John Boyd Thacher State Park

John Boyd Thacher State Park, is situated along the Helderberg Escarpment, one of the richest fossil-bearing formations in the world. Even as it safeguards six miles of limestone cliff-face, rock-strewn slopes, woodland and open fields, the park provides a marvelous panorama of the Hudson-Mohawk Valleys and the Adirondack and Green Mountains. The park has volleyball courts, playgrounds, ball fields and numerous picnic areas with nine reservable shelters. Interpretive programs are offered year-round, including guided tours of the famous Indian Ladder Trail. There are over 25 additional miles of trails for summer hiking and mountain biking, and winter cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, and snowmobiling.

http://nysparks.com/parks/128/

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It’s Monday – Let’s go chase that ducking money 💵

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I mean Dan Halloran wasn’t wrong. Sometimes you got to swim in the mud and muck in the Cesspool of New York State to pay for the days riding Blackie through the cow shit and horse manure of Schuyler County. Those ten days went by so quickly and I’m back in Albany with the rain falling down doing my morning. The first day back is always the hardest, especially on such a dreary day but those eighteen flights of stairs must be climbed even with the door to door service of the local.

Good morning! Monday’s come back around again. Time for the morning walk and that old John Prine record. And maybe Paul Simon. 🎶 Rain I know I’m shocked and 65 degrees for the morning walk in Delmar, NY. ☁ There is a south-southeast breeze at 5 mph. 🍃. The dew point is 60 degrees. The skies will clear tomorrow around 9 am.

Out walking this morning 🚶 in the rain like so many days lately back in the Albany. The weather was so unbelievably nice out in the Finger Lakes. 📻 But it also was nice camping 🏕 somewhere without cell service 🔕 and no radio – avoiding the shit known as the news, all bad and useless crap – and the even worse social media. I heard that Florida Man got indicted for even more felonies over the past week and might soon be subject to a protective order. Good for him and I do think his cases will ultimately for first amendment law ⚖ and restorative justice. I mean he will likely be the first felon ever to be a major presidential party candidate. 👩🏻‍⚖️Maybe he’s bad for our country but he’s a good force for it’s laws. Crises are often best the time for reform. I’m excited about some of the second amendment cases in front of the Supreme Court in the coming year. 🔫 Whatever you think it Florida man, be has been a voice for change in the justice system – many times unintentionally.

Not to be overally negative after vacation, but I know I wouldn’t return to Albany if I didn’t like playing in the shit of the Cesspool, 💩 and making that big boy money 💵 from my corner office that overlooks the Capitol, Empire State Plaza and also the Hudson River and Dunn landfill that is when the caustic smoke from the Canada wildfires doesn’t drown out the skyline. I mean I wouldn’t listen to Paul Simon’s Duncan if I didn’t like that song. Like so many things in this world. It’s so hard to get up and going after 10 days of pure delight out in the Finger Lakes. I wish I could live every day out in the woods, in the country. 🚜 But alas, I’m back in the city, back taking the local bus downtown to work. I know it’s going to be a great week, 😀 I have good healthy food to eat,

Today will have showers and thunderstorms before 10am, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between 10am and noon, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Some of the storms could produce gusty winds and heavy rain. 🌧 High of 75 degrees at 4pm. Six degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around September 8th. Maximum dew point of 71 at 3pm. 🏖️ Southeast wind 8 to 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New not rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible. A year ago, we had cloudy skies. It became very sticky as the day progressed. The high last year was 91 degrees. The record high of 102 was set in 1918.

Pots of red kidney beans, brown rice with red lentils and split peas are cooking down this morning on the stove. 🧑‍🍳 Good carbs cooking down to be the basis of many meals this week. I double checked to make sure they were properly refrigerated or frozen and the stove off before leaving for work on the local bus 🚍. I was hoping to ride to work today 🚲 but the weather is not cooperating and I wasn’t running early enough to catch the express after all that cooking and breakfast to say nothing about the morning walk. Oatmeal pancakes 🥞 for breakfast with some chia seeds mixed in and topped with frozen peaches, strawberries, mango and whatever else was in the blend with a little sugar free maple syrup.

