🗺️ Maps 🖼️ Photos 📽️ Videos

So Big Red is on the road with a for sale sign 🛻 🪧

|

One of the neighbors stopped by an was looking at it. The other guy who looked at it decided against moving forward. In some ways I hate to see him go but I like the SuperDuty and time marches on. The lifted truck thing was kind of neat but also sucked and the SuperDuty has almost the same ground clearance and same height especially when you consider the straight axle and the shorter valance of the XL Off-Road package and the 33s. And the SuperDuty has so much more power. Still I question selling Big Red but time marches on.

Had a major freak out this morning, called mom when I snapped the bent derailuer hanger on my mountain bike. I thought the derailuer hanger was permanently mounted to the frame and it was wrecked, the bike just scrap but it turned out it’s just unbolts and it’s a standard wear part designed to snap upon a crash. You can in theory straighten them a bit but at least on a basic Marlin V, they’re a wear part, gets bent you unbolt and hand over $29 for another piece of aluminum to replace it. I should be able to ride in tomorrow. I mean I knew at one level that derailuer hangers are wear parts to be replaced but under the grease it didn’t look that way. But maybe I’m troubled knowing soon enough Big Red won’t be mine. So many memories, rot took his frame too soon.

I shouldn’t have called mom but I totally freaked out thinking my summer vacation was ruined and I’d be stuck riding the slow city bus to work for the foreseeable future. I really should think about getting a second bike as a backup and I also should look for some one I can call when things aren’t going well. Sometimes I get so freaked out in my mind. I don’t have trash service, what the hell am I supposed to do with another broke down piece of equipment. Truth is I never trusted Big Red after that crash 12 years ago and the lift kit always made me a bit weary, all alone in the wilderness on those rough roads. I really need a close friend to comfort my mind. But I like spending time in the wilderness.

Sounds silly but I don’t really care that much about the money for Big Red, I mostly want him to go to a good home to live out his remaining days. He’s not the same now that the equipment is moved to the SuperDuty. But I do want closure and see him gone. $4,500 is so little money these days, my net worth often fluctuates more than that on a typical day but so goes investing. Money for my future, the land, the off-grid cabin, the livestock and the burn barrels. There is such peace in my mind watching stuff disappear in the flames. And spending time looking at the grass puppies – the cows – as I walk back to my truck. Dreaming of some day having my own herd. And those days in a week and a half in the Finger Lakes. I like living in the city, riding my mountain bike to work for now.

Hiked Blodgett Hill earlier, spent some time with Mom and Dad, sorta hand washed Big Red and now Bennett Hill. Hiking down the mountain, only a few blueberries this year, then I’ll connect the derailuer hanger and derailuer back up and I should be good to ride in the morning to work. Rain Tuesday and Wednesday, probably drive in and off to camp on Thursday. Friday swim and camp, Saturday Bramley Mountain and the Catskill Scenic Trail. Following week summer vacation.

Summer is fading fast, much was spent building my new rig, rain and fixing my bike. I want to get Big Red to a good new home but I also want to enjoy the remaining days of summer and put the SuperDuty to good use. Not cutting my weekend trip or vacation back just to sell Big Red soon. But it always happens this way. Time is forever until it’s gone.

Map: Green Mnt NF Forest Road 74 Camping
Map: Headwaters Of White River
Map: Town of Amherst, NY School Districts and Schools
Map: Bonner Lake State Forest

I don’t think I need to reply back to a message with the word kindly in it.

|

I keep getting messages on Facebook Marketplace and Auto Trader with the word kindly, usually asking me to reply back via text. I usually reply back politely in the secure message, noting that vehicle is avaliable for viewing today.  But it’s probably not neccessary.

Scammers heavily rely on “kindly” because it is a hallmark of English taught in former British colonies (like Nigeria, India, and Pakistan) where many international scam operations are based. Because native US and UK speakers rarely use this old-fashioned, unnatural phrasing, it serves as a glaring red flag for fraud.

