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The great autumn road trip ends much like it started in the rain ☔

Good morning! Happy Sunday. Time to get up in a bit before it’s real wet then head home. Rain showers and 46 degrees at Long Pond State Forest in Smithfield Flats, NY. ☁ There is a north breeze at 8 mph. 🍃.

Back in New York State. I decided to drive all the way back to New York yesterday from Paw Paw as I figured it would mean back tracking to get back to Interstate 99 and heading north. 🛣️ Rain is expected before day break in Wellsboro so I figured that at any rate, not worth the back tracking and the $10 fee to camp in Pennsylvania. ⛺ At Long Pond State Forest which is two hours from home l figured that the rain would start later so maybe a quick breakfast and coffee ☕ 🥣 before the rain picked up.

Figured it would be interesting to come back via 81 and see at least the skyline of Hagerstown Maryland, Harrisburg, Wilkes Barre and Scranton Penna 🌆 but truth be told by the time I reached Hazleton it was dark, and from Hagerstown to the I-78 and I-81 split in Jonestown, traffic was much too heavy for ones eyes 👀 to leave the road for much scenic viewing. People often suggest taking Interstate 81 to West Virginia but I have to say at this point I don’t recommend it. 🚙 Too much traffic, especially truck 🚚 traffic compared to the leisurely drive along Interstate 99.

Truth is though I was bored with taking Interstate 99, I’ve done it several times in the past years to West Virginia. 🗻 It’s scenic but after a while the towns are all the same. Somehow I was hoping that 81 would change things up. Same thing with US 6 in Penna. It’s slow, and long, the farms 🚜 and rural homesteads 🏡 🐐 are still the same but with fewer burn barrels 🛢 as a decade or so ago. All that plastic shit stinks when you burn it, lol 😂.

Somehow I just had it in my mind that Interstate 81 would shave miles and hours off the trip. 🚘 But it’s really not that much of a time or milage savings. And while I’m only two hours from home compared to 3 1/2 that extra hour and a half got tacked onto yesterday’s drive, 🌃 meaning several hours of driving in the darkness and arriving at Long Pond State Forest at 8:30 pm rather than before six o’clock as I had planned. I had no cell service 📶 in Paw Paw so it was just a wild assed guess on the distance to Asaph Run or County Bridge compared to Long Pond.

The moonlight helped, as did getting up and walking 🚶 around the rest area near Wilkes Barre and ultimately getting a box of five hour energy shots 🤪 which not only made me awake for driving kept me up half the night. Almost stopped and got dinner at Dennys in Hazleton but I decided I was running so far behind schedule, best to have some energy shots, hard boiled eggs and bananas and push forward. ☕ Regardless, I made it to camp safely and expect a nice drive the rest of the way home. 🙏

I was pretty wired from the energy shot ⚡ last night and it was a pretty evening with the full moon 🌕 so I stayed up to midnight.🦆 Listened to the geese well into the night honking and every time I walked to the lake the beaver 🦫 would jump back in with a big splash 💦.

Today will have showers through 9 am, then rain after 10am. 🌧 High of 46 degrees at 6am. 10 degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around November 23rd. North wind 6 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies. The high last year was 63 degrees. The record high of 77 was set in 1946. 3.8 inches of snow fell back in 2011.❄

Coffee ☕ and cream of wheat is cooking on the stove. It’s now just the final two hours home 🏡. Probably need to get a bit more fuel ⛽ and I’m likely going to stop and get apples 🍏 at Annuto’s in Oneonta. They open at nine 9⃣ but I don’t necessarily have to be there right at nine. And maybe other produce like Butternut Squash. 🍆 They have quite the selection of farm products. No doughnuts 🍩 though, even though they were good to start off vacation as a special treat. 😋

Then get home, unpack, shower 🚿 for the first time in nine days 👃 and knead bread 🍞 and soak peas for pea soup. Maybe go to the laundromat and buy produce at Hannaford, or that could wait until Monday.

Solar noon 🌞 is at 12:40 pm with sun having an altitude of 34° from the due south horizon (-36.8° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 8.9 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour 🏅 starts at 5:14 pm with the sun in the west-southwest (246°). 📸 The sunset is in the west-southwest (253°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 5:54 pm after setting for 3 minutes and 2 seconds with dusk around 6:21 pm, which is one minute and 22 seconds earlier than yesterday. 🌇 At dusk you’ll see the Waining Gibbous 🌖 Moon in the east-northeast (63°) at an altitude of 0° from the horizon, 235,306 miles away. 🚀 The best time to look at the stars is after 6:56 pm. At sunset, look for rain 🌧 and temperatures around 43 degrees. There will be a north-northeast breeze at 6 mph. Tomorrow will have 10 hours and 27 minutes of daytime, a decrease of 2 minutes and 36 seconds over today.

Rode about twenty miles of the Chesapeake and Ohio outside Paw Paw and then went into the village on my bike yesterday. Not a lot of note in the village that I saw but maybe I rode the wrong road. 🚲 That said, the Paw Paw Tunnel is really neat. 🚉 Not only can you hike – bike the canal tunnel when I was there people were kayaking in it. 🛶 Rode 19 miles or about three hours including breaks. Stopped at the Capacon Overlook 🏞 after driving WV 9 which is as curvy as you might expect any good ol West Virginia road to be going through the mountains. Phil Ochs wasn’t wrong when he sung about the roads would wind and wind through the hills of West Virginia.

Tonight will have showers before 2am, then rain likely after 2am. Cloudy 🌧, with a low of 42 degrees at 7pm. Five degrees above normal, which is similar to a typical night around October 14th. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible. 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 28 degrees. The record low of 20 occurred back in 1969.

Next it’s watching the forecast for next week. 🐮 I’m still thinking about a trip out to Madison County either next week or the weekend after for four days, tacking a day onto the Election Day Weekend or Veterans Day Weekend. ⛺ I know it seems like it’s coming on right after vacation but rifle season 🦌 and Thanksgiving is right around the corner and who knows when we’ll get our first snowfall and those areas inaccessible. 🌨 Winter’s coming.

Looking ahead, there are 6 weeks until 7:15 AM Sunrise ⌛️ when the sun will be setting at 4:23 pm with dusk at 4:53 pm (Standard Time). On that day in 2022, we had mostly sunny skies and temperatures between 31 and 20 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 40 degrees. Winter’s coming. We hit a record high of 64 back in 1966.

The blog for the first month made a little over $80 a month or so worth in advertising. 🖥 Figuring th hosting and domains work out to $17 a month, its a nice little check. Won’t make me rich and it’s possible that I could potentially squeeze additional revenue by more obnoxious ads or changing the content on my blog but I want to maintain absolute editorial control over my blog. 📝 That’s one of the reasons I maintain a personal blog and don’t just do social media.

 James River

What Does 100 Miles from the Rapp Road Landfill Look Like?

About a year ago, in the Capital Region Solid Waste Plan, the City of Albany proposed creating a mega-solid waste authority to manage the Solid Waste for most of the Eastern Half of New York State. The plan specifically called for creating a regional authority — to service up to nine counties, and cover an area of 100 miles from the center point of the Rapp Road Landfill.

So I decided to make a map, and run some numbers…

Along the Lake

100 square miles equals roughly 30,500 square miles, with 21,500 sq miles in New York State and 9,000 sq miles out of State — primarily Southern Vermont, but also most of Western Massachussets, roughly 3/4th of Connecicut, and part of Pennsylvania in the Poconos.

In contrast to 30,500 square miles, Adirondack Park “Blue Line” covers roughly 9,100 sq miles in NY State and the Catskill Park “Blue Line” covers roughly 1,100 sq miles. That includes all land within those parks, publicly and privately owned.

That area, within NY State, covers an area were 2,957,993 persons reported residing in the 2010 census.

That is 2.95 million people, or almost 3 million people, a population greater then Manhattan at 1.5 million persons, and even Brooklyn at 2.5 million.

While no one town or city in the proposed in Authorty is particularly large — the City of Albany is the largest population center at 97,856 followed by Colonie at 81,591, the reality is those numbers add up, when you include the 406 towns and cities in NY State that fall within the 100 mile distance from the Rapp Road Landfill.

Large Cities and Towns in Proposed Authority.

Town /City Population
Albany city 97,856
Colonie town 81,591
Schenectady city 66,135
Utica city 62,235
Troy city 50,129
Poughkeepsie town 43,341
Cortlandt town 41,592
Monroe town 39,912
Clifton Park town 36,705
Yorktown town 36,081
Guilderland town 35,303
Carmel town 34,305
Rome city 33,725
Bethlehem town 33,656
Poughkeepsie city 32,736
Warwick town 32,065
Newburgh town 29,801
Glenville town 29,480
Rotterdam town 29,094

All Towns and Cities in NY State within 100 miles of Rapp Road Landfill.