I ended up spending a shocking 🤯 $120 in food this week at Hannaford, I fully admit I should have gone to Wally World last night but I was tired and my pantry was bare. I did end up rugged getting a lot of things, many things like the 5 lb bag of brown rice should last a few weeks. They didn’t have store brand only 5 lb of Carolina brown rice but the price was reasonable for a bag that size. They also had non-fat plain Greek yogurt actually in stock at Hannaford so I ended up buying 2 large containers as it can be hard to get locally. Unopened Greek yogurt has a shelf life of about two months refrigerated and two years frozen, which I was reading how good it freezes. Not that it would ever last that long because that’s how I get my dairy fix 🐮 these days, though I try to eat in moderation st least when I’m not on vacation. 🍋 I also bought big bags of red and Vidalia onions 🧅and lemons because I enjoyed such things a lot on vacation. Both can be used in so many meals, plus I’m hooked on fresh squeezed stevia lemonade especially on a hot summer evenings. There is worse things to be hooked on.

I do wish I had stopped at that farm stand I passed in Chenango County to get zucchini and more sweet corn 🌽 🍆 but summer isn’t over and I should be able to get both at the farmers market at the Plaza this week. I forgot how wonderful zucchini I when I got some and chopped it up and fried it. I was tired 😴 and just kind of focused on getting home yesterday after vacation then stopping at farm stands. 🤷 I also would like to get more peaches 🍑 from the farm market, as they are so much better then the store-bought ones that are rock-hard and less tasty. Yesterday, I got plums 🫐 at the grocery store and they are pretty good. They are supposed to make your skin really shinny. Good after that sun tan I got last week. Trying to try new fruits when in season to learn new tastes, and maximize the health benefits of variety. Changes it up from apples and bananas 🍌 🍏 every week, though I still keep both of them in my office and like to have those for snacking.

Solar noon 🌞 is at 1:02 pm with sun having an altitude of 63.9° from the due south horizon (-7° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 2.9 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour 🏅 starts at 7:30 pm with the sun in the west-northwest (287°). 📸 The sunset is in the west-northwest (294°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 8:10 pm after setting for 3 minutes and 9 seconds with dusk around 8:40 pm, which is one minute and 18 seconds earlier than yesterday. 🌇 The best time to look at the stars is after 9:20 pm. At sunset, look for rain 🌧 and thunderstorms 🌩 and temperatures around 73 degrees. The dew point will be 70 degrees. There will be a south-southeast breeze at 10 mph. Today will have 14 hours and 18 minutes of daytime, a decrease of 2 minutes and 22 seconds over yesterday.

More rain quite possibly tonight. They’re calling for a chance of showers and thunderstorms to start out the evening, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 10pm. Some of the storms could produce gusty winds and heavy rain. 🌩 Cloudy, with a low around 68. South wind 9 to 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. 💦 I have to say I’m glad I’m not camping this week at least not in the Albany-area. 🏘 The Finger Lakes have been much drier then locally. I guess there isn’t much of a fire danger locally at this point. 🚒 But I’m still hopeful to get out for my evening walk 🚶‍♀️ after my dinner of salmon, rice, spinach, onions and any other thing that wets my appetite.  🐟 😋

That said, we do have more good weather to look forward to come this weekend. 😎 Saturday, a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 83. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Maximum dew point of 66 at 1pm. Sunday, 😂a chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 80. Chance of precipitation is 40%. Maximum dew point of 68 at 11am. Typical average high for the weekend is 83 degrees. Just kind of a chance of thunderstorms, but that’s to be expected on a summer weekend. The plans for the weekend are to be decided, but it seems so nice. 🦷 I have my dental cleaning on Friday, so I have to take off the first part of the morning for that but it could also be jumping off start to the weekend. Schoharie? Potholers? Adirondacks? So many options, though it seems like lately I’m always on the road burning up increasingly expensive gasoline. ⛽ If the forecast slides downhill, I’m thinking of doing some mountain biking in the Albany Pine Bush, and getting some watermelon at Market 32 🍉 which apparently is on sale this week. I do dig the sweetness of watermelon like that one I chomped on summer vacation.

Looking ahead, there are 2 weeks until World Mosquito Day 🐞 when the sun will be setting at 7:50 pm with dusk at 8:18 pm. On that day in 2022, we had hot weather partly sunny skies and temperatures between 88 and 70 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 82 degrees. We hit a record high of 98 back in 1916.

Forked Lake

And in the end ⛺ 👉 🏡

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Summer vacation 2023 comes to a close at 6:30 pm, Sunday August 6th – ten days after leaving on Friday July 28th at 9 AM.

It was a great trip, probably my favorite summer vacation of all times. While I didn’t travel as far as some years, my days were filled with smaller adventures from 6 AM to 11 PM.

