Search Results for: photo time to take down that campsite

Finally a beautiful Saturday out in Schoharie and Delaware County after so many crappy weekends ๐Ÿšต๐ŸŠ๐Ÿ•๏ธ

After such a run of wet and bad weather we finally got a break and I got away from town. Awesome, although I will say that the pool is cold with the low dew point and the breeze. But it was great for hiking Platts Rocks then riding 26 miles round trip or the Catskill Scenic Trail. That said, I’m beat after all that bicycling, I barely want to hit the pool. But it’s fine, I got a shower and some pool time in and it will be closing for a bit and then be time to head up to camp.

Good evening! It’s been a pleasant day. Mostly sunny and 78 degrees at the Mine Kill State Park. There is a northwest breeze at 9 mph. ๐Ÿƒ. The dew point is 55 degrees.

Lol where to start! ๐Ÿ˜‚ Last night turned out much better than forecasted so I ended up deciding to ride out to the Bender Mellon Preserve ๐Ÿ‰ and hiking around that for nearly an hour, exploring the outside parameter trail and taking a bunch of pictures after deciding ๐Ÿ“ธ the trail wasn’t so wet yesterday and the skies were interesting. Then I decided to ride out to Voorheesville, down Main Street then out past the Voorheesville High School and library then down the rail trail to Adams Place then snaked through the subdivisions back home. ๐Ÿ By then it was late for packing for camp but I got some done like filling the water container and some other things but won’t say that I didn’t stay up late sitting out back and still had a bunch to do in the morning contributing to me not leaving until 9:30 am.

On my way out I realized I forgot toilet paper ๐Ÿšฝ and paper towels. Both are good for camping. What I ended up doing was going to Tops in Greenville and buying paper towels for both purposes. They’ll be good for both. Then I took NY 81 out to Oak Hill which is still closed west of there.

With the detour I ended up deciding to head over to Prattville and checking out Pratts Rock. What a beautiful day. ๐Ÿž Finally got to the Catskill Scenic Trail in Grand Gorge at 12 noon, rode until 1:45 when I got to Hobart at 1:40 pm when I stopped at the park for a while ๐Ÿšฒ and headed south almost to South Kortwright but turned back as I wanted to be back to my truck as close as possible to 4 pm so I could shower ๐Ÿšฟ and cool down in the pool. ๐ŸŠโ€โ™‚๏ธ Then off to camp at Betty Brook most likely though if the campsite on West Kill Road is open I might stay there.

Tonight will be mostly clear ๐ŸŒƒ, with a low of 54 degrees at 5am. Nine degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical night around September 12th. Maximum dew point of 56 at 7pm. Northwest wind 5 to 8 mph becoming calm in the evening. Going to be a cool evening especially here in the mountains. In 2022, we had partly cloudy skies in the evening, which became mostly clear by the early hours of the morning. It was somewhat humid. It got down to 65 degrees. The record low of 45 occurred back in 1981.

Tonight will have a Waxing Crescent ๐ŸŒ’ Moon with 22% illuminated. At 5 PM, the moon was in the south (185ยฐ) at an altitude of 51ยฐ from the horizon, some 249,518 miles away from where you are looking up from the earth. ๐Ÿš€ At the state speed limit of 55 mph, you’ll make it there by January 28th. Buckle up for safety! ๐Ÿ’บ The moon will set in the west (273ยฐ) at 11:05 pm. The Strugeon ๐Ÿก Moon is on Tuesday, August 1. The darkest hour is at 1:05 am, followed by dawn at 5:08 am, and sun starting to rise at 5:41 am in the east-northeast (61ยฐ) and last for 3 minutes and 17 seconds. Sunrise is 56 seconds later than yesterday. ๐ŸŒ„ The golden hour ends at 6:22 am with sun in the east-northeast (68ยฐ). Tonight will have 9 hours and 9 minutes of darkness, an increase of one minute and 48 seconds over last night.

Tomorrow will be sunny ๐ŸŒž, with a high of 83 degrees at 5pm. One degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around August 3rd. Maximum dew point of 60 at 5pm. Calm wind. A year ago, we had partly cloudy skies in the morning with some clearing in the afternoon. It was humid. The high last year was 97 degrees. The record high of 96 was set in 1955.

I’m undecided about my plans for tomorrow. ๐Ÿ’ญ I still want to get to the farm stands of the Schoharie Valley ๐ŸŒฝ ๐Ÿ… but I also kind of want to set up camp โ›บ and not have to secure it or take it down tomorrow. Plus I don’t love driving that rough Betty Brook Road, it’s tough on Big Reds aging suspension. ๐Ÿšฒ That said it could be a fun filled day. I might cycle from the Rest Area to Middleburgh, then poke around the village, get ice cream ๐Ÿฆ then hike Vromans Nose ๐Ÿ‘ƒ and turn hit up the farm stands, head back to Mine Kill Pool and swim some more before camp. Monday I will park in Stamford, ride down to Bloomfield and maybe hike not drive Utsaythana followed by a swim at Mine Kill before going out to see the folks before vacation which starts Friday.

In four weeks on August 19 the sun will be setting in the west-northwest (288ยฐ) at 7:55 pm,๐ŸŒ„ which is 34 minutes and 33 seconds earlier then today. In 2022 on that day, we had hot, mostly sunny and temperatures between 89 and 58 degrees. Typically, you have temperatures between 82 and 61 degrees. The record high of 92 degrees was set back in 1899.

Looking ahead, Work Like a Dog Day ๐Ÿฉ is Next Saturday (not likely to happen on vacation), Last Sunset After 8 PM ๐ŸŒ† is in 3 weeks, National Dog Day ๐Ÿฉ is in 5 weeks, Autumn ๐Ÿ‚ is in 2 months, Daylight Savings Time Ends ๐Ÿ›ฅ๏ธ is in 15 weeks, Veterans Day ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ is in 16 weeks, Regular Deer Season in Southern Zone ๐ŸฆŒ is in 17 weeks, Small Business Saturday ๐Ÿ›๏ธ is in 18 weeks, Average High is 40 ๐ŸŒจ is in 20 weeks, Earliest Sunset of the Year โŒ›๏ธ is in 20 weeks, Tea Party Day ๐Ÿ is in 21 weeks, Days are Getting Longer โ˜€๏ธ is in 5 months, Festivus ๐Ÿ– is in 22 weeks, Bacon Day ๐Ÿฅ“ is in 23 weeks and Bacon Day ๐Ÿฅ“ is in 23 weeks.

Fields

Rainy end to the work week ๐ŸŒง๏ธ

At least it seems like the rain let up for the morning walk though it’s still drizzling out a bit this morning. It should be good for the morning commute but will likely pick up later which is why I decided against biking it in this morning. Next week though as I have the heavy u-lock now installed on my bike.