Here is entire list of towns partially or wholely contained in the proposed jurisdiction of the Albany Solid Waste Authority (including large cities and towns listed above)…

Town /City Population Area (sq mi) Pop sq/mi
Albany city 97,856 21 4659.8
Colonie town 81,591 57 1431.4
Schenectady city 66,135 10 6613.5
Utica city 62,235 16 3889.7
Troy city 50,129 11 4557.2
Poughkeepsie town 43,341 31 1398.1
Cortlandt town 41,592 49 848.8
Monroe town 39,912 21 1900.6
Clifton Park town 36,705 50 734.1
Yorktown town 36,081 39 925.2
Guilderland town 35,303 58 608.7
Carmel town 34,305 40 857.6
Rome city 33,725 75 449.7
Bethlehem town 33,656 50 673.1
Poughkeepsie city 32,736 5 6547.2
Warwick town 32,065 105 305.4
Newburgh town 29,801 46 647.8
Glenville town 29,480 50 589.6
Rotterdam town 29,094 36 808.2
East Fishkill town 29,029 57 509.3
Newburgh city 28,866 4 7216.5
Middletown city 28,086 5 5617.2
Queensbury town 27,901 64 436.0
Wallkill town 27,426 62 442.4
Wappinger town 27,048 28 966.0
Saratoga Springs city 26,586 28 949.5
New Windsor town 25,244 36 701.2
Kingston city 23,893 8 2986.6
Peekskill city 23,583 5 4716.6
Montgomery town 22,606 51 443.3
New Hartford town 22,166 25 886.6
Fishkill town 22,107 32 690.8
Niskayuna town 21,781 15 1452.1
Hyde Park town 21,571 39 553.1
Halfmoon town 21,535 33 652.6
Somers town 20,434 32 638.6
Saugerties town 19,482 67 290.8
Whitestown town 18,667 27 691.4
Amsterdam city 18,620 6 3103.3
Milton town 18,575 35 530.7
Southeast town 18,404 34 541.3
Blooming Grove town 18,028 35 515.1
East Greenbush town 16,473 24 686.4
Wilton town 16,173 35 462.1
Cohoes city 16,168 4 4042.0
La Grange town 15,730 40 393.3
Gloversville city 15,665 5 3133.0
Beacon city 15,541 4 3885.3
Thompson town 15,308 87 176.0
Stony Point town 15,059 31 485.8
Malta town 14,765 31 476.3
Moreau town 14,728 43 342.5
Glens Falls city 14,700 3 4900.0
Beekman town 14,621 30 487.4
Shawangunk town 14,332 56 255.9
New Paltz town 14,003 34 411.9
Oneonta city 13,901 4 3475.3
Goshen town 13,687 44 311.1
Kent town 13,507 43 314.1
German Flatts town 13,258 34 389.9
Wawarsing town 13,157 133 98.9
Fallsburg town 12,870 79 162.9
Schodack town 12,794 63 203.1
Kingsbury town 12,671 40 316.8
Cornwall town 12,646 28 451.6
Highlands town 12,492 33 378.5
Lewisboro town 12,411 29 428.0
Ulster town 12,327 28 440.3
Mamakating town 12,085 98 123.3
North Greenbush town 12,075 18 670.8
Patterson town 12,023 32 375.7
Chester town 11,981 87 137.7
Chester town 11,981 25 479.2
Brunswick town 11,941 44 271.4
Putnam Valley town 11,809 42 281.2
Catskill town 11,775 64 184.0
Oneida city 11,393 22 517.9
Woodbury town 11,353 37 306.8
Red Hook town 11,319 40 283.0
Lloyd town 10,863 33 329.2
Plattekill town 10,499 35 300.0
Kirkland town 10,315 33 312.6
Watervliet city 10,254 1 10254.0
Herkimer town 10,175 32 318.0
Liberty town 9,885 80 123.6
Ballston town 9,776 30 325.9
Pleasant Valley town 9,672 33 293.1
Philipstown town 9,662 51 189.5
Rensselaer city 9,392 3 3130.7
Crawford town 9,316 40 232.9
Lenox town 9,122 36 253.4
Esopus town 9,041 41 220.5
Marcy town 8,982 33 272.2
North Elba town 8,957 156 57.4
Coxsackie town 8,918 38 234.7
Marlborough town 8,808 26 338.8
Johnstown city 8,743 4 2185.8
Dover town 8,699 56 155.3
New Scotland town 8,648 57 151.7
Sand Lake town 8,530 36 236.9
Kinderhook town 8,498 32 265.6
Pawling town 8,463 45 188.1
Waterford town 8,423 7 1203.3
Stillwater town 8,287 43 192.7
Deerpark town 7,901 67 117.9
Greenfield town 7,775 67 116.0
Schaghticoke town 7,679 51 150.6
Frankfort town 7,636 36 212.1
Rhinebeck town 7,548 39 193.5
Coeymans town 7,418 53 140.0
Rochester town 7,313 89 82.2
Wawayanda town 7,266 35 207.6
Norwich city 7,190 2 3595.0
Johnstown town 7,098 71 100.0
Mount Hope town 7,018 25 280.7
Hoosick town 6,924 63 109.9
Hudson city 6,713 2 3356.5
Hamilton town 6,690 41 163.2
Cairo town 6,670 60 111.2
Granville town 6,669 56 119.1
Cobleskill town 6,625 30 220.8
Corinth town 6,531 58 112.6
Mayfield town 6,495 64 101.5
Lee town 6,486 45 144.1
Fort Edward town 6,371 27 236.0
Hurley town 6,314 35 180.4
Verona town 6,293 69 91.2
Windsor town 6,274 93 67.5
Fort Ann town 6,190 111 55.8
Westmoreland town 6,138 43 142.7
Duanesburg town 6,122 71 86.2
Rosendale town 6,075 20 303.8
Claverack town 6,021 47 128.1
Woodstock town 5,884 67 87.8
Sidney town 5,774 50 115.5
Pittstown town 5,735 64 89.6
Gardiner town 5,713 43 132.9
Saratoga town 5,674 42 135.1
Marbletown town 5,607 55 101.9
Greene town 5,604 75 74.7
Walton town 5,576 97 57.5
Amsterdam town 5,566 30 185.5
Hamptonburgh town 5,561 26 213.9
Vienna town 5,440 95 57.3
Vernon town 5,408 37 146.2
Ghent town 5,402 45 120.0
Broadalbin town 5,260 39 134.9
Eaton town 5,255 45 116.8
Colesville town 5,232 79 66.2
Oneonta town 5,229 33 158.5
Mechanicville city 5,196 0
Delhi town 5,117 64 80.0
North Salem town 5,104 22 232.0
Northumberland town 5,087 32 159.0
Ticonderoga town 5,042 88 57.3
Little Falls city 4,946 3 1648.7
Greenwich town 4,942 44 112.3
Union Vale town 4,877 37 131.8
Moriah town 4,798 71 67.6
Nassau town 4,789 45 106.4
Washington town 4,741 58 81.7
Boonville town 4,555 72 63.3
Poestenkill town 4,530 32 141.6
Trenton town 4,498 43 104.6
Minisink town 4,490 23 195.2
Amenia town 4,436 43 103.2
Olive town 4,419 65 68.0
Paris town 4,411 31 142.3
Unadilla town 4,392 46 95.5
Minden town 4,297 51 84.3
Deerfield town 4,273 33 129.5
Bethel town 4,255 90 47.3
Greenport town 4,165 20 208.3
Charlton town 4,133 32 129.2
Chatham town 4,128 53 77.9
Warrensburg town 4,094 64 64.0
Athens town 4,089 28 146.0
Sherburne town 4,048 43 94.1
Whitehall town 4,042 58 69.7
Norwich town 3,998 42 95.2
Oxford town 3,901 60 65.0
Otsego town 3,900 59 66.1
Mohawk town 3,844 35 109.8
Stanford town 3,823 50 76.5
Floyd town 3,819 34 112.3
Argyle town 3,782 57 66.4
Rockland town 3,775 95 39.7
Middletown town 3,750 97 38.7
Middleburgh town 3,746 49 76.4
Greenville town 3,739 39 95.9
Greenville town 3,739 30 124.6
Canajoharie town 3,730 43 86.7
Livingston town 3,646 38 95.9
Perth town 3,646 26 140.2
Tuxedo town 3,624 49 74.0
Copake town 3,615 42 86.1
Neversink town 3,557 86 41.4
Galway town 3,545 45 78.8
Lake George town 3,515 32 109.8
Schuyler town 3,420 40 85.5
New Baltimore town 3,370 43 78.4
Westerlo town 3,361 58 57.9
White Creek town 3,356 48 69.9
Lake Luzerne town 3,347 54 62.0
Manheim town 3,334 29 115.0
Bainbridge town 3,308 34 97.3
Palatine town 3,240 41 79.0
Hancock town 3,224 161 20.0
Schoharie town 3,205 29 110.5
Otego town 3,115 45 69.2
Shandaken town 3,085 120 25.7
Sherrill city 3,071 2 1535.5
Callicoon town 3,057 48 63.7
Milford town 3,044 47 64.8
North East town 3,031 43 70.5
Annsville town 3,012 60 50.2
Madison town 3,008 41 73.4
Davenport town 2,965 52 57.0
Guilford town 2,922 61 47.9
Stephentown town 2,903 58 50.1
Afton town 2,851 46 62.0
Stockport town 2,815 13 216.5
Berne town 2,794 64 43.7
Hunter town 2,732 90 30.4
Durham town 2,725 49 55.6
Salem town 2,715 52 52.2
Florida town 2,696 51 52.9
Knox town 2,692 41 65.7
New Berlin town 2,682 46 58.3
Delaware town 2,670 35 76.3
Northampton town 2,670 34 78.5
St. Johnsville town 2,631 17 154.8
Green Island town 2,620 0
Richmondville town 2,610 30 87.0
Russia town 2,587 60 43.1
Sangerfield town 2,561 30 85.4
Brookfield town 2,545 78 32.6
Highland town 2,530 52 48.7
Glen town 2,507 39 64.3
Roxbury town 2,502 87 28.8
Pine Plains town 2,473 31 79.8
Lumberland town 2,468 49 50.4
Laurens town 2,424 42 57.7
Franklin town 2,411 81 29.8
Sanford town 2,407 91 26.5
Johnsburg town 2,395 206 11.6
Richfield town 2,388 32 74.6
Milan town 2,370 36 65.8
Easton town 2,336 63 37.1
Bolton town 2,326 90 25.8
New Lebanon town 2,305 35 65.9
Newport town 2,302 32 71.9
Hartford town 2,269 43 52.8
Stamford town 2,267 48 47.2
Worcester town 2,220 46 48.3
Marshall town 2,131 32 66.6
Grafton town 2,130 45 47.3
Princetown town 2,115 24 88.1
Middlefield town 2,114 63 33.6
Hartwick town 2,110 40 52.8
Stockbridge town 2,103 31 67.8
Winfield town 2,086 23 90.7
Colchester town 2,077 142 14.6
Esperance town 2,076 20 103.8
Hadley town 2,048 41 50.0
Stuyvesant town 2,027 26 78.0
Crown Point town 2,024 81 25.0
Cambridge town 2,021 36 56.1
Augusta town 2,020 27 74.8
Lincoln town 2,012 25 80.5
Providence town 1,995 45 44.3
Nelson town 1,980 44 45.0
Clermont town 1,965 19 103.4
Salisbury town 1,958 108 18.1
Germantown town 1,954 13 150.3
Western town 1,951 54 36.1
Carlisle town 1,948 34 57.3
Remsen town 1,929 36 53.6
Hillsdale town 1,927 48 40.1
Oppenheim town 1,924 56 34.4
Maryland town 1,897 51 37.2
Watson town 1,881 116 16.2
Berlin town 1,880 59 31.9
Morris town 1,878 39 48.2
Hebron town 1,853 56 33.1
Sharon town 1,846 39 47.3
Rensselaerville town 1,843 62 29.7
Edmeston town 1,826 44 41.5
Webb town 1,807 484 3.7
Plymouth town 1,804 42 43.0
Jackson town 1,800 37 48.6
Butternuts town 1,786 53 33.7
Leyden town 1,785 33 54.1
North Norwich town 1,783 28 63.7
Seward town 1,763 36 49.0
Fenner town 1,726 31 55.7
Root town 1,715 51 33.6
Deposit town 1,712 44 38.9
Canaan town 1,710 36 47.5
Windham town 1,703 45 37.8
Ashland town 1,695 25 67.8
Ephratah town 1,682 39 43.1
Kortright town 1,675 62 27.0
Gallatin town 1,668 39 42.8
Coventry town 1,655 48 34.5
Schroon town 1,654 141 11.7
Austerlitz town 1,654 48 34.5
Fairfield town 1,627 41 39.7
DeRuyter town 1,589 31 51.3
Little Falls town 1,587 22 72.1
Columbia town 1,580 35 45.1
Harpersfield town 1,577 42 37.5
Ancram town 1,573 42 37.5
Wright town 1,539 28 55.0
Forestport town 1,535 78 19.7
Meredith town 1,529 58 26.4
Petersburgh town 1,525 41 37.2
West Turin town 1,524 102 14.9
Bridgewater town 1,522 23 66.2
Tusten town 1,515 48 31.6
Litchfield town 1,513 30 50.4
Fulton town 1,442 65 22.2
Jefferson town 1,410 43 32.8
Horicon town 1,389 71 19.6
Lewis town 1,382 65 21.3
Charleston town 1,373 42 32.7
Cochecton town 1,372 37 37.1
Pittsfield town 1,366 38 35.9
Springfield town 1,358 45 30.2
Indian Lake town 1,352 266 5.1
Lebanon town 1,332 43 31.0
Smithville town 1,330 50 26.6
Hamden town 1,323 60 22.1
Masonville town 1,320 54 24.4
Westport town 1,312 66 19.9
Taghkanic town 1,310 40 32.8
Gilboa town 1,307 59 22.2
Andes town 1,301 112 11.6
Smithfield town 1,288 24 53.7
Smyrna town 1,280 42 30.5
Tompkins town 1,247 104 12.0
Lyonsdale town 1,227 70 17.5
Cherry Valley town 1,223 40 30.6
Thurman town 1,219 92 13.3
Edinburg town 1,214 67 18.1
Caroga town 1,205 54 22.3
Greig town 1,199 94 12.8
Elizabethtown town 1,163 83 14.0
Summit town 1,148 37 31.0
Warren town 1,143 38 30.1
Burlington town 1,140 45 25.3
New Lisbon town 1,114 44 25.3
Keene town 1,105 156 7.1
Steuben town 1,100 42 26.2
Otselic town 1,054 38 27.7
Preston town 1,044 35 29.8
Danube town 1,039 29 35.8
Fremont town 1,008 51 19.8
Ohio town 1,002 307 3.3
Exeter town 987 32 30.8
Columbus town 975 37 26.4
Georgetown town 974 40 24.4
Broome town 973 48 20.3
Jewett town 953 50 19.1
Hampton town 938 22 42.6
Plainfield town 915 29 31.6
Kingston town 889 7 127.0
McDonough town 886 39 22.7
Westford town 868 33 26.3
Day town 856 69 12.4
Forestburgh town 819 56 14.6
Minerva town 809 160 5.1
Lexington town 805 79 10.2
Pitcher town 803 28 28.7
Lake Pleasant town 781 198 3.9
Stony Creek town 767 83 9.2
Norway town 762 35 21.8
Stark town 757 31 24.4
Clinton town 737 38 19.4
Conesville town 734 40 18.4
Long Lake town 711 449 1.6
Roseboom town 711 33 21.5
Prattsville town 700 19 36.8
Hague town 699 80 8.7
Ava town 676 37 18.3
Wells town 674 177 3.8
Dresden town 652 54 12.1
Bovina town 633 44 14.4
Stratford town 610 76 8.0
Putnam town 609 35 17.4
Pharsalia town 593 39 15.2
Denning town 551 105 5.2
Bleecker town 533 59 9.0
Newcomb town 436 233 1.9
Hope town 403 41 9.8
Lincklaen town 396 26 15.2
Blenheim town 377 34 11.1
Decatur town 353 20 17.7
Inlet town 333 66 5.0
Arietta town 304 329 0.9
Halcott town 258 23 11.2
North Hudson town 240 185 1.3
Hardenburgh town 238 80 3.0
Benson town 192 83 2.3
Morehouse town 86 194 0.4
Total 2,957,993 21,462 386.0