Ultimately if you subtract out ordinary and existing costs, my vacation cost only about $300, about $200 was fuel the other hundred was ice cream, half case of beer, propane and miscellaneous supplies like paper towels. Of course I spent like $125 between groceries and farm stands but over a ten day period that would have likely gotten spent even if I stayed home.

I have to say this has been the best vacation in my life ⛺ 🚵 🍦 🏊 🛶

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The weather has been absolutely fantastic, my days packed with adventures and cold ice cream and swimming holes. I’ve ridden like 250 miles through farm and forest land. Many nights with campfires, watermelon cold beer and fresh squeezed lemonade. Dinners with Vadellia onions and peppers, lemon pepper chicken and salmon, beer boiled clams with sweet corn, zucchini and tons of fresh fruit with Greek yogurt. Many amazing sunrises and sunsets. Just not nearly enough hours in the day.

Good morning! Happy Sunday. I do know what this means, after 10 days all good things must come to an end. 😔 Don’t look so sad, life goes on this world keeps turning. Summer 2024 is but a few winks 😉 of the eye away, as is a long weekend trip up to the Potholers maybe next weekend or in two weeks. Then maybe an extended Labor Day Weekend at Spectulator Tree Farm to close out the summer. Except for the hammock, flags, bucket shitter and the kayak on the roof of the truck my home for nine short nights has been taken down. 🛶

Stunningly beautiful morning like so many this past week. Mostly sunny and 68 degrees at the Finger Lakes National Forest. ☀ There is a southeast breeze at 6 mph. 🍃. The dew point is 57 degrees. I heard the seven o’clock chime 🎐 on my phone and it was followed by the eight, nine and ten o’clock chimes on my phone about five minutes later as I took down camp, carefully packing things for the return trip to Albany.

This morning was a delightful breakfast 🥣 of cream of wheat, freshly squeezed lemon, a bit of stevia to make it sweet plus chia seeds 🌱 for fiber and the remaining Greek yogurt I had so it wouldn’t go bad without ice. I also had the last hard boiled egg 🥚 a little while after for additional protein and as I wasn’t sure if it would survive to mid day without any more ice in the cooler. Plus two cups of cold black coffee ☕ not that I really needed it as I made sure to get my eight hours of sleep yesterday for the long drive home.

Today will be sunny 🌞, with a high of 79 degrees at 4pm. Four degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around September 1st. Maximum dew point of 62 at 5pm. East wind around 7 mph. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies in the morning, which became light rain by afternoon. It was very sticky. The high last year was 93 degrees. The record high of 98 was set in 1900.

I told myself that I should leave Ithaca by 4 pm to ensure my arrival home by 7 pm, 🏡 well before dark and so I have time to unpack and run to the laundromat and grocery store before bed 🛏 at 9 pm. I’d like to get back into the habit of rising at 6 am for the morning walk 🚶 and to bed nightly at nine, as I find that’s the most natural sleep pattern for me. Of course if I ride my bike 🚲 to work I can get a later start as I won’t need to do a morning walk before catching the express downtown. 🚍 Do plan to resume doing the stairs to the 18th floor twice a day at work 🏢 at least when I’m working downtown for that extra push of intensive cardio each day. Truth be told, I really should plan on leaving Ithaca at 3 pm knowing I’ll inevitably be running late, 🏃 stopping at farm stands 🌽 and pee breaks 🚻, parks and scenic vistas. 📸

Solar noon 🌞 is at 1:14 pm with sun having an altitude of 64.2° from the due south horizon (-6.5° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 2.9 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour 🏅 starts at 7:43 pm with the sun in the west-northwest (287°). 📸 The sunset is in the west-northwest (294°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 8:23 pm after setting for 3 minutes and 9 seconds with dusk around 8:52 pm, which is one minute and 16 seconds earlier than yesterday. 🌇 The best time to look at the stars is after 9:33 pm. At sunset, look for partly cloudy skies 🌃 and temperatures around 73 degrees. The dew point will be 63 degrees. There will be a east-southeast breeze at 6 mph. Today will have 14 hours and 20 minutes of daytime, a decrease of 2 minutes and 20 seconds over yesterday.

Thinking 💭 today I’ll go to Buttermilk Falls State Park 🏞 and hike the gorge and swim. 🏊‍♂️ I don’t love the idea of parking 🅿 in that tight little parking lot so I might find a city park to park at or on street, and ride some of the Ithaca bike 🚲 trails to get there, bypassing delays at the toll booth to boot not that it matters as I have an Empire Passport 🛂.

