around very long as such. Deep blue skies and a pretty sunset 🌇. Got to Moscow Hill Horse Camp 🐴 and set up camp then hiked over to Elmer’s Place and then bushwhacked over Grassy Hill trying to find a good view which didn’t exist but I did flush out a ton of grouse. 🕊

By the time I got back to camp it was 6:10 and nearly pitch black but I had previously gathered firewood, set up the lights and propane, 🏮 had everything ready to go so it was a pleasant night. Had a big fire 🔥 though it was smokey at times due to all the wet wood, wet stuff in the burnables as I’ve been eating healthier. Heard a local fire station whistle go of 🚒🧑‍🚒 and thought I might have some unplanned visitors but no it was some other call. This place isn’t as remote as some places I camp. ⛺ Forgot to buy lighter fluid but once I got the somewhat damp and frozen wood going it burned well but was sparky until the wind died out. Saturday was a star filled night ✨ and very mild which was nice.

Sunday was cloudy and breezy at times 🌬️ especially up on the hills. I hiked the bulk of the day, visiting most of the outer truck trails at Charles Baker State Forest 🌲🌳🌲 as I didn’t want to hike muddy horse trails. Checked out the Elmer Spring Campsite which is remote but accessible by vehicle and is really nice and private. ⛺ Hiked the Ledges Trail which was kind of interesting as was Truck Trail 7 which is cut into a ledge on the side of the mountain ⛰️. Icy in spots especially on the road but cold enough even the horse 🐴 trails weren’t too icy.

For today, Washington’s Birthday will have showers likely, mainly before 11am. Cloudy 🌦, with a high of 40 degrees at 11am. Three degrees above normal, which is similar to a typical day around February 28th. Not bad for the high country in in. Just wearing the vest. Southwest wind 9 to 13 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible. A year ago, we had partly cloudy skies in the morning, remaining cloudy in the afternoon. The high last year was 28 degrees. The record high of 66 was set in 1930. 11.2 inches of snow fell back in 1977.❄

While it hasn’t been sunny ☁️ the mid weather has been nice. Not having to deal with frozen water 💦, frozen food like milk 🥛 or eggs 🥚 is good for a change. The batteries are healthy and happy 😊 in my truck 🔋, I haven’t had to start the truck all weekend long. Used the propane heater ♨ a lot less than I have in recent trips, no icy propane lines to deal with. But it’s been cold enough that things have remained generally frozen in the ground, keeping the trails from being too muddy.

Solar noon 🌞 is at 12:16 pm with sun having an altitude of 36.2° from the due south horizon (-34.4° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 8.2 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour 🏅 starts at 5:01 pm with the sun in the west-southwest (249°). 📸 The sunset is in the west-southwest (256°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 5:40 pm after setting for 3 minutes with dusk around 6:07 pm, which is one minute and 17 seconds later than yesterday. 🌇 At dusk you’ll see the Waxing Crescent 🌒 Moon in the west-southwest (253°) at an altitude of 2° from the horizon, 228,419 miles away. 🚀 The best time to look at the stars is after 6:41 pm. At sunset, look for mostly cloudy skies ☁ and temperatures around 34 degrees. There will be a west-northwest breeze at 10 mph. Today will have 10 hours and 50 minutes of daytime, an increase of 2 minutes and 47 seconds over yesterday.

Today I decided to hike back and explore a few more ponds 🐸 in the northern part of the state forest. Then midday head back home. I figure enjoy and explore as much of the land while I’m here. Then I’ll have to head home. I thought about taking Tuesday off but it looks like rain ☔ and maybe snow here.

Tonight will have a slight chance of snow showers after 4am. Mostly cloudy 🌧, with a low of 23 degrees at 2am. Four degrees above normal, which is similar to a typical night around March 5th. Maximum wind chill around 17 at 4am; Northwest wind 5 to 8 mph becoming calm. Chance of precipitation is 20%. In 2022, we had mostly clear skies in the evening, which became mostly clear by the early hours of the morning. It got down to 13 degrees. The record low of -10 occurred back in 2015.

Planning to go out and see the folks 👪 when I get home, that is after showering 🚿 and unpacking. Then I want to run to the car wash 🚙 and then Walmart for fruit and vegetables for the upcoming week. 🍏

Brookfield looks cold and snowy for next weekend. 🌨 But I got my fun in. Saturday, a chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 25. Chance of precipitation is 40%. Sunday, a chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 34. Breezy. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Typical average high for the weekend is 39 degrees.

