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.
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.
Overcast and 72 degrees at the Finger Lakes National Forest. ☁️ There is a south breeze at 10 mph. 🍃. The dew point is 60 degrees. The skies will clear tomorrow around 11 am.
Tent camping tonight ⛺ as none of the campsites I have wanted were available. It was kind of a hazy, gray day, I went to both Montezuma and the Audabon Center but all the birds 🐦 I saw were pretty common as it was mid day. Wasn’t a bad day, and I’m on vacation but not a real great day either.
The best thing I did today was just distracted myself, 🤹🏻♂️ and ignored my anxiety. My fears are not grounded in reality, they are actually largely irrational. Things are pretty good when I’m not stuck in that really bad mind loop ➿ cycle I’ve been stuck in lately. Continuing to work with Lynne on the Pine Bush problem, we are getting closer on crafting the right message.
I might camp here the rest of the week ⛺ or I might move somewhere else. I doubt I’ll go all the way to the Allegheny National Forest. Could I go down to Wellsboro for a few nights? Maybe but I am no fan of camp ground camping even when it’s primative. I like my privacy 🔏.
I took a handful of pictures today 📸 but I’ve decided to no longer take pictures of places I’ve been before unless I see something new or unique, or have a better way to capture things. My blog has gotten so bloated lately.