Tonight will have a chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between 1am and 5am, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 5am. Increasing clouds 🌧, with a low of 66 degrees at 6am. Four degrees above normal. Maximum dew point of 66 at 5am. South wind 6 to 14 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. In 2022, we had mostly clear skies in the evening, which became cloudy by the early hours of the morning. It was very sticky. It got down to 76 degrees. The record low of 46 occurred back in 1994.

Yesterday I mountain biked 🚵 riding both gravel and trails at Sugar Hill State Forest. Posted many pictures to Facebook some on the blog. About a fifteen mile loop. Swam at Watkins Glen pool 🏊‍♂️ but didn’t ultimately go floating on my tube ⭕ on Seneca Lake as it was too cool and the lake choppy 🌊 by afternoon. Rode another ten miles down Rock Cabin Road, 🚲 along old Airport Road at Catharine Valley WMA, then down to Montour Falls. Rode over to Glen Dairy Bar 🍧 via the Catharine Valley Trail and the Watkins Glen High School 🚸 and had a great hot apple pie 🥧 sundae with vanilla soft ice cream. Rode over to the Watkins Glen Pier and watched the sun set ⛵ and then through Clute Park 🏞 back to my truck and back to camp by nine. Dinner was sweet corn 🌽, peppers and peaches 🍑 that I got at the Burdett Exchange 💱 along with a hard boiled egg 🥚. Night rode over to Foster Pond, sat and looked at the stars ✨ for a while but didn’t see any shooting stars but I didn’t stay that long as it was chilly and I wanted to get back to camp ⛺ as it was after 10:30 PM for a small campfire to warm up 🔥 before lights out.

Looking ahead, there are 5 weeks until 6:30 Sunrise 🌇 when the sun will be setting at 7:27 pm with dusk at 7:54 pm. On that day in 2022, we had mostly sunny, patches of fog and temperatures between 83 and 56 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 77 degrees. We hit a record high of 96 back in 1931.

Over the Pine Creek

Been playing around a bit with PANDAS and ArcGIS Feature Servers for Tax Data

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Been playing around a bit with PANDAS and ArcGIS Feature Servers for Tax Data … 📜

For example, to find the most valuable parcels in Albany County.

from arcgis.features import FeatureLayer
lyr_url = 'https://gisservices.its.ny.gov/arcgis/rest/services/NYS_Tax_Parcel_Centroid_Points/MapServer/0'
layer = FeatureLayer(lyr_url)
query_result1 = layer.query(where="COUNTY_NAME='Albany' AND FULL_MARKET_VAL > 100000000", 
                                    out_fields='PARCEL_ADDR,CITYTOWN_NAME,FULL_MARKET_VAL,OWNER_TYPE', out_sr='4326')

df=query_result1.sdf.sort_values(by='FULL_MARKET_VAL', ascending=False)
df['Full Market Value'] = df['FULL_MARKET_VAL'].map('${:,.0f}'.format)

