Good evening! Clear and 72 degrees at the Finger Lakes National Forest. 🌃 There is a north-northeast breeze at 5 mph. 🍃. The dew point is 58 degrees.

It was a nice day 👍 to explore part of the Finger Lakes I had never been to before. The Kueka Outlet Trail is pretty darn neat winding through a gorge past numerous ruins of old mills. 🏤 One thing that surprised me that there was enough water power to run all those mills – when I was there the water was flowing but hardly a torrent. It might be different in the spring or after a heavy rain storm ☔ – it’s been a pretty dry summer in the Finger Lakes although nothing like 2015.

Hiked 🚶🏽 from Penn Yan to Dresden a total of 13 miles round trip. While this is not a strenuous hike by any means – it’s a 200 feet ascent heading west over 6 1/2 miles it was still an all afternoon hike and I was tired 😴 with the heat. I did do a short walk around downtown Penn Yan 🏙 which still has a fairly intact main street then visited the village park overlooking the lake. Ironically, when you are at one of the tips or Keuka Lake you really don’t get that scenic of a vista as all you see is the tine of the fork 🍴and big hill in the center.

Came back and got ice at Dandy Mart. Forgot to buy coffee ☕ again for the morning. Spent a little time down at Clute Park but I was tired 💤 and didn’t want to drive to camp in the dark so I left before sunset 🌇. Came back and had hot dogs and beer 🌭🍺, I’m definitely ready for bed now.

I thought about hiking to Foster Pond but after a few beers 🍻 and all the walking 🚶🏽 I did today, I decided it’s not advisable. I’m just super tired. I find it hard to get as good of night sleep in the woods as I do at home, especially if I stay up late and then wake up when the sun ☀ is pouring in my window. ⬜

I have a bunch of pictures to upload 🗺️ but I’ll wait until tomorrow when I head into town. I wanted to process them a bit more on my phone before uploading. I also have some pictures I want to get off my dash cam to upload.

Tonight will be mostly clear 🌃, with a low of 64 degrees at 5am. Four degrees above normal. Maximum dew point of 60 at 1am. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. In 2019, we had mostly clear skies in the evening, which became partly cloudy by the early hours of the morning. It was somewhat humid. It got down to 66 degrees. The record low of 44 occurred back in 1941.

Tonight will have a Waining Crescent 🌘 Moon with 28% illuminated. The darkest hour is at 1:13 am, followed by dawn at 5:43 am, and sun starting to rise at 6:14 am in the east-northeast (69°) and last for 3 minutes and 4 seconds. Sunrise is one minute and 4 seconds later than yesterday. 🌄 The golden hour ends at 6:53 am with sun in the east-northeast (76°). Tonight will have 10 hours and 3 minutes of darkness, an increase of 2 minutes and 29 seconds over last night.

Tomorrow will be mostly sunny 🌞, with a high of 87 degrees at 3pm. Six degrees above normal. Maximum dew point of 63 at 9am. Calm wind becoming northeast 5 to 8 mph in the afternoon. A year ago, we had light rain in the morning, which became thunderstorm by afternoon. It was sticky. The high last year was 84 degrees. The record high of 97 was set in 1988.

Going to be another hot and sunny day tomorrow. 🏊🏻‍♂️ I think it would be a good day to spend one more day at the Watkins Glen State Park pool on a relatively quiet weekday. and maybe hike more of the Catharine Valley Rail Trail, maybe south of Montour Falls this time. 🚂 And maybe one last ice cream cone at Glen Dairy Bar. 🍦Saturday I will probably stay in the National Forest for social distancing purposes but I’m thinking of doing some fishing 🎣 and swimming of Caywood Point and maybe if it seems like the water is calm, paddling from Watkins Glen to Hector Point. Sunday I probably will hang out at camp for a while then maybe go for a hike around the rim of Taughannock and then head home around 1 pm, probably via NY 23.🛣️

It seems odd that this trip I haven’t visited the Taughannock Gorge so far 🕋 or Enfield Glen. While I like those places a lot they tend to be crowded and I have little interest in visiting any crowded places during the pandemic. I am trying to keep this trip simple and relaxing plus visiting new places in the Finger Lakes that I’ve not spent a lot of time in the past. Gorges are great but I am really truly hard to maintain social distancing. 👨‍👨‍👦‍👦While COVID-19 doesn’t have me hiding all the time in my home, I really try to avoid places where maintaining social distancing is impossible.🗣️

Before hiking today I sprayed heavily my hammock with another coat of Martin’s Permethrin. 🐜 Bugs haven’t been bad camping but I figured it’s a nice low humidity, non windy day so it should soak in good as some time in the future might be buggy again. Permethrin has a bit of a funny smell at first but it dissappears after airing out. 👃

In four weeks on September 10 the sun will be setting in the west (277°) at 7:25 pm,🌄 which is 45 minutes and 37 seconds earlier then today. In 2019 on that day, we had mostly sunny and temperatures between 77 and 52 degrees. Typically, you have temperatures between 75 and 54 degrees. The record high of 96 degrees was set back in 1931.

