Seneca Lake

Good morning! Happy Sunday. Final day of vacation, plan to make the most of it. Summer not expected to last. Five weeks to Average High 70 . Partly cloudy and 73 degrees at the Watkins Glen State Park. There is a south-southeast breeze at 6 mph. . The dew point is 62 degrees.

The morning started out chilly but the clouds parted. I made up coffee and finished up the muffins. I am surprisingly less hung over then expected, I had a few Genesee’s with dinner last night and they’re the kind of beer you drink when you are having more than one.

Sat back, paused briefly then made a final video of my campsite. I find it hard to believe that I’ve been camping here for 8 nights and nine days, it seems like I just set things up yesterday. I think camping here in one site all week made the time go by faster.

All packed up, site is clean and after visiting a few more places in the Finger Lakes it will be back home. My goal is to be home by dusk . I am not terribly worried about getting unpacked tonight although I’ll need to grab the cooler and empty that out , grab my clothes and unpack things like razors and toothbrush.

I am going to go for a swim once the pool opens. I wanted to be here early in case the lot filled up with social distancing. Seneca Lake looked so calm this morning, I was tempted to go for a paddle but with things heating up the wind is picking up. This afternoon I want to explore Catharine Creek Marsh some more wildlife observation this time with binoculars. I could go for a paddle later. I don’t know though time is limited but I made sure to leave the sleeping pad so I could get the kayak off my truck if choose. Then starting to head home, I want to visit Danby State Forest and check the overlook out there.

Today will be partly sunny , with a high of 81 degrees at 3pm. Typical for today. Maximum dew point of 62 at 10am. Southeast wind 6 to 8 mph. A year ago, we had partly cloudy skies in the morning, which became thunderstorm by afternoon. It became sticky as the day progressed. The high last year was 81 degrees. The record high of 97 was set in 1936.

Solar noon is at 1:13 pm with sun having an altitude of 61.2° from the due south horizon (-9.7° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 3.3 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 (283°). The sunset is in the west-northwest (289°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 8:08 pm after setting for 3 minutes and 3 seconds with dusk around 8:36 pm, which is one minute and 28 seconds earlier than yesterday. The best time to look at the stars is after 9:15 pm. At sunset, look for partly cloudy skies and temperatures around 74 degrees. The dew point will be 61 degrees. There will be a south-southeast breeze at 6 mph. Today will have 13 hours and 50 minutes of daytime, a decrease of 2 minutes and 32 seconds over yesterday.

I thought it was a pretty good week, with about the best weather one could hope for during these times. Everything was a bit off and the wood full of people during these times of social distancing. It’s really good that people are getting outside and enjoying nature but I do miss the solitude especially around Foster Pond – the nights star gazing with no one else around. While my campsite was far back from the road and quite remote, every time I hiked in the woods it didn’t seem quite as quiet as years past. While I’d be pressed to say that I couldn’t find solitude but things just weren’t like years past.

The Finger Lakes are a very different place than the Adirondacks. I think it’s a fun summer place, a lot lighter and more relaxing than the Adirondacks. Everything in the Adirondacks is much more touristy, while the Finger Lakes are more rural and the gas stations and groceries aren’t so overpriced as they are up north. The smell of the silage and grass, the gentle mooing of the cows is a nice change.

There are definitely a lot of places on my list I’ve gotten to see this week and enjoy that would have otherwise been overlooked. I think it’s good to think outside of the box and look for new places to visit in the same general area I’ve been before but previously overlooked.

One of my annoyances that seems to be a problem all over this year is the amount of litter dumped in the woods. Seems like this week there is a growing pile of trash dumped at Foster Pond, the same is true for the campsite on Backbone Trail. Now I’m not calling for more jack booted thugs to unsuccessfully patrol the woods and stop dumping but folks should be more responsible. You can’t stop people who want to dump trash when no one is looking.

