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.
The lord has risen and children have learned lifelong unhealthy habits with fistfuls of overly sweet chocolate, once granted to celebrate the end of lent but now mostly because its good for the marketers profits.
Sunny and 47 degrees at the Rensselaerville State Forest. 🌞 There is a north-northwest breeze at 6 mph. 🍃. Finally not so cold the day I’m taking down camp. ⛺ The relaxed breeze really helps with the warmth of the sun.
I took camp down and walked back to the Hillcross Farm Parcel of Rennselearville State Forest. 🏞 Just to spend more time taking in the mountains ⛰ and pulling ticks off my body. Between today and yesterday I have pretty much fully explored the new state land and feel fairly confident I can make some really nice maps up. 🗺
Yesterday turned out to be much colder than I certainly expected. 🌬️ Sunny but gusty winds made it difficult for it to get warm. The sun angle is high as we are in April but the melting snow and moisture from the wet ground made it quite chilly. Friday’s red flag 🚩 warning ⚠ was a joke out in this country but then again I was less than a mile from the end of the Red Flag zone. But Friday was super windy for sure, even worse than today.
Besides hiking all around Hillcross Farm Parcel yesterday 🐦 I also hiked out to the Mount Pisgah Hill overlooking more of the Catskills. And that definitely is a hill to climb. It’s just impressive looking as you head up the summit.
More healthy, delicious camp meals yesterday. 🐠 Salmon, brown rice, lentils, asparagus, onions and broccoli 🥦 for dinner. I broke out the blueberries I bought as a midday snack and finished off the yogurt with them. It was warm and less windy last night so the fire 🔥 I had was nice.
When I camp, I always like to have a fresh supply of fish, meat, vegetables, milk and cheese. I’ve long used two coolers in the warmest part of summer, one for drinks like bee, and condiments that are less critical to stay cold, and one for milk and meat which must remain cold for the weekend but only will be opened occasionally over the trip.
This year, I am changing a few things….
Old Plastic Coffee Containers rather then Milk Jugs The coffee containers when snapped shut, generally do not leak water at all. They do “sweat” from the moisture being attracted to the cold, but they don’t leak or leave the bottom of the cooler swamped with water.
Salt-Water rather then Regular Water
Salt water freezes at a lower temperature then regular water. That means more energy is stored in the water, which means it will thaw out slower, drawing more energy out of the surrounding foods, keeping them cooler longer then they would otherwise be, ensuring that even on the hottest long-summer weekends, the coolers will remain cold.
I am the kind of person who often over estimates costs and underestimates income and revenues. I tend to take a very conservative approach to life, I’m always worried about the worse case scenario maybe a bit too much. Catastrophizing.
Inflation is a bit of an annoyance now but my real concern is how much it is stealing from my future. Every dollar I spend now on more more expensive gas and food is a dollar that I don’t have for my future to grow and eventually buy the big things I want – land, equipment, animals. And the thing is I’m particularly hard hit by inflation because I drive a big jacked up truck and food because I have very basic tastes.
I see inflation every time go to the grocery store, gas up or wash my truck. Everything just seems like it’s getting more expensive. Even recycling at the transfer station is more these days. I make a lot more money than just a few years ago, but I don’t make that extra money to just blow it on today’s inflated prices. I want to save it for a better tomorrow.
Truth be told, my bimonthly savings and investments have been good over the past decade. Things have grown well, much faster than the rate of inflation. Some very well. But it’s getting harder to beat inflation and get good returns with prices going up so quickly. Years ago I bought some energy stocks but stopped adding to it after many years of lackluster growth and endless yearly taxable dividend payments. I probably also keep too much in ordinary “high–er” interest savings and CDs but I want to have something to fall back on should I lose my job, get seriously injured or need to junk my truck.
Lately I’ve cut out all but essential trips like visiting my elderly parents once a week and a one a week drive to the grocery store. In March I drove all of 116 miles, walking 178 miles and riding city buses 278 miles. I’ve had the heat off for several weeks, I avoid having the lights on at night and unplug everything when not in use.
