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October 14, 2019 Morning

Good morning! Happy Columbus Day 🛥️! For me it means the second half of the trip back home 🏡 from West Virginia and getting unpacked. Two weeks to Average High is 55 🍂. Mostly sunny and 46 degrees at the Mount Pisgah County Park. There is a southwest breeze at 7 mph. 🍃.

I was up at 6:15 am this morning, 🌄as I had chilli last night and too much beer 🍻 and had to visit the outhouse early on. 💩 Being I was in a campground it was a short walk but at least I got things taken down early and I’m stopping at the Mount Pisgah County Park for a bit.

Columbus Day will be mostly sunny 🌞, with a high of 56 degrees at 1pm. Five degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around October 25th. West wind 7 to 13 mph. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies. The high last year was 59 degrees. The record high of 81 was set in 1920.

So the October Road Trip is almost over. Just have to make it home safely and unpack. Then out to the folks house. It was a good trip although not the one I had originally planned. 🚙 The burn ban made me alter my plans and for a while I wasn’t planning on going to West Virginia. 📛 Time marches on, that’s all I can say.

But I did and spent three nights there before overnighting in County Bridge Campground outside of Troy, Penna last night. Only night in a developed campground. We other sites were taken but none nearby and it was very quiet there. Nice thing about the developed area is no bucket shitter 💩 to empty and bury the poop, and I don’t have to take down my table so a faster take down this morning.

Dash cam 🎥 didn’t record for part of the trip back but I didn’t have all that much great to save. I did get some nice clips to post on the blog later this week. Stay tuned!

The sun will set at 6:27 pm with dusk around 6:55 pm, which is one minute and 36 seconds earlier than yesterday. 🌇 At sunset, look for partly cloudy skies 🌃 and temperatures around 50 degrees. There will be a west-northwest breeze at 9 mph. Today will have 11 hours and 9 minutes of daytime, an increase of 2 minutes and 44 seconds over yesterday.

Tonight will have patchy frost after 5am. Otherwise, partly cloudy 🌤, with a low of 35 degrees at 5am. Five degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical night around October 31st. West wind 5 to 7 mph. In 2018, we had mostly clear skies in the evening, which became cloudy by the early hours of the morning. It got down to 39 degrees. The record low of 27 occurred back in 1978.

I could have done the New River Gorge and spent the balance of my trip in West Virginia 😔 but it seemed like the burn ban was going to be in place for most of the week. Sure I have the propane heater and electric lights 🚥 💡 but there is something about having a fire each night, if only a small fire is o provide some entertainment and company and take care of the burn trash. 🔥 So many wet wipes to get rid of when you are using them as your primary way to clean up your body. Maybe I should have stuck to the original plan but the Allegheny National Forest was neat as was visiting Pennsylvania High Point, Cook Forest and Hoye-Crest in Maryland.

It wasn’t a bad night, and it’s a convient place to stay at between Albany and West Virginia, ⛺ about half way between the two places at least if your like me and want to stay some place relatively quiet and cheap, while limiting driving to 4 hours a day, leaving the remaining time to visit parks or hop on back roads. That said, I’d prefer to camp somewhere I can gather up my own wood, listen to music 🎶 as loud as I want, not have to worry about bothering anyone with the smoke. At least I could have a decent fire 🔥 because I had some leftover wood from Stewart’s that I bought for the trip down and I used the Big Buddy Hester to keep my chair comfortable. Cold enough I wish I could have hot tented but I wasn’t going to pitch a tent for one night. It was fine under the covers.

I thought the Cannan Refuge was a disappointment but maybe the second seven miles down the rough dirt road would have been better. 🐦 The part I explored was the standard mixed forest, nothing much better than the Five Rivers Environmental Education Center I walk 🚶 to from home. At any rate, I was expecting something more marshy and full of birds like Montezuma. But it’s just not that kind of area. Moreover, the weather wasn’t all that great compared to the original forecast for yesterday.

Stopped at the Blue Knob State Park. 🗻 Kind of dead this time of year with the ski resort closed. And it was a rather gray day which sort of blocked the view and made it harder to see from the summit. I wonder if Blue Knob is the second highest peak in Pennsylvania. Nice country driving through Imler and surrounding lands. Good farmland, big dairies 🐄 around there.

Most of the drive up through Pennsylvania was fairly overcast and not real nice. ☁ The colors weren’t very good either. Passed some nice farm country in Pennsylvania. Mostly dairy 🐮 but some hogs 🐽, chickens 🐔, sheep 🐑 etc. Grains like corn 🌽 and soybeans too 🌾. Lots of Amish and Menonites along PA 26 and the Nittany Valley farming. I get not owning a car or living off grid but having no solar seems a bit extreme. But I guess if you can’t make it yourself, you shouldn’t own it. 🚜 I do have a lot of respect for the Amish even if their environmental record is a bit mixed. They do use some technology like silage wrap on their farms – which being Pennsylvania I’m sure is burned when discarded.

Driving 🚘 up through Pennsylvania I can assure still plenty of rural households and farms in Pennsylvania that burn virtually everything – you could see the black smoke, the piles of burnt cans and glass and ash in folks backyards and bags of trash next to the burn barrel waiting to be torched. 🔥 I didn’t have to go far in Pennsylvania to see the first pile of junk people were burning in their driveway. Wood with other goodies in that fire. Also saw some one burning trash in Maryland too and a few rural houses in West Virginia with burn barrels out back. Beats the landfill in my view, despite the sometimes stench 👃, although I think I would seperate out the cans and glass for recycling ♻ when I own my own land – and maybe build some kind of better incinerator than the common burn barrel most folks use. 👍 I can tell you as a fact there isn’t much burn trash I’m taking home from camp. Seems like a waste especially of the tin cans to throw the metal away – and it’s not like they burn or help the fire at all.

