Vermont

Vermont, a northeastern state in the United States, is celebrated for its charming landscapes, including the iconic Green Mountains and picturesque valleys.

The Green Mountains, adorned with lush forests and pristine lakes, serve as a backdrop for exploration. From ascending scenic trails to cycling through quaint villages, the state caters to diverse interests. The Green Mountain National Forest provides a haven for camping under the stars, while Vermont’s serene lakes and rivers offer opportunities for kayaking and water-based escapades.

This webpage centers on free camping opportunities within the Green Mountain National Forest, inviting outdoor enthusiasts to immerse themselves in the region’s natural beauty. With a focus on hiking, biking, kayaking, and other outdoor activities, Vermont offers a plethora of adventures.

In Vermont, the union of nature’s wonders and outdoor pursuits promises a memorable and enriching experience for all who seek it.

Eight weeks out

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Some further thoughts about the presidential race 8⃣ weeks out …

Donald Trump is incompetent and probably quite corrupt. He’s a buffoon but that’s hardly news to anyone. He’s the Trumpster. People like the man a lot, especially hillbilly hicks I idolize that shovel pig and horse manure, burn their own trash out back and own all the guns I wish to own myself someday. Backwoods Pennsylvania where shit is real.

Joe Biden is biding his time, for like it or not it’s his own time. Trump’s incompetence is finally coming to a roost. With all of Biden’s experience in Washington DC as decades of being a member of the nation’s most exclusive club, the US Senate, he’s certain to be a power broker. That certainly concerns me, and I do hope if he’s elected president that the senate remains in GOP hands and remains a brake on progress that could harm those communities not represented by the Democratic Coalition. A Biden presidency might be good at chopping down the deficit if the Republicans say no to everything and Biden says no to more defense spending.

Third party candidates are more of an interest to me. I have reservations about Howie Hawkens from decades ago when he was very actively pushing the restrictions on open burning that I don’t like. But I do like the idea of more citizens involvement in democracy and I do think the Green Party comes from an honestly good place. It’s a good protest vote. It’s not like me, the humble boy from the sticks voting in the presidential election in New York is going to change anything, so I might as while protest. I voted Green in 2016.

The there is Jo Jorgensen the Libertarian Candidate. She seems kind of cool even if I think she’s nuts on many things. I don’t think we can frack or drill our way to sustainably. Climate change is real, it’s caused by billions of people. But it’s not like she’s going to get elected so any one position of hers doesn’t matter. She certainly would be a good protest vote, especially on the second amendment and police reform – and just more generally getting the government off our backs. I did vote for that colorful but less than memorable libertarian who ran for governor in 2018.

So gawd I don’t know. I do know my absentee ballot will arrive in a few weeks and I have choices and I’m no real fan of Trump and the Republican Party but I’m willing to keep an open mind. 🤯

One thing that really bothers me is that government agencies are tax exempt. 🏛️

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One thing that really bothers me is that government agencies are tax exempt. 🏛️

I don’t like the idea that government doesn’t pay its fair share of taxes – if there were more taxes on government then there would be a greater incentive to economize and would help level the playing field with the private sector. I think it makes sense to assess on government all of the same taxes that any private sector entity pays.

Taxes on government could also raise an enormous amount of revenue – in most communities government is one of the most wealthy institutions often ranking in the billions in income and spending each year. Governments have massive payrolls, land holdings, buildings, bridges and property. It would greatly increase fairness by taxing these most successful of entries.

Taxing government is just like taxing power plants or railroads. While it’s true that power plants and railroads benefit all, and we all pay into them, we tax them because they are source of wealth and because it’s a way to encourage economy and efficient use of resources.

Government agencies do pay payroll taxes nowadays but not sales tax, property taxes, franchise or corporate income taxes. I think they should like any other corporation. If they have to cut services it sell property to cover their tax bills then so be it. At the same time, many agencies would benefit by increased revenue by other agencies paying them tax. I think government paying taxes would be a more effective and efficient government.