Corning Bike Tour 🚲

|

On summer vacation, I am thinking of spending a day in Corning, poking around on my mountain bike. While I don’t neccessarily want to spend a lot of time in museums, I would like to see some of the city and learn a bit about the history. I am comparing and contrasting it to Elmira, which I’ve also thought a bit about exploring, but probably will only do one or the other of city. Might combine it also with a hike/ride at Sugar Hill, as it’s on the way down there via Beaver Dams.

Corning is rich in history, and the downtown is centered on the Chemung Riverfront and its world-famous industrial design heritage. Because downtown Corning is incredibly bike-friendly, with dedicated paths and broad, flat roads, you can easily experience the city’s narrative without booking tours or stepping indoors. [1, 2, 3]

A self-guided, open-air cycling historical tour of the “Crystal City” flows smoothly across these key locations:

1. The Market Street Historic District & Centerway Square

  • The History: Market Street is widely recognized as a masterpiece of American downtown revitalization. Following a catastrophic flood in 1972 caused by Hurricane Agnes, the community deliberately restored its spectacular late-Victorian, Romanesque, and Gothic Revival brick storefronts rather than replacing them. [1, 2, 3]
  • What to See: Park your bike at Centerway Square, a lively brick plaza featuring a monumental, 1892 stone clock tower built as a memorial to local citizens. Look up as you cruise the street—the buildings feature highly detailed, intricate terra cotta ornamentation produced right by the old Corning Brick Works. [1, 2, 3]
  • Biking Vibe: Very accessible, featuring custom bike racks and wide, smooth streetscapes designed specifically for casual exploration. [1]

2. Centerway Walking Bridge & The Little Joe Tower

  • The History: This historic, multi-arch concrete bridge crossing the Chemung River was constructed in 1921. When the state planned to demolish it, citizens rallied to preserve its structural integrity. [1]
  • What to See: It is now a restored walking and cycling park featuring beautiful green lawns, perennial gardens, and historical displays built right onto the bridge deck. Looking downriver, you will have an unobstructed view of the Little Joe Tower—the iconic, tall blue-and-white vertical landmark originally built in 1912 to draw thermometer tubing for Corning Glass Works. [1, 2]
  • Biking Vibe: Totally traffic-free. You can ride across the river while enjoying sweeping views of the valley and the water below. [1, 2]

3. The Corning Painted Post Trail & Riverfront Centennial Park

  • The History: Flanking the southern edge of the river, Riverfront Centennial Park serves as a scenic greenway that marks the town’s historical reliance on the Chemung River for lumber and glass transport. On the edge of the park near the bridge, look for the official historical marker celebrating Duane Eddy, the legendary “King of Twang” and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame guitar pioneer who was born in Corning. [1, 2, 3]
  • Biking Vibe: From here, you can seamlessly hop onto the Corning Painted Post Trail. This flat, paved path runs along the old railroad beds, giving you a quiet, traffic-free ride all the way down into neighboring Painted Post. [1, 2]

4. Heritage Village Exterior & Southside Historic Homes

  • The History: If you head just a few blocks south into the residential avenues, you will ride past rows of 19th-century homes built by early glass barons, skilled gaffers, and canal merchants.
  • What to See: Roll past the grounds of the Heritage Village of the Southern Finger Lakes. While you won’t be going inside for a formal tour, you can view several distinct historic structures from the perimeter, including the 1796 Patterson Inn—the oldest standing building in the county, which served as a traveler’s tavern along the early frontier river routes. [1]

Suggested Loop Sequence: Market Street (Clock Tower) ──> Centerway Walking Bridge ──> Little Joe Tower View ──> Riverfront Centennial Park ──> Painted Post Trail

Self-Guided Navigation Hint

If you want specific architectural details as you ride past the brick blocks, Corning’s Gaffer District hosts a casual, mobile-friendly “Buildings Alive” Historic Trail. You can quickly dial their local history audio number (607) 376-5090 right from your phone at any stop to hear short, fascinating context about the specific building standing in front of you. [1, 2]

Map: Empire State Topography
Map: Empire State Color Relief