Bring your gawd damn deposit cans back for the nickle. Bring your aluminum foil, cans and glass home for the recycling bin , it’s not that much trash if you smash it. Chances are your having a fire so you can burn the rest of the largely burnable packaging , just make sure to pack out anything that doesn’t fully become smoke or water vapor. And bury your poop and toilet paper deep in the woods. Personal responsibility not jack booted thugs.

If people want to drink and have a little fun in the woods then good for them. Public lands are for the publics use but they shouldn’t trash them. I had my fun but my campsite was cleaner than when I got there – I cleaned up abandoned fire pits, removed bottle caps and made sure things were generally more organized than when I got here.

I am hoping by next summer things will be a bit quieter and back to normal. Been such an odd summer and while I’ve made the most of it I could see doing some things differently next year. I’d like to spend some time in Pennsylvania, maybe later this autumn. Yeah, while New York rednecks are fun, Pennsylvania rednecks are more fun as they have more guns and everybody out in the country burns their trash and everything else that burns from brush piles to old mobile homes.

Continuing to read that book about hog farming. There is a lot I didn’t know about pigs, they are kind of fascinating creatures. I figured start my summer reading program with cattle, then pigs and maybe then goats and chickens . Pigs are a lot more accessible to a beginning homesteader than cattle plus they can do a lot to help restore rocky worn out soils as can often be found in areas with affordable acreage. I’m sure that’s why North Country Off Grid makes pigs such a big part of his homestead in North Idaho. Plus bacon .

I am thinking about getting a clip on telephoto lens for my smartphone . I am quite happy with the quality of the photos my phone takes but I would like to be able to zoom in closer to wildlife. They aren’t really expensive either.

Tonight will have a chance of showers, mainly after midnight. Mostly cloudy , with a low of 62 degrees at 5am. Two degrees above normal. Maximum dew point of 61 at 7pm. South wind around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible. In 2019, we had mostly clear skies in the evening, which became cloudy by the early hours of the morning. It became very sticky as the night progressed. It got down to 67 degrees. The record low of 40 occurred back in 1979.

Today in 1916, the Migratory Bird Treaty between Canada and the United States signed. It was designed to save Migratory Birds by giving them international protection for the first time by placing limits on hunting and other means of taking. Good day for walking in the marsh.

In 1989, a solar flare from the Sun creates a geomagnetic storm that affects micro chips, leading to a halt of all trading on Toronto’s stock market.

Also, in 1993, Debian Linux is announced, it would become the basis of many forms of Linux like Ubuntu Linux, which is currently what I run on my home computer.

And in 1966, the House Un-American Activities Committee begins investigations of Americans who have aided the Viet Cong. The committee intends to introduce legislation making these activities illegal. Anti-war demonstrators disrupt the meeting and 50 people are arrested.

Looking ahead, there are 5 weeks until Average High 70 when the sun will be setting at 7:07 pm with dusk at 7:35 pm. On that day in 2019, we had partly sunny, patches of fog and temperatures between 79 and 42 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 71 degrees. We hit a record high of 90 back in 1946.

Good afternoon! Cloudy, a few rain drops and 84 degrees at Rock Cut Road in Watkins Glen. There is a southeast breeze at 9 mph. . The dew point is 63 degrees. The skies will clear around 4 pm.

Final full day in the Finger Lakes. I know I shouldn’t be labor that point as it is only going to make the time go by faster. But truth be told this has been the most odd trip, trying to keep a lower profile and avoid crowded spots with the pandemic smoldering all around. I tried to maintain social distancing and wear a mask – well a hillbilly mask that is so popular in these small towns of a banada tied around the face. If it works for dusty hay barns and ATV riders it should work for ol Corona.

Started out the day laying in the hammock, finally enjoying my coffee and muffins. I have to say I’m very glad I had coffee this morning. And I bought more blueberry muffins from Wally World to go with it. I’ll go back to healthier eating when I get home, as calories don’t count on vacation.

Truth be told the reason why the days go by so quickly is I’ve hardly been very motivated to get an early start. I stay up late and then sleep in and then spend a good portion of the morning laying back in hammock most day relaxing before I get out and doing things, returning only around dusk. But I like lazy mornings on vacation, I enjoy a good book.