I don’t necessarily plan on being back to Brookfield anytime soon though I might do my April trip to Cazenovia rather than the Adirondacks East Branch Sacandaga River for a change. 🗻 Easter is late this year and depending on how mild the spring is things could be greening up by then. Probably few black flies up north 🐜 but I’ve been itching to do the Gorge Rail Trail is Cazenovia – Canestota for some time again. March maybe a camping trip ⛺ to Rennselearville State Forest again or Burnt Rossman. Depends on how much snow. It will be after the time change at this point.

Looking ahead, there are 7 weeks until 8 PM Dusk 🌆 when the sun will be setting at 7:39 pm with dusk at 8:06 pm (Daylight Savings Time) in Brookfield. Earlier back in Albany. On that day in 2022, we had partly cloudy, warm and temperatures between 74 and 49 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 57 degrees. Thinking spring thoughts 💭 on this cloudy but mild morning. We hit a record high of 86 back in 1922.

Red Trail Marker

33 Nights I Camped in 2022

This was a tough year for getting out of town. My truck was getting creaking and old, rusted and always in risk of breaking down, though the only failure I had on vacation and that was a stupid loose lug-nut. But with high gas prices, inflation, and my desire to invest more in the markets, kept me home more then most other recent years. I also focused on destinations where I could camp for multiple nights, after parking my truck and leaving the engine off to save fuel. Many of the prime weekends of the year were raining.

Ultimately I camped 33 nights, which is about normal for me, though the trips were longer and closer to home.

My first camping trip of the year started out in February during President’s Day Weekend, February 20-22 at Rensselaerville State Forest. Winter camping and skiing, took a walk down to the explore the new OSI Parcel that will eventually be added to the state forest.

Campsite 2

Second trip of the year was up to the East Branch Sacandaga River, April 22-24, which is always my big April trip complete with a big bonfire, hiking along the East Branch and back to the Gorge Falls.

East Branch Sacandaga River

Third trip of the year was to Piseco-Powley Road’s House Pond Campsite, three nights, June 17-19, including exploring this previously unknown to me swimming hole. Had another big fire, spent a lot of time at the swimming hole across the way. Also visited the potholers a couple of times in the evening.

Swimming Hole Off Old Edick Road

Then from June 19-21, I moved up the road to Powley Place Campsite 9 for two nights. Hiked back to Goldmine Stream Falls and then on Tuesday hiked back to Big Alderbed.

Powley Campsite 10

The forth trip of the year was July 16-19th which I camped up Campsite 5 on Piseco-Powley Road, about a mile north of the Potholers. I don’t love this campsite, as much as House Pond but it was still within walking distance from the Potholers, and is remote enough that I can listen to music as loud as I want, have big fires and shoot guns.

Campfire

Fifth trip of the year was the Finger Lakes National Forest, camping off old Chicken Co-Op Road from July 30 to August 8, as my GPS likes to call it. Stayed at the same campsite all week, alternating between trips away from camp and staying in camp, mostly to save fuel and reduce costs. Brought my kayak, paddled Cayuta Lake. Spent a lot of time at Watkins Glen State Park. Had that loose lug nut on my truck.

Finger Lakes Sunset

Sixth trip of the year was to the Adirondacks, Labor Day Weekend and the Friday before, September 2-5th, namely that campsite in Perkins Clearing on Hardwood Hill up above Spectulator where I have excellent cell reception and can work remote. It was kind of a lazy trip with lots of clams, sweet corn and beer, though that Friday I worked remote and was busy with work, and then did day hikes from camp, specifically exploring Mud Lake Road, where I ran into a family of bears. It poured on Labor Day when I took down camp.

Morning view

Seventh trip was a mid September remote-working trip up to Rensselearville State Forest, one of a series of three autumn trips up to the state forest only about 40 minutes from home. I chose to go there as I knew I could get home quickly if necessary with work being so busy, plus knowing I could get home if there was something I couldn’t do with my data plan on my cellphone. I think the dates were that Friday when I remote worked — September 16-19th.