Looking ahead, 6:30 Sunrise 🌇 is in 4 weeks, Constitution Day 📜 is in 5 weeks, October 🛥 and Harvest Moon 🌕 is in 7 weeks, Average High is 60 🍂 is in 9 weeks, Average Night Below Freezing 🌌 is in 3 months, Thanksgiving 🦃 is in 15 weeks, 7:15 AM Sunrise ⌛️ is in 17 weeks, Christmas Eve 🎅 is in 19 weeks, New Years Eve 🎆 is in 20 weeks, Make Your Dream Come True Day 🏡 is in 5 months, Coldest Week of the Year 🌬 is in 22 weeks, Wolf Moon 🌕 is in 24 weeks, Don’t Cry over Spilled Milk Day 🥛 is in 26 weeks and National Drink Wine Day 🍷 is in 27 weeks.

Good evening! Partly clear and 74 degrees at the Finger Lakes National Forest. 🌃 There is a west breeze at 8 mph. 🍃. The dew point is 65 degrees. The muggy weather ends tomorrow around 10 am. 😓

To end the first half of summer vacation 🏖 I thought things went remarkably well. I spent about six hours at the pool 🏊🏻‍♂️ and two paddling the Montour Falls canal. 🛶 While it was a bit choppy at the end of the day on Seneca Lake for the most part it wasn’t bad. 🌊 A 38 mile lake, even if across its relatively narrow and sat below tall hills is always going to be somewhat rough. Might be even less windy tomorrow – I left the kayak 🛥 on the truck and come morning I might decide to do more paddling tomorrow.

That caramel sundae 🍧I got from the Glen Dairy Bar was pretty good today. I will have to get there a few more times before I leave the Finger Lakes for a few more options. It’s fun having good ice cream when you camp. Had more of those sausage paddies with cheese and ketchup on a hard role for dinner. 🍔 They’re a nice easy treat. I have two more to finish off tomorrow maybe for lunch and then I’ll figure out what is next for camp meals 🍴.

Tonight will be partly cloudy ☁️, with a low of 65 degrees at 6am. Four degrees above normal. Maximum dew point of 68 at 8pm. West wind 5 to 8 mph becoming light and variable in the evening. In 2019, we had mostly clear skies. It became somewhat humid as the night progressed. It got down to 56 degrees. The record low of 46 occurred back in 1987.

Tonight will have a Last Quarter 🌗 Moon with 46% illuminated. The darkest hour is at 1:13 am, followed by dawn at 5:41 am, and sun starting to rise at 6:12 am in the east-northeast (69°) and last for 3 minutes and 6 seconds. Sunrise is one minute and 4 seconds later than yesterday. 🌄 The golden hour ends at 6:51 am with sun in the east-northeast (75°). Tonight will have 9 hours and 58 minutes of darkness, an increase of 2 minutes and 26 seconds over last night.

I hiked back to Foster Pond this evening to watch the percid metriod showers 🌠but stayed only for about fifteen minutes when there was what appeared to be a very wild party 🎉 on the one end of the lake disturbing the solitude. Based on the noise and the late arrivers it seemed like an under age drinking 🍻 party. I wasn’t going to get mixed up with that and honestly myself I wasn’t that sober after having a few drinks with dinner to toast off the day and wash down those sausage paddies. That said, in the brief time I was there I saw two shooting stars and by the time I was heading back it had clouded up.

Tomorrow will be mostly sunny 🌞, with a high of 85 degrees at 3pm. Four degrees above normal. Maximum dew point of 64 at 6am. Northwest wind 3 to 7 mph. A year ago, we had partly cloudy skies in the morning with some clearing in the afternoon. The high last year was 86 degrees. The record high of 99 was set in 1944.

It should be another nice day tomorrow. ☀ I am not going to rush to get going tomorrow though as I need to try to get some more sleep tonight. 💤 I am thinking about more kayaking tomorrow 🛶, maybe off of Hector Park boat launch or maybe the Watkins Glen boat launch and paddling up along the shoreline of Seneca Lake to Hector Point. I don’t think I’ll do more of the Montour Canal – I found it kind of boring and it stunk of raw or partially treated sewage and was kind of green from pollution. I was hoping I could get off the canal to explore Bad Indian Marsh but there wasn’t a lot of navigable streams – I saw only one and it didn’t look very promising. 🛑

In four weeks on September 8 the sun will be setting in the west (278°) at 7:29 pm,🌄 which is 44 minutes and 56 seconds earlier then today. In 2019 on that day, we had partly cloudy and temperatures between 73 and 52 degrees. Typically, you have temperatures between 75 and 55 degrees. The record high of 94 degrees was set back in 2015.

