There is a specific kind of heartbreak that only happens in April. You look out the window in your office, you see the sun flooding through the window, and watch the trees finally starting to bud against a brilliant blue sky. It looks like the perfect spring day—until you step outside.
Today was one of those “false starts.” Even with the sun shining, the mercury hit a wall at 48 degrees. Without the wind, it’s peaceful, but that lingering winter chill is still sharp enough to bite through a light jacket.
Instead of fighting the cold for a long sunset ride, I’m calling it early. The plan is simple: a direct ride home, a warm dinner, and an early night. Sometimes, the best way to enjoy a beautiful but freezing day is from the comfort of your own bedroom with a book.
The Good News? Tomorrow.
If the forecast holds, tomorrow evening is going to be the “real deal.” I’m already planning to head straight from the office to Five Rivers. There’s something restorative about that transition from the workday to the wild. The plan is to lose track of time—hiking the trails, finding a quiet spot to read, and just hanging out until the sky turns orange.
We’re officially in that glorious stretch where the days are getting longer. We are so close to those effortless, “no-jacket-required” evenings. For tonight, I’ll settle for the view from my window, knowing that the ride I’m waiting for is just 24 hours away.
Whether you’re creeping down a rocky trail or navigating a slippery incline with a heavy load, Ford’s Hill Descent Control (HDC) is like having a specialized cruise control for the way down. This feature takes the stress out of steep grades so you can focus on what matters: steering.
What is Hill Descent Control?
Hill Descent Control is a driver-assist feature that helps your Ford Super Duty maintain a set speed while driving down steep or uneven slopes. Instead of you constantly riding the brake pedal, the truck uses its traction control and anti-lock braking (ABS) systems to automatically pulse the brakes at individual wheels. This prevents wheel slip and keeps your descent smooth and controlled.
How to Use It
Getting HDC up and running is straightforward:
Activate: Press the Hill Descent Control button on your instrument panel (typically near the traction control button). You’ll see a light in the cluster and hear a chime to confirm it’s ready.
Set Speed: Once active, you can set your desired speed by using the accelerator or brake pedal to reach it, then let off. You can also use the steering wheel cruise control buttons to make fine adjustments.
Operating Range: The system typically maintains speeds between 2 and 12 mph (though it stays “armed” up to 20 mph). If you exceed 37-40 mph, the system will automatically disengage.
Why You’ll Love It
Off-Road Confidence: It’s a game-changer on gravel, snow, or mud where manual braking might cause tires to lock up and slide.
Towing Support: While primarily designed for off-road use, it can be a massive help when trailering, as it prevents a heavy load from “pushing” the truck downhill too fast.
Reduced Fatigue: By handling the constant brake modulation, it reduces the driver’s workload and fatigue during long, tricky descents.
During a similar campaign beginning in November 2023, the IRGC CEC-affiliated cyber threat actors known as "CyberAv3ngers” targeted U.S.-based PLCs and HMIs, causing disruptive effects. Private industry and open sources also refer to this group as Hydro Kitten, Storm-0784, APT Iran, Bauxite, Mr. Soul, Soldiers of Solomon, UNC5691, and the Shahid Kaveh Group. These attacks compromised at least 75 devices, targeting U.S.-based Unitronics PLC devices with an HMI used across multiple critical infrastructure sectors, including WWS. For more information on this group’s activity, see the authoring agencies’ Joint Cybersecurity Advisory IRGC-Affiliated Cyber Actors Exploit PLCs in Multiple Sectors, Including US Water and Wastewater Systems Facilities. Ongoing Threat Actor Activity Against U.S.-Based Programmable Logic Controllers
The FBI assesses a group of Iranian-affiliated APT actors are targeting internet-exposed PLCs with the intent to cause disruptions—including maliciously interacting with project files, and manipulating data displayed on HMI and SCADA displays—to U.S. critical infrastructure organizations. Iranian-affiliated APT targeting campaigns against U.S. organizations have recently escalated, likely in response to hostilities between Iran, and the United States and Israel.