September 7, 2020 Morning

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Good morning! Happy Labor Day 👨‍🏭! Five weeks to Columbus Day ⛵. Mostly and 69 degrees at the Green Mountain National Forest. 🌤️ There is a south-southwest breeze at 11 mph. 🍃. The dew point is 50 degrees.

It’s been a good weekend but in a little bit I’m going to start taking down camp to head home. 🏡 A very pleasant day at least when the sun is out although got really cloudy. ☁️ I originally thought about staying a few more days but I really need ice before tomorrow and I think I will need Wi-Fi for work on Tuesday. ✳️ But so be it. I wasn’t originally planning on going anywhere this weekend until the forecast improved but it certainly wasn’t as nice as earlier estimates.

Labor Day will be partly sunny 🌤️ , with a high of 71 degrees at 3pm. Five degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around September 18th. Maximum dew point of 52 at 6pm. South wind 11 to 15 mph. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies. The high last year was 73 degrees. The record high of 96 was set in 1945.

Solar noon 🌞 is at 12:51 pm with sun having an altitude of 52.8° from the due south horizon (-17.6° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 4.6 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour 🏅 starts at 6:40 pm with the sun in the west (273°). 📸 The sunset is in the west (279°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 7:17 pm after setting for 2 minutes and 57 seconds with dusk around 7:44 pm, which is one minute and 46 seconds earlier than yesterday. 🌇 The best time to look at the stars is after 8:21 pm. At sunset, look for partly cloudy skies 🌃 and temperatures around 68 degrees. The dew point will be 52 degrees. There will be a south breeze at 11 mph. Today will have 12 hours and 52 minutes of daytime, a decrease of 2 minutes and 51 seconds over yesterday.

Tonight will be mostly cloudy 🌥, with a low of 57 degrees at 5am. Two degrees above normal, which is similar to a typical night around September 2nd. Maximum dew point of 54 at 4am. South wind 7 to 10 mph. In 2019, we had mostly clear skies in the evening, which became partly cloudy by the early hours of the morning. It got down to 52 degrees. The record low of 34 occurred back in 1978.

It seems like cleaning out in the inside of the truck bed stopped the mouse problem. 🐭 Probably wasn’t a bad idea it was kind of dirty to say the least and maybe there was food crumbs or something that was attracting them. 🍪 It needed a good cleaning and probably it’s best to leave the mud and dirt in the woods. 🌲

Next Saturday looks nice but not so Sunday. 😕 Saturday, mostly sunny, with a high near 62. Maximum dew point of 47 at 7pm. Sunday, a chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 66. Chance of precipitation is 40%. Maximum dew point of 56 at 6pm. Typical average high for the weekend is 74 degrees.

I have plans for week of the 21st so I’ll probably end up staying home 🏡 the next two weeks. But maybe after then I’ll think about a trip to the Adirondacks to do some small game hunting and leaf peaping, remote working from the Spectulator Library 💻 assuming we have good weather for the solar. ☀️ Gets tough with the days getting shorter though.

Looking ahead, there are 5 weeks until Columbus Day ⛵ when the sun will be setting at 6:13 pm with dusk at 6:42 pm. On that day in 2019, we had partly sunny skies and temperatures between 66 and 44 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 61 degrees. We hit a record high of 85 back in 1954.

Hammock View

September 6, 2020 Night

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Good evening! Mostly clear and 55 degrees at the Green Mountain National Forest. 🌌 There is a south breeze at 5 mph. 🍃. While not super cool tonight it was cool enough I got my hoodie, vest and cowboy 🤠 hat and sat by the fire 🔥 for a while.

Summer is basically done at this point. 🍂 Already the evenings are cool and the sun is setting early with mid day sun almost twenty degrees lower in the sky. I noticed that there are hints of autumn colors in the trees after the cool nights lately. Labor Day, ten weeks after the summer solstice means it’s done. I bet in two or three weeks it will be peak color at Moose River Plains.

