Bender Mellon

Been out exploring the Bender Mellon Preserve on this first day of 2023🚢 🍈 πŸ—»

Trails are kind of wet and the sun is rapidly setting but it’s going to be great once the ground freezes and I can bring some skis. I’m a bit disappointed by the views from the preserve but it’s kind of a muddy and gray day, and the area with the best views is off limits right now due to the abandoned buildings. Not that it’s likely to stop anyone, doubt there’s many game cops out here patrolling. But much too muddy.

It’s a bit noisy from NY 85 and 85A but that’s to be predicted for a suburban preserve. It’s currently a mixed habitat, with only the upper acres brush hogged so it’s full of wildlife like deer, geese and squirrels. Come the right season and I’m sure it would be packed with birds. I’m just glad it’s within a short – two or three mile walk from home, especially in these inflationary times when motor vehicle travel is so expensive.

I’m glad it’s preserved as I need more nature near where I live to explore, as I get tired of Five Rivers Environmental Education Center and this place in the winter on the rail trail is very skiable from home.

Bombay – Brasher State Forests

North of the Adirondack Park lays a mixture of farm country and sand plains. Some of the land is fertile and used for dairying and other crop growing, but much of it is pretty shallow and easily damaged by the destructive practices of the iron industry, which burned much of the forests at one point for making iron.

Nowadays much of this land is part of State Forest system set into place when Franklin Roosevelt was Governor of New York, Brasher State Forest (St. Lawrence County; lands to the east) and Bombay State Forest (Franklin County; lands to east). Switch to the OpenStreetMap or USGS Topo DRG layers for more information about the forest or browse the blog in category below for more maps.

It is crossed by two major rivers - the Saint Regis River and Deer River. Camping is a popular activity at Walter Pratt Camping Area, a free-campground on Redwater Pond.

http://history.rays-place.com/ny/brasher-ny.htm

I had a North Country colleague from years ago. They said it was pronounced "bra-ah-shere" or something like that. Not brash-er, as I would call it.

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.