Spend Money on Leaving New York.

I’d rather just spend my money on leaving New York๐Ÿ›ฉ

One of the great conundrums many of us face is the debate of where to live versus what career and economic opportunities exist locally. Simply said, many of the best job opportunities exist in the least desirable places.

It’s so expensive to live in New York. Studies have shown just moving from north of 42nd parallel can reduce your income by over $2,000 a year due to higher taxes and costs of shopping for various goods. Even a rundown apartment costs more here then other states. There are just so many taxes, regulations and other costs that drive up the expenses of living here. But so are the good jobs, and the ability to make money. But once can move that money out of state by saving and investing now, and spending later when you no longer live in state. Retirement accounts are a good way to avoid state taxes — but even generally investing in stocks, bonds, regular old savings accounts — can store money away and allow it to grow for a better tomorrow.

The truth is I don’t need more stuff. I don’t need more clutter, more trash to get rid of. I’d rather make do with the old, already paid stuff I have, and maybe even have a little less of. I enjoy living in my rundown, cheap moldy apartment and taking the bus to work – at least when the pandemic ends. I get more pleasure in seeing money being invested then buying toys, just because I can envision my future, owning land, the off-grid property, the livestock and tractors, ATVs and other good things in a distant but better future.

Kind of breezy so I decided against paddling today. ๐Ÿ›ถ

Kind of breezy so I decided against paddling today. ๐Ÿ›ถ

It’s delightful up here on the mountain โ›ฐ and while it might not be that breezy down at the lake, I’m lazy and on vacation so sue me. ๐ŸŒ

I am thinking maybe Tuesday morning early as tomorrow I want to spend the day at Watkins Glen Pool ๐ŸŠ๐Ÿปafter starting the morning off with a good hike on the upper part of the trail. Figure get there early before they close the lot as full.

Also truth be told, I fell asleep in the hammock for about an hour ๐Ÿ˜ด and got reading ๐Ÿ“– and was after four o’clock by the time I awoke. I decided to instead hike more of the Interlaken Trail this time to Teeter Pond. These are always nice trails to hike alas they can be muddy ๐Ÿ‘ข in parts.

August 9, 2020 Morning

Good morning! Happy Sunday. Six weeks to Average High 70 ๐ŸŽ‘ . Sunny and 71 degrees at the Finger Lakes National Forest. Tree๐ŸŒฒ๐ŸŒž Calm wind. The dew point is 64 degrees.

Went for a walk ๐Ÿšถ again this morning on the Interlaken Trail and to Foster Pond. Definitely a nice morning, ๐ŸŒž lots of sun and wildflowers. ๐ŸŒปHad a nice pan of corned beef hash and cheese for breakfast. ๐Ÿณ Some eggs ๐Ÿฅš would be nice but I’ll have to get them today.

Wildflowers are definitely better this time of year ๐ŸŒป๐ŸŒผ๐Ÿฆ‹๐Ÿ compared to earlier in the summer when I often take my vacation. It just makes my vacation a little more enjoyable seeing the road sides in bloom, the butterflies and bees. And yes, all that field corn ๐ŸŒฝ is getting tall.

Been quite busy up here ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ‘ฆโ€๐Ÿ‘ฆ๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐Ÿ‘ง, with so many things closed during the pandemic based on the number of cars ๐Ÿš˜ I’ve seen on the road. Fortunately, my campsite is quite remote and quiet ๐Ÿคซ so nobody is bothering me. Seen more equestrians ๐Ÿด than normal – in part because the Upper Assembly Area is closed at Sugar Hill. ๐Ÿ”

Today will be sunny ๐ŸŒž, with a high of 82 degrees at 4pm. Typical for today. Maximum dew point of 66 at 6pm. Light and variable wind becoming west 5 to 8 mph in the morning. A year ago, we had partly cloudy skies in the morning with some clearing in the afternoon. The high last year was 81 degrees. The record high of 96 was set in 2001.