Catskill Trailhead Parking Coordinates 🅿️ 🏔 👣

Below is a listing of DEC parking areas in the Catskill Park with coordinates and addresses, nearby trails and the roads they are located on.

Trailhead Parking Lot Sign

TrailRoadNameNotesStreetCityStZIPLatitudeLongitude
Ashokan High PointWatson Hollow RoadKanape Valley Parking Lot 826 Watson Hollow RdWest ShokanNY1249441.9357923141228-74.3281141901214
Beaverkill RoadBeaverkill RoadBeaverkill Road Parking Lot 2795 Beaverkill RdLivingston ManorNY1275842.0117166110155-74.6223767934834
Beaverkill RoadTurnwood RoadBeaverkill Road Parking Lot 2952 Beaverkill RdLivingston ManorNY1275842.0233290355646-74.5995306115641
Becker Hollow TrailLane RoadBecker Hollow Parking Lot6 Vehicle Capacity3940 Route 214Elka ParkNY1242742.1816084527769-74.1969812784753
Bengle Hill TrailPeekamoose RoadEastern Upper Field Parking Lot 359 Peekamoose RdGrahamsvilleNY1274041.9166423616552-74.4377863112221
Bengle Hill TrailPeekamoose RoadLower Field Parking Lot 194 Peekamoose RdGrahamsvilleNY1274041.9101942400042-74.452852499381
Bengle Hill TrailPeekamoose RoadMiddle Field Parking Lot 304 Peekamoose RdGrahamsvilleNY1274041.9158997405029-74.443422031256
Bengle Hill TrailPeekamoose RoadNorth Middle Field Parking Lot 304 Peekamoose RdGrahamsvilleNY1274041.9164180048779-74.4416441135141
Bengle Hill TrailPeekamoose RoadTrailer Feild Parking Lot 359 Peekamoose RdGrahamsvilleNY1274041.9162603251141-74.4346555497984
Bengle Hill TrailPeekamoose RoadWestern Upper Field 359 Peekamoose RdGrahamsvilleNY1274041.9169982073948-74.4396463051141
Big Pond – Alder LakeBarkaboom RoadBarkaboom Road Parking LotLocated On Barkaboom Road, 6 Cars288 Barkaboom RdAndesNY1373142.0426860004001-74.7267519998891
Big Pond – Alder LakeCross Mountain RoadAlder Lake Parking Lot 2 Cross Mountain RdLivingston ManorNY1275842.0497953211373-74.6827571604492
Black Dome TrailBig Hollow RoadBig Hollow Road Parking Lot7 Vehicle Capacity947 Route 56MaplecrestNY1245442.2889033425096-74.1151262941519
Campbell Mountain TrailCat Hollow RoadRoute 206 Parking Lot5 Vehicle Capacity1611 County Road 7RoscoeNY1277642.051659649187-74.9147231839428
Cic – Esopus TrailState Route 28Parking Area For Esopus Creek Fishing AccessParking Area For Esopus Creek Fishing Access – Cic5067 Route 28Mount TremperNY1245742.0254799892217-74.2717292519349
Cic Hill TrailWittenberg RoadWittenberg Road Parking Lot 1298 Wittenberg RdMount TremperNY1245742.0279684988885-74.2620571929729
Colgate Lake Trail To Dutcher NotchColgate RoadColgate Lake Lower Parking Lot50 Vehicle Capacity525 Colgate RdEast JewettNY1242442.2384696568264-74.1233979344461
Colgate Lake Trail To Dutcher NotchColgate RoadColgate Lake Parking Lot2 Vehicle Capacity524 Colgate RdEast JewettNY1242442.2385040003097-74.1206960003026
Colgate Lake Trail To Dutcher NotchColgate RoadColgate Lake Trail Parking Lot8 Vehicle Capacity653 Colgate RdEast JewettNY1242442.2384599994304-74.1163269993959
Condon Hollow Rd.Condon Hollow RoadCondon Hollow Road Parking Lot3 Vehicle Capacity139 Condon Hollow RdWest KillNY1249242.2161010059593-74.4163349850283
Condon Hollow Rd.Elk Creek RoadElk Creek Road Parking Lot5 Vehicle Capacity734 Elk Creek RdFleischmannsNY1243042.1996047835286-74.4451315908425
Condon Hollow Rd.South Beech Ridge RoadBeech Road Parking Lot4 Vehicle Capacity291 S Beech Ridge RdWest KillNY1249242.2139020709257-74.4012095700882
Condon Hollow Rd.State Highway 42Rte 42 Parking Lot3 Vehicle Capacity1088 Route 42ShandakenNY1248042.1851525975488-74.4149115068685
Denman Mountain Snowmobile TrailGlade Hill RoadDenman Parking Lot 327 Glade Hill RdGrahamsvilleNY1274041.8853341886314-74.5320280123605
Denman Mountain Snowmobile TrailMoore Hill RoadHogs Roack Plot Parking Lot 578 Alpha RdGrahamsvilleNY1274041.9003387815796-74.5274487605523
Devil’s PathBroadstreet Hollow RoadBroadstreer Hollow Parking Lot2 Vehicle Capacity619 Broadstreet Hollow RdShandakenNY1248042.1394450770105-74.3308357356817
Devil’s PathSpruceton RoadSpruceton Road Parking Lot5 Vehicle Capacity1518 Spruceton RdWest KillNY1249242.1920191641918-74.3238474073796
Devil’s PathPrediger RoadPrediger Road 75 Prediger RdElka ParkNY1242742.1338909995054-74.1042720006852
Diamond Notch TrailDiamond Notch RoadSouth Diamond Notch Parking Lot2 Vehicle Capacity508 Diamond Notch RdWest KillNY1249242.147861770123-74.2646596008456
Diamond Notch TrailSpruceton RoadDiamond Notch Parking Lot8 Vehicle Capacity2778 Spruceton RdWest KillNY1249242.1823740001994-74.2695430002389
Dry Brook Ridge TrailMill Brook RoadDry Brook Ridge Parking Lot 12 Balsam Mountain Camp RdMargaretvilleNY1245542.0715022570921-74.5738756337513
Dry Brook Ridge TrailSouth Side SpurNorth End Of Dry Brook Ridge Parking Lot 301 Southside SpurMargaretvilleNY1245542.1446292458628-74.649333317932
Elm Ridge TrailPeck RoadPeck Road Parking Lot10 Vehicle Capacity189 Peck RdMaplecrestNY1245442.2965789997488-74.1693680002929
Fluggertown Road Long Pond TrailFluggertown RoadFlugertown Road Parking Lot 191 Flugertown RdLivingston ManorNY1275841.9347657909639-74.649696950272
Flynn TrailMongaup RoadMongaup Road Parking Lot 1 Beech Mountain RdLivingston ManorNY1275841.9467974587868-74.7052771774711
Giant Ledge-Panther Mountian-Fox Hollow TrailFox Hollow RoadFox Hollow Road Parking Lot 67 Mountain DrShandakenNY1248042.1008382907335-74.3904559601097
Giant Ledge-Panther Mountian-Fox Hollow TrailPeck Hollow RoadPeck Hollow Road Parking Lot 254 Peck Hollow RdShandakenNY1248042.1357649784827-74.3712920364471
Giant Ledge-Panther Mountian-Fox Hollow TrailPeck Hollow RoadEsopus Creek Fishing Access (Upper)Gravel7019 Route 28PheoniciaNY1246442.1065553340012-74.3519924442835
Giggle Hollow TrailNY 23 – BelleayrBelleayre Day Use Parking Lot 33 Friendship Manor RdPine HillNY1246542.1256810090987-74.4731178408634
Harding Road Spur TrailWhites RoadWhites Road Parking Lot4 Vehicle Capacity274 White RdPalenvilleNY1246342.1823951680298-74.0261906353256
Harding Road TrailHarding RoadHarding Road Parking Lot5 Vehicle Capacity3525 Route 23APalenvilleNY1246342.1762358120255-74.0304949714876
Huckleberry North TrailHill RoadHill Road Parking Lot4 Vehicle Capacity1209 Hill RdMargaretvilleNY1245542.1166129796449-74.6486105632054
Huckleberry North TrailHuckleberry Brook Spur RoadHuckleberry Brook Road Parking Lot6 Vehicle Capacity1613 Huckleberry Brook RdMargaretvilleNY1245542.1130238724914-74.6515523618233
Huckleberry South TrailHuckleberry Brook Spur RoadHuckleberry Road Parking Lot5 Vehicle Capacity1073 Huckleberry Brook RdMargaretvilleNY1245542.1152546105706-74.6636037740616
Huckleberry South TrailHull RoadPloutz Road4 Vehicle Capacity1634 Ploutz RdMargaretvilleNY1245542.0938719675255-74.6204457323272
Huggins Lake TrailBerry Brook RoadHuggins Lake Road Parking Lot4 Vehicle Capacity2414 Holiday And Berry Brook RdRoscoeNY1277642.0157959909969-74.8436914198853
