Finger Lakes National Forest

Nestled in upstate New York, the Finger Lakes National Forest spans 16,000 acres of diverse terrain, combining lush woodlands with expansive pasture land. Encompassing woodlands, grasslands, and glacial lakes, its picturesque landscapes and well-maintained trails attract outdoor enthusiasts, offering opportunities for hiking, birdwatching, mountain biking, and horseback riding. The forest’s five distinctive trails wind through the scenery, revealing stunning views of gorges, waterfalls, and panoramic vistas. The forest is also home to the celebrated Finger Lakes Trail, a long-distance hiking trail extending over 580 miles. Limited free primitive and roadside camping opportunities along the roads add to the allure, providing a chance to immerse in the natural beauty for longer periods. As the only national forest in New York State, it provides a unique space for relaxation, exploration, and immersion in the captivating landscapes of the Finger Lakes region.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finger_Lakes_National_Forest
http://www.fs.usda.gov/fingerlakes
http://www.cnyhiking.com/FingerLakesNationalForest.htm

Upcoming Holidays – July 25, 2021

  • Next Sunday is August 🌻 – Aug 1
  • Four Sundays until Buck Moon 🌕 – Aug 22
  • 14 Sundays until Halloween 🎃 – Oct 31
  • 16 Sundays until Average High is 50 🍂 – Nov 14
  • Four months – Thanksgiving 🦃 – Thursday Nov 25
  • 19 Sundays until Repeal of Prohibition Day 🍺 – Dec 5
  • 21 Sundays until Cold Moon 🌕 – Dec 19
  • Five months – Christmas 🎅 – Saturday Dec 25
  • 22 Sundays until Boxing Day 🥊 – Dec 26

Good Evening – July 25, 2021

Good evening! Night 3 of summer vacation. 🌇

Today I got moved into the campsite ⛺ that I’m hoping to camp in for the balance of the week. It’s a nice quiet campsite with vehicle access so I can use my camper shell rather than the tent like last night.

Stayed close to camp today, doing a lot of day drinking, 🍻 reading 📖 and listening 👂🏻 to podcasts. Burritos 🌯 for dinner tonight. No cell service here, so I won’t be playing with my phone all evening 📱 which is nice. I’d rather just enjoy the solitude. Also hiked to Teeter Pond and to one of the pastures to observe the sunset.

High level smoke haze and 74 degrees at the Finger Lakes National Forest. There is a west-northwest breeze at 6 mph. 🍃. The dew point is 64 degrees.

The sunset 🌇 wasn’t too great at all. The sun was very red and faded away into the clouds high above the horizon. I was pretty disappointed 😥 about it especially after walking down the very muddy Backbone Trail to an even muddier pasture. Really needed my barn boots 👢. Next time if I hike back for the sunset.

Weather Update – July 25, 2021

Today actually looks a lot nicer than I had expected but I think I still want to stay close to camp and do some hikes 🚶🏻 and day drinking 🍻. Maybe move down to the campsite ⛺ I really want for the balance of the week if it comes available.

I got the stuff for burritos 🌯 for dinner tonight and I know what I can wash that down with. 🍻 Still hoping to get clams for later in the week. I saw some clam shells 🐚 in the dirt, they must be available somewhere locally. I’m sure I could get fried clams somewhere but they sure are good in beer especially when you don’t have to drive. 🚘

Monday I’m planning on going to Watkins Glen. I will need ice ❄ by then and also ice cream. 🍧 Spend the balance of the day at the Watkins Glen Pool 🏊🏻‍♂️ and maybe hike part of the Finger Lakes Trail through the state park 🏞.

The second half of the week is going to be downright cold ❄. It will save on the ice but sure will make swimming 🏊🏻‍♂️ unpleasant. Well good weather for hiking. Where to hike is the question. Maybe the Finger Lakes trail along some of the more open sections along farm fields. I like nice views of the Finger Lakes, especially ones I haven’t seen before.

Weather Summary
Today.
Feels like …
September 1st.
Chance of Showers then Sunny and 79 degrees , 8:34 sunset.
Tonight.
Feels like …
August 13th.
Mostly Clear and 61 degrees , 62 max dew point, 5:53 sunrise.
Monday.
Feels like …
September 1st.
Sunny and 79 degrees , 62 max dew point, 8:33 sunset.
Monday Night.
Feels like …
August 13th.
Mostly Clear and 61 degrees , 59 max dew point, 5:54 sunrise.
Tuesday.
Feels like …
September 8th.
Chance of Showers then Chance of T-storms and 77 degrees , 59 max dew point, 8:32 sunset.
Tuesday Night.
Feels like …
August 20th.
Chance of T-storms then Chance of Showers and 60 degrees , 5:55 sunrise.
Wednesday.
Feels like …
September 19th.
Mostly Sunny and 73 degrees , 61 max dew point, 8:31 sunset.
Wednesday Night.
Feels like …
August 20th.
Partly Cloudy then Chance of Showers and 60 degrees , 5:56 sunrise.
Thursday.
Feels like …
September 19th.
Chance of Showers then Chance of T-storms and 73 degrees , 60 max dew point, 8:30 sunset.
Thursday Night.
Feels like …
September 3rd.
Chance of T-storms then Chance of Showers and 57 degrees , 5:57 sunrise.
Friday.
Feels like …
September 30th.
Mostly Sunny and 68 degrees , 60 max dew point, 8:29 sunset.
Friday Night.
Feels like …
September 12th.
Mostly Clear and 54 degrees , 5:58 sunrise.
Saturday.
Feels like …
September 19th.
Sunny and 73 degrees , 53 max dew point, 8:28 sunset.

Good Morning – July 25, 2021

Good morning! Happy Sunday from Vacationland. 🏖

Cloudy, damp and 68 degrees at the Finger Lakes National Forest. ☁️ Rained a while starting at the eleven clock 🕒 hour last night but done by now. There is a southwest breeze at 11 mph. 🍃. The dew point is 63 degrees. The skies will clear around 9 am.

It was a nice night, though it was tent 🎪 camping as I couldn’t get the drive in spot I wanted. That’s always the problem when you arrive on Saturday evening. Still this campsite isn’t bad and in some ways is pretty nice as it had cell service. Although I kind of wish I was more off the grid as I’m on vacation and don’t want to spend all day playing on my phone. 📱 Especially now that unlimited service now is a thing of the past, something I had during the pandemic but subsequently dropped. Maybe I can move to the campsite I really want for the rest of the week that I can sleep in the truck and doesn’t have service.

I am in no rush to get started today, as the plan for today is to just to hang around camp 😴 and hope maybe I can I can get the campsite I want later in the day. 📖 I’m going to do some reading in the tent for now and wait for the sun to come ☀ out and then have breakfast. Maybe later hike down to Foster Pond and watch the sunset over Seneca Lake and listen to the cows moo 🐮 over a west facing pasture. But today is all about relaxation and getting away from it.