Good morning! Yeah, it’s Friday! Rain showers and 71 degrees in Delmar, NY. โ˜” There is a south-southeast breeze at 9 mph. ๐Ÿƒ. The dew point is 63 degrees. The heaviest rain has pulled to the east. Muggy and damp though. But the bad weather shouldn’t last into the weekend. The skies will clear around 9 pm.

As it was dark and raining ๐ŸŒง๏ธ I put my morning walk off for a while though now I’m off at 6:30 am. It will compact my morning down a bit before work, so I doubt I’ll have time to walk all the way down to the Park and Ride but I can always catch the express bus ๐Ÿš as it heads down Elm Avenue, maybe the Lutheran Church or down by Mike Whyland’s House, whatever that bus stop is called. Going to cook some onions, peppers, mushrooms and a ton of frozen spinach, and scramble some eggs and call that a protein-and-fiber rich breakfast that will get me going, despite not getting to bed until closer to 10 PM then I would like. ๐Ÿ’ค Once again my sleep has been suffering since I got the bicycle, as I’ve been getting home late, like last night after shopping then bicycling home. ๐Ÿ”ฆ Something has to be wrong with that bicycle front light I have — it might be a crappy cheap incandescent bulb but despite the new batteries, it really is terribly dark for riding on those suburban side streets without street lighting after dark.

Today will have a chance of showers before noon, then scattered showers and thunderstorms between noon and 5pm, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 5pm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. Mostly cloudy ๐ŸŒฆ, with a high of 80 degrees at 3pm. Four degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around August 28th. Maximum dew point of 68 at 1pm. South wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible. A year ago, we had partly cloudy skies in the morning with some clearing in the afternoon. It was sticky. The high last year was 96 degrees. The record high of 101 was set in 1930.

Last night I got the last part of my bike build finished, adding the heavy-gauge u-bolt lock to my bicycle. ๐Ÿ”’ It is an Abus Granite 460 u-lock, security Grade 9. I was originally thinking Grade 10 or even higher, but it’s plenty beefy hardened-steel compared to what a lot of people use for locks out in the suburbs. It should be plenty secure if I park the bicycle at the State Capitol, near the security desk, at least during the day time. Ultimately I decided to mount the lock on the back, off the rack, mainly because I couldn’t fit the lock on the frame up front anywhere it wouldn’t be brushing against my legs.

Solar noon ๐ŸŒž is at 1:02 pm with sun having an altitude of 67.9ยฐ from the due south horizon (-2.9ยฐ vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 2.4 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour ๐Ÿ… starts at 7:47 pm with the sun in the west-northwest (293ยฐ). ๐Ÿ“ธ The sunset is in the west-northwest (299ยฐ) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 8:28 pm after setting for 3 minutes and 19 seconds with dusk around 9:00 pm, which is 50 seconds earlier than yesterday. ๐ŸŒ‡ At dusk you’ll see the Waxing Crescent ๐ŸŒ’ Moon in the west (264ยฐ) at an altitude of 19ยฐ from the horizon, 250,843 miles away. ๐Ÿš€ The best time to look at the stars is after 9:43 pm. At sunset, look for rain ๐ŸŒง and thunderstorms ๐ŸŒฉ and temperatures around 69 degrees. The dew point will be 65 degrees. There will be a west-southwest breeze at 6 mph. Today will have 14 hours and 53 minutes of daytime, a decrease of one minute and 45 seconds over yesterday.

Yesterday, I explored another Normans Kill Preserve, ๐Ÿž this time the Mohwak Hudson Land Conservancy’s Normanskill West Preserve, which is across from Delaware Plaza at the end of Normanskill Boulevard. It is a really nice preserve, ๐Ÿธ with much better views and some nice benches along the creek, along with better access for the creek for fishing, and some minor rapids. The preserve is much smaller then the Normanskill Ravines Preserve I visited yesterday, but much nicer. Gets dark early there in the ravine, though it probably is a good place to keep in mind for hot summer days. Then follow it up with ice cream ๐Ÿฆ at Jim’s Tastee Freeze, though I didn’t partake this time as I did that on Saturday.

Then I went grocery shopping with my bicycle at Hannaford. ๐Ÿ›’ I was pleasantly surprised how many groceries I could load into the basket on the back. I was a bit worried about the weight, as the $5 Walmart crate I bought isn’t super heavy, but it worked out fine. I think it will hold up for any load that I am likely to put on my bike. The U-lock comes off and connects my bike securely to the bike rack quickly and easily. It’s an extra-large U-lock and is pretty heavy, but it is secure. Then it slides back onto the mount on the rack. At some point, I’ll post a video showing off all the features of Blackie ๐Ÿšต as I put it together.

Riding home around 9 PM, it became painfully obvious how bad the front light is on my bike. ๐Ÿ”ฆIt’s okay for distance and lighting for traffic, but it doesn’t put out nearly enough light for safe riding and avoiding potholes and obstacles in the road. It won’t be good for night rides in the National Forest and is bad even in town. I was going to wait, but I think I will research and try to get a better light before vacation. Ideally, I’m thinking it would be a straight cob light that is USB-rechargeable ๐Ÿ”‹ that comes with rubber straps to hang on the down tube. This would put a lot of light over and under the front wheel, making for much safer riding, then keep the existing too dim light on the handlebar. I might see if I can clean the contacts or replace the bulb on of the existing fixture. I see they now make LED flashlight bulb replacements, which might allow me to continue to use the existing fixture but with more light output and less battery drain. Maybe that’s a good option, I could swing by the hardware store tomorrow before heading out camping. Also, I think I have dirty contacts or something else wrong with the lamp.

Tonight will have showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 9pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 9pm and 11pm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. Mostly cloudy ๐ŸŒง, with a low of 60 degrees at 4am. Three degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical night around August 20th. Maximum dew point of 67 at 6pm. West wind around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. In 2022, we had mostly clear skies in the evening, which became partly cloudy by the early hours of the morning. It was humid. It got down to 68 degrees. The record low of 47 occurred back in 1970.

If the weather is decent I may go out to Bender Mellon Farms Preserve ๐Ÿˆ though I think it will likely be thundery. โ›ˆ That said, I should spend some time cleaning and getting gear loaded up in my truck for a quick start tomorrow morning for heading out to Schoharie. ๐Ÿšš My kitchen and bathroom has gotten pretty dirty from all the mud I’ve tracked in and could use a good cleaning. It’s been so humid so I should get out the ammonia and tackle the places where the mold is starting to pop up again.

