Day: August 11, 2025

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Harmful Algea Bloom in Lake Myosotis

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In the news … “The Lake Myosotis Beach is closed because of a possible harmful algal bloom.”

I was surprised about this news as the Lake Myostis watershed doesn’t seem like it would have much excess nitrogen or phosphorous in it. The 4,252 acre watershed for the lake is according to the 2024 National Land Cover Dataset, 76.5% forested with only 5.8% of it developed most of which is Developed Open space 5.1%. Pasture/Hay accounts for 10.6% land cover and there is no Cultivated Crop land shown on the NLCD. But it has been a warm summer.

Here is the acreages and percent land cover for the 4,252 acre Myosotis Lake Watershed based on the 2024 National Land Cover Dataset.

ID Class Acres Percent
11 Open Water 100 2.4%
21 Developed, Open Space 216 5.1%
22 Developed, Low Intensity 30 0.7%
23 Developed, Medium Intensity 2 0.0%
31 Barren Land (Rock/Sand/Clay) 0 0.0%
41 Deciduous Forest 2,364 55.6%
42 Evergreen Forest 167 3.9%
43 Mixed Forest 725 17.0%
52 Shrub/Scrub 7 0.2%
71 Grassland/Herbaceous 6 0.2%
81 Pasture/Hay 451 10.6%
90 Woody Wetlands 157 3.7%
95 Emergent Herbaceous Wetlands 28 0.7%

The longest camping trip 🏕️

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If I leave on Wednesday August 20 through Labor Day it will be my longest camping trip of my life. 13 days and 12 nights which works out to be the federal limit for camping in the National Forest. It’s free and I’ve not taken any time off since July 3rd so it makes a lot of sense. Why not? I’m not planning a trip to West Virginia and honestly the additional days at camp are not likely to add much cost to the trip. And it just more days to hang out at camp.tt

I’ll probably have to go to the laundromat mid trip and maybe get more propane but also it can be an extraordinarily lazy not having to rush through vacation to explore all that I want to do in a limited time. Lots of time for fishing and floating, riding trail and just hanging out around camp with a good book and a cold beer.

Herkimer Home State Historic Site

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Perched on a vantage point overlooking the Mohawk River, stands a grand mansion in the Georgian style, once the residence of General Nicholas Herkimer. This colonial frontier abode was meticulously constructed and completed circa 1764. General Herkimer etched his name in history during the pivotal year of 1777, when he rallied 800 militiamen alongside 60 Oneida warriors, marching resolutely to safeguard Fort Stanwix against a British siege.

The Battle of Oriskany, waged on August 6, 1777, marked a turning point in the Revolutionary War. It is recounted as one of the war's most harrowing conflicts, characterized by its intense bloodshed. Despite suffering a leg injury, Herkimer maintained steadfast command throughout the ferocious engagement. Following the battle, he was transported to his abode, where he succumbed to complications arising from the eventual amputation of his leg, ten days later.

Over the years, Herkimer's estate hosted a diverse array of inhabitants. This included his own family, enslaved individuals who contributed to the estate's operations, wartime encamped soldiers, and neighbors seeking sanctuary from the turmoil in the Mohawk Valley. The 19th century witnessed transformative changes on the property, as it bore witness to the passage of both the Erie Canal and subsequently the railroad, altering its landscape.

In the present day, easy access is granted to the site via highway, river, or the Canalway Trail. Visitors are extended a warm invitation to explore the mansion, engage with the exhibits in the visitor center, and wander the grounds. Here, they can discover the final resting place of General Herkimer, a meticulously recreated kitchen garden, vestiges of an Erie Canal lock, and picturesque vistas overlooking the serene Mohawk River.

Sore elbow and hand 💪

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I had a bit of a boo-boo at the Potholers yesterday, slipped while walking across them falling and cracking my arm good and hard. Don’t think I broke my arm but I did pull a muscle or something, as I can feel it when I crimp down my hands or lift something. Not sure if I need to go to the doctor but it’s still painful. To boot my other hand has a sore finger, as I got a splinter next to one of my nails and it’s slowly but surely recovering but slowly.

Andy’s got a boo-boo! 🚴 Let’s be honest I’m not that crippled from the slip and fall as I rode my mountain bike, something like 20 miles from Canajaoharie out to St. Johnsville down to the historic lock and the old St. Johnsville town dump. Those duroc hogs on that beautiful homestead in St. Johnsville are getting big. 🐽 Didn’t see them at first because they were wallowing in the mud and hiding in the weeds to avoid the heat, and wind was blowing the other way. But that burn barrel along the trail was pungent. 🛢️ I can’t complain much though as there hasn’t been a piece of burnable trash that I’ve sent to the landfill since April nor have have I saved anything but flattened, burnt-out cans for recycling ♻️ from fires I’ve had. 🔥 I think though I prefer my fires much hotter, plastic makes an excellent fire starter to a bonfire, with less stink and toxins. ☠️ You know I like the country hillbilly life with all the smells but also the reality of dirt, mud, manure and fire.  🐮 It was fun hanging out with those dudes form Utica this weekend. I’m actually surprised how little trash I’ve had lately during farmers market season due to all the fresh vegatables 🍆 I’ve been eating and composting the cores, but also having a lot of fires helps keep trash from accumulating.

The Shady Acres Drive proposed development is on the Guilderland Conservation Committee agenda again tonight, 🚧 so I’m driving in. I also need groceries – going to stop at Walmart and get bananas 🍌 and a bag of beans to soak tonight, 🫘 and I’m cooking rice up this morning. I should get some onions too. On the drive home, I’ll stop at the Voorheeesville Hannaford rather then Woke Market32 in Guilderland for hopefully some reasonably affordable perishables like frozen fruit and Greek yogurt. Also plan to do a hike in the Pine Bush 🌲 after the meeting to enjoy the sunset, and eat lots of blackberries. Just because I was foolish and did not go up to White House for the wild blueberries 🫐 this weekend – I thought it was going to be ungodly hot 😰 though it didn’t turn out that way – but the blackberries along Willow Road in the Pine Bush are likely to be amazing this evening if the early crop suggests.

Next weekend I may head out to Schoharie to swim in the pool 🏊 and maybe float in the Schoharie Creek by Mine Kill. Going to be definately warm enough for both of those activities. If I take 990V and head through the hill towns, rather then the Thruway, I won’t be so tired from the horrific rush hour traffic – it was bad last Friday. Last night looked Ike the Thruway had very heavy volume too – but I took NY 162 through Rural Grove and then US 20 home. 🍦 The Sharon Dairy Bar wasn’t so crowded last night but I decided against it after a weekend of drinking and smoking, preferring to just chomp down on a banana and have a few glasses of Cider-Vingar water once I got home. A week from Wednesday is when I’m thinking of leaving for the Finger Lakes but I want to wait until mid-week to get a better read on the weather and officially take those days off. 🏖️ Let’s sing along folks, Beach, baby, beach!