Since at least March 2026, the authoring agencies identified (through engagements with victim organizations) an Iranian-affiliated APT-group that disrupted the function of PLCs. These PLCs were deployed across multiple U.S. critical infrastructure sectors (including Government Services and Facilities, WWS, and Energy sectors) within a wide variety of industrial automation processes. Some of the victims experienced operational disruption and financial loss.
In other words, a massive solar spill is expected today, turning meters hooked to solar panels everywhere, as we move on with life after a Tuesday when the President was threatening to end a civilization which promised in turn to end fossil fuels. And I own a $60,000 SuperDuty though I’m sure with the 77 miles and week parked on driveway, it’s worth far less then that now. I’ll be in my office on northside of Assembly Data Center and Printing Plantoverlookingthe old city garbage dump, so I have no fear of getting a sun burn.
The sun is shining this morning, ☀️ and while cold for a mid-April morning, it is a sign of hope as we got beyond through the freaky day when the President threatened to remove one civilization, with maybe the collateral damage of removing all civilization and fossil fuels ⛽ from society. And yeah, I bought that F-350 SuperDuty. 🛻 I ordered strips for my EZ-Pass and changed the plates to commercial ones on EZ-Pass system. No, I can’t take the new truck on parkways, but there really isn’t many of them Upstate. 🚀 I continue to watch Artemis II flies past the moon, with both a curiosity and indifference like most Americans. Just another freaky event, not exactly something I care about, but I get the benefit of space exploration and investing in science and technology ⚙️ even if we don’t know the immediate result. The Apollo missions also was greeted with indifference or thoughts of this is a wasteful spending that President wants, except for a very brief period in 1968 which images of earth and men stepping on the moon 🌎 filled the screen, interrupting the devastating news about assainations the Vietnam War.
It was cold and blustery 🌬️ yesterday, for the ride home but definately survivable. Cornmeal pancakes 🥞 with lots of spinach last night, this morning was apple 🍏 cinnamon pancakes with lots of shredded carrots. 🥕 Those overpriced carrots I got from Market32 on my bicycle on Saturday, walking past all the yuppies in their SUVs are enormous. But they keep me pooping, cleaning out the digestive system. Didn’t have a lot of flavored coffee ☕ when I was in the office, but also was I running kind of late yesterday. Today, though I need to head in early on my bike as I have work to do first thing, but hopefully some of the supervisors will be back, so my day won’ t be quite so busy, assuming I finally finish up AD 1. The Hamptons are just tough to process. Listening to Pearl Before Swine’s Rocket Man. 🚀 While sunny and calm wind today, going to be fairly cold today. 🚴 But I’ll be riding in.
I still need to decide on the specs on my new truck cap, 🚚 as I really should order that on Saturday. It will be good to take Old Smokey out for a ride, I haven’t driven the big F-350 truck anywhere except home from the dealership and out to my parents on Sunday. Getting a good sprinkle of dirt – probably manure – from the country roads in spring, and hopefully not road salt. I do want to undercoat with lamolin once early autumn rolls around, 🍁 and if I get the flat truck cap, it’s possible I can go through the automatic wash, though ultimately time will eat away even if I do wash the corrosive salts off. ⌛ But I do want the truck if at all possible to last until my retirement in 2040, which is about 14 years away. But who knows if affordable gas will be even around then? I am trying to keep the miles off it as much as possible, plus I enjoy riding my bike and hate driving in city with all the cops with their penises hanging out of their windows, looking to hand out tickets. 👮 And get to Salvation Army, as my work clothes are wearing out. Yes, I’ll be taking my new SuperDuty to the Salvation Army on Central Avenue to shop work clothing. And probably go for a hike in Pine Bush 🌲 until around dark. I might stop at Wally World on way home, though I am also kind of avoiding that, 🚲 as I’d rather ride my 🚲 to buy groceries as it keeps my shopping list small as there is only so much I can haul on a bike. But also, no fires in woods until I get the camper shell, so I’m trying to minimize how much garbage I produce. 🔥
