I was thinking the day after Columbus Day – today – was the day I started as a Researcher at the New York State Assembly. It both seems like yesterday but also so long ago. I had been previously lantern for then Assemblyman Joe Morelle as I was interested in tourism and recreation, but that now was a very long time ago – back in 2007.
Honestly, it’s been quite the trip, probably last for a lot longer then I expected but it’s been fascinating to work on many different parts of a communications organization – from research to coordinating communications to supervising research and now overseeing the data division. There have been many ups and downs, many memories, and a lot of knowledge and experience gained. After all, in a span of 18 years babies go from the womb to graduating High School. It’s a pretty long time period.
Indeed, while I need to work another 12 or 13 years to reach age 55 for early retirement, I might stick around a few years longer, I probably don’t have another 18 years left in my government career. But I am working to keep my mind and body physically fit so eventually I can plunge into the dream of off-grid living and homesteading full time. A life not about weekly garage pickup, television or high-speed internet in every room. A much more self-reliant life, not one of landfills and piles of coal ash – but instead composting, burning, recycling and minimizing trash, producing my own energy and much of my own food. Not some crazy woke scheme of electric cars and plastics recycling, but a life based on reality rather then escape.
But in the mean time, I am dedicated to improving the data division, building more ways to target constituents and member’s messages out. Improve and modernize processes, so digital communications can grow to esclipe traditional mail and phone communications. Get relevant client messages out to those who are interested. Learn a lot, build technological and management skills that I hope eventually can lead to a side hustle to help fund my homestead in my retirement years – as you still need some food, fuel, parts and equipment no matter how self-reliant you might be,
That was my thought or maybe counter thought as I was riding through the Conifer-Emporium Timber Easement and Horseshoe Wild Forest, exploring gated woods roads, ticking the miles off like they were nothing.
Bikes get you a lot farther and in less time than walking. But you see less up close, really the only time you see detail is when you stop. You might get epic views from a distant location and it’s wonderful how they extend your non-motorized range but you still miss a lot.
Before I got a bike back on the road, I missed exploring a lot of the neighborhood parks and preserves. Too close to be worthwhile to drive to but too far to walk to. I hate short drives – such a waste of fuel and unnecessary pollution in the city – but don’t think twice about driving two hours for a weekend in the wilderness.
I don’t have a set plan for today though I want to be back to camp by six o’clock this evening for the Save the Pine Bush Meeting via Zoom from Horseshoe Lake.
It’s kind of a nice thing that I’m not remote working from up here all day 🖥️ though I might be asked to write some SQL or cut some targets 🎯 today but I should be able to do that from my phone. No writing memos or cutting newsclips 📰 all day at shore of Horseshoe Lake during the pandemic. Can you believe that was five years ago?
Started the morning off with coffee ☕ and cranberry pancakes. 🥞 I’m already on my second big bag of cranberries for the trip. That and winter squash are part of the change of the seasons. I finished off the bread I baked 🍞 earlier in the week and while I could probably bake bread in my camp oven I have plenty of carbs with the rice and lentils I’ve been cooking.
Walked around Horseshoe ruins and along the railroad tracks this morning. 🚂 I know it’s an active rail line at this point, but alas it’s a scenic line and I doubt they’re running many trains mid week post peak foliage. 🍁 I did hear the train whistle yesterday but that was Columbus Day and saw a Canadian Pacific bogie inspecting the tracks yesterday but I figure it’s not a high speed line so I can quickly jump off the tracks if I hear the rumble of the train.
Yesterday I rode back to Camp Sabbatist Road and almost the Boy Scouts Camp 🚴 along Upper Dam Road, hiked Lows Ledge, and poked around a bit after the rain. 🌧️ Today if it clears up, I’ll put the kayak back on my truck and drive Red 🛻 over to the Lower Dam and go for a paddle. I’m right on Horseshoe Lake but I want to paddle some of Lows Lake at least when it’s warm. 🛶 All depends on how quickly the conditions improve as the day goes on. Also want to ride back to Pine Pond first and maybe along Horseshoe Lake. I don’t have detailed plans, just explore what strikes my fancy the next two days – Thursday it’s north to the Tupper Lake then the St. Regis Canoe Area. Tomorrow promises more sun ☀️ but cold with a breeze so maybe not the best day to be out on the water
Fifteen years ago I bitched on said blog about rough old NY 421. Then in 2020, I drove back to Horseshoe Lake and didn’t think it was that bad but I guess both of the bad times were when I drove old pickups with shit suspensions. It was good to Veterans Camp – brand new asphalt but the rest of the road was complete shit down to ten or 20 miles per hour. Didn’t break anything on Red but you can’t be careful enough in the wilderness all alone.
Rain let up then stopped, I finished lunch and hung out for a bit then rode up to Lows Upper Dam then most of the way to the Boy Scouts Camp Sabbatist – not sure if technically that dirt road allows mountain bikes – the no bikes signs are confusing at Upper Dam. Turned around as I wanted enough time to hike Lows Ledge. Walked down the portage trail and looked around at Lows Lower Lake – going to paddle that tomorrow.
Did a quick hike up Lows Ledge and took in the view and some good colors in part and took a puff of the magic dragon. Been sitting hoping to see the Adirondack Scenic Train passing through the Bog River Flow but it seems like I’ll run out of daylight before then even though I heard the train whistle. Beautiful up here but I better go with less than a hour until sunset on this cloudy day. I have lights on my bike but I don’t want to hike down the ledge in the dark!
As The Fairport Convention sings, Where Does the Time Go?
