Good afternoon! Overcast and 63 degrees in Worcester Rest Area. The Great Autumn Road Trip is underway. Today, it’s off to Mansfield Penna. Some color on the leaves, some sections nicer then other. There is a west-southwest breeze at 6 mph. The dew point is 56 degrees.

I didn’t get the earliest the start this morning, because it was dark and I didn’t pack things all last night. I want to make sure my kitchen was good and clean before I left lest I have creepy crawlers when I return. I know this is the time of year when mice are starting to look for new habitats. Plus I didn’t want anything to get moldy in the fridge or have faucets dripping. I made a detailed check list so, hopefully I won”this forget anything.

This afternoon will be mostly sunny, with a high of 67 degrees at 3pm. Six degrees above normal. Maximum dew point of 56 at 12pm. West wind around 6 mph. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies. The high last year was 57 degrees. The record high of 81 was set in 1920.

So far a decent drive but more sun would be nice. Hopefully later. Making good time, but I should probably post this and get moving soon. I will probably buy firewood in Oneonta so I have it, and I want to be off the road well before dark. But I should be able to do that.

There was a big load coming over I-90 Thruway that I passed but was blocking the on ramp to I-88 after getting gas at Pilot Truck Stop.  so I ended up driving along NY 7 for a while. I got gas there but was good and avoided going in the store and buying the many car and CB toys they have there. It’s such a toy store for truckers and road-trippers. It was nice, they had one of those gas pumps that clicks on. They are super rare probably because they are illegal in New York. Every other state has them. 
The sun will set at 6:17 pm with dusk around 6:45 pm, which is one minute and 37 seconds earlier than yesterday. At sunset, look for partly clear conditions and 65 degrees. The dew point will be 56 degrees. There will be a calm wind. Today will have 11 hours and 5 minutes of daytime, a decrease of 2 minutes and 47 seconds over yesterday.

Tonight will be mostly cloudy, with a low of 56 degrees at 6am. 16 degrees above normal. Maximum dew point of 56 at 6pm. Calm wind becoming south 5 to 7 mph after midnight. In 2016, we had mostly clear skies. It got down to 28 degrees. The record low of 27 occurred back in 1978.

As previously noted, next Saturday is National Pumpkin Cheese Cake Day when the sun will be setting at 6:06 pm with dusk at 6:35 pm. On that day in 2016, we had rain, drizzle, mist, cloudy skies and temperatures between 73 and 51 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 58 degrees. We hit a record high of 81 back in 1979.

I had better get going because I am burning daylight. Have a great afternoon!