On this day in 1925, Dayton, Tennessee high school biology teacher John T. Scopes is found guilty of teaching evolution in class and fined $100. ๐Ÿง‘โ€๐Ÿซ Real money back in the day. Now it’s a tank of gas. โ›ฝ Darn criminals ruining, I mean running our country. The judge incorrectly set the fine, rather then letting the jury do it, so his conviction was overturned on appeal. The law would remain on the books until it was repealed 1967. ๐Ÿšจ Also in 1983, the world’s lowest temperature in an inhabited location is recorded at Vostok Station, Antarctica at โˆ’89.2 ยฐC (โˆ’128.6 ยฐF). They should build a pipe and send it up north to cool off people efficiently. โ˜ƒ๏ธ

Tomorrow will be partly sunny ๐ŸŒž, with a high of 80 degrees at 6pm. Four degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around August 28th. Maximum dew point of 61 at 8am. Northwest wind 7 to 10 mph. A year ago, we had partly cloudy skies in the morning with some clearing in the afternoon. It was sticky. The high last year was 93 degrees. The record high of 102 was set in 1926.

The plan for tomorrow is to hit the Catskill Scenic Trail ๐Ÿ„ ๐ŸŒ„ by early to mid-morning, for several hours of riding, ๐Ÿšด before heading to Mine Kill Pool ๐ŸŠ to swim for a few hours before it closes at six o’clock then head back to the state forest to camp. ๐Ÿ• Days are getting a bit shorter now, though even at six o’clock I should be good to get to camp and set up. Maybe this is the day best to do Shauls and hike Vromans Nose, ๐Ÿ‘ƒ though it’s kind of out of my way before the riding the Catskill Scenic Trail and Mine Kill.

Looking ahead to Sunday, sunny, with a high near 84. โ˜€ West wind 3 to 5 mph. Maximum dew point of 61 at 7pm. Typical average high for the weekend is 84 degrees.

I was thinking of spending the whole day at camp on Sunday, ๐Ÿ• indulging in a lot of reading and exploring the state forest. ๐Ÿ“š However, I also have a desire to visit Shaul’s this weekend. They are open on Saturday and Sunday from 9 AM to 5 PM, but closed on Monday. ๐Ÿ‘ Perhaps I could go on Saturday, taking a northern route, then drive south to Grand George and experience the beautiful Catskill Scenic Trail. Finally, I can head back north to Mine Kill State Park. ๐ŸŠ On the other hand, I don’t want to deal with the inconvenience of maneuvering in that tight campsite, securing everything, and driving on bumpy roads multiple times. It would also result in burning extra fuel. โ›ฝ I’m not entirely sure what I truly want to do. Sometimes, I simply enjoy arriving at camp and being able to relax ๐Ÿฅฑ there for a few days without venturing out daily. I have some tough choices to make! Worse comes to worse, the real vacation starts Friday.

One month ๐Ÿ“… from now will be World Mosquito Day ๐Ÿž when the sun will be setting at 7:50 pm with dusk at 8:18 pm. But with all the rain we’ve had lately, I’m sure I’ll want the DEET this weekend. And the bug net for on the hammock.

Singing

Totally agree that walking in that thunderstorm last night wasn’t a great idea โ›ˆ

I didn’t think it would be nice enough to go out walking last night but then I stepped outside it seemed okay, the wind blowing the opposite direction of the clouds to the west. It risk of thunder seemed pretty low, and I wanted to get at least 8 miles in for the day. But the time I was farthest from home the lightening was too close for comfort and five minutes from home the sky opened up. Ultimately I did get in 8 miles for the day, not the ten I normally walk and didn’t make it to the park, but that’s fine.

Good morning! With a few loud cracks of rain and thunder it’s morning. The sun is is rising, the skies are clearing somewhat and let’s call it 66 โ…” degrees at the 6:30 for the morning walk in the land of the Delmartian. โ›… Calm wind. The dew point is 64 degrees.

Last night I got home ๐Ÿก from work glad that I didn’t get soaked and figured that the evening walk ๐Ÿšถ was off the agenda. Then at 6:30 I stepped outside and looked at the radar and decided it would be okay. And it was for a while until the wind shifted and thunder โšก pushed closer. In the end it was fine, though I got a bit wet and went to bed early. ๐Ÿ› Walked 8 miles for the day plus 39 flights of stairs up and down. I was asleep by around 8 pm and up around 5 am.

As it was still raining out when I awoke ๐Ÿณ I decided to have breakfast before walking which was cold black coffee โ˜• with cold eggs and spinach from the other day. I also had a half of banana ๐ŸŒ from last night. At lunch time yesterday I walked up to Market 32 in Albany and got a bunch of bananas to hold my pantry over until Saturday when I can do a bigger shop ๐Ÿช. Cold lunch today with black beans, mushrooms, chopped farmers market tomatoes, peppers. Avoids the line for the microwave at work, though I’ve figured out the technique is to cook lunch at 12:50 PM before the 1 PM rush.

Today will have a chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 5pm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. Patchy fog before 7am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy ๐ŸŒง, with a high of 83 degrees at 2pm. One degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around July 4th. Independence Day! Maximum dew point of 71 at 2pm. Calm wind becoming south around 6 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible. A year ago, we had partly cloudy skies. It was somewhat humid. The high last year was 85 degrees. The record high of 99 was set in 1995.

I’ll have to keep that Market 32 in Albany in mind ๐Ÿ›’ for when I need stocking up of a few ingredients downtown. Much better than the old Ghetto Chopper and really only a few blocks away from work if I take South Swan to Elm Street. They don’t have much in household supplies – I was hoping to get super glue to fix my boots ๐Ÿ‘ข – but the fresh fruits and vegetables looked good. It’s small so a fast shop. Probably can’t get frozen things there and I decided to skip getting plain non fat Greek yogurt just because of the hot day walking back to the office and the bus ride home but in the winter I think that’s an option.

Solar noon ๐ŸŒž is at 1:02 pm with sun having an altitude of 69.1ยฐ from the due south horizon (-1.7ยฐ vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 2.3 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour ๐Ÿ… starts at 7:51 pm with the sun in the west-northwest (294ยฐ). ๐Ÿ“ธ The sunset is in the west-northwest (301ยฐ) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 8:33 pm after setting for 3 minutes and 22 seconds with dusk around 9:06 pm, which is 36 seconds earlier than yesterday. ๐ŸŒ‡ The best time to look at the stars is after 9:50 pm. At sunset, look for rain ๐ŸŒง and thunderstorms ๐ŸŒฉ and temperatures around 74 degrees. The dew point will be 70 degrees. There will be a south-southeast breeze at 6 mph. Today will have 15 hours and 5 minutes of daytime, a decrease of one minute and 25 seconds over yesterday.