df
  OBJECTID PARCEL_ADDR CITYTOWN_NAME FULL_MARKET_VAL OWNER_TYPE SHAPE Full Market Value
11 26652 64 Eagle St Albany 1204254925 2 {“x”: -73.75980312511581, “y”: 42.650469918250… $1,204,254,925
3 9150 1200 Washington Ave Albany 886298715 2 {“x”: -73.81092293494828, “y”: 42.679257168282… $886,298,715
4 10208 1400 Washington Ave Albany 642398287 2 {“x”: -73.82369286130952, “y”: 42.685845700657… $642,398,287
0 885 251 Fuller Rd Albany 440042827 2 {“x”: -73.83559002316825, “y”: 42.690208093507… $440,042,827
5 18164 632 New Scotland Ave Albany 377568201 8 {“x”: -73.80381341626146, “y”: 42.655758957669… $377,568,201
1 906 141 Fuller Rd Albany 321199143 2 {“x”: -73.83323986150171, “y”: 42.693189748928… $321,199,143
19 108087 See Card 1067 Watervliet 280898876 1 {“x”: -73.70670724174552, “y”: 42.719628647232… $280,898,876
15 65380 737 Alb Shaker Rd Colonie 263916100 3 {“x”: -73.80365248218001, “y”: 42.747956678125… $263,916,100
9 21923 304 Madison Ave Albany 234265418 2 {“x”: -73.76227373289564, “y”: 42.648000674457… $234,265,418
2 907 201 Fuller Rd Albany 203426124 2 {“x”: -73.83362605353057, “y”: 42.692609131686… $203,426,124
16 69999 515 Loudon Rd Colonie 166065600 8 {“x”: -73.74958475282632, “y”: 42.719321807666… $166,065,600
7 20592 47 New Scotland Ave Albany 162276338 8 {“x”: -73.77597163421673, “y”: 42.653565689693… $162,276,338
6 20574 132 S Lake Ave Albany 146296360 2 {“x”: -73.77970918544908, “y”: 42.654390366929… $146,296,360
8 20597 113 Holland Ave Albany 143498501 2 {“x”: -73.77306688593143, “y”: 42.650762742870… $143,498,501
17 78203 Mannsville Colonie 142570400 1 {“x”: -73.71245452369443, “y”: 42.718124477080… $142,570,400
18 95509 1 Crossgates Mall Rd Guilderland 130554700 8 {“x”: -73.84702700595471, “y”: 42.687699053797… $130,554,700
10 24521 86 S Swan St Albany 128436403 2 {“x”: -73.75980563770365, “y”: 42.653931892804… $128,436,403
13 46883 1916 US 9W Coeymans 110000000 8 {“x”: -73.83388475575597, “y”: 42.488730743021… $110,000,000
12 35152 380 River Rd Bethlehem 105263158 8 {“x”: -73.76445503554325, “y”: 42.595925419330… $105,263,158
14 65097 15 Wolf Rd Colonie 101967213 8 {“x”: -73.81423716588279, “y”: 42.709939498581… $101,967,213

Down to a single cooler 🧊

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That’s always a sign that summer vacation is coming to a close. With all the various things I cooked up with the clams last night I was able to use up enough food that today I’m down to a single cooler and even that’s pretty empty post the scrambled eggs I had for breakfast the last of which I’m currently boiling as a protein source for today and tomorrow. Hoping if I can get some fresh farm stand peaches today I’ll be good on food until I get home Sunday, yet not bring much extra food home. The only thing that ultimately expired while camping was the black beans I cooked prior to camping, the fire got them last night, I eat everything else. And obviously Glen Dairy Bar ice cream tonight.

Good morning! Partly cloudy ⛅ and 63 degrees at the Finger Lakes National Forest. ⛅ Final morning before I take down camp tomorrow. There is a west-northwest breeze at 6 mph. 🍃. The dew point is 62 degrees. I think a rain stop came through briefly this morning but it looks like this has been a largely rain free week except for last Saturday afternoon and a brief shower on Monday when I was out hiking at Beebe Pond at Cornell University.

Today will be partly sunny 🌞, with a high of 74 degrees at 3pm. Nine degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around September 17th. Maximum dew point of 63 at 9am. North wind 6 to 10 mph. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies in the morning with a few breaks of sun the afternoon. It was sticky. The high last year was 93 degrees. It looks like we might actually get some hot weather come mid to late August, that’s good, I’ll plan my next long weekend for the Potholers then. The record high of 99 was set in 1955.

Today’s plans call for visiting Sugar Hill State Forest 🐴 and riding and hiking some of the trails there. 🚵 Most of the horse trails there are open to mountain bikes and while I don’t plan to ride any of the real rough and muddy trails. Then head back to Watkins Glen, float on my tube ⭕ in Seneca Lake, ride down through Rock Cabin Road, Montour Falls, Catharine WMA, 🐦 Glen Dairy Bar, 🍦 Seneca Harbor ⚓ and watch the sunset 🌇 before returning to camp ⛺ one last time around nine.

Solar noon 🌞 is at 1:14 pm with sun having an altitude of 64.4° from the due south horizon (-6.3° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 2.9 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour 🏅 starts at 7:44 pm with the sun in the west-northwest (288°). 📸 The sunset is in the west-northwest (294°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 8:24 pm after setting for 3 minutes and 11 seconds with dusk around 8:54 pm, which is one minute and 15 seconds earlier than yesterday. 🌇 The best time to look at the stars is after 9:35 pm. At sunset, look for partly cloudy skies 🌃 and temperatures around 65 degrees. The dew point will be 55 degrees. There will be a north breeze at 6 mph. Today will have 14 hours and 22 minutes of daytime, a decrease of 2 minutes and 18 seconds over yesterday.

Yesterday I started my day at the Queen’s Castle on Caywood Point Seneca Lake. 🏰 The morning started out quite gray ☁️ but then cleared out and was hot. I wouldn’t be surprised if today isn’t a similar kind of day. Then I headed across the northern part of the National Forest to Trumansburg 🚲 and rode from the top of the Taughannock Gorge parking 🅿 area along the Black Diamond Trail to Ithaca then rode along the Cayuga Inlet for a while before doing the 9 mile 450 ft climb back to Taughannock, and then rode Taughannock Falls Road to the overlook 🚲 and then up to NY 96 in Trumansburg. 🏊‍♂️ Drove down to the Main Park area and swam and did the beach 🏖 thing in Cayuga Lake until 5 pm when I headed back to camp ⛺ – early – for onions, peppers, mushroom clams and sweet corn cooked in beer and clam broth 🌽 before bicycling along the dirt roads, up to Parameter Road up towards the north end of the National Forest before riding the Interloken Trail through the woods and then Horton Pasture, covering my mountain bike with cow manure and mud. 🐮 Damn cows didn’t want to move off the trail.

Tonight will be partly cloudy 🌃, with a low of 54 degrees at 6am. Eight degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical night around September 12th. Not surprising, it’s cooler in the Finger Lakes especially on Hector’s backbone. Maximum dew point of 56 at 6pm. North wind around 6 mph becoming calm in the evening. In 2022, we had mostly clear skies. It was very sticky. It got down to 70 degrees. The record low of 45 occurred back in 1994.

Looking ahead, next Saturday is Last Sunset After 8 PM in Albany 🌆 but when the sun will be setting at 8:15 pm with dusk at 8:44 pm in the Finger Lakes. On that day in 2022, we had partly sunny and temperatures between 79 and 60 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 83 degrees. We hit a record high of 99 back in 1944.

The III%ers I have been follow on social media … 🔫🌳 🐷🚜 🌲

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I follow a handful of three percenters on various social media accounts. One has an off-grid pig farm in Idaho, the other started a farm in North Carolina after leaving New York so he wouldn’t have to register his AR-15 or limit the accessories he could own.

I give these guys a lot of respect for standing up for their beliefs but I’m also skeptical about the IIIer movement’s embrace of law enforcement and the military. I think dictatorial government is the problem not the solution.

I also don’t look that highly on the constitution, which is just a bunch of words on paper that can just as easily as bedding in the barnyard. Shredding waste paper is a great low cost alternative to straw and its very absorbent but not as durable. Good for pigs and keeping waste out of landfills.

While I get that law enforcement and the military have a job to do I don’t hold them up in high regard or as a noble profession fighting against evil. They’re government workers, they do it for a paycheck, healthcare benefits and a pension. They’re as necessary as farmers, road workers, DMV clerks, and grocery store stockers but they’re not some exalted demigod.

I don’t necessarily believe that government is always a force for good or justice, I can be downright skeptical at times. I don’t see any reason to celebrate the police force or the military that are paid to sometimes implement the unjust and unwise policies. These civil servants have a job to do but I hardly call government work a noble cause. Public safety is important but so is farming, auto repair or even news reporting.

Like the IIIers, I like my guns too, they’re a lot of fun to shoot. I wish I owned more but they’re are too many costs, regulations and not enough places to shoot near where I live. Those AR-15 with large capacity magazines look like a blast to shoot, handguns are great for carrying for personal protection. Hunting is hard work and a definite skill of patience but my hats off to all that get it done and have a successful harvest to put healthy, delicious and nutrious food on table for their the family.

It is true that 3 percent of the population is very politically active and can and do make change. It’s good to be part of the group and be heard. I totally support that the IIIers are advocating for their second amendment rights. Rural folk need guns, they’re an essential tool on the farm and in the backcountry. I think it’s good they’re advocating for to be left alone on their own land. For lower taxes that better reflect what they can afford to sustain for their lifestyle.

Government is only as good as the people it employs. The constitution and laws and regulations that implement it is great but it’s only as good the people who enforce it. We need an involved public who speaks up and demands their rights, that forces the politicians to be responsible and accountable to the people. Be part of the three percent who is active and demand change.

A public that elects and demands that elected officials appoint responsible judges that will uphold our rights and give meaning to the words written in the constitution by politicians and elites nearly 250 years ago today. Rights are lost by silence and consent, it’s important that people be heard whether they’re pig farmers in Idaho or gun toating rednecks in North Carolina.