I’ve done the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and even tried lentils. I’m not a big fan of lentils – they’re such a yuppie food and kind of stinky too boot. I mean their not bad, and pretty cheap but by the time you add spices they’re not a big savings. I’d rather just do ordinary pasta. I rarely eat meat and while I’m a big fan of dairy, it just gets harder and harder to cut food expenses especially when even bulk packages at Walmart are increasing in prices.
Ultimately, I do have faith that my variety of investments will grow faster than inflation. Even as I grumble at the grocery store, I’m living within my means even if at times the budget is tight. Lately it hasn’t been quite as crunched although when I start traveling more come summer, costs will escalate. I’m a lot better off than many and if I stay the course, live frugally, a better tomorrow will come even if inflation poses challenges today.
I had the same thought yesterday. Really it figures. That said I’m hopeful by afternoon it will be quite nice, the high sun angle and bright sun helps a lot.
Kind of looking forward to that warmer weather and sleeping 😴 with the windows open again. I’ll have to get the fan out and put away the electric blanket for the season though we could still have a few more cold nights in the second half of the month.
Today. Feels like …
March 8th.
Sunny.
North wind around 11 mph.
and
42 degrees
,
7:31
sunset.
Tonight. Feels like …
February 25th.
Mostly clear.
North wind around 7 mph.
and
20 degrees
,13 max wind chill,
6:24
sunrise.
Sunday. Feels like …
March 19th.
Sunny.
North wind 6 to 8 mph.
and
46 degrees
,
7:32
sunset.
Sunday Night. Feels like …
March 10th.
Clear.
Northwest wind around 7 mph becoming west after midnight.
Slower start to my Saturday then predicted due to the wind. If I had to choose I’d prefer the cold to the wind.
Sunny and a cold 28 degrees at the Rensselaerville State Forest. 🌞 There is a north-northwest breeze at 11 mph. 🍃. The sun is great and making a lot of solar power but the wind sucks.
It’s just cold this morning, 🌬️ though certainly not as bad as mid afternoon last week, when the winds were whipping around at 20-30 mph and howling at times closer to 50 mph.
It’s werid, I hiked 11 1/2 miles today but it felt like a lazy day, hiding out from the wind. 🚶I got an early start which helped a lot, because yesterday morning wasn’t nearly as windy and cold as this morning.
I did see a bald eagle 🦅 up close overhead and a massive buck. And the usual, red headed woodpecker, two mallard on one of the wet areas that wasn’t frozen, tufted titmouse, blue jay, boring old robin.
Still a lot of snow in places, 🌨 at least six inches in protected north slopes, quite muddy but less so by evening with the strong winds and low humidity. Farm boots 👢 vare essential for walking a lot of trails. Campsite was one big soft mud and puddle on Thursday, but it’s dried up a lot today. ⛺
Made some really good meals with asparagus (one of my favorite vegetables), and other yummy things. 🍲 After dark the wind died down and the ground was still quite wet so had a small fire, coals smothered before bed with snow and ice. 🔥
I’m glad I was lucky 🍀 enough to get Good Friday off, as I probably wouldn’t have gotten the drive in campsite I wanted had I come Friday after work as somebody else is camping 🏕 a mile up the road from me. Friday was cold, especially the blustery afternoon but a day in the wilderness beats a day in the city.
I was thinking about hiking over Kenyan Road to Fox Creek Road to the Mount Pisgah Overlook today but it seems rather cold and windy. ❄ I’ll see how much things warm up as the day progreses I guess. Maybe do some more protected hikes in the woods and hollows where it’s less windy.
Picked the coldest part of the week to go camping. 🏕
I didn’t choose based on the weather forecast but the calendar 🗓 and the days I had off from work. Fire danger is only going to get worse as the week progreses though I expect the green up 🌸 to occur this week in the city. I’m thinking next weekend I’ll plan on going to Five Rivers or maybe another hike to Hollyhock Audubon Sanctuary and maybe Blodgett Hill to get in 20 miles again.
Planning to walk ten miles today and then before the wind and clouds push in head back to camp ⛺ and either lay in the hammock and read 📖 or do the same in the truck. Looks like the sun is out early on which with the high sun angle should help to charge the truck batteries 🔋 well.
Today. Feels like …
March 5th.
Partly sunny.
Breezy, with a northwest wind 21 to 23 mph, with gusts as high as 34 mph.