Six months into healthy eating ๐ŸŽI am finally starting to notice how much thinner I am. I have a feeling that my BMI is now below 25 though I don’t have a scale so I don’t know but I know I have lost weight since the last time I visited the doctor at the end of May when I was 209 lb and needed to get to 194 lb to be a healthy weight at 6′ 2.5″ though most others say I’m 6′ 4″ or 6′ 5″ with the boots on. My love handles have virtually disappeared and my stomach is much smaller, and I’m pretty sure that size 36 pants ๐Ÿ‘– are now the proper size, the smallest since probably I’ve been since elementary school. The problem is finding clothes in my closet that don’t make me look like a clown. ๐Ÿคก Still have a little more belly fat I’d look to loose, not just because of the look but because outer fat is associated with inner muscle fat, especially in the heart ๐Ÿ’– which is rather bad. But I feel like I am starting to get in great shape, mostly from eating a nutritious diet but also because I’ve kept up with the walking and stairs. And hopefully cycling too. Steiner, you are biting me with this bicycle thing. ๐Ÿ˜ 

Tonight will have showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before midnight. Mostly cloudy ๐ŸŒง, with a low of 66 degrees at 5am. Three degrees above normal. Maximum dew point of 70 at 6pm. Southeast wind around 6 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. In 2022, we had mostly clear skies. It got down to 57 degrees. The record low of 44 occurred back in 1950.

I need to think about getting new boots before vacation. ๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Or at least rugged sneakers, something I can use for mountain biking and maybe jogging which I tell myself that I’m thinking ๐Ÿ’ญ about taking up ๐Ÿƒ maybe half seriously since becoming thinner. Around camp and certainly st the swimming pools and holes the knock off crocks are fun but they’re not appropriate for much else. They have no ankle support, get my feet muddy, and worse of all let in any stones and sticks into my foot ๐Ÿ‘ฃ where I can step on them.

On this day in 1969, the $500, $1,000, $5,000 and $10,000 bills are officially withdrawn from circulation. ๐Ÿ’ต After this date, if you wanted to buy a large purchase in cash, you needed a lot of hundred dollars in bills. ๐Ÿ’ฐThey had last been printed in 1945, and were finally dropped from circulation in 1969, in part as an effort to reduce corruption and money scams. Nowadays a hundred ๐Ÿ’ฏ dollars seems almost a paltry amount with inflation not that I ever carry anything bigger than $5 bills because it’s just easier to use the credit card ๐Ÿ’ณ for anything bigger.

Tomorrow will have a chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 3pm. Partly sunny ๐ŸŒž, with a high of 87 degrees at 3pm. Three degrees above normal. Maximum dew point of 72 at 11am. Muggy, swamp weather. South wind 3 to 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. 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. It was somewhat humid. The high last year was 86 degrees. The record high of 96 was set in 1997.

Tomorrow I will walk ๐Ÿšถ early to best the heat. ๐Ÿ˜ฐ Then it’s those oatmeal banana pancakes ๐ŸŒ ๐Ÿฅž love with blueberries and maybe some sugar free maple syrup and cold black coffee. So good! Then it’s off to Steiners to check on the status of the bicycle ๐Ÿšฒ they promise to be assembling for me. They don’t have it, I’ll test ride the XXL of the Marlin 5 and order and pay for the Marlin 6 as long as they can give me a set date for delivery. ๐Ÿšš Otherwise I will order online with another shop. This purchase needs to be closed down this weekend.

Then the next thing to do is get grocery shopping ๐Ÿ›’. I want to get more red kidney beans for maple syrup ๐Ÿ˜ next week and get them soaking to be cooked come Sunday morning. Plus all the usual, more Greek yogurt, ๐Ÿฎ frozen fruit ๐Ÿ“, peppers ๐Ÿซ‘๐ŸŒถ๏ธ, mushrooms ๐Ÿ„ and the usuals. I also need shampoo and extra deodorant the later this keep in the office ๐Ÿข after climbing the stairs. Then I’m not totally sure. ๐ŸŠ If it’s hot and looks like thunderstorms will stay away, maybe go to the town pool. I would have to register though to get a pool fob, maybe I should do that and it’s $5.25 to enter. ๐Ÿ˜• And you have to do that in advance. Seems like a pain. If I get the bike, ๐Ÿšต ride out to Voorheesville and probably the Black Creek Marsh. If it’s hot and I don’t want to spend money, go to the library for a while ๐Ÿ’ป with my computer, then come home, sit by the fan and get through some more of the stack of library books I have at home. ๐Ÿ“š

Looking ahead to Sunday, showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. High near 83. โ›ˆ๏ธ South wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible. Not just a few passing showers. Maximum dew point of 74 at 12pm. Typical average high for the weekend is 84 degrees.

And so is the weekend forecast. ๐Ÿ˜– But if I can get this damn bicycle ๐Ÿšฒ thing closed down, I’ll be happy. I am thinking about taking off at least one day next week, where and what to do is to be decided but I need to get a few things ready for my vacation, I’ve taken fewer days off this summer than expected. Maybe it will be to get the rack on the bicycle, break it in or pick it up. ๐Ÿ›  Maybe the Potholers or Schoharie the second half of the week. ๐ŸŠ

Two weeks from now, God willing, ๐Ÿ– I will be well on my way to the Finger Lakes. I really want to leave by eight AM on that Friday to get the campsite I want in the National Forest โ›บ and then have the afternoon to set up and relax. ๐ŸŽฃ Do some fishing, a nice bicycle ๐Ÿšฒ ride and maybe watch a Finger Lakes sunset ๐ŸŒ‡ across a cow pasture in the National Forest.

After vacation, August 11th I have a dentist appointment at 10:15 AM ๐Ÿฆท which I will follow up probably with a long weekend. Maybe Schoharie or the Adirondacks. Have to be strategic at this point as there are only three weeks left in August at that point before Labor Day Weekend, and I want to have at least a few more long weekends before summer is done. ๐ŸŠ ๐Ÿ›ถ That said, except for the Mine Kill Pool there is no reason I can’t take lots of long weekends come September and October. ๐Ÿ I am not doing a West Virginia trip — or even a week-long trip at this point this autumn, so that leaves other days to allocate. I would like to do some kayaking, fishing, hunting, and bike riding this autumn. Charles Baker State Forest roads probably would be wonderful for autumn bike riding, as would the Chenango Canal Trail and others.