Jockey Hill Bicycle TrailWood RoadWood Road Parking Lot 334 Woods RdKingstonNY1240141.9777439980953-74.0501113306995
Kaaterskill Falls TrailState Highway 23aMolly Smith Parking LotDot Facility, 20 Vehicles4729 Route 23AElka ParkNY1242742.1898508772368-74.074111945438
Kaaterskill Rail TrailLaurel House RdLaurel House Rd 103 Laurel House RdTannersvilleNY1248542.1956250050266-74.063093393786
Kelly Hollow Long Loop TrailMill Brook RoadEast Kelly Hollow Parking Lot 5163 Mill Brook RdMargaretvilleNY1245542.078800277463-74.6497556922038
Kelly Hollow Long Loop TrailMill Brook RoadWest Kelly Hollow Parking Lot 5163 Mill Brook RdMargaretvilleNY1245542.0795848697519-74.6545040693769
Long PathSteenburg RoadSteenburgh Road 2425 Platte Clove RdElka ParkNY1242742.1337889994516-74.0819709994867
Long PathRoute 23Route 23 Parking Lot20 Vehicle Capacity3 Cross RdWindhamNY1249642.312706999584-74.1904309994766
Long Pond South LoopWillowemock RoadWild Meadow Road Parking Lot 136 Round Pond RdClaryvilleNY1272541.9435338737706-74.5864488816452
Lost Clove TrailLost Clove RoadLost Clove Parking Lot 343 Lost Clove RdBig IndianNY1241042.1054379266455-74.4700849794812
Mary Smith TrailHolliday Brook RoadHoliday And Berry Brook Road Parking Lot5 Vehicle Capacity3851 Holiday And Berry Brook RdRoscoeNY1277642.0386999995498-74.8473909994493
Mckinley Hollow TrailMc Kinley Hollow RoadMckinly Hollow Parking Lot 200 McKinley Hollow RdBig IndianNY1241042.0704132895809-74.4740296153462
Mckinley Hollow TrailRider Hollow RoadRider Hollow Parking Lot 12 Warren Todd Subdivision DrArkvilleNY1240642.1018368545182-74.5170339246663
Mckinley Hollow TrailBurnham Hollow RoadBurnham Hollow Parking Lot 17 Sagmore TrlBig IndianNY1241042.05564157218-74.4669789486585
Middle Mountain TrailMary Smith Hill RoadMary Smith Hill Road Parking Lot3 Vehicle Capacity865 Mary Smith Hill RdAndesNY1373142.0401290003224-74.8089319993063
Mink Hollow TrailMink Hollow RoadLake Hill 599 Mink Hollow RdBearsvilleNY1244842.1051314008054-74.1735651990356
Mount Pleasant-Romer MountainState Highway 28Sawmill Lot50×50 Parking Area – Trailless6331 Route 28PhoeniciaNY1246442.1008585056075-74.3445327399439
Mud Pond TrailCounty Road 179aOld Rte 17 Fishing Access6 Vehicle Capacity6175 State Route 17 WRoscoeNY1277641.9497668355721-74.9281906252666
Mud Pond TrailHorton Brook RoadLittle Fuller Brook Parking Lot6 Vehicle Capacity845 Horton Brook RdRoscoeNY1277642.0159481159029-74.9790550095988
Onteora Lake Parking AccessState Highway 28Onteora Lake Trailhead Upper Lot 881 Route 28KingstonNY1240141.9807660434687-74.0853059041223
Onteora Lake Yellow TralNY 23Onteora Lake Parking 960 Route 28KingstonNY1240141.9840941553893-74.0827910535657
Overlook Spur Trail ExtensionMacdaniiel RoadMeads Meadow Parking Area 452 MacDaniel RdBearsvilleNY1240942.0756312690235-74.1276188121255
Overlook TrailMeads Mountain RoadOverlook Mountain Trailhead 334 Meads Mountain RdWoodstockNY1249842.0710794980857-74.1224765106456
Peekamoose-Table TrailPeekamoose RoadPeekamoose Road Parking Lot 415 Peekamoose RdGrahamsvilleNY1274041.9233895882109-74.4128616227944
Peekamoose-Table TrailPeekamoose RoadPeekamose Mountian Trail Head Parking Lot 415 Peekamoose RdGrahamsvilleNY1274041.9149365156904-74.4289858455429
Pelnor Hollow TrailBeaver Kill RoadWaneta Lake Parking Lot 732 Beaverkill RdLivingston ManorNY1275841.9676202925977-74.8292314401778
Phoenicia East Branch TrailDenning RoadDenning Road Parking Lot 3381 Denning RdClaryvilleNY1272541.9690314347788-74.4486958819482
Phoenicia East Branch TrailOliverea-Slide Mountain RoadOliverea Road North Parking Lot 1453 Oliverea RdBig IndianNY1241042.0265659167754-74.4038665935078
Phoenicia East Branch TrailOliverea-Slide Mountain RoadOliverea Road South Parking Lot 19 Shandaken Rod Gun ClbBig IndianNY1241042.0078280894865-74.4268762683237
Phoenicia TrailPlank RoadTremper Mountain Parking AreaGravel Lot5636 Route 28PhoeniciaNY1246442.0705625579484-74.3024012416267
Pine Hill West Branch TrailWest Branch RoadBiscuit Brook Parking Lot 1886 Frost Valley RdClaryvilleNY1272541.990833872737-74.4845571593918
PowerlineBeech Ridge Road 1Vinegar Hill Parking Area 1060 N Beech Ridge RdPrattsvilleNY1246842.2449000123037-74.4075985539776
Red Hill Fire Tower TrailRed Hill RoadRed Hill Fire Tower Parking Lot 129 Coons RdClaryvilleNY1272541.9302938486155-74.5073498606472
Roaring Kill TrailDale LaneRoaring Kill6 Vehicle Capacity155 Roaring Kill RdElka ParkNY1242742.1511360000949-74.1310779997324
Rochester HollowShaft RoadShaft 6 Parking20 Vehicle Capacity73 Shaft RdShandakenNY1248042.166173156258-74.4083342114093
Rochester HollowSpisak WayRochester Hollow Parking Lot 51 Matyas RdBig IndianNY1241042.1179698674129-74.4517651458059
Seager Big Indian TrailDry Brook RoadSeager Parking Lot 5672 Dry Brook RdArkvilleNY1240642.0578836653667-74.5396998623234
Spencer RoadTrails End RoadTrails End Parking Lot 197 Trails End RdKerhonksonNY1244641.8835868385135-74.3594081701432
Spruceton TrailSpruceton RoadSpruceton Trail Parking Lot20 Vehicle Capacity2628 Spruceton RdWest KillNY1249242.1846329998217-74.2719879999707
Touch-Me-Not-TrailBarkaboom RoadBig Pond Parking LotLocated Off Barkaboom Road, 6 Cars366 Barkaboom RdAndesNY1373142.0433679998314-74.7277000006876
Touch-Me-Not-TrailBeech Hill RoadBeech Hill Road Parking Lot3 Vehicle Capacity2054 Beech Hill RdAndesNY1373142.0506230001697-74.7789470006467
Touch-Me-Not-TrailDeerlick Brook RoadDeerlick Road Parking Lot3 Vehicle Capacity1553 Deerlick Brook RdAndesNY1373142.0814567992576-74.7365160981546
Touch-Me-Not-TrailBarkaboom RoadForest Preserve Access ParkingEast Of Barkaboom Road 3 Cars1954 Barkaboom RdAndesNY1373142.0655363440977-74.7284401046935
Trout Pond Access RouteRussell Brook RoadRussell Brook Road Parking Lot10 Vehicle Capacity4348 Russell Brook RdRoscoeNY1277641.9943949997582-74.941432999876
Trout Pond TrailCampbell Brook RoadCampbell Brook Road Parking Lot 4747 Campbell Brook RdDownsvilleNY1375542.0306374772623-74.9384473452279
Trout Pond TrailCampbell Mountain RoadCampbell Mountain Road Parking Lot5 Vehicle Capacity3693 Campbell Mountain RdDownsvilleNY1375542.0433291750688-74.9358959381363
Vernooy Kill Falls Snowmobile TrailDymond RoadDymond Road Parking Lot 498 Yeagerville RdNapanochNY1245841.8792625226568-74.4012606035291
Vernooy Kill Falls Snowmobile TrailUpper Cherrytown RoadUpper Cherry Town Road Trail Head Parking Lot 559 Upper Cherrytown RdKerhonksonNY1244641.8643822024537-74.3454535201223
Willow TrailAbbey RoadMount Toblas Parking Lot 439 Abbey RdMount TremperNY1245742.0537752508176-74.2306894602594
Willow TrailJessup RoadWillow Trailhead Parking6 Vehicle Capacity218 Jessop RdWillowNY1249542.078213053797-74.2442314353898