Catskill Mountains

My eight trip was Columbus Day Weekend, Friday October 7 to Monday the 10th. I had originally planned to head up to the Adirondacks, but on my way up north, around Glenville I noticed my truck was swaying more then I would like around the corners, despite just recently being checked out at the shop. Plus heading up to the Adirondacks meant I would have dead spots, which was bad when I was supposed to be remote working, supervising three major political campaigns across the state. So I turned around and headed up to the Heldebergs. Ended up going to Rensselaerville State Forest again, for a colorful trip, especially when I hiked along Cheese Hill Road to the new OSI Parcel overlooking the Catskill Mountains and rural lands of Schoharie County and Potter Hollow. I probably should have brought my gun and got my hunting license, but I was constantly on the phone dealing with one crisis or another for work. Also spent Columbus Day hiking around Huyck Preserve for the bulk of the day before heading home, showering and going out to visit the folks.

Cheese Hill Road

My ninth trip of the year was back to Rensselaerville State Forest. This trip was planned to be there, the last week of Friday to Sunday, October 28-30th, while working heavily remote as the political campaigns I was managing was in their last stretch. It was kind of a chilly weekend and busy with work. But I had my heater, and I did find time to get out and walk, as the colors faded away. It was a nice weekend but it reminded me that autumn was certainly on the way.

Taconics

The tenth trip of the year was back to the East Branch Sacandaga River. Hike back along the Stewart Creek Trail and camped for two fairly cold nights from Thursday December 8 – Saturday December 10th. Came back a day early as I wanted to check to see if I had jury duty. It wasn’t a bad weekend but everything was first cold from the previous day rain, and then everything was icy once things froze up. But I stayed warm by the campsite.

Back camping at the same site tonight

The eleventh and final trip of the year was to Rensselaerville State Forest, right where I started the year close to home. The snow was deep this time, some 2 feet deep with an even deeper snow bank to dig through. But I hot tented there for two nights, from Tuesday December 20-Thursday December 22. This was the only trip of the year when I didn’t camp in my truck.

Winter camping ?

Conclusions

I wouldn’t rank this as my greatest year ever, with the most adventures. But I made the best of the situation with inflation increasing the price of camping supplies and fuel for my big jacked up truck, which became more unreliable. Work was super busy with all those campaigns. The weather was often bad for the prime weekends of the year. But I made the best of the year.

This past year I spent 37 nights camping in the wilderness 🏕

This past year I spent 37 nights camping in the wilderness 🏕

Places I Camped in 2021

While this was less then the 63 nights I did in 2020, with remote work winding down and more in-person meetings and events happening in Albany, I ended up not getting out as much as I did the previous year. Still 37 nights camping is still a lot of time in wilderness.

It was a lot rainier then some summers, so that also made it harder to get out of town for long weekends. When I did go camping, and I wasn’t remote working, I tried to make it a priority to find more-remote areas without cell service, so I could get solitude without the constant buzz of the phone. Plus I tended to stay in one campsite for two or three days, to avoid the hassles of taking down and setting up camp.

Saturday/Sunday April 24-25: Two Nights on East Branch

I started out my travels in late April on the East Branch Sacandaga River along NY 8, near Fox Lair. On Saturday, before arriving to camp, I hiked along Hope Falls Road and back to lower and upper Tenant Creek Falls. Sunday, I hiked around Fox Lair, sat down by the river for a while, did some fishing. Had a big ol’ fire. It was cold but also kind of spring-like.

Sunday was kind of cloudy but not to wet

Monday April 26: One Night on Sacandaga River/Speculator Tree Farm

Monday I drove up to Speculator to do remote work at the library and the town park/beach with my laptop. I set up camp at Campsite 17 and in the evening after work, I hiked along Old NY Route 8B, spending some time along Austin Falls and heading back to camp before it got too dark. Tuesday I worked up in Speculator, before heading home. Things were still very brown and gray in the Adirondacks, although I ended up stopping along the Mohawk River in Rotterdam and hiking on the bike trail before dark, and it was much greener down there.

Thursday to Saturday May 13-15: Three Nights on Sacandaga River/Speculator Tree Farm

Thursday morning I got up early and drove up to Speculator before 9 AM to work remotely. I worked until lunch time in Spectulator when I drove down to Campsite 17 and set up camp and worked from there. Worked all day on Friday from camp, mostly sending emails from the hammock although I also edited a report I was working on with my laptop at the table, and grabbed some files a colleague needed off the server over the VPN. Knocked over the lantern, smashing the glass and breaking the the neck on it. On Saturday I hiked back along Robb Mill Road and some of the side trails in the Conservation Easement. Sunday, I drove up to Watch Hill on Indian Lake, hiked that, while there was a constant threat of thunderstorms, so I did it fairly quickly.