Looking ahead, September 🍎 is in 3 weeks, September 11th 🇸 is a month away, Autumn 🍂 is in 6 weeks, Election Day 2019 🗳️ is in 12 weeks, Average High is 50 🍂 is in 13 weeks, Veterans Day 🇺🇸 is in 3 months, Regular Deer Season in Southern Zone 🦌 is in 14 weeks, December 🎄 is in 16 weeks, Bill of Rights Day 📜 is in 18 weeks, Days are Getting Longer ☀️ is in 19 weeks, Cold Moon 🌕 is in 20 weeks, National Bird Day 🐧 is in 21 weeks, 5:30 PM Dusk 🌆 is in 24 weeks, Ground Hog Day 🐻 is in 25 weeks and Don’t Cry over Spilled Milk Day 🥛 is in 6 months.

Good morning! Happy Tuesday. Three weeks to September 🍎. Mostly sunny, hazy hot and humid and 83 degrees at the Watkins Glen State Park. There is a south breeze at 8 mph. 🍃. The dew point is 67 degrees. The muggy weather ends tomorrow around 11 am. 😓

Going to be another hot day today. Loaded up the kayak on the truck 🚚 but first I was hoping to spend the morning at the pool – but it looks closed today per the sign. ⛱️It was very breezy at camp this morning at 1,800 feet but less so at 475 ft at Watkins Glen. Hoping I can get parking at the boat launch – already filling up. 🅿

Last night was pretty hot too. 🔥No campfire last night and I used the fan in my truck cap for most of the night as even up here high on the backbone 🗻 it was quite muggy and uncomfortable. Maybe nothing like a in the city but so be it. I gathered some wood though and tonight I’ll probably have a small fire if only because it’s been a few days.

The muffins 🍚 I got from Walmart yesterday with some cold coffee made for a pretty good breakfast. I also bought cereal 🥣 yesterday but I’ll save that for a future day. Maybe tomorrow. I wanted a quick and easy breakfast as I wanted to make sure I got to the park 🏞 early so I’d get parking.

Today will have a chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny and hot 🌞, with a high of 92 degrees at 3pm. 11 degrees above normal. Maximum dew point of 67 at 10am. Southwest wind 8 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. A year ago, we had partly cloudy skies in the morning with some clearing in the afternoon. The high last year was 80 degrees. The record high of 98 was set in 1944.

Hoping for better weather than yesterday, as it was so hot and humid yesterday morning. 😰 And then by the time I planned to swim 🏊🏻‍♂️ there was that constant line of thunderstorms to the south. That’s why I am not going to hike early in the morning today. I was such a sweaty pig 🐖yesterday and I only got five minutes in the pool due to thunderstorms. ⛈

If the pool doesn’t open today, 🛶 I’ll head down to the boat launch. The water 💦 is relatively calm and will be fine in the canal and if I stick close to shore. If I can’t get parking at the boat launch, I’ll probably get some ice cream at Glen Dairy Bar 🍧 I might than go down to Cayon Point to fish 🐠 but that was more the plan tomorrow.

Solar noon 🌞 is at 1:14 pm with sun having an altitude of 62.7° from the due south horizon (-8.2° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 3.1 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour 🏅 starts at 7:36 pm with the sun in the west-northwest (285°). 📸 The sunset is in the west-northwest (292°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 8:15 pm after setting for 3 minutes and 5 seconds with dusk around 8:44 pm, which is one minute and 23 seconds earlier than yesterday. 🌇 The best time to look at the stars is after 9:24 pm. At sunset, look for rain 🌧 and thunderstorms 🌩 and temperatures around 82 degrees. The dew point will be 68 degrees. There will be a calm wind. Today will have 14 hours and 2 minutes of daytime, a decrease of 2 minutes and 26 seconds over yesterday.

Tonight will have a chance of showers and thunderstorms before midnight, then a slight chance of showers. Partly cloudy 🌧, with a low of 65 degrees at 5am. Four degrees above normal. Maximum dew point of 68 at 8pm. Light and variable wind. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. In 2019, we had mostly clear skies. It became somewhat humid as the night progressed. It got down to 56 degrees. The record low of 46 occurred back in 1987.

A picture perfect weekend on tap. 😎 Saturday, a chance of showers after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 84. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Maximum dew point of 64 at 8am. Sunday, a chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 81. Chance of precipitation is 40%. Maximum dew point of 61 at 7am. Typical average high for the weekend is 81 degrees.

One of the worst things about being in the Finger Lakes is the winos 🍷 who are more preoccupied with finding the next winery to taste and they’re driving 🚘 slow and irregularly after doing tastings all day. They drive 25 mph in a 55 mph and slam on their brakes when they see a sign 🛑 for the next watering hole 🕳. Almost slammed into one of them today.

Seneca County is infamous for the state’s highest fatality rate from DWI, drunk driving is a serious problem in wine country 🤪 although that’s not something that the economic development people like to talk about. I like taking 414 as it’s fast and doesn’t have any speed traps or small towns but the slow moving drivers who slam on their brakes when they see the next watering hole on the road is so obnoxious. 💥

As previously noted, there are 3 weeks until September 🍎 when the sun will be setting at 7:41 pm with dusk at 8:09 pm. On that day in 2019, we had partly sunny skies with q few rain showers and temperatures between 75 and 51 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 77 degrees. We hit a record high of 96 back in 1953.