John Boyd Thacher State Park

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John Boyd Thacher State Park, is situated along the Helderberg Escarpment, one of the richest fossil-bearing formations in the world. Even as it safeguards six miles of limestone cliff-face, rock-strewn slopes, woodland and open fields, the park provides a marvelous panorama of the Hudson-Mohawk Valleys and the Adirondack and Green Mountains. The park has volleyball courts, playgrounds, ball fields and numerous picnic areas with nine reservable shelters. Interpretive programs are offered year-round, including guided tours of the famous Indian Ladder Trail. There are over 25 additional miles of trails for summer hiking and mountain biking, and winter cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, and snowmobiling.

http://nysparks.com/parks/128/

Weather Update – July 2, 2022

Andy | July 2, 2022

Hot and humid today 😰

Then relief for the second half of the weekend but with lots of sun. Probably much nicer for hiking tomorrow. And maybe hammock camping to be decided.

Really too far to know for sure about next weekend but I’m hoping for equally nice or better weather for up north. I really want some really sweltering weather to spend at the Potholers. Or maybe I could go somewhere else. I don’t know if the road to White House NY reopened but while scenic I’m not that big of a fan of it.

Today. Feels like … June 23rd.	A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly between 2pm and 3pm. Partly sunny. West wind around 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. and	81 degrees	, 67 max dew point,	8:39 sunset.
Tonight. Feels like … June 26th.	Partly cloudy. West wind 5 to 7 mph. and	60 degrees	,	5:21 sunrise.
Sunday. Feels like … June 15th.	Sunny. West wind 7 to 11 mph. and	79 degrees	, 52 max dew point,	8:39 sunset.
Sunday Night. Feels like … June 11th.	Mostly clear. West wind 3 to 8 mph. and	56 degrees	,	5:21 sunrise.
Independence Day. Feels like … June 27th.	Sunny. West wind 3 to 7 mph. and	82 degrees	, 54 max dew point,	8:38 sunset.
Monday Night. Feels like … July 2nd.	A chance of showers and thunderstorms between 2am and 5am, then a chance of showers after 5am. Mostly cloudy. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. and	61 degrees	, 58 max dew point,	5:22 sunrise.
Tuesday. Feels like … June 11th.	A chance of showers, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 2pm. Mostly cloudy. Chance of precipitation is 60%. and	78 degrees	, 66 max dew point,	8:38 sunset.
Tuesday Night. Feels like … July 10th.	Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 8pm, then a chance of showers between 8pm and 2am. Mostly cloudy. Chance of precipitation is 60%. and	62 degrees	, 65 max dew point,	5:23 sunrise.
Wednesday. Feels like … June 19th.	Mostly sunny. and	80 degrees	, 62 max dew point,	8:38 sunset.
Wednesday Night. Feels like … June 22nd.	Partly cloudy. and	59 degrees	,	5:23 sunrise.
Thursday. Feels like … June 19th.	Mostly sunny. and	80 degrees	, 59 max dew point,	8:37 sunset.
Thursday Night. Feels like … July 10th.	A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy. Chance of precipitation is 30%. and	62 degrees	, 59 max dew point,	5:24 sunrise.
Friday. Feels like … June 15th.	A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny. Chance of precipitation is 30%. and	79 degrees	, 63 max dew point,	8:37 sunset.

Daily Update – July 2, 2022

Andy | July 2, 2022

Good morning! Independence Day weekend! 🇺🇸

Maybe it would have been nice to head out to town for the long weekend but work didn’t wrap up until after 8 pm, I didn’t have the coolers packed and I needed groceries, plus it is a holiday weekend so I figured the best campsites fill early.

Partly cloudy and 75 degrees at John Boyd Thacher State Park. 🌦️ Occasional rain showers, very humid. There is a west breeze at 7 mph. 🍃. The dew point is 67 degrees. The skies will clear around 11 am.

It was such a long and miserable day yesterday, 🤮 just hours and hours waiting around until that gun bill got started and New Yorkers got to start to learn what second amendment rights 🔫 they were loosing based on a law negotiated in complete secrecy under the cover of darkness. Twitter and the reporters had no idea – and I doubt 🤷‍♂️ even the lobbyists knew as insiders like myself had no idea. Wrecked any hopes of getting out of town early for me, not the it’s a banner weather day today. 🌦️ Showers about, very humid.

Today I’m out walking 🚶 and exploring Thacher Park. 🏞 The bus is free although I much preferred the schedule last year when it ran weekly on the hour so. This year it is far less frequent and I have to get the bus from Slingerlands which is far less nice than Five Rivers. 🐸 But it’s still free. Not as popular as the old service though. Very hazy today.

Tomorrow I’m heading out to Rennselear County to hike 🚶 and possibly hammock camp. 😴 Nothing is set in stone but I have packed maps and have a plan. 🗺 Nights are short now, though might be buggy but I might pack a bed sheet to cover me in the hammock. I also want to get some sparklers ✨ and fountains to shoot off the next time I’m in the woods. Do a late four of July celebration.

Next weekend I’ll probably head up north to the Potholers and do a long weekend. ☺ A lot depends on the forecast but I hope to leave fairly early on Friday and take off the following Monday. I have a pre-poll memo 📝 to review next week but I’m hoping to do it before I leave.

Is abortion really that good of an issue for Democrats?

Andy | July 1, 2022

Is abortion really that good of an issue for Democrats?

There is conventional wisdom that says that the overturning of Roe v. Wade is good news for democrats come the 2022 elections. With everything else going wrong, choice might be the issue that gets non-political, infrequently voting voters out to the polls and voting.

But that logic may be wrong. For one, do occasional, in other words non-political voters think much about abortion? Even women probably don’t give a lot of thought about abortion – it’s not something that effects every day life much unless of course your sexually active, and only then if contraception fails, the pregnancy is successful and you don’t want a child. Not that such a decision is an uncommon situation but it’s not an every day one.

Indigestion over the evening news is real and can motivate people to vote, and certainly many actively pro-choice political people will be motivated to vote. But so will pro-life people. Now is the time states can implement effective pro life measures, after all, if the right people are elected. But it might be a wash, as most of those people already do vote. Most people aren’t vercious news consumers and probably don’t really have particularly strong opinions one way or another.

Abortion will probably excite both the Democratic and Republican bases this year. Just like the rash of gun restrictions passed in the wake of the latest mass shootings. But will ordinary non-political people care? Maybe some will but truth be told most of them have long ago made up their minds.

Silenced 🤫

Andy | June 30, 2022

Silenced 🤫

Increasingly I find myself enjoying weekends away from the social media in places where I lack cell service and can listen to podcasts, read and write without the constant pull of social media.

Every time I head out to the mountains now, I deactivate my Facebook account to avoid the pings when I return to cell service. I also disable the mobile service to ensure that I get no emails or messages, lest I ping a cell tower somewhere in the woods.

While I bring my phone with me and use it for music and podcasts – and jotting down my thoughts, I like the respite from the internet.