Sacandaga River below Austin Falls

Sunday May 16: One Night Camping Near Mason Lake

After hiking Watch Hill I ended up camping at Mason Lake. I also spent some time walking around the Indian Lake/Lewey Campground, just seeing what was there I was hoping being a Sunday I could get a campsite near Mason Lakke, but no such luck. Ended up camping at Campsite 5, a ways from the lake, although in the evening I did walk down to the lake. I did have cell service where I was camping, but it was spotty, so come Monday morning, I headed back to Speculator for work. The black flies were bad camping there, until well after dark I spent most of the afternoon hiding under the screen tent. In the morning, once the sun was up and the tent was down, I was booking out there because the black flies were intense.

Thursday, Friday, Saturday June 17-19: Three nights Camping at House Pond Campsite

Junteenth Weekend, a new state holiday. Piseco-Powley Road was rebuilt, and I spent a lot of time down at the swimming hole there. I was working remote on Thursday, but I left home after work and drove north before dusk. Spent a lot of time cooling off in East Branch by the campsite, laying in the hammock and relaxing. Saturday I spent kayaking at Lily Lake, but none of the lilies were out. Sunday I spent the balance of the day the potholers.

Reading ?

Friday, Saturday, Sunday July 8-10: Three nights camping on Hope Falls Road

After quite a run of rainy weather, we had part of weekend that wasn’t super wet. Also, many weeks in the summer, I preferred to just stay close to home, and catch the Nature Bus and spend Saturdays exploring Thacher Park for free. Friday was a personal day – I had a eye doctors appointment. Then I went north and set up camp at Hope Falls Road. Saturday, I hiked back to Ferris Lake and Tenant Creek Falls. Sunday, partially in the rain, I hiked back to both lower and upper Tenant Creek Falls. Sunday evening back at camp, it absolutely poured. I was originally planning to work remote on Monday and maybe Tuesday in Speculator but the weather was so wet, I decided against that.

Friday July 23: Overnight at Cherry Ridge

Heading out to the Finger Lakes, I overnighted at Cherry Ridge at Charles Baker State Forest in Madison County. It was a stop over after leaving home after work. Noticed how much sway there was in front end of the truck, and the tires were getting loud as they were warn and cupped, grew concerned that I might have issues later on. Eventually in December I replaced the tires, the worn rear shock bushing. and bad sway links. I was dealing with some real anxiety issues at that point. But I had a little fire, then retired early to bed and then took camp down early in the morning and headed west to Montezuma Wildlife Refuge and the state Audubon Preserve.

Saturday July 24: One night Tent Camping Along Backbone Horse Trail at Finger Lakes National Forest

I knew arriving at the Finger Lakes National Forest on a Saturday would mean many campsites would be taken, including the site I wanted. I ended up tent camping at one of the primitive sites off Potomac Road. It was a one night deal as I prefer camping in the truck shell and I saw the people in the campsite I wanted leave, so I quickly grabbed that campsite in the morning. Ended up breaking one of the elastic straps in one of the tent poles, I still need to repair it.

Sunday-Saturday July 25-31: Six Nights Truck Cap Camping Along Backbone Horse Trail at Finger Lakes National Forest

My summer vacation was the Finger Lakes National Forest. I decided to stick close to camp for much summer vacation, not rushing too much from place to place, spending a lot of afternoons at the Watkins Glen Pool, doing some paddling in Seneca Lake and Cayuta Lake, hiking in Texas Hollow and Sugar Hill State Forests. Did a lot of reading and laying back in the hammock. The campsite I stayed at didn’t have cell service, so it gave me a much needed to respite from the internet for a few days. Had some nice fires, drank some beer, and got away from it all.

Summer Vacation Seems So Distant Now

Thursday, Friday, Saturday August 12-15: Three nights at House Pond Campsite with Clams and Sweet Corn

After summer vacation, I decided to take a long weekend — four days — up to Potholers, namely the House Pond campsite with lots of sweet corn, clams and beer. I can still taste the clams and beer, and I had plenty of them to eat over the weekend — they were breakfast, lunch and diner. But it was nice laying back in the hammock and swimming in the swimming hole by that campsite. I also hiked along old Edick Road and to Edick Road Campsite 1, which is way off from the main road, and then down to the ledge. Hiked back to House Pond, which was difficult as there was a lot of blow down from a storm earlier in the summer. Spent much of Sunday at the Potholers and then watched the sun set from the Kane Mountain Firetower. Didn’t bring the kayak this time.