Laws and Case Law

Highway Law Section 115-A:
Abandonment of County Highways.

Whenever a county road or part thereof constructed as part of the county road system deviates from the line of an existing town highway, or from the line of a former town highway within the limits of an incorporated village, as shown on the map of the county road system, the board of supervisors by resolution duly adopted upon the recommendation of the county superintendent of highways, and pursuant to a written agreement with the town board or village board of trustees, or in the event such an agreement cannot be reached with the approval of the commissioner of transportation, may abandon to the town or the incorporated village as the case may be for future maintenance, that part of the town highway or former town highway within the limits of an incorporated village not improved and modify the map of the county road system accordingly. The portion of any town highway or former town highway within the limits of an incorporated village excluded from the county road system shall be maintained by the town or village in which it is located.

Warning! Road Washed Out

Highway Law Section 205:
Highways Abandoned By Local Governments.

1. Every highway that shall not have been opened and worked within six years from the time it shall have been dedicated to the use of the public, or laid out, shall cease to be a highway; but the period during which any action or proceeding shall have been, or shall be pending in regard to any such highway, shall form no part of such six years; and every highway that shall not have been traveled or used as a highway for six years, shall cease to be a highway, and every public right of way that shall not have been used for said period shall be deemed abandoned as a right-of-way. The town superintendent with the written consent of a majority of the town board shall file, and cause to be recorded in the town clerk’s office of the town a written description, signed by him, and by said town board of each highway and public right-of-way so abandoned, and the same shall thereupon be discontinued.

2. There may also be a qualified abandonment of a highway under the following conditions and for the following purposes, to wit: Where it appears to the town superintendent and said town board, at any time, that a highway has not become wholly disused as aforesaid, but that it has not for two years next previous thereto, been usually traveled along the greater part thereof, by more than two vehicles daily, in addition to pedestrians and persons on horseback, and it shall also appear to the superintendent of highways of the county in which such town is situate that a qualified abandonment of such highway is proper and will not cause injustice or hardship to the owner or occupant of any lands adjoining such highway after such superintendent shall have held a public hearing thereon upon giving at least twenty days’ written notice to such owners and occupants of such lands of the time and place of such hearing, they shall file and cause to be recorded in the town clerk’s office a certificate containing a description of that portion of the highway partly disused as aforesaid and declaring a qualified abandonment thereof. The effect of such qualified abandonment, with respect to the portion of said highway described in the certificate, shall be as follows: It shall no longer be worked at the public expense; it shall not cease to be a highway for purposes of the public easement, by reason of such suspension of work thereon; no persons shall impair its use as a highway nor obstruct it, except as hereinafter provided, but no persons shall be required to keep any part of it in repair; wherever an owner or lessee of adjoining lands has the right to possession of other lands wholly or partly on the directly opposite side of the highway therefrom, he may construct and maintain across said highway a fence at each end of the area of highway which adjoins both of said opposite pieces of land, provided that each said cross fence must have a gate in the middle thereof at least ten feet in length, which gate must at all times be kept unlocked and supplied with a sufficient hasp or latch for keeping the same closed; all persons owning or using opposite lands, connected by such gates and fences, may use the portion of highway thus enclosed for pasturage; any traveler or other person who intentionally, or by wilful neglect, leaves such gate unlatched, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and the fact of leaving it unlatched shall be prima facie evidence of such intent or wilful neglect. Excepting as herein abrogated, all other general laws relating to highways shall apply to such partially abandoned highway. This section shall not apply to highways less than two rods in width unless it shall appear to the town superintendent at any time that such a highway has not, during the months of June to September inclusive of the two years next previous thereto, been usually traveled along the greater part thereof by more than ten pedestrians daily.

Any action or proceeding involving the abandonment or qualified abandonment of a highway made pursuant to this section must, in the case of abandonment, be commenced within one year from the date of filing by the town superintendent as provided in subdivision one of this section.

Old NY 30 Signs

Matter of Smigel v. Town of Rennselaer.

As seen on Google Scholar.