Looking ahead, there are 7 weeks until September 1st ๐Ÿ‚ when the sun will be setting at 7:31 pm with dusk at 7:59 pm. That’s the start of Labor Day Weekend. On that day in 2022, we had mostly sunny skies with rain showers and temperatures between 73 and 55 degrees. Cool day. The average high is 79 degrees. We hit a record high of 96 back in 1953. I might do Spectulator that weekend, especially if they have fire tower lighting that I could observe from I don’t know, Watch Hill (?). ๐Ÿ• Some of those truck trails through the Conservation Easement might be nice on the mountain bike, as would be camping up on Hardwood Hill, looking at the stars, lighting off ground fireworks and sparklers. ๐ŸŽ†

Back Out on Open Lake

The rain let up for the morning walk โ˜”

I really didn’t think I would get out walking today outside but it turned out to just be a drizzle if that. Not sure if it will be this light all day but probably because when they warn of heavy rain it always gets scared off and leaves two drops of rain.

Good morning! Monday’s come back around again. Rain drops ๐Ÿ’ง and cloudy and 67 degrees in Delmar, NY. โ˜ Calm wind. The dew point is 66 degrees. The rain will stop tonight and skies will clear tomorrow around 5 am. Might be a good day to take delivery of Blackie, the name I gave my new mountain bike if it’s ready.

This morning out walking ๐Ÿšถ. I’m happy about that. The black coffee โ˜• – already had a half cup and breakfast will be original cream of wheat with frozen blueberries and a good glop of plain non fat Greek yogurt mixed in for protein and taste. ๐Ÿฅฃ At first I struggled to adopt the Greek yogurt craze ๐Ÿคช, as it’s rather tart and when I started eating healthy I zeroed in on the calories and saturated fats in dairy but I came around getting to like the somewhat bitter taste, noting the excellent ratio of protein to calories and how it’s a way to support dairy ๐Ÿฎ without as much of the unhealthy crap as cheese ๐Ÿง€ and ice cream ๐Ÿฆ.

Today will rain and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. ๐ŸŒง High of 75 degrees at 5pm. Eight degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around June 4th. Maximum dew point of 69 at 10am. ๐Ÿ–๏ธ Light north wind becoming northwest 5 to 10 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies. The high last year was 81 degrees. The record high of 100 was set in 1936.

I am hoping it stays dry enough to walk this evening ๐Ÿ‘ฃ but realistically I see the forecast. I will do the best I can do at lunch time, walking in the Concourse or maybe in the walkway. But it might be a good evening to continue reading either the Boggleheads Guide to Investing or Beginner’s Guide to D3.js. I am trying to learn more about D3.js. ๐Ÿ“š I took a FreeCodeCamp class on D3.js last fall but I’ve never used it but it’s a powerful tool for creating visualizations in Javascript. I also need to retire the debt on my credit card today, ๐Ÿ’ณ as I need more room under my credit limit so I can actually purchase the bike this week. ๐Ÿšต‍โ™€๏ธ Also want to get my FreeCreditReport and make sure all my credit accounts are still locked and clear, like they should be — and super boring.

Solar noon ๐ŸŒž is at 1:01 pm with sun having an altitude of 69.6° from the due south horizon (-1.2° vs. 6/21). The golden hour ๐Ÿ… starts at 7:53 pm with the sun in the west-northwest (295°). ๐Ÿ“ธ The sunset is in the west-northwest (302°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 8:35 pm after setting for 3 minutes and 24 seconds with dusk around 9:08 pm, which is 27 seconds earlier than yesterday. ๐ŸŒ‡ The best time to look at the stars is after 9:53 pm. At sunset, look for rain ๐ŸŒง and thunderstorms ๐ŸŒฉ and temperatures around 71 degrees. The dew point will be 65 degrees. There will be a northwest breeze at 9 mph. Today will have 15 hours and 10 minutes of daytime, a decrease of one minute and 11 seconds over yesterday.

Last night I got reading ๐Ÿ“– the Boggleheads Guide to Investing. Truth be told not much I didn’t already know but it’s good to expand your knowledge. I’ve done a lot of things right though I fully admit in some cases I leave money ๐Ÿ’ต on the table. Automatic investing with low cost index funds remains key to sustainable wealth growth. I probably could live without my big jacked up truck ๐Ÿ›ป or my new mountain bike ๐Ÿšต or my guns I don’t use enough ๐Ÿ”ซ but I also don’t take flamboyant vacations in fancy hotels, I don’t have internet, cable or air conditioning at my run down apartment in the city and I use public transport to get work. I’m really putting away a good chunk of money for retirement – federal maximums for my Roth IRA, Deferred Comp and plus I got my pension and also buy $415 weekly of a variety of index and bond funds. The hell of it is my credit score is complete crap, below 800, because I have never borrowed money outside of my credit card — no student or auto loans ever, and I refused to allow the bank to set a credit limit above $5,000 — which means my credit utilization is relatively high at 10-15% each month. ๐Ÿ’ณ But hopefully if I ever need to use credit to buy land or something else, I can put the majority down in cash, so I don’t get bit through the nose ๐Ÿฝ for refusing to use credit through the years.

And reading this book, truth is though that I feel more then a little guilty spending so much money on a fancy new bike, though my old clunker would still be that even if I did finish the rebuild project. ๐Ÿšฒ I’m hoping to get a lot of use out of the bicycle to sure — already been thinking about some remote-country hammock camping, only reachable by bicycle trail come August. ๐Ÿคฏ Spent some time pondering what to do with my old bicycle — I’ll possibly continue the rebuild as I now have the back wheel back together, but I honestly don’t want to spend much more time or money on parts that now that I will soon have the Blackie. ๐Ÿ‘ฉ‍๐Ÿ”ง I think it’s in too rough of shape to be traded in with the fork a little rough and still some of the parts not reinstalled, but I’m kind of hoping that Albany Bicycle Rescue will take it as a donation. I have too much clutter, but I’d rather it get more use then take it to a scrap yard. ๐Ÿ‡ I probably eat some grapes and chickpeas for stress eating last night, but I did follow it by a walk, ๐Ÿ‘ฃ as the rain let up last night. Overall, despite eating a large dinner — I mostly eat too much fruit and vegetables, and some rather unhealthy small portion of chicken and rice, I did still walk 9 1/2 miles yesterday and plan to do hopefully 10 miles today, and 40 flights of stairs. I do worry about getting obese ๐Ÿคฐ though in the future should I fall off my rocker.

Tonight will rain likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 8pm, then a chance of rain and thunderstorm then a chance of of the storms could produce heavy rain. Mostly cloudy ๐ŸŒง, with a low of 62 degrees at 6am. One degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical night around July 9th. Maximum dew point of 67 at 6pm. Northwest wind 6 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. In 2022, we had mostly clear skies. It got down to 55 degrees. The record low of 48 occurred back in 1986.