Friday, Saturday, Sunday August 26-28: Three nights (again) at House Pond Campsite

With another warm week ahead, I decided to take off Friday and Monday off for one more week up at House Pond. This time I spent more time at Potholers, walking up there each afternoon, besides spending a lot of time at the swimming hole near this campsite. Did some fishing up House Pond, and a lot of drinking and reading from the hammock. Read yet another book about writing code in Python and Kristen Kimbell’s Dirty Life about farm life. I bought a large truck intertube for floating, but once I got to camp and started to setting up I realized I didn’t have an air pump with me, so I couldn’t use it while camping.

East Canada Creek Below Edick Road Ledge

Friday, Saturday, Sunday September 3-5: Three nights at Hardwood Hill at Perkins Clearing

Friday, September 3rd was the final day of remote work – Labor Day Weekend. I got up early, drove to Speculator before 9 AM. I started working from Speculator Library but with my phone having hotspot service and cell service, mid-day I drove up to Hardwood Hill. This time I made sure to inflate my intertube before heading up north, and I spent Saturday evening until well after dusk floating in the Jessup River off of Jessup River. Then I drove to Sled Harbor after dark, hoping to catch a glimpse the illuminated Wakely Hill Firetower, but I could not see it as it I couldn’t find the good views of the tower from the road after dark.

Saturday September 11: One night at Betty Brook

Decided to do a weekend trip out to Schoharie County to hike the Catskill Scenic Trail south of Grand Gorge through the deep notch where NY 30 runs. Hiked down to Hubbell’s Corners from Grand Gorge then went for a very cold swim at Mine Kill State Park. Mine Kill pool was open late this year due to opening late at the beginning of summer. Water temperature was 58 degrees. Sunday I also went for a quick swim at Mine Kill Pool again. Still very cold.

Into the Notch

Saturday September 18: One Night at House Pond

On September 18th, I drove up to Piseco-Powley Road to camp for three nights, four days. Spent one night at the House Pond Campsite, which I set up in the pouring rain, and spent time floating in the my new rubber intertube. It was a nice day once he rain stopped but the water was very cold. But it was nice laying back in the hammock that evening, although prior to dusk there was a lot of deer flies around and biting.

Sunday/Monday September 19 & 20: Two Nights at Powley Place

On Sunday afternoon I drove further up Piseco-Powley Road to Powley Place to do some camping and paddling on the East Canada Creek. Monday I hiked back to Goldstream Falls then carried my kayak down to the East Canada Creek and paddled down to the first rapids, portaged past that to the second main rapids. The beaver dams were relatively low this time, due to water levels being higher then other times when I’ve paddled the East Canada Creek. Laid back in the hammock, did some reading and looking out over the campsite on these mild, starry nights. Also did some floating down the East Canada Creek

Friday, Saturday, Sunday October 8-10: Three nights camping at Betty Brook

I took off the Friday before Columbus Day Weekend to hike Bear Pen Mountain in the Western Catskills. It was the start to a very colorful weekend. Betty Brook was nice, but it was good I got there relatively early — around 4 PM on Friday as the other campsites were quickly taken. On Saturday, I drove down to Stamford and hiked more of the Catskill Scenic Trail from Stamford for Bloomville then visited a friend in Summit. Sunday I hiked along Betty Brook Road to the snowmobile trail up Burnt Hill, then hiked over the dirt roads on Burnt and Rossman Hills, enjoying the leaves and wildlife. Hiked back  to camp and laid back into the hammock well into the evening, which was quite mild. Sunday I hiked from Grand Gorge to Stamford on the Catskill Scenic Trail.

Saturday, November 6: Camping at County Bridge Campground Pennsylvania

Originally I was planning to get new tires put on my truck prior to going to West Virginia,  trip that was postponed multiple times. Ultimately I decided it wouldn’t be a bad idea to just wear out the tires and go for the trip. I hadn’t decided on where I was going to go until I was on the road, and ended up going to Binghamton, then down to Pennsylvania for my first night camping. It was a cold first night — got down to 14 degrees.