MATTER OF SMIGEL v. TOWN OF RENSSELAERVILLE

283 A.D.2d 863 (2001)

725 N.Y.S.2d 138

In the Matter of HENRIETTA SMIGEL, Respondent, v.
TOWN OF RENSSELAERVILLE et al., Appellants.

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Third Department.

Decided May 24, 2001.

Mercure, J. P., Peters, Spain and Carpinello, JJ., concur. Lahtinen, J.

Petitioner is the owner of land bordering the Camp Winsocki Road (hereinafter the road) located in respondent Town of Rensselaerville in Albany County, having acquired title to the property in 1986. In December 1995, petitioner requested that respondents abandon a portion of the road which she had barricaded at both ends in 1986, and which respondent Town Supervisor admitted had not been maintained by respondents for at least 20 years. Her request was continued for further study by the Town Board of the Town of Rensselaerville. In October 1999, petitioner and another petitioned respondents “to abandon a portion of its present easement to [the road].” In January 2000, after a public hearing, respondents refused to abandon the road and passed a resolution finding that the road had not been abandoned through disuse, ordering petitioner to remove all of her barricades, and making the road a seasonal road to be maintained from April 1 to December 1.

In January 2000, petitioner commenced this combined CPLR article 78 proceeding and action for declaratory judgment seeking a judgment clearing her title “as to the portion of her property previously subjected to an easement for the highway,” injunctive relief prohibiting respondents from removing her barriers on the road and trespassing on her property and an order directing respondents to file a certification of abandonment. Respondents answered, asserting that the petition/ complaint failed to state a cause of action.

The parties submitted numerous affidavits and documentary evidence in support of their respective positions and, in April 2000, Supreme Court determined that because no photographs had been submitted by either party, the matter could not be summarily decided, and it therefore set a hearing date to determine whether recreational travel “follows the `lines of the ancient street.'” When the parties appeared on the scheduled hearing date, they were informed that the hearing had been canceled and were directed to leave any photographs that they had with the court for review. Both parties submitted photographs depicting the present condition of the road.* On May 26, 2000, Supreme Court granted the petition/complaint and declared the road to be abandoned. Respondents appeal and we reverse.

Highway Law § 205 (1) provides, in relevant part, that “every highway that shall not have been traveled or used as a highway for six years, shall cease to be a highway.” Once a highway exists, it is presumed to continue until the contrary is demonstrated and the presumption is in favor of continuance (see, City of Cohoes v Delaware & Hudson Canal Co., 134 N.Y. 397, 407; Matter of Van Aken v Town of Roxbury,211 A.D.2d 863, 865, lv denied 85 N.Y.2d 812). The burden of establishing abandonment is on the party claiming that the highway has been abandoned (see, Matter of Faigle v Macumber,169 A.D.2d 914, 915). In that regard, a municipality’s intention regarding a road is irrelevant (see, Daetsch v Taber,149 A.D.2d 864, 865) and its failure to maintain a road does not mean that the road ceases to be a highway (see, O’Leary v Town of Trenton,172 Misc.2d 447, 450). A determination of abandonment of a road by nonuse is a factual determination (see, e.g., Coleman v Village of Head of Harbor,163 A.D.2d 456, 458, lv denied76 N.Y.2d 768; Holland v Superintendent of Highways of Town of Smithtown,73 Misc.2d 851, 852).

It is undisputed that respondents never filed a certificate of abandonment to officially abandon the road. Likewise, it is clear that respondents did not maintain the road nor had the road been used by motor vehicles for more than the statutory six-year period. The narrow question left to be decided after submission of the photographs was framed by Supreme Court as follows: “[i]f the road entrance has been obstructed, and it is unpaved and overgrown with weeds, trees, bushes and shrubs, as claimed by petitioner, making travel along the `lines of the ancient street’ improbable, then even the most active recreational and seasonal use propounded by [respondents], that of snowmobilers, hikers, and bicyclists, would fall short of being highway use” (citing O’Leary v Town of Trenton, supra, at 451; Holland v Superintendent of Highways of Town of Smithtown, supra, at 853).

We find that Supreme Court correctly set forth the applicable law regarding abandonment of a highway through nonuse. After reviewing the photographs submitted by the parties, Supreme Court made the factual determination that the “photographs reveal many years of non-use as a highway” and “it is apparent that the road entrance has often been obstructed, preventing travel along the `lines of the ancient street,'” and summarily granted the relief sought by petitioner. We agree that the photographs show a number of barricades located at various points along the unpaved road, but they also show an ancient road, not overgrown with weeds, trees, bushes or shrubs, but clearly discernible, and not “virtually indistinguishable from the surrounding wooded area” (Matter of Faigle v Macumber, supra, at 916). Indeed, the pictures appear to depict a clearly defined, unpaved roadway through an area overgrown with brush and thick woods on both sides, precluding travel other than on the road, except with extreme difficulty. Our review of the photographs suggests to us that travel over this road by such disparate groups as snowmobilers, bicyclists, cross-country skiers and pedestrians would follow “along the lines of an existing street” (Town of Leray v New York Cent. R. R. Co., 226 N.Y. 109, 113). Moreover, respondents’ submissions reflect that although petitioner had barricaded the road on a number of occasions, those obstructions were either removed or knocked down so as to access its year-round recreational use. Therefore, the recreational uses found by Supreme Court may be sufficient to preclude a finding of abandonment of the road by nonuse. In our opinion, summary judgment should not have been granted in this matter in the absence of clarifying testimony as to the condition and use of the roadway.

Ordered that the judgment is reversed, on the law, without costs, and matter remitted to the Supreme Court for further proceedings not inconsistent with this Court’s decision.

Red Dirt Road

MATTER OF VAN AKEN v. Town of Roxbury, 211 AD 2d 863.

As found on Google Scholar.

211 A.D.2d 863 (1995) 621 N.Y.S.2d 204 In the Matter of Millard Van Aken et al., Appellants, v. Town of Roxbury et al., Respondents

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Third Department.

January 5, 1995 Mikoll, Crew III, Yesawich Jr. and Peters, JJ., concur.

Cardona, P. J.

Petitioners are property owners with residences located in the Town of Roxbury, Delaware County, which extends beyond the roadway presently maintained by respondents as a Town road. On October 20, 1992, petitioners wrote to respondent Town of Roxbury requesting maintenance of the road segment at issue. On November 10, 1992, the Town Attorney responded by requesting evidence that the segment was a Town road. The attorney for petitioners wrote back indicating the reasons the particular segment was a Town highway. When no response was received, petitioner Millard Van Aken asked the Town Supervisor about the status of the request and was told that the Town Attorney was supposed to respond but had been delayed by other matters.

On March 4, 1993, the Town Attorney informed petitioners that if the segment was a Town road it had been abandoned. On July 1, 1993, petitioners commenced this CPLR article 78 proceeding seeking to compel the Town and respondent Town Superintendent of Highways to maintain the road segment pursuant to Highway Law § 140. In their answer, respondents asserted that the proceeding was barred by the four-month Statute of Limitations (see, CPLR 217 [1]). Supreme Court held that the Town was required to make a final binding determination on petitioners’ request before CPLR article 78 review was possible and the Town Attorney’s letter of March 4, 1993 did not constitute a binding determination. Unable to determine 864*864 if or when the Town had taken official action on petitioners’ request, Supreme Court dismissed the petition as either untimely or premature. By letter to the Town Board dated September 30, 1993, petitioners sought a formal vote on their request for maintenance. On October 11, 1993, the Town Board denied their request. Thereafter, petitioners moved for reconsideration, which Supreme Court denied.

Initially, we note that Supreme Court relied upon our decision in Treadway v Town Bd. (163 AD2d 637) in determining the Statute of Limitations issue. We treated the declaratory judgment action in Treadway as a mandamus to review for limitation purposes. However, the present proceeding is in the nature of mandamus to compel rather than mandamus to review. In mandamus to review, the court examines an administrative action involving the exercise of discretion for which no quasi-judicial hearing is required. On the other hand, in mandamus to compel an agency or officer’s performance of a ministerial act, the court examines whether the petitioner possesses a clear legal right to the relief sought and whether the agency or officer has a corresponding nondiscretionary duty to grant the relief requested (see, CPLR 7803 [1]; Matter of Scherbyn v Wayne-Finger Lakes Bd. of Coop. Educ. Servs., 77 N.Y.2d 753, 757; see also, Matter of Armstrong v Centerville Fire Co., 83 N.Y.2d 937, 939; Matter of Legal Aid Socy. v Scheinman, 53 N.Y.2d 12, 16).

In Treadway (supra), review was sought of an administrative action in the form of a declaration by the Town Board that the disputed road was not a public road. We held that the four-month Statute of Limitations began to run from that final binding determination. In this case, there is no question but that petitioners made a demand for maintenance to the Town on October 20, 1992. The March 4, 1993 letter from the Town Attorney[*] conveyed the Town’s refusal to perform its ministerial duty to maintain the road (see, Highway Law § 140). Accordingly, the four-month Statute of Limitations began to run at that time (see, CPLR 217 [1]; Matter of Waterside Assocs. v New York State Dept. of Envtl. Conservation, 72 N.Y.2d 1009, 1010; Matter of De Milio v Borghard, 55 N.Y.2d 216, 220; Matter of Pfingst v Levitt, 44 AD2d 157, 159, lv denied 34 N.Y.2d 518; see also, Siegel, NY Prac § 566, at 887 [2d ed]). Therefore, the petition filed on July 1, 1993 was 865*865 within the applicable period of limitations and the proceeding was timely commenced.

