Topics

A variety of maps, writings, and photos on a various topics that can’t easily be categorized into a county or place.

You SMOKE – Immediate Disapproval 🚭

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Frank Zappa wasn’t wrong when he said campaigns against smoking were a bunch of yuppies doing what these days we would call their WOKE campaigns. For a lot of liberals admitting to smoking anything is tantamount to treason, a poor soul hopelessly addicted to nicotine or THC, forever sentencing themselves to poor breathing, lung cancer, heart disease and death. You’re a sick puppy! You need help. You’re going to die. How sad!

It’s 2024, there is nobody who hasn’t seen the research and campaigns against smoking. They know the risks. They’re not stupid and most are not addicted – and even if they feel addicted there are all kinds of government and health insurance subsidized programs to overcome addiction. Many quite affordable especially compared to smoking. But we enjoy it.

Smoking tobacco and cannabis has its risks and rewards. People wouldn’t smoke if it wasn’t pleasurable. Tobacco smoke has a rich flavor, cannabis makes you feel relaxed, and engaged in the world around you. Both are enjoyable in the evening around a campfire with a cold beer. Harmful yes but you only have so much time in this world to seek enjoyment.

The research on the dangers of smoking anything are quite clear it’s the number of years smoked that is far greater concern than the amount smoked. That’s why cutting back or lite cigarettes don’t really have much health benefits but quiting for good does. So that’s something to consider before that occasional deep breath in. On the other hand, things like a healthy diet and exercise are far more important to a long quality life then an occasional smoke.

At least liberals don’t disapprove of cannabis, even if they are condemning of anyone smoking it with the carbon monoxide and tars coating the lungs. And I’m not sure I liberals are just as disapproving of the fact that I also burn plastic and paper trash, drive a big jacked up truck and own some guns but not nearly enough! Of course, conservatives probably think of me as some kind of perverted do nothing hippie for enjoying a few puffs up in the wilderness.

Rocking into Labor Day 🎧

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Cream’s White Room is a pretty good song as I look at the clouds as the sparkles of yesterday float away as a good memory. It was fun day, riding over twenty miles in Perkins Clearing and then hiking back to Spruce Lake in the West Canada Lake Wilderness.

If I didn’t have to work tomorrow 🌤️ and I was starting a new employee and had meetings downtown I would be like this is such a nice day to look at the clouds from my hammock and notice all the shapes and shadows. Cool morning but beautiful. Eggs 🥚 for breakfast this morning and reheated some coffee ☕. Already need to think about taking down camp as I want to get to Speculator to ride the Speculator Tree Farm short loop before heading home.

It was an amazing sunset 🌇 last night after I got back to camp 🏕 after my day full of adventure and riding, and probably the last time floating in the tube ⭕ for the year. I figure it’s going to get cool quickly especially the way September is starting out. Hard to imagine it’s already Labor Day and the second day of the month. School 🚸 traffic returns this week but hopefully by riding the bike 🚲 to work I’ll miss the worse of the traffic. Cars might crowd the roads but they won’t crowd the bike trail. That said on nice mornings the trail gets congested, especially nice autumn mornings. 🍂

It’s hard to imagine it’s now September and autumn. 🍁 Silage chopping season I’m sure is underway in the high country. 🚜 I’m thinking about autumn camping at Rennselaerville State Forest and friday’s remote working from there. Also thinking about a trip to Madison County as that is a fun place to go in the autumn. 🏕 I think it would be fun to ride road and maybe trail at the horse 🐴 camp as a stoned poney on my mountain bike 🚵 during peak colors.

Rocking into Labor Day 🎧

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Cream’s White Room is a pretty good song as I look at the clouds as the sparkles of yesterday float away as a good memory. It was fun day, riding over twenty miles in Perkins Clearing and then hiking back to Spruce Lake in the West Canada Lake Wilderness.

If I didn’t have to work tomorrow 🌤️ and I was starting a new employee and had meetings downtown I would be like this is such a nice day to look at the clouds from my hammock and notice all the shapes and shadows. Cool morning but beautiful. Eggs 🥚 for breakfast this morning and reheated some coffee ☕. Already need to think about taking down camp as I want to get to Speculator to ride the Speculator Tree Farm short loop before heading home.

It was an amazing sunset 🌇 last night after I got back to camp 🏕 after my day full of adventure and riding, and probably the last time floating in the tube ⭕ for the year. I figure it’s going to get cool quickly especially the way September is starting out. Hard to imagine it’s already Labor Day and the second day of the month. School 🚸 traffic returns this week but hopefully by riding the bike 🚲 to work I’ll miss the worse of the traffic. Cars might crowd the roads but they won’t crowd the bike trail. That said on nice mornings the trail gets congested, especially nice autumn mornings. 🍂

It’s hard to imagine it’s now September and autumn. 🍁 Silage chopping season I’m sure is underway in the high country. 🚜 I’m thinking about autumn camping at Rennselaerville State Forest and friday’s remote working from there. Also thinking about a trip to Madison County as that is a fun place to go in the autumn. 🏕 I think it would be fun to ride road and maybe trail at the horse 🐴 camp as a stoned poney on my mountain bike 🚵 during peak colors.

Just got to do it!

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That was the advice of Homesteady’s Off Grid project. You’re never going to do it before you take the first step and follow the determined course no matter what setbacks you might face. Just do it, you don’t have forever.

Such simple words. But I want to be prepared. I want to have the necessary skills, the funds, and everything else before I step off the curb knowing that I can never go back. Truth is that is easier said then done.