Running a non switched wire to the bed of my truck

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Upon further thought, I’ve decided I’ll run a second power wire to the bed of my truck, so that the second accessory battery can be protected from under voltage like the first. I’m going to use 8 gauge wire for that, just because it will keep things balanced with the 8 gauge wire that runs to the front battery from the solar panel.

This way if I have an under voltage circumstance both accessory batteries will be protected and the wire shouldn’t cost more than $10 and a half hour of my time. I know it’s more wire but I think it will be simple enough and a smart move in case something gets left on or I’m parked somewhere in extended period with not a lot of sun.

June 9, 2019 11 am Update

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  • I have to say it turned out to be an absolutely beautiful day, low humidity around 80.
  • Walked to all five of the big ponds at Partridge Run Game Management Area.
  • Lots of butterflies, red breastfed black bird, gold finch, mallard duck.
  • DEET seems to have kept the ticks off me.
  • Lot of people up here.
  • Had lunch at White Birch Pond, did a little fishing.
  • Didn’t have much luck.
  • Kind of wish I brought my kayak.
  • Now off to the Gas Up for a bit.
  • I’m hoping they still have ice cream otherwise I’ll have to get some at the ice cream stand in Delmar.
  • Definitely been a fantastic day.

Ticks

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I really should be lot more scared of high grass wearing shorts with the ticks 🌾 but the truth is that I have to live not in fear 😱 and be comfortable. I put DEET on my legs and I’ll check for ticks later on. 🐞 Life is too short to live in fear.

The Good Life

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Last night when I was at my parents house, one of their good ol’ boy neighbors with a beer belly was standing in the bed of a truck towing a goose neck cattle trailer, beer belly hanging out. Good ol country living for yeah. I was chergin about it although I joked that has to be dangerous as shit, being that the goose neck could easily crush you upon turning if your not careful.

While I don’t miss the winter commutes I do miss the small town life. While I think the neighbors to my parents are too close, I really don’t mind hearing the occasional bellow of their cattle or a whiff of their hog shit or something plastic they toss on their bonfire. I think it’s pretty damn sweet how they live even if supposedly their rural and poor.

I think it would be fun to live in a small town, be able to ride my four wheeler or side by side to the general store, have land and do a little hobby farming. Live off grid, use solar, burn my trash and recycle the cans and glass, compost, maybe garden a little bit and raise chickens and maybe a heritage hog or two. Smelly yes but that’s why you have land. Ride my four wheeler on my land, hunt and trap it. Have a small screened porch so I can watch nature on a morning like this or even watch the campfire while drinking beer and listening to music on a warm but buggy night.

I’m not there yet but eventually I’ll be able to enjoy the good life…

June 9, 2019 Morning

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Good morning! Happy Sunday. Next Sunday is Fathers Day 👨. Sunny and 50 degrees in Dormansville, NY. 🌞 There is a south-southwest breeze at 5 mph. 🍃. While a cold start to the morning — with very dry conditions continuing — it’s going to be much warmer later on. If not for it being such an unusually wet spring, it would be red flag conditions today.

Today will be sunny 🌞, with a high of 79 degrees at 4pm. Three degrees above normal, which is similar to a typical day around June 17th. Maximum dew point of 50 at 9am. South wind 5 to 10 mph. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies. The high last year was 80 degrees. The record high of 100 was set in 1933. Almost summer weather. Still two weeks until the pools open up for the summer though.

I’m at my parents house this morning in the truck camper shell, 🏕 and I’m still a bit undecided on the day. I might do the Gas Up, although I’m a bit tired as I’ve done it a lot in recent years. 🚜  I’m thinking of also doing some fishing and hiking for a while today at Partridge Run before going to the Gas Up.  Also considering — possibly — of hiking back to the Cliffs of Middleburg if I’m out that way. Then I have to head home, get my clothes ready for the week, run to the store, wash the truck. Should be a pretty nice day for sure, not too humid.😎

The sun will set at 8:32 pm with dusk around 9:06 pm, which is 35 seconds later than yesterday. 🌇 At sunset, look for mostly clear skies 🌄 and temperatures around 67 degrees. The dew point will be 49 degrees. There will be a south breeze at 9 mph. Today will have 15 hours and 14 minutes of daytime, an increase of 46 seconds over yesterday. Should be another nice evening to sit out back if the bugs aren’t too bad.

Tonight will be mostly clear 🌃, with a low of 52 degrees at 5am. Three degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical night around June 1st. Maximum dew point of 49 at 7pm. South wind 6 to 9 mph. In 2018, we had mostly clear skies in the evening, which became partly cloudy by the early hours of the morning. It got down to 54 degrees. The record low of 36 occurred back in 1975.

The replacement hammock seems to work well, at least with the straps and the bag from the other hammock. At under $20 I’m happy with what I got, even if it is a bit smaller (not by a lot). Supposedly it’s a double hammock, but I wouldn’t put more then one person in it. Seems basically the same material as the other hammock, although I prefer the steel carbiners (less chance of breakage), even if they are slightly heavier.😴 But at that price if it only last for a season or two, not a big deal. I might order a second one at some point, so I have a back up in case it rips.

I ordered one of those portable multi-cell USB 18650 battery banks that a lot of people have nowadays, the model my parents like.🔋I think it would be nice to have while wilderness camping to charge up my phone when it goes flat or my radio. I am going to install another USB port — or maybe build something out of another USB charger I have — that would be always on in the cap of my truck, and leave it plugged in all of the time, ready to go in my truck. I could even use it while camping with my truck — just plug in my phone if I’m too far away from my truck to use the USB charging. With the solar panel on my truck, I’m less worried about vampire loads running down the accessory batteries upon long times parked.

On this day in 1972, severe rainfall causes a dam in the Black Hills of South Dakota to burst, creating a flood that kills 238 people and causes $160 million in damage. By far one of the most costly man-made disasters in American history. Flooding continues to be such a problem in America, probably only made worse by climate change.

Right now, looking into the long-range, Saturday with mostly sunny, with a high near 73. Maximum dew point of 57 at 8pm. Typical average high for the weekend is 78 degrees. Some other models predict it won’t be quite as nice next week, and certainly fairly cool at any rate. Bass season opens up next week, which is notable.🐡 I think I may have to work, but I’ll take it one day at a time. The following weekend — with most beaches and pools open — would be nice to get away, even if it’s just an overnight trip to Burnt-Rossman.

As previously noted, next Sunday is Fathers Day 👨 when the sun will be setting at 8:35 pm with dusk at 9:10 pm. On that day in 2018, we had mostly sunny and temperatures between 84 and 50 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 78 degrees. We hit a record high of 96 back in 1967.

Campsite Along Red River