Having established that petitioners’ proceeding was timely commenced, we turn now to the merits of their petition. While it is clear that the Town has a legal duty to maintain Town roads (see, Highway Law § 140) and can be compelled to perform such a duty (see, People ex rel. Schau v McWilliams, 185 N.Y. 92, 100), the parties disagree on the fundamental question of whether the road segment at issue was abandoned by the Town and therefore no longer a Town highway. It is undisputed that no certificate of abandonment was ever filed by the Town, as provided for in Highway Law § 205. “Once a road becomes a highway, it remains such until the contrary is shown” (Matter of Shawangunk Holdings v Superintendent of Highways of Town of Shawangunk, 101 AD2d 905, 907; see, Matter of Flacke v Strack, 98 AD2d 881). A highway will be deemed abandoned if it is not traveled or used as a highway for six years (see, Highway Law § 205). The burden of proving such abandonment rests, in this case, with the Town (see, Matter of Shawangunk Holdings v Superintendent of Highways of Town of Shawangunk, supra, at 907).

Respondents have failed to meet their burden of proving that the road segment at issue was not traveled or used as a highway for six years. Although respondents argue that abandonment is shown because of a period of nonmaintenance in excess of 30 years, the law is clear that a highway does not cease to be a highway merely because the Town has failed to service it (see, Hewitt v Town of Scipio, 32 AD2d 734, affd 26 N.Y.2d 934). Nor is it relevant whether the Town intended an abandonment, as it is the substantive facts themselves which establish abandonment (see, Daetsch v Taber, 149 AD2d 864, 865). Petitioners have introduced uncontroverted cartographic and testimonial evidence to support their contention that the road has been and continues to be regularly used and traveled as a highway. We, therefore, find that no genuine issue of abandonment exists and that the contested road segment continues to be a Town road.

Ordered that the judgment and order are reversed, on the law, with costs, and petition granted.

Betty Brook Road

Holland v. SUPT. OF HIGHWAYS, 73 Misc. 2d 851

This case also from Google Scholar.

73 Misc.2d 851 (1973)

Eugene W. Holland, Plaintiff,
v.
Superintendent of Highways of the Town of Smithtown et al., Defendants.

Supreme Court, Special Term, Nassau County.

April 3, 1973 Donner, Fagelson & Hariton for plaintiff. H. Paul King for defendants.

BERTRAM HARNETT, J.

Eugene W. Holland owns property in Smithtown, New York, bordering to the east on a plot of land about 50 feet wide sometimes known as the “Old Smithtown to St. Johnsland Road”. In this declaratory judgment action brought against the Town of Smithtown and its Superintendent of Highways, Mr. Holland now seeks, by summary judgment motion, a declaration that he owns the westerly one half of the land by virtue of State and town abandonment of 852*852 it. Defendants move to dismiss pursuant to CPLR 3211 (subd. [a], par. 10).

Despite some minor disputation, the parties essentially agree that the subject land is not used as a public road for motor vehicular traffic. It is unpaved, blocked off on both ends, and substantially overgrown with trees and shrubbery. Pedestrians and bicyclers occasionally use it as a sort of pathway or shortcut. No material issue of fact appears to prevent a summary disposition. (Sachs v. Real Estate Capital Corp., 31 A D 2d 916; Law Research Serv. v. Honeywell, 31 A D 2d 900.)

Subdivision 1 of section 205 of the Highway Law provides in pertinent part: “Every highway that shall not have been traveled or used as a highway for six years, shall cease to be a highway * * * The town superintendent with the written consent of a majority of the town board shall file, and cause to be recorded in the town clerk’s office of the town a written description, signed by him, and by said town board of each highway and public right-of-way so abandoned, and the same shall thereupon be discontinued”.

The statute does not specify any procedures to be followed in town ascertainment of an abandoned highway, in contrast to the notice and hearing required for a “qualified abandonment” finding. (See Highway Law, § 205, subd. 2.) Any route once declared and used as a highway is presumed to continue as such until shown, by the party seeking a contrary declaration, to have been abandoned. (Hallenbeck v. State of New York, 59 Misc 2d 475, 480; Stupnicki v. Southern New York Fish & Game Assn., 41 Misc 2d 266, affd. 19 A D 2d 921.) The focal determination is essentially a factual one. And, nonuse of only a portion of a highway, while the rest continues to be utilized as a highway, does not result in abandonment, even of the unused portion. (Bovee v. State of New York, 28 A D 2d 1165.)

While at one time the Smithtown to St. Johnsland Road may have been heavily traveled, after its completion in 1917, the portion abutting Mr. Holland’s land has been in substantial disuse since a realignment of the Jericho Turnpike intersection in 1930. The evidence is overwhelming for much more than the past six years the land was not used as a highway. Petitioner and 16 residents in the surrounding neighborhood so attest in sworn statements and the photographs submitted clearly indicate lack of highway activity for many years. Indeed, the town itself uses the easterly half of the old road land as part of a park.

853*853While use as a highway upon appropriate circumstances may encompass less than contemporary expressway traffic of trailer trucks and high-speed automobiles, even the most active use posited by the town, that of pedestrian and bicycle passage, falls far short of being highway use. (Town of Leray v. New York Cent. R. R. Co., 226 N.Y. 109, 113.) Were this activity to create a public easement, the ownership rights of the adjoining fee owner would still remain unaffected. “It is the rule that where an easement only exists in the public that upon abandonment the fee is presumptively in the owners of the adjoining land.” (Stupnicki v. Southern New York Fish & Game Assn., 41 Misc 2d 266, 271, affd. 19 A D 2d 921, supra).

As Judge CARDOZO observed in Barnes v. Midland R. R. Term. Co. (218 N.Y. 91, 98): “If for six years the highway remains closed with the acquiescence of the public, there is an extinguishment of the public right”.

One peculiar wrinkle remains. After the State apparently realized that this portion of the “Old Smithtown to St. Johnsland Road” would be unused because of the mentioned realignment, the Commissioner of the Department of Works, Division of Highways, issued an official order dated July 19, 1932, substituting as part of the official State highway the realigned section for the abandoned section, stating that the unused portion was to be “TURNED OVER to the COUNTY OF SUFFOLK for future maintenance and repair”. The town asserts, in seeking dismissal, that this directive adversely affects Mr. Holland’s fee interest, and further requires the County of Suffolk to be joined as a necessary party.

Mr. Holland’s fee interest, clearly established by his surveyor’s title search of deeds going back over one hundred years, is not disturbed by the State’s order which relates solely to maintenance and care of the discontinued stretch of highway, not to the underlying ownership. Under the State highway system, created in 1908, the State does not own its roads unless prescribed condemnation procedures are first completed. (L. 1908, ch. 330; Highway Law, § 30.) Here, there is no indication of any prior State condemnation. When the Department of Works’ order was issued in 1932, the State’s interest was merely that of a public right of way, limited to its entitlement and obligation to maintain the roads. Accordingly, even if the Commissioner had conveyance power, all that could have been “turned over” to Suffolk County in 1932 was the State’s maintenance right. In this proceeding to determine ownership rights in the land, the county is not, therefore, a necessary or 854*854 indispensable party, particularly where, upon abandonment declaration, and resulting ownership and use vesting in the adjoining owner, he would then assume use, control and maintenance of the land.

Moreover, the purported deed from the county to the town dated July 28, 1930, transferring the 15 feet on each side of the subject parcel to the town only for use as a park or plaza, does not appear to affect the easterly side of the road, not owned at any time by the town. In any event, it could not convey a fee interest that the county did not have.

Finally, the lack of any formal application for a town certificate is not at this stage fatal. The abandonment exists, independent of the town certification, a purely ministerial act. (See People ex rel. De Groat v. Marlette, 94 App. Div. 592, 594.) There are no procedures set forth in the statute indicating who may obtain, and how, the “consent” to abandonment by the Town Board. (Highway Law, § 205, subd. 1.) No reason is suggested why a court, with the town and its Highway Department fully and fairly before it, may not declare the respective rights of the parties so as to resolve the controversy. Exhaustion of administrative remedies is not a prerequisite in an action for declaratory judgment. (Northern Operating Corp. v. Town of Ramapo, 31 A D 2d 822.) Moreover, the town, by fully appearing here and expressing its opposition on the merits in the many forms indicated, has demonstrated that a remand of Mr. Holland’s application to the town would be a futile and superfluous avenue, and has therefore rendered the dispute ripe for judicial determination.

Accordingly, defendants’ motion to dismiss is denied, the plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment is granted, and a declaratory judgment shall be issued declaring the road land abutting plaintiff’s property to be abandoned.

Settle judgment on notice.

A look at the various laws and a few cases relating to the abandonment of highways in NY State.

Weekend at Bear Springs Mountain, Delaware Wild Forest, Warren Highlands

Based on the forecast for the long weekend, I decided to head down to the Western Catskills rather then Moose River Plains. It certainly was a bit sunnier, drier, and less snowy then it looks like they got up at Moose Plains. I simply did not another Memorial Day Weekend at Moose Plains, sitting in rain and snow showers.

I ended up heading down to the Western Catskills. Didn’t leave home until after 10 AM, because I was putzing around. So be it. I also had to stop at Walmart to buy another blaze orange hat, for hiking, because I lost mine. I knew it would be hunting season down there, and figured better safe then sorry. The previous night, they didn’t have one at Glenmont Walmart, so had to visit the Decided to head out the Warren Anderson Expressway (I-88) down to NY 10, and take that all the way south to Walton.