On this day in 1890, Wyoming is admitted to the United States as the 44th US State. ๐Ÿค Many liberals regard that as a mistake, although it has some beautiful country out in Yellowstone and lots of oil and coal. ๐Ÿ›ข๏ธAnd in 1962, Telstar, the world’s first communication satellite is launched.๐Ÿ“ก It would be destroyed within a year or so due to above ground nuclear testing. People think it was radiation and human sickness ๐Ÿคฎ that lead to the above ground test ban ๐Ÿ’ฃ when it was really concerns about damage to military satellites. ๐Ÿ›ฐ

A very typical summer weekend ahead. Hot and humid, thunderstorm โ›ˆ threat all weekend. Saturday, a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 84. Chance of precipitation is 50%. โ˜€ Maximum dew point of 70 at 11am. Sunday, a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 85. Chance of precipitation is 50%. Maximum dew point of 70 at 11am. Typical average high for the weekend is 84 degrees.

Looks like a decent weekend. โ›บ I’m still thinking about heading out to Schoharie this weekend for riding the Catskill Scenic Trail, swimming ๐ŸŠ, the auto show at NY Power Authority. ๐Ÿš™ I might take off Monday if it’s nice. I kind of don’t like driving back to Betty Brook due to the tight campsite and rough roads with my big jacked up truck but I’m thinking Sunday night there is a good chance I could get the campsite either on West Kill Road or Cole Hollow. The prior would mean you could get an early start, head down to Stamford and Monday morning and do the leg of the trail from Stamford down to Bloomville. ๐Ÿšฒ Monday’s are usually easier to get off plus then it’s a four day week the next two weeks as I’m leaving for vacation on a Friday. Then the week after vacation is my dentist appointment ๐Ÿฆท not this week as I originally thought.

A lot of my weekend plans depends on when I take delivery of Blackie, ๐Ÿšฒ and when I get the kick stand, rack and crate on it. I decided I’ll add yellow reflective DOT tape to the rear and sides of the black crate and the rack to improve visibility when riding on the road. I found my old front and back lights, though I’m missing the mount for the rear one or more like I think it broke when I took it off the old bike a few weeks back when I was restoring it. Supposedly from the online inventory the bike store has the kick stand, the MIK rack and MIK connector plate as I’d like to have that all installed before I head out for the weekend, along with the bicycle registered and licensed with the town, photos and other information sent to my insurer.

Looking ahead, there are 6 weeks until World Mosquito Day ๐Ÿž when the sun will be setting at 7:50 pm with dusk at 8:18 pm. My gawd have they been bad at times lately in the woods, especially for the evening walk at Elm Ave Town Park. On that day in 2022, we had hot and muggy weather ๐Ÿ˜ฐ , partly sunny and temperatures between 88 and 70 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 82 degrees. The mosquitoes loved that. We hit a record high of 98 back in 1916.

AES Cayuga Coal Power Plant in Distance

We all continue to sweat ๐Ÿ˜ฐ

Some more than others. That statement is true on so many levels. I’ve never had air conditioning at home. Maybe this is morning is not a good one to be listening to the Stones’ Paint It Black. Of course the that doesn’t count all the hours lately I’ve been sweating climbing the stairs in the office and out walking, 40 flights including in the LOB and 10 ½ miles again yesterday. And the thing I’m really sweating about these days – funding the perfect bicycle. A nice problem to be sweating a lot about.

Good morning! Yeah, it’s Friday! A three day work week doesn’t seem so bad after a four day weekend. ๐Ÿ™ƒ Partly cloudy and 69 degrees in Delmar for the morning walk. โ›… There is a south-southeast breeze at 6 mph. ๐Ÿƒ. The dew point is 66 degrees. The muggy weather ends next Wednesday around 7 pm. ๐Ÿ˜“ Or is that just when the weather model ends?

Last night was sticky for sleeping ๐Ÿ˜ด and the evening walk. ๐Ÿšถ By any standards it’s bed hot and muggy, I’m starting to see black mold pop up in my apartment again. I better clean that this weekend before it gets worse. I did not sleep well at all last night despite getting to bed ๐Ÿ› a little after nine. 9โƒฃ Mostly because of the heat but also because so much of my life has been consumed by trying to figure out what would be the perfect ๐Ÿ‘Œ bicycle ๐Ÿšฒ for me. More urban commuter or mountain bicycle? ๐Ÿšต๐Ÿšด

Today will have showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 5pm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. It’s summer, I just hope Piseco-Powley Road doesn’t wash out. Partly sunny ๐ŸŒž, with a high of 88 degrees at 1pm. Four degrees above normal. Maximum dew point of 73 at 12pm. South wind 6 to 8 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies in the morning with a few breaks of sun the afternoon. The high last year was 85 degrees. The record high of 97 was set in 1988.

This morning I decided to do scrambled eggs with red kidney beans run through the food processor to make a paste and fried, with also a sauce of tomatoes and jalapeños made in the food processor. ๐Ÿณ Made a good filling meal for two breakfasts ๐Ÿ˜‹ without preservatives or much unhealthy. I wanted something protein rich but limited sugar to help make up for my rough night sleeping. ๐Ÿฆ Yesterday’s shrimp and rice ๐Ÿš was good for dinner.

All electric bus ๐Ÿš โšก that was running on time until we hit the construction ๐Ÿšง detour due to them once again trying to fix the on ramp from US 9W to Downtown Albany and 787. Big delays on Southern Boulevard. The air conditioning wasn’t super cranked up on the bus either, though it was reasonably cool but not as refreshing as yesterday morning on bus. I’m going to be late in the office ๐Ÿข but I don’t care, it’s summer and I’m often early. Getting off at the Plaza and will walk in the Concourse as it’s cooler there. Might do the same as lunch time too to beat the heat. ๐Ÿ˜ฐ

Solar noon ๐ŸŒž is at 1:01 pm with sun having an altitude of 70° from the due south horizon (-0.8° vs. 6/21). The golden hour ๐Ÿ… starts at 7:54 pm with the sun in the west-northwest (295°). ๐Ÿ“ธ The sunset is in the west-northwest (302°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 8:36 pm after setting for 3 minutes and 26 seconds with dusk around 9:09 pm, which is 20 seconds earlier than yesterday. ๐ŸŒ‡ The best time to look at the stars is after 9:55 pm. At sunset, look out for rain ๐ŸŒง and thunderstorms ๐ŸŒฉ and temperatures around 76 degrees. The dew point will be 70 degrees. Sticky There will be a calm wind. Today will have 15 hours and 13 minutes of daytime, a decrease of one minute over yesterday.