Sunday/Monday November 7-8: Camp Run West Virginia

The first two nights I spent at Camp Run Primitive Campground at Miles, West Virginia which is located in a wash on the backside of Shenandoah Mountain. On Monday of that week I hiked up over Shenandoah Mountain, and watched the sun rise over Camp Run Lake. Tuesday morning I drove over through Judy Gap then up Spruce Mountain and hiked up that. In the afternoon I hiked up Seneca Rocks, something that had long been on my bucket list to do.

Quiet Walk Along Camp Run Road

Tuesday, November 9: Camping at Canaan Heights

On Tuesday night I camped up in Canaan Heights / Table Rock outside of Thomas WV. I was going to stay multiple days but hearing a lot of wheel bearing noise in my truck, I decided it best to head north on Wednesday and see if I could either make it home or get the truck fixed. The wheel bearing burned up by the time I got up to Lock Haven but was able to get it fixed that day and head north to County Bridge.

Wednesday, November 10: Camping at County Bridge Pennsylvania

The second time camping at County Bridge it wasn’t as cold.  I had a fire and retired to bed fairly early. But come the morning, neither the camp stove or the heater was working. I thought I might have have run out of propane. Then packed up in the morning on Veterans Day and headed north to Chenango Forks State Park, which I wanted to explore. I then stopped at Price Chopper, got some groceries and headed up to Long Pond State Forest for two kind of cold and chilly, damp nights.

Thursday/Friday, November 11-12: Camping at Long Pond State Forest

After spending the balance of Veterans Day, Thursday at Chenango Forks State Park, I camped for two nights at Long Pond State Forest. I was still having problems with my camp stove and heater, so it was kind of cold but I was able to find enough firewood to make do, and had some quiet evenings listening to the radio and just hanging out. Friday was pretty rainy, but I made due — beat having going back home. The fires were smokey but they were warm enough. And it beat being home.

Dusk in November

Monday/Tuesday December 20-21: Camping at Stoney Pond State Forest

I thought about getting out of town after Thanksgiving but the weather did not cooperate. Then my truck’s repairs and tires got dragged out to mid-December. I decided to take he week off before Christmas to go camping. I was thinking about Central New York and then the Finger Lakes, but ultimately made it no farther then the Finger Lakes. Saturday was pouring rain, and then Sunday was bitterly cold. And my camp heater and stove were malfunctioning. But ultimately I was able to get it working, after much fiddling at camp. I camped two nights at Stoney Pond, spending Tuesday poking around Cazenovia. Tuesday was very gray, and Wednesday was snowy. Wednesday I drove to Hamilton and hiked part of the Chenango Canal Trail.

Wednesday, December 22: Camping at Moscow Hill Assembly Area

My final night camping in 2021 was the Moscow Hill Assembly Area at the Charles Baker State Forest. I decided to camp there as it was more sheltered from the wind and snow, and in case we got more snow, I figured I wouldn’t have to worry about the snow, as the county highway isn’t that far away. They were expecting high winds and low windchills, but it turned out not to be too bad. I thought about staying another night on Thursday, but the weather for Thursday looked sunny, and wanted to do some hiking, plus I wanted to be home for Christmas Eve for a family Christmas Party.

Primitive Campsites and Lean-Tos in Schoharie County 🏕

Exploring the lesser-traveled back roads and backcountry of Schoharie County reveals a host of hidden camping gems, perfect for those seeking a tranquil woods experience. This guide assists in pinpointing these sites, most of which are accessible by vehicle, suitable for tents or smaller camper units. While some roads can be rugged and seasonally accessible, a pre-trip exploration is recommended to ensure a smooth and enjoyable extended stay amidst the natural surroundings.