It was a nice day, with a delightful afternoon walk 🚶🏻 along the Deerfield River. Not a lot of exciting birds 🐦 but a few small song birds. The nice thing about a road hike is that it was free or crowds and offered several chances to bushwhack to infrequently places along the river.

I’m glad I finally cleaned out the bed 🛏 of my truck. It was getting kind of dirty and disorganized. While there isn’t much evidence of a mouse nest or mouse damage 🐁it was good to do an inspection and wash down the area where the synthetic PMD spilled. I’m hoping not to find any mice in my truck cap tonight and that I sleep soundly.

Tonight will be partly cloudy 🌃 , with a low of 54 degrees at 11pm. It will start warming up as Labor Day progresses. One degree below normal, which is similar to a typical night around September 9th. Maximum dew point of 52 at 2am. South wind 5 to 14 mph. In 2019, we had partly cloudy skies in the evening, which became mostly clear by the early hours of the morning. It got down to 52 degrees. The record low of 36 occurred back in 1962.

Tonight will have a Waining Gibbous 🌖 Moon with 79% illuminated. The Harvest 🌽 Moon is on Monday, September 21. The darkest hour is at 12:51 am, followed by dawn at 5:54 am, and sun starting to rise at 6:23 am in the east (81°) and last for 2 minutes and 57 seconds. Sunrise is one minute and 5 seconds later than yesterday. 🌄 The golden hour ends at 7:01 am with sun in the east (87°). Tonight will have 11 hours and 6 minutes of darkness, an increase of 2 minutes and 51 seconds over last night.

Labor Day will be mostly sunny 🌞, with a high of 70 degrees at 3pm. Six degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around September 21st. Maximum dew point of 53 at 6pm. Breezy, with a south wind 16 to 21 mph, with gusts as high as 36 mph. A year ago, we had cloudy skies in the morning with a few breaks of sun the afternoon. The high last year was 73 degrees. The record high of 96 was set in 1945.

Actually going to be fairly cool tomorrow. 🍂 I am going to take down camp ⛺ and head home in the afternoon although it’s not a rush. I haven’t decided if I’m going to visit the folks on Sunday although I don’t have a lot planned for tomorrow.

I saw a nice bike 🚲 for sale on Facebook for $40 and I probably should have snapped it up but I’m sure it’s gone. Used bicycles are remarkably cheap – they have little residual value. I don’t know maybe I should contact the seller but it was a nice simple vintage three speed urban commuter bike with a rack on the back. But I’m still researching and learning. ⚙ Perfect for getting around the city quickly with minimal fuss or adjustment. Still not sure if I’m going to go carless next autumn or just look at getting something simpler and smaller.

I bought a Black Lives Matters flag ✊🏿to add to my collection. I figured it would be timely to add a new flag, been a few years now and it’s good to support a that community in their fight for justice. ⚖

In four weeks on October 4 the sun will be setting in the west (264°) at 6:27 pm,🌄 which is 50 minutes and 10 seconds earlier then tonight. In 2019 on that day, we had partly sunny and temperatures between 59 and 41 degrees. Typically, you have temperatures between 65 and 44 degrees. The record high of 86 degrees was set back in 1891.

Looking ahead, Average High 70 🎑 is in 2 weeks, More Night then Day 🌌 is in 3 weeks, Last Sunset After 6:30 PM 🌆 is in 4 weeks, November 🥧 is in 8 weeks, First Sunday of Advent ✝️ is in 3 months, Saint Nicholas Day 🎅 is in 3 months, Latest Sunrise of the Winter 🌄️ is in 17 weeks, Save the Pine Bush Turns 43 🦋 is in 5 months and Valentines Day ❤️ is in 23 weeks.

Drained Whetstone Reservoir