It’s going to be a hot evening so I might delay my evening walk ๐Ÿšถ for a while to study bicycles some more. ๐Ÿšฒ I need to test ride more but I’m really thinking basic mountain bike especially for puncture resistance and tubed tires for easier repair for inevitable flats. I’m willing to trade up efficiency for commute to work for better gravel and dirt road performance. โš™ I would rather peddle harder then be off the road waiting for parts.

Tonight will have showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 11pm. Patchy fog after 3am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy ๐ŸŒƒ, with a low of 67 degrees at 4am. Five degrees above normal. Maximum dew point of 71 at 6pm. Light and variable wind. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. In 2022, we had partly cloudy skies in the evening, which became mostly clear by the early hours of the morning. It was somewhat humid. It got down to 67 degrees. The record low of 43 occurred back in 1969.

On this day in 1981, U.S. President Ronald Reagan appoints Sandra Day O’Connor ๐Ÿ‘ฉ๐Ÿป‍โš–๏ธto become the first female member of the Supreme Court of the United States. ๐Ÿฅช That’s almost as cool as sliced bread, which is sold for the first time by the Chillico the Baking Company in 1921. It’s actually amazing to think it was so long that the Supreme Court was all male, only forty odd years ago was there any women on the court. Now if they could only get come young people on the court and less of the old white bread. ๐Ÿฅ I haven’t had bread in ages, mostly as it’s a lot of more carbs and while whole grain has more fiber I generally just stick with brown rice as a durable, preservative free form of carbs to use in many meals. ๐Ÿด

Tomorrow will have a chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2pm. Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, partly sunny ๐ŸŒž , with a high of 87 degrees at 3pm. Three degrees above normal. Maximum dew point of 72 at 12pm. Light and variable wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies in the morning with a few breaks of sun the afternoon. The high last year was 85 degrees. The record high of 100 was set in 1936.

I fully concede that this would be the perfect weekend for the Potholers ๐ŸŠ‍โ™‚๏ธ or Mine Kill Pool if I wasn’t planning on test riding and hopefully buying a bicycle ๐Ÿšฒ this weekend. I feel like this whole process has dragged on for much too long but it’s taken me a while to figure out that I would be best off with a new rather than used or rebuilt bicycle. Then the trade offs of efficency of a road bicycle vs durability of a mountain bike ๐Ÿšต have been in my mind plus what I’m willing to spend. You know I’m the boy that looked at getting a Toyota Prius for cheap, reliable environmentally friendly transportation before settling on a big jacked up truck. I have a feeling my bicycle buying process is going that way, especially as I play through all the disadvantages of riding a bike to work over taking the bus – theft, car crashes, pollution. That air conditioning feels so good on the bus in the sweltering heat.

I will try to leave by 10:30 tomorrow to test ride more bicycles. ๐Ÿ”Ž๐Ÿšฒ. I really want to settle on something this weekend and either take delivery or at least have it on order for next week. I am going to start at Steiner’s Sports in Glenmont, as they have more mountain bikes it seems, and then try Downtube next. If I like what they have at Steiner’s Sports in Glenmont but they don’t have it at their local shop, but I can get it at their main shop in Hudson, I am more then willing to drive down there on Saturday afternoon or Sunday. Downtube wants to charge $50 destination fee on top of the MSRP, which is reasonable but if I can save some money, that’s even more reasonable. I think I finally have a better idea of what I want.

Then the other thing I need is grocery shopping. ๐Ÿ ๐Ÿ„ With the blueberries I got at the farmer’s market on Wednesday I have enough of a grocery haul to make it to the weekend, but things are starting to get a bit low and I want to maintain a nutritious, diverse and tasty diet. ๐Ÿ˜‹ I worry if I let my pantry get too bare then I will start going for less healthy calories.

Looking ahead to Sunday, a chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 2pm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Mostly cloudy, ๐ŸŒฅ with a high near 79. South wind around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. Maximum dew point of 70 at 12pm. Typical average high for the weekend is 84 degrees.

Looking ahead, next Friday is National Nude Day ๐Ÿ‘ฑ when the sun will be setting at 8:33 pm with dusk at 9:06 pm. It’s when my dentist appointment is. ๐Ÿฆท I’ll wear clothing though when I get my teeth cleaned. At least that’s when I think it is. On that day in 2022, we had partly cloudy and temperatures between 85 and 65 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 84 degrees. We hit a record high of 99 back in 1995.

I am hoping that National Nude Day is one that I can get out of town, for the weekend. Maybe just Schoharie County but I could also see the Potholers ๐ŸŠ‍โ™€๏ธ as it’s been a while since I’ve spent a few nights in the wilderness. Hopefully with a bicycle to ride too. At this point I’m trying to save money, and Schoharie might be better for just two nights, and it would be good to improve my swimming skills. Heading up mid-day on Friday is no guarantee that I’ll get the House Pond Campsite for easy access to the East Canada Creek for floating and walk to the Potholers. I haven’t done the Mine Kill Pool in a long time, I don’t recall if I ever made it out there in 2022 or not.

Photo.2013.06.15 17.31.39

Off the Last Week of July or is it the First Week of August ๐ŸŽฃ โ›บ ๐ŸŠ ๐Ÿšด

I got my time-off request approved. I’m planning on heading out early on Friday July 28th to the Finger Lakes, preferably being on the road by no later then 8 AM so I can start setting up camp before noon. I prefer to drive out on a Friday as traffic will be much lighter on the dreaded NY 79 into Ithaca, though I expect to grind to stop heading through the city, but it’s mostly unavoidable. Setting up camp early on Friday, maximizes my chances of getting a good campsite in the Finger Lakes National Forest, most likely my old standby the Chicken Co-Op site or maybe the Potamac Road Field Campsite.

Vacation means lazy afternoons

They have pros and cons. The first one can be tight to get in and out from my truck but it’s closer to Foster Pond for night hikes and fishing, and has cell service for streaming videos and audio. On the other hand, the field campsite is father back off the road, so less dust and noise, it has good sun for solar power, and no cell service, unless I walk down the road. Sometimes it’s nice to have a good excuse to put down the phone, not listen to the radio and stream audio non-stop. Be off-the-grid more.

Summer Vacation Seems So Distant Now

Once camp is set up for the first day, my hope is to have a bicycle and use it to get around to more of the National Forest quickly, for hikes, fishing and watching sunsets. While it’s a bit of a drop down off the backbone to Burdett, Trumansburg or Lodi, I could see doing some day bicycle trips to those villages to pick up light groceries and supplies or get an ice cream cone. But primarily I will bicycle around the National Forest on the dirt roads, heading out to trailheads where I could lock up my bicycle before hiking or fishing.