Started reading that book on hog farming continuing to further my education on livestock raising for my future homestead. It was totally Cam Edwards podcast that got me into pigs, than furthered by the North Country Off Grid YouTube channel. It poured after lunch so I ended up cutting back my ambitious plans for the day and reading from the truck cap.

Now I’m out exploring Catherine Marsh trails and Rock Cut Road I missed previously when I was in Watkins Glen. The Marsh looks so inviting when your heading down to Watkins Glen on NY 79. I just wish they had better maps of the area. I could probably make my own and post them to the blog.

This afternoon will have isolated showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny , with a high of 85 degrees at 3pm. Four degrees above normal. Maximum dew point of 63 at 3pm. Southeast wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies in the morning, which became rain by afternoon. It became humid as the day progressed. The high last year was 83 degrees. The record high of 96 was set in 1959.

Solar noon is at 1:13 pm with sun having an altitude of 61.5° from the due south horizon (-9.4° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 3.3 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour starts at 7:31 pm with the sun in the west-northwest (283°). The sunset is in the west-northwest (290°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 8:10 pm after setting for 3 minutes and 3 seconds with dusk around 8:38 pm, which is one minute and 27 seconds earlier than yesterday. The best time to look at the stars is after 9:17 pm. At sunset, look for rain and thunderstorms and temperatures around 74 degrees. The dew point will be 62 degrees. There will be a south-southeast breeze at 7 mph. Today will have 13 hours and 52 minutes of daytime, a decrease of 2 minutes and 31 seconds over yesterday.

I am thinking maybe a final swim at the Watkins Glen pool this afternoon late after the crowds filter out. Always very quiet at the pool after 5 pm when most folks are eating dinner. It all depends on how long my hike goes. I might instead try to do some paddling on the marsh especially if thunderstorms close the pool but aren’t nearby.

Tonight will have a chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 9pm. Mostly cloudy , with a low of 65 degrees at 6am. Five degrees above normal. Maximum dew point of 64 at 10pm. South wind 5 to 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. In 2019, we had mostly clear skies in the evening, which became partly cloudy by the early hours of the morning. It was humid. It got down to 63 degrees. The record low of 41 occurred back in 1972.

How safe has the trip been? Gawd, I don’t know. I did wash my hands the best I could . Certainly Watkins Glen brings people from throughout the world and you certainly did see license plates from Texas and Ohio but probably less than you would have seen on an ordinary year. But I needed a vacation , a chance to truly get away from it all for a week. Hopefully it won’t end up on a respirator or dead. I still have a lot of life to live, a lot of guns to buy, a lot of land, livestock and toys to own – so yeah I don’t want to die for many more years. So I’m doing everything I can to stay safe while enjoying life.

Maybe someday when I own my off-grid homestead I’ll have much less desire to travel but with my moldy apartment in city and all the problems of urban living it’s good to get away. Plus it’s going to be a busy next three months at work, even if it is remote work, I’m supervising and moving forward a lot of different campaigns.

In 1969, the Woodstock Music Festival Opens on Max Yasgur’s dairy farm in Bethel, much to the distaste of his neighbors and fellow community members. Yasgur operated the largest dairy farm in Sullivan County , he was forced out of the business a few years later in part because of people refusing to buy his milk but also because he suffered enormous crop losses during 1969 and 1970 when the droughts of earlier years turned into enormous flooding and soggy farm fields. Plus he had the mess to clean up from Woodstock that was left over.

On this day in 1970, President Richard Nixon completes the break from the gold standard by ending convertibility of the United States dollar into gold by foreign investors. People said that laid to inflation and a growing gap between the rich and the poor but I think all the evidence suggests the Gold Bugs are wrong. The end of the pegging was a result of existing inflationary pressures and a rapidly growing economy.

There are 2 months until Average High is 60 when the sun will be setting at 6:24 pm with dusk at 6:53 pm. The average high temperature is 32 degrees, with a record high of 61 in 1895.