Facility

Name

Asset

Lat

Lng

Street

City

Burnt-Rossman Hills State Forest

Betty Brook Campsite

Roadside Campsite

42.5282069949748

-74.5141411051093

267 Miller Rd

Summit

Burnt-Rossman Hills State Forest

Cole Hollow Stream Campsite

Tent Campsite

42.5173809830791

-74.4783362503377

739 Cole Hollow Rd

West Fulton

Burnt-Rossman Hills State Forest

Duck Pond Campsite

Roadside Campsite

42.5101650935711

-74.483569788123

116 Duck Pond Rd

West Fulton

Burnt-Rossman Hills State Forest

Eminence Lean-To

Lean-To

42.5433037239374

-74.488594594497

1478 Burnt Hill Rd

West Fulton

Burnt-Rossman Hills State Forest

Panther Creek Campsite

Tent Campsite

42.5707997358218

-74.5222079737636

822 Sawyer Hollow Rd

Richmondville

Burnt-Rossman Hills State Forest

Westkill Camp Site

Tent Campsite

42.4891982222204

-74.5093675822639

1223 Westkill Rd

Jefferson

Clapper Hollow State Forest

Clapper Hollow Lean-To

Lean-To

42.5282012275126

-74.6420043552481

460 Meade Rd

Jefferson

Dutch Settlement State Forest

Lean-To

Lean-To

42.6294376035285

-74.2675434310789

334 Treadlemire Rd

Berne

Huntersfield State Forest

Lean-To

Lean-To

42.3550413795618

-74.3460668476724

371 Huntersfield Rd

Prattsville

Keyserkill State Forest

Keyserkill Campsite

Tent Campsite

42.4892248356724

-74.3594496582389

578 Keyserkill Rd

Middleburgh

Keyserkill State Forest

Pond Campsite

Tent Campsite

42.5026457018464

-74.3614634029007

198 Coons Den Rd

Middleburgh

Lutheranville State Forest

Sisson Rd Campsite

Roadside Campsite

42.6110826168082

-74.6399766310532

833 County Route 353

Middleburgh

Mallet Pond State Forest

Mallet Pond Campsite (Undesignated)

Tent Campsite

42.5878422010516

-74.5223274563456

634 Rossman Fly Rd

Richmondville

Mallet Pond State Forest

Rossman Pond Campsite (Undesignated)

Roadside Campsite

42.5941596281094

-74.5290358970195

634 Rossman Fly Rd

Richmondville

Rensselaerville State Forest

Campsite 2

Roadside Campsite

42.4994499144647

-74.1948355550861

856 Cheese Hill Rd

Preston Hollow

Rensselaerville State Forest

Campsite 4

Roadside Campsite

42.501426797599

-74.2175233050623

833 County Route 353

Middleburgh

Camping at Betty Brook a Few Weeks Back

April 23, 2021 Morning

Good morning! Yeah, it’s Going to Be a Beautiful Friday! Maybe not super warm, but an improvement over yesterday. Two weeks to 8 PM Sunset 🌇 . Summer is coming. Less then two months now, and we could certainly have some nice warm days come May. Even mid-next week looks quite pleasant. This morning, it’s sunny and 36 degrees in Delmar, NY. There is a west breeze at 8 mph. 🍃. Cold start to the morning, but it will be fairly warm this afternoon bar the breeze. Wearing the hoodie over my shirt for the morning walk. 🚶‍♀️

Yesterday, I went over to John Wolcott’s House 🔎 and spent several hours going through his Pinksterfest archives, looking for a misplaced long-lost letter about the Fort Orange dig. ✉️ Didn’t find it but there was a lot of interesting things about the history of the Pinksterfest 🌸 and the Mid-crosstown Arterial in his files. 📂 I wanted to go to the Earth Day Rally 🌎 but by the time I got there after work, the rally had already broken up. Part of it was I didn’t catch the bus I wanted to get downtown, 🚌 because the bus schedule still has the reduced rush-hour service, and I didn’t check it real careful. The Earth Day rally was supposed to go until 6 PM but I think it ended early with the police protests 🚓 in the other part of the city. 👊 Truth be told, I am just a lot less interested politics and citizen activism these days. 🦋 Save the Pine Bush is my big thing.

Today will be sunny 🌞, with a high of 58 degrees at 4pm. Four degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around April 15th. Breezy, with a west wind 8 to 13 mph increasing to 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 33 mph. A year ago, we had cloudy skies in the morning with more sun in the afternoon. The high last year was 56 degrees. The record high of 87 was set in 2007. 2.4 inches of snow fell back in 1956.❄

Solar noon 🌞 is at 12:54 pm with sun having an altitude of 60° from the due south horizon (-10.8° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 3.5 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour 🏅 starts at 7:08 pm with the sun in the west-northwest (282°). 📸

Today I am going to get packed for the Adirondacks 🏕 as my hope is head north tonight for a long weekend, possibly into next week. 🌲 🌲🌲 🌲 I am thinking about working remotely on Monday from the Adirondacks, as long as the weather is nice enough and maybe staying into Tuesday, a bit in a different campsite so to limit my stay to 3 nights in any one location. I have a lot going on today, so it’s going to be busy for packing, and I want to try to get to store mid-day and maybe down to the laundromat when I work, or maybe I have enough clothes if I wait and reuse some jeans — that is if I pick up another pair today. 👖 Going to be a cold night up north with the wind, but I’ll have my heater ♨️ and I can build a small fire for warmth. 🔥 still going to be some snow to deal with up north.

