Good morning. Happy Hump Day. A gray day as is so common in December with temperatures continuing to be somewhat above normal, around 41 degrees. The clouds are expected to push off and it will become mostly sunny, with a high near 47. North wind around 5 mph becoming light and variable.

Hopefully when I get the battery back in the truck, I’ll be back in business as I have a busy weekend planned. I’m leading the Save the Pine Bush Hike at 9 AM. I have to get a haircut and refill the propane bottle. Need to return or exchange the not properly functioning battery charger. Need to busy groceries. I have a Christmas Party to go to. Among other things.

Pine Bush Dinner is tonight at 6 PM featuring Ward Stone speaking at 7. He is always a good speaker. Join us at the Westminster Presbyterian Church on Chestnut Street in Albany.

While generally the starting battery stays very well charged when I’m camping as I start the truck occasionally, I’m cautious about heading up to the Adirondacks on Christmas weekend in a place without cellphone reception, even if at this point, I won’t likely be using the inverter because I’ll be tent camping with the almost certain cold and snow that will be up there. I might instead head back out to Cherry Ridge Camping Area in Madison County if they are still snow free and I can get up there. The cellphone also provides a much needed distraction on those long, cold winter nights. Next year I’m going to buy a good quality jump start pack, just in case the starting battery gets low, but that won’t help if the battery goes totally dead like last week. I plan to check the charge voltage at the battery when reinstalled and get the alternator tested too. If there is a drop in power going to the batteries but not the rest of the system, it might mean I need thicker battery cables. I’ll talk to reputable shop that knows more about automobile electric then myself.