Kind of breezy up here on the backbone ๐Ÿ—ป but I’m hoping the breeze will die down later and I can get out on Seneca Lake and the Montour Canal later. ๐Ÿ›ถ I’m excited about all the wildlife I might see there. ๐Ÿฆ๐Ÿฆ†๐Ÿ•Š๏ธ๐Ÿธ๐Ÿข๐ŸฆŽ๐ŸŸ I just don’t want to go on Seneca Lake if it’s at all breezy ๐Ÿšฃ๐Ÿปโ€โ™‚๏ธ because it’s a big lake and can be very choppy. ๐ŸŒŠ

Solar noon ๐ŸŒž is at 1:13 pm with sun having an altitude of 63.1ยฐ from the due south horizon (-7.6ยฐ vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 3 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour ๐Ÿ… starts at 7:38 pm with the sun in the west-northwest (286ยฐ). ๐Ÿ“ธ The sunset is in the west-northwest (292ยฐ) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 8:17 pm after setting for 3 minutes and 8 seconds with dusk around 8:46 pm, which is one minute and 21 seconds earlier than yesterday. ๐ŸŒ‡ The best time to look at the stars is after 9:26 pm. At sunset, look for partly cloudy skies ๐ŸŒƒ and temperatures around 77 degrees. The dew point will be 67 degrees. There will be a west breeze at 5 mph. Today will have 14 hours and 8 minutes of daytime, a decrease of 2 minutes and 25 seconds over yesterday.

Tonight will be partly cloudy ๐ŸŒค, with a low of 68 degrees at 5am. Seven degrees above normal. Maximum dew point of 67 at 7pm. Southwest wind 3 to 5 mph. In 2019, we had light rain in the evening, which became partly cloudy by the early hours of the morning. It got down to 57 degrees. The record low of 48 occurred back in 1955.

Been reading ๐Ÿ“– more of the Real Goods Solar Living Handbook. Half marketing catalog, half pseudo green living for rich folk, it sure seems like it’s gotten real dated fast. ๐ŸŒŽ Still an interesting read even if it’s more ideological and about marketing over-priced organic crap and green products for the landfill ๐Ÿ—‘ then practical realities of providing for one’s self and obeying the laws of nature.

I was noticing how much of the forest along Potomac Road was ash trees. ๐ŸŒณIt’s only a matter of time before much of the forest is going to be dying than gone. I see they have an Emerald Ash Boerer trap on the road to detect the invaders but I doubt they’ll treat all of the trees. Already as little as 50 miles south of here in Wellsboro you can see the devestation of the forests from EAB. ๐Ÿ› Forests are always in a state of decline – thats entropy – but they’re always changing with the land and introduced species.

One week from now I’ll be taking down camp and heading back to Albany. ๐Ÿก Or at least heading closer to that direction. But there is a lot more reading ๐Ÿ“–, hiking ๐Ÿšถ and paddling to do before then. Vacation really is just beginning – today is my first full day in the Finger Lakes.

I am still thinking I want to go the way I came ๐Ÿค” although I would want to avoid that rough seasonal use only road. If it’s really nice a week from Sunday I might overnight at Cherry Ridge ๐Ÿ’ and then head back home through Madison County. I like seeing the rough dairy country. ๐Ÿฎ The hills, the cows, the rundown shacks and hollows. ๐Ÿ—ป

I really like the wild country ๐Ÿ and wish I could live out here full time. Somehow I like it even better than the Adirondacks. Redneck country life is fun, even if at times it’s dirty and smelly. ๐Ÿ’ฉ But alas I’m making good money at my job ๐Ÿ’ต and are able to save a lot of it for a better tomorrow. It’s nice having some professional success in life and knowing it will lead to a better tomorrow, especially as I try to live frugally as possible. Some days I’ll live in a small town, have land and be able to listen ๐Ÿ‘‚ to the moos of cattle full time. ๐Ÿ„

Looking ahead, there are 6 weeks until Average High 70 ๐ŸŽ‘ when the sun will be setting at 7:06 pm with dusk at 7:34 pm. On that day in 2019, we had partly sunny, patches of fog and temperatures between 79 and 42 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 71 degrees. We hit a record high of 90 back in 1946.

View from Former CC Camp on West Branch of the White River