I decided to get off Interstate 99 at PA 414 through Liberty, Penna🗽 . Talk about a windy, narrow state highway in country that at worse was rolling. 🚙 I don’t understand why it’s such a bad road. Scenic yes, but hardly a good route to travel. At least not as bumpy and rough as River Road. But obnoxiously slow. I was having problems my phone not charging the whole time 📱, fortunately though I had enough power for Waze to direct me to destination.

I could go to West Virginia possibly next November but who knows. 😕 I might have to do a recount for work, and snow ⛄ is always a possibility like last year. I know I don’t want anything to do with West Virginia if snow and ice conditions are even a remote possibility. No thanks for sure. 2021 if I decide to go back, it might be a a very different experience if I decide to go car-less that year and have to rent a car. 🚙 It might be fun to see West Virginia in a rented car especially a hybrid electric car on those hills. Wouldn’t have to be as gentle on the rough roads either. Always worry about breaking Big Red down there. Another possibility would be a trip – probably by plane ✈ and rental car to see Missouri and the Midwest that year.

The past two nights have been bright 🔆 with the moonlight 🌕. Woke up Saturday night hot tent camping to take a piss in West Virginia and the inside of the tent was bright from the moonlight. Bitterly cold Sunday morning – I woke up and it was 26 degrees out. But after turning the Big Buddy heater on things he warned up quickly.

It was a good trip and generally came below budget 💸as I spent less time in West Virginia then originally expected. The bad weather ☔ a few days meant I drank more beer 🍻 then originally planned but I drove fewer miles ⛽ even when you consider I started my week in the Allegheny National Forest. 🌲Only spent one night in a campground, keeping those expenses lower and my food expenses were only slightly higher than normal – and I have left overs for future weeks to eat. Wet wipes, paper plates and towels, plastic forks, 🍴 etc too – seems like a waste to use once and burn 🔥 but when camping water 💦 is a precious commodity and its nice to stay clean as possible.

Tomorrow is a pay day 👍and it’s a three paycheck month so by the time the November credit card 💳 bill is due with the brake job on my truck and vacation expenses I’ll hopefully have my fund balance rebuilt. I can return some of the unspent cash to the bank.💰 I really needed to get away from Albany for a bit, go to some places much culturally and socially different from Albany. Despite the tight finances, I’m still sticking to my savings and investing plan. Travel and camping expenses will decline come winter but eventually I’ll be paying for heat 🔥 again but so it goes. I want to do some winter camping but the conditions have to be right and it won’t be an every day thing.

Definitely looking for a good shower when I get home. 🚿 It’s been ten days – Saturday October 5th since I’ve washed my full body. I’ve tried to keep as clean as possible but it’s hard when you are in the backcountry in October and you can’t really go for a swim 🏊 to clean your body. Did lots of hiking too ehic produces a lot of sweat. 😰

Generated and consumed a kilowatt of power through the solar panel over the past week. ☀ I wonder how much total power I consumed as I frequently used the alternator to top off accessory batteries. 🔋 Generally the system worked well. Once or twice the low voltage disconnect kicked in but that was one time due to a heavier load and one time in a dark morning in the cold pulling a decent load the voltage ⚡ dropped under the threshold. The sun rose, voltage increased and the load was automatically reconnected when safe. Driving 🚘 home I’m charging the laptop and running all accessory loads exclusively on the solar.

A picture perfect weekend on tap. 😎 Saturday, mostly sunny, with a high near 56. Sunday, mostly sunny, with a high near 61. Maximum dew point of 49 at 7pm. Typical average high for the weekend is 59 degrees. Should be great weather for the Save the Pine Bush hike! 🌲🌲🌲We are doing a walk down Rapp Road, it should be a nice one. Maybe fall foliage hike 🚶 on Sunday?

As previously noted, there are 2 weeks until Average High is 55 🍂 when the sun will be setting at 6:07 pm with dusk at 6:35 pm. On that day in 2018, we had mostly cloudy, rain showers and temperatures between 51 and 41 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 55 degrees. We hit a record high of 78 back in 1971.

 Morning

September 22, 2019 Night

Good evening! Partly clear and 75 degrees in Dormansville, NY. There is a south-southwest breeze at 8 mph. 🍃. The dew point is 64 degrees. Kind of muggy end to summer. But then again autumn is going to start out pretty hot and muggy. 🔥

With today, I think it’s fair to say summer camping season is done. I doubt I’ll do any more kayaking this summer, put the fishing pole away for my gun. ⛺ I’m still looking forward to my West Virginia trip in twelve days. Money will be tighter then expected but if I have to dip a little bit into savings it’s not the end of the world. I’m mostly backcountry camping so lodging expenses will be low and I cook most of my own food 🍲.

It was a great weekend, got to see see and do a lot but it’s intensely frustrating 😤 that Big Red has developed a noise in the rear right wheel. Not sure if it’s the drum brake or the wheel bearing but things only break when money is tight. I’m always putting more damn money into keeping the brakes working right. Those big wheels, my heavy truck cap the solar panel, batteries and camping equipment put quite a bit of weight on the brakes going down the mountains. If I get another truck eventually it’s going to be a 3/4 ton for sure, without a lift kit. But I may go car-less for a while so I can save more for my future.

Tonight will be partly cloudy 🌤, with a low of 65 degrees at 5am. 16 degrees above normal. Maximum dew point of 64 at 10pm. South wind around 8 mph. In 2018, we had partly cloudy skies in the evening, which became mostly clear by the early hours of the morning. It got down to 45 degrees. The record low of 32 occurred back in 1963.

Tonight will have a Waning Crescent Moon 🌘 with 28% illuminