Balsam Swamp is a sprawling state forest that stretches almost 5.5 miles east-west across 4 towns. The area is very rural, and the landscape surrounding the State Forest is predominantly forested. Balsam Swamp State Forest is comprised of a mix of native hardwood forests, hemlock swamps, and conifer plantations. There are no designated recreational trails on the forest, but there is ample opportunity for self-guided day hikes to explore the diversity of habitats represented on this State Forest. Additionally, the western section of Balsam Swamp State Forest is adjacent to Five Streams State Forest to the south.
The main attraction of this forest is Balsam Pond. The impoundment is approximately 152 acres and is a popular destination for fishing and paddle boat sports. Balsam Pond is a warm water fishery that contains a mix of largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, chain pickerel, yellow perch, brown bullhead and sunfish. Tiger muskellunge have been stocked in the past with the last stocking occurring in 1995. However, there have been very few reports of anglers catching any of the adult tiger muskies. A shallow gravel boat launch is suitable for launching small fishing boats.
A small rustic camp ground is also located at Balsam Pond. Camping spaces are available at no cost on a first-come, first-serve basis and there is no running water or electricity. A fire ring, outhouse, and picnic table are provided for each camping space. A sign on Balsam-Tyler Road in Pharsalia designates the entrance to the boat launch and camping facility. This is a carry-in carry-out facility. Please do not litter.
Somebody said that to me the other day as they frequently see me riding back and forth to work on Erie Boulevard.
I don’t think Erie Boulevard is that dangerous to ride compared to other city streets like Madison Avenue but I understand people’s concern, especially as the news media always makes a big deal about fatal bicycle crashes but rarely automobile crashes.
I would argue the health benefits to riding to work far exceed any risk of getting hit, especially if the crash is fatal. Feeling good and being healthy now is more important than the risk of death. Diseases that kill you slowly like obesity and diabetes are far more harmful to a life than a fatal crash which is likely to be immediate.
I’ve been bicycle commuting long enough to know all the danger points in my commute and I either try to avoid them or use extra caution by looking twice, reducing speed, and making sure I have good sight lines and visibility on my bike.
A lot of people don’t understand that the Eastern, Western and Texas grids all operate at slightly different frequencies, they are non synchronized.
This is the same reason you can’t plug a gasoline generator into your wall outlet and not blow a fuse when you are connected to the power grid. The phases will conflict.
Residential solar connected to the grid uses a specialized grid – tie inverter which ensures that the output of panel matches the sine wave exactly.
So it’s impossible to move alternating current between the different grids. So it’s not like they can just build ordinary power lines to connect the seperate grids. They do move some power between the grids using converted high voltage direct current but that’s expensive and complicated to do, so it’s only done occasionally.
And now some lyrics that Natalie Merchant and later Joan Baez made famous… Where in hell can you go Far from the things that you know Far from the sprawl of concrete That keeps crawling its way About 1,000 miles a day?
Take one last look behind Commit this to memory and mind Don’t miss this wasteland, this terrible place When you leave Keep your heart off your sleeve
“Whoever has made a voyage up the Hudson must remember the Kaatskill mountains. They are a dismembered branch of the great Appalachian family, and are seen away to the west of the river, swelling up to a noble height, and lording it over the surrounding country. Every change of season, every change of weather, indeed, every hour of the day produces some change in the magical hues and shapes of these mountains; and they are regarded by all the good wives, far and near, as perfect barometers. When the weather is fair and settled, they are clothed in blue and purple, and print their bold outlines on the clear evening sky; but sometimes, when the rest of the landscape is cloudless, they will gather a hood of gray vapors about their summits, which, in the last rays of the setting sun, will glow and light up like a crown of glory.”
There are two Deer Rivers in the North Country of New York.
Deer River – a tributary of St. Regis River– This river starts at the Deer River Flow, generally flowing north east to the Saint Regis River, through Deer River State Forest and Brasher Falls.
Deer River – a tributary of Black River – This river starts about 3 miles of Barnes Corners, north of Sears Pond State Forest, enters a deep gorge near Lookout State Forest, flows through Copenhagen and the village of Deer River.