Really starting to get a bit low on clothes, 👕 and as I haven’t bought any in over a year as I’ve not needed as much working from home. 👞 My dress shoes are still in the office, sitting drawer they’ve been since the beginning of the pandemic. Going to need a good polish when I go get them, as come May I think I’ll be in office more, although it gets tricky with all the remaining COVID-restrictions. 👨‍💼 That and I haven’t been to the laundromat or my parents house in over a week.

The sunset is in the west-northwest (288°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 7:47 pm after setting for 3 minutes and 3 seconds with dusk around 8:16 pm, which is one minute and 8 seconds later than yesterday. 🌇 At dusk you’ll see the Waxing Gibbous 🌔 Moon in the southeast (131°) at an altitude of 45° from the horizon, 231,553 miles away. 🚀 The best time to look at the stars is after 8:53 pm. At sunset, look for clear skies 🌄 and temperatures around 54 degrees. There will be a west breeze at 13 mph. Today will have 13 hours and 45 minutes of daytime, an increase of 2 minutes and 39 seconds over yesterday.

Today my cellphone renews 📲 and I’m hoping that will go well. Still not sure if my new credit card is working 💳, those temporary $1 authorizations that caught my eye last weekend still haven’t dropped off the bill. I should maybe call the credit card company to ensure my card is still active. I am starting to think it was all just a system glitch with the dozen or so $1 authorizations, maybe something went wrong when I went to buy milk 🥛 the other day at the store, and my worry is just that. Pure silliness. But you can’t be too careful these days. Need to make sure that’s straightened out before I go north.

Also, we are doing another recording session with John Wolcott and some of other Save the Pine Bush people for our history project 📜 tonight, but if I am going north, I am not going to be able to participate. But it is what it is, I’ve wanted to get out of town for some weeks now. 🏕 It should be a real nice night, but maybe a bit chilly. Maybe a little snow up north. Probably be setting up after dark, but I have flashlights 🔦 and lights, as I have my therapy session at 4 PM and I’m sure it will run after 5 PM. 👨‍⚕️ My lantern is working well. 🏮 Also I might have to work late, so who knows, but I’d really like to get out of town today.

Tonight will be mostly clear 🌃, with a low of 41 degrees at 4am. One degree above normal, which is similar to a typical night around April 25th. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph. In 2020, we had cloudy skies in the evening, which became light rain by the early hours of the morning. It got down to 40 degrees. The record low of 25 occurred back in 1965.

Tomorrow will be mostly sunny 🌞, with a high of 68 degrees at 3pm. Six degrees above normal, which is similar to a typical day around May 10th. West wind 8 to 10 mph. Should be a very nice spring day. A year ago, we had cloudy skies in the morning with more sun in the afternoon. The high last year was 54 degrees. The record high of 81 was set in 2001. 1.2 inches of snow fell back in 1967.❄

I am chewing over my options for hikes on Saturday, but I am still leaning towards Pine Orchard. 🌲🌲, although there are a handful of other options. There are a lot of hikes I haven’t done over the years, but one thing to consider is how muddy the trails will be. It might actually be better to just do a road hike to stay out of the mud. I’ll have to think about it, especially if I am planning to spend part of next week up north.

Looking ahead to Sunday, rain likely, mainly before 2pm. 🌧 Mostly cloudy, with a high near 60. Southeast wind 5 to 9 mph becoming north in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible. Typical average high for the weekend is 62 degrees.

Seems like it will be wet on Sunday, but actually not that bad when you consider total precipitation. ⛈ It would be fun to work up north on Monday, maybe sit out by Lake Pleasant listening to some music using either my laptop or phone for work. Might be a bit cool on Monday but I can wear a jacket and sun will feel real nice. Then I might head home on Monday or find somewhere and stay through Tuesday or Wednesday. 😎 Mason Lake isn’t a option though for another month as the road is closed due to mud season and frost coming out of the ground.

As previously noted, there are 2 weeks until 8 PM Sunset 🌇 when the sun will be setting at 8:02 pm with dusk at 8:33 pm. On that day in 2020, we had partly sunny, rain showers and temperatures between 65 and 43 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 67 degrees. That will be real nice. We hit a record high of 92 back in 1930.

Route 10 Farm