Fire Tower

Driving down NY 10, as soon as I reached Summit, you could see a dusting of snow on the summits around. Stopped in Stamford, drove up to Mount Utsaythana. There was a dusting of snow there too, in parts it looked like a winter wonderland. Then it was down to Walton, following NY 10 and the East Branch of Delaware River. Drove through Delhi, a small rural college town. I had been through Delhi years ago, meandering around Stamford, but not in years. Then I went down to Walton, climbed an enormous hill in the truck, and was at the Bear Spring Mountain Wildlife Management Area (aka Public Hunting Grounds).

At Bear Spring Mountain WMA there is a state DEC campground known as Bear Spring Mountain Campground. It consists of two parts, a fully developed campground with hot showers that is open during the summer months near Launt Pond, and the Spring Brook area with stud pends and a pit privy, similar to Charles Baker State Forest. Both areas are a $18 a night in summer, but from October to the end of hunting season, the lower area is free, but the water is shut-off down there. The designated campsites there are crunched together, and there is no privacy, so I can’t imagine it’s much fun camping there, especially with the smell of horses on a hot summer’s afternoon.

By the time I got down there, it was fairly early, so decided to explore a bit. Drove up to Corbett, explored the Corbett Suspension Bridge, and an old chimney from the “acid factory”, which made an acid from tree bark for smokelesss gunpowder. Decided to head back and explore Bear Spring Mountain WMA a bit more, and drove up West Trout Brook Road, past several hunters. There are some limited views from end of East Trout Brook Road, namely at the summit Bear Spring Mountain. There are better views from NY 206, climbing up from Walton, but with few view points. Also explored Beers Brook Road, which had some limited but nice views into the valley below, and Russ Gray Pond.

Bridge Tower

Bear Spring WMA, being a federally-funded public hunting grounds, does not allow camping. The only camping there is those tiny, smashed together developed campgrounds known as the Bear Spring State Campground, operated by the DEC. I decided it was getting late, and I would camp there tonight, especially because it looked like one of campers had packed up, and the only other person around, was a female bow hunter, on far end of the campground. I wasn’t thrilled, as it meant I would have to keep the music down, but at least the campground was deep in the valley, protected from the wind.

It wasn’t a bad night though. The pit privies were kind of gross, but probably not worst then most of the outhouses in the woods. There was surprisingly a lot of wood in woods near the campground. The truck worked well with keeping the lights on, since switching the truck’s radio back to the starting battery and evenly discharging both batteries. The radio shuts off automatically when the starting battery is starting to get a bit low, and Big Red’s DIC says “Battery Low: Start Engine Low”. Previously, with the starting battery at full charge, hooked up to the discharged auxiliary battery, the alternator wouldn’t kick up to full charge, so the auxiliary battery would fail to get fully charged. Now, with the starting battery slightly discharged – but with enough charge to crank the engine, things kept working well all night long. There was a little bit of sleet in the evening, but nothing major.

Russ Grey Pond

The next morning, I got a slow start. It was drizzling, and I kind of slept in. I didn’t have a tarp set up, which didn’t help. I probably didn’t break camp until 10:30 AM..I was thinking of hiking the NYC DEP trail that overlooks the Pepacton Reservoir, but I ended up turning off onto Holiday Brook Road, and deciding to check out Huggins Lake. Hugging Lake was a nice hike back, following an old woods road back there. There is a campsite down by the lake. Apparently on the ridge above Huggins Lake, there is an old growth forest, but I never got back there.

Then it was off to Mary Smith Road. On Campground Road, one of the cut-over roads, I got to a cover bridge, which had a clearance of 6’6”, which is about an inch too low for my pickup truck with the cap and racks on. So I had to turn around, and back track for about 5 miles. That sucked. Stopped and grabed a few pictures. When I got on Mary Smith Road, and back in forest preserve, I was pleasantly surprised to find three roadside campsites on it. I ended up camping at the most used of the sites – as witnessed by vegetation – along the Finger Lakes Trail/Mary Smith Trail/Middle Mountain Trail. It was a pretty nice roadside campsite.

About as soon as I scoped out the campsite, I realized it would be a pretty night up there. Despite the mountains on both sides, the north wind was whipping along the col. But I liked the campsite, and there was plenty of trees to hang a tarp up. I starting setting up camp at 2:30 PM – which was kind of early – but I figured it was too late to hike Mary Smith Hill (which wasn’t true), but it did start to rain/sleet a bit. Got the tarp up, then the lights strung up and flag up. A heavy sleet squall pounded the col, for a while bad enough I hid out in the cab of the truck. Then I went out, built a fire, and spent sometime listening to a podcast and reading a book about the 1964 World Fair in New York.

The new 60-watt equivalent LED bulb I bought worked real well in the cold, which got down below freezing that night.. But with the bulb focused on the book, it was easy reading and plenty bright. In the cold, the 60-watt equivalent LED bulb was actually brighter then the 100-watt florescent bulb I had at camp, even after fully warming up, because the cold wind made it impossible for the florescent tube to get warm enough to fully atomize the mercury in the fixture.

At times the wind picked up, and it was pretty darn cold, to say the least. I end up putting the fire out cold before bed, to reduce the risk of the fire spreading, and because the tarp partially covered the fire pit, I was afraid it could fall into the fire, and possibly set the truck on fire or cause dripping plastic to fall on it. The fire was out cold, and I went to bed around 10:30 PM. No nightmares.

Mary Smith Hill Roadside Campsite 1

After bedding down, the wind started to whip around. It literally was howling, and the tarp was snapping up and down, making quite a bit of noise. Morning came, and it was beautiful blue skies, but very cold. That was when I first saw car actually pass by on Mary Smith Hill Road – despite being a through-road, and not a super remote road at that. Had another slow breakfast, and built a small fire to burn up some camp garbage. Usually I don’t start fires in the morning, but I was chilly, and knowing that it may be a while until I got out camping again, I wanted to have a fire.

Once I finally got going, I hiked up Mary Smith Hill to the overlook. It really was a lot less further then I expected, and ha+d some interesting views to the north. Nothing totally breathtaking, but still an interesting short hike of maybe 20 minutes each way. Then I drove over to Russell Brook Falls, making a wrong turn and ending up going through Livingston Manor and the world famous fly fishing town, Roscoe. My impression of Roscoe, was it was a very a long and pokey 30 MPH zone, but with more stores then one would expect in such a rural, small town. I probably should have stopped, but I was burning daylight.

Finally made it to Morton Hill Road, and passed a Game Warden in a unmarked green suburbanite-style Jeep. The only reason I know that, was I saw him outside of the car talking to somebody in full uniform. Morton Hill Road climbs a lot from Roscoe out to where it hits Russell Brook Road. There are three campsites along Russell Brook Road, although in all of them there is a boulder barrier between the campsite and fire pit. One might still be able to use them for a pickup with a camper on them, I guess.

Russell Brook Falls 2

I hiked back to Russell Brook Falls – a beautiful but relatively unknown set of falls – at least to non-regulars to that part of state. They are less then quarter mile from the Russell Brook Falls parking area. I stopped and grabbed some pictures. Then, it’s easy hike back to back to Trout Pond, following a gated road 9/10th of a mile from the parking area. There is a slight incline on the road, but nothing to make one break a sweat, even a fat out of shape dude like me, who spends too much time sipping cold buds in the woods. The road is a designated route for people with disabilities – somebody very strong with a wheel chair could theoretically get back there, or maybe with a CP-4 disabled with an ATV permit.

Back at Trout Pond, there is a campsite on the easterly end, and the gated road continues to the west end of lake. On the west end of the lake, there are two other campsites, spaced a ¼ mile apart, along with two lean-tos. All are designed for those with disabilities. There is also a trout spawning shelter on one of the creeks leading into lake. One of the lean-tos was well equipped – somebody left behind some nice pots and pans, all cleaned up, and a selection of perfectly good adult beverages and soda along the back wall of the lean-to. Talk about paying it forward to the next person who will use that lean-to – most certainly a hunter this time of year.

It’s small game hunting season, heard several small game bullets ring out, while hiking back there. No hunters nearby, as far as I could see, but I did wear plenty of blaze orange. I am sure next week, there will be a lot more hunters back there. Wish them luck. Hiked back to my truck and explored Campbell Mountain Road and Campbell Brook Road, looking for additional roadside campsites, preferably the kind you can back a pickup all the way back to. No such luck. Oh, well.

Trout Pond

Then I drove down NY 30, through the hamlet of Harvard, then East Branch. Took Old Route 17 to Hancock, then poked around the Poconos and the Warren Highlands in Pennsyltucky, before eventually ending up in Susquehanna and Great Bend. The area around Hancock is very mountainous and beautiful. The Warren Highlands were rough, mostly hunting and rural landscape country, with a relatively small amount of farming going on. Lots of open burning going on too – I love Pennsylvania..

I love that wild country, and everything Pennsylvania. Fueled up, picked up certain Pennsylvania products not legal in New York and/or cheaper then New York, then hopped on I-88/Warren Anderson Expressway, and made a bee-line back to Delmar, stopping only momentarily at the rest stop on I-88. That place was creepy as all hell after dark, and not well lit either. I seriously thought of just taking a piss in some farm

I made it back to Delmar around 7 PM. It was a good adventure. Burned through more gasoline, then I had planned, although on the trip back along I-88, I average 19.9 mpg in my Big Red Silverado pickup, so not complaining.

A long-weekend trip in early November to explore the the Western Catskills.