How fast a week comes and goes on vacation 🏖

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Good morning! Already been a week since I left for vacation! 😲 Enjoy yourself, it’s later then you think as that old Guy Lombardo record plays. Sunday 4 pm when I make the slog home will be sooner than I think. Partly cloudy and 67 degrees at the Finger Lakes National Forest. ⛅ There is a southwest breeze at 10 mph. 🍃. The dew point is 63 degrees. Muggers are going to be around for a while longer but then midday we’re expecting some violent thunderstorms and rain but it will leave us with a cool and sunny weekend, though warming up nicely come Sunday.

Woke up around 6 o’clock, had coffee ☕ and some cream of wheat 🌾 with lemon juice, stevia and yogurt with a few a strawberries 🍓 tossed in for good measure. Yesterday I got a pound of clams at Wegmans in Ithaca 🦪 which I boiled about a third of them with beer 🍻 and a little bit of everything I had in the coolers and food basket including peppers, mushrooms, pearl onions, and zucchini. And some sweet corn 🌽. Hot peppers made it spicy. 🌶️ I was in bed 🛏 by 10:15 pm and I made it back to camp before 9 pm last night but mostly just by a minute or two because the corn stand I was planning on stopping at was out for the night. I had two ears of sweet corn which was fine.

Today will have showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly between 2pm and 4pm. ⛈ Some of the storms could produce gusty winds and heavy rain. Partly sunny🌤️, with a high of 78 degrees at 1pm. Five degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around September 5th. Maximum dew point of 66 at 1pm. Southwest wind 10 to 13 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies in the morning, which became thunderstorm by afternoon. It was very sticky. The high last year was 99 degrees. The record high of 98 was set in 1955.

Plans for today start with visiting Caywood Point and the Queen’s Castle 🏰. Then take it from there. I would like some time at camp ⛺ to enjoy more clams and beer 🍻 🦪🌽 and reading 📖 but if the storms hold off ⛈ maybe I’ll try to squeeze in an exploration of some of the northern part of the Finger Lakes National Forest or even the Black Diamond Trail which I didn’t get to yesterday. I’d also wouldn’t mind going for a swim a Cayuga Lake. 🏊‍♂️ But I want to be back in camp by five or so and have a relaxed dinner, as I’m tired of getting back at nine o’clock each night. Plus I need to organize things as before you know it will be Sunday and I’ll be taking down camp ⛺.

Solar noon 🌞 is at 1:14 pm with sun having an altitude of 64.7° from the due south horizon (-6° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 2.8 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour 🏅 starts at 7:46 pm with the sun in the west-northwest (288°). 📸 The sunset is in the west-northwest (295°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 8:25 pm after setting for 3 minutes and 11 seconds with dusk around 8:55 pm, which is one minute and 13 seconds earlier than yesterday. 🌇 The best time to look at the stars is after 9:36 pm. At sunset, look for partly clear skies 🌄 and temperatures around 69 degrees. The dew point will be 64 degrees. There will be a north breeze at 6 mph. Today will have 14 hours and 25 minutes of daytime, a decrease of 2 minutes and 16 seconds over yesterday.

Tonight will have a chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 7pm. Partly cloudy 🌥, with a low of 60 degrees at 6am. Two degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical night around August 20th. Maximum dew point of 64 at 6pm. North wind around 6 mph becoming west after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. In 2022, we had mostly clear skies. It was very sticky. It got down to 71 degrees. The record low of 43 occurred back in 1972.

Tomorrow will be mostly sunny 🌞, with a high of 74 degrees at 5pm. Nine degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around September 17th. Maximum dew point of 63 at 11am. North wind 5 to 10 mph. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies in the morning, which became thunderstorm by afternoon. It was very sticky. The high last year was 93 degrees. The record high of 99 was set in 1955.

Looking ahead to Sunday, mostly sunny, with a high near 81. ☀ Southeast wind around 6 mph. Maximum dew point of 62 at 8pm. Typical average high for the weekend is 83 degrees.

Looking ahead, there are 4 weeks until Average High 70 🎑 when the sun will be setting at 7:43 pm with dusk at 8:11 pm. On that day in 2022, we had mostly sunny, rain showers and temperatures between 73 and 55 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 79 degrees. We hit a record high of 96 back in 1953.

Mooreville Range