Dusk at Seneca Lake

Then during the day times, I want to do several of the bike trails and or hiking, followed by swimming. I definitely want to do the full length of Cayuta Valley Trail from Watkins Glen to Elmira, as I’ve hiked a lot of it but not seen it all. Also, probably the Black Diamond Trail from Taughannock Falls and Ithaca. Two years ago I did the Kueka Outlook Trail on foot, and it might be worthwhile to do a day trip up there again this year, especially with gas prices down a bit and because I’m planning on a direct-drive out to Finger Lakes this year.

Kueka Outlet in the afternoon

I also want to find a day to park somewhere in Downtown Ithaca and then either take a TCAT bus up to Cornell or ride my bike up that hill — which will be a bitch — but would be fun going back down. I want to explore Triphammer Falls which I’ve always stayed away from because of the difficulty of finding parking on campus. Also maybe Wells Falls. It’s funny how most years I avoid Ithaca.

Robert Treman Pool

Then also some calm days paddling and fishing on Seneca Lake. I will bring the rubber tube so I can inflate that out in the Finger Lakes and float on Seneca Lake. That new kayak launch on NY 79 Seneca Lake is fantastic, plus that end of the lake is shallow and sandy which is great for floating. Last year, I had some great days doing both.

Stillness on Seneca Lake

I plan to set up camp and stay at the same site for all nine-nights. Some days will be at camp, riding around the National Forest. I plan to return home on August 6th, doing mostly a straight shot home, but weather depending I might spend that final day exploring places around Ithaca before getting on the road by 3 or 4 PM for arrival back home at around 7 PM to unpack.

Monday, Monday

Good morning! Monday’s come back around again. So it has. Mostly cloudy with haze and 65 degrees in Delmar, NY. โ›… There is a south-southeast breeze at 6 mph. ๐Ÿƒ. The dew point is 65 degrees. The air quality index is a healthy 33. The muggy weather ends Thursday around 2 am. ๐Ÿ˜“

I’m out walking ๐Ÿšถ though not as early as I would like as I have a bad case of the Monday’s plus there isn’t the smoldering cars around the High School ๐Ÿšธ and I don’t have to iron my clothes before work. Decided to give my eyes ๐Ÿ‘€ a break for now and wear glasses ๐Ÿ‘“ for my morning walk ๐Ÿšถ Plus I find the humidity to be kind of a demotivator to getting moving plus the eye issues I had over the weekend.

I started out this morning with a hard-boiled egg ๐Ÿฅš to get some protein before the morning walk. ๐Ÿƒ I am been having too much sugar lately, and I besides boosting the fiber in my diet I am coming around the way of the keto folks on having more protein and fiber from eggs and other lower-calorie sources like certain beans and meats. Then for breakfast, I am going to pulverize some white beans and mix them in the cream of wheat with strawberries and blueberries. ๐Ÿต While I don’t like overusing my food chopper, as I think food should be chewed not drunk, it does work good for hiding things like beans in your breakfast.

Today will have a chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 9am. Mostly cloudy ๐ŸŒฉ, with a high of 81 degrees at 2pm. One degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around June 23rd. Maximum dew point of 71 at 12pm. South wind 6 to 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies. It was somewhat humid. The high last year was 93 degrees. The record high of 99 was set in 1952.

We are stuck in that rather hot, humid unstable weather pattern โ›ˆ๏ธ that is common this time of year. Could get soaked any minute type deal. Sucks for people that have this week off from work – used to be my usual choice though not in recent years as I like to break my summer up more. ๐Ÿ˜… Won’t make the evening walk fun but if it’s not raining, I might go down to the park and read for a while then do some steps as darkness approaches and it’s not as hot. ๐Ÿ“š As  At least the air quality is relatively good today, though we need to watch how much the Canadian wildfire smoke pushes in later in the day.

Solar noon ๐ŸŒž is at 12:59 pm with sun having an altitude of 70.7° from the due south horizon (-0.1° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 2.1 foot shadow today at noon time. The golden hour ๐Ÿ… starts at 7:55 pm with the sun in the west-northwest (297°). ๐Ÿ“ธ The sunset is in the west-northwest (304°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 8:38 pm after setting for 3 minutes and 28 seconds with dusk around 9:12 pm, which is 3 seconds later than yesterday. ๐ŸŒ‡ At dusk you’ll see the Waxing Gibbous ๐ŸŒ” Moon in the south-southwest (213°) at an altitude of 37° from the horizon, 245,656 miles away. ๐Ÿš€ The best time to look at the stars is after 9:58 pm. At sunset, look for rain ๐ŸŒง and thunderstorms ๐ŸŒฉ and temperatures around 75 degrees. The dew point will be 69 degrees. There will be a south-southeast breeze at 10 mph. Today will have 15 hours and 21 minutes of daytime, a decrease of 19 seconds over yesterday.

Tonight will have showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 11pm. Mostly cloudy , with a low of 66 degrees at 5am. Five degrees above normal. Maximum dew point of 70 at 6pm. South wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. In 2022, we had mostly clear skies. It was humid. It got down to 61 degrees. The record low of 45 occurred back in 1970.

On this day in 1963, U.S. President John F. Kennedy gave his “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech, underlining the support of the United States for democratic West Germany shortly after Soviet-supported East Germany erected the Berlin Wall. ๐Ÿฉ Also, The Universal Product Code is scanned for the first time in 1974 to sell a package of Wrigley’s chewing gum at the Marsh Supermarket in Troy, Ohio.๐Ÿ›’

Cloudy and rain showers for Independence Day Weekend ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ Saturday, a chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 82. Chance of precipitation is 50%. Maximum dew point of 66 at 12pm. Sunday, showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 80. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Maximum dew point of 67 at 12pm. Typical average high for the weekend is 83 degrees.

I’d like to get out of town this weekend ๐Ÿšฒ but finding a bicycle is a higher priority and it depends on the weather. I might look at bicycles at a few places on Saturday then camp โ›บ maybe in Schoharie and do the Mine Kill Pool ๐ŸŠ‍โ™‚๏ธ maybe hammock camping. Depends on whether or not I get Monday off as a holiday. Actually I’m thinking the following weekend might be quieter and better for some lazy floating in the Adirondacks along Piseco-Powley Road. A lot depends on the weather. I might due Betty Brook but I worry I can get that campsite, though the little one is rarely taken as most people either go for the big lower site or the field site. Not sure. If it looks wet and I have a bike to ride, I might stay close to home and see what I can explore on the bicycle.

Looking ahead, there are 8 weeks until World Mosquito Day ๐Ÿž when the sun will be setting at 7:50 pm with dusk at 8:18 pm. On that day in 2022, we had hot, partly sunny and temperatures between 88 and 70 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 82 degrees. We hit a record high of 98 back in 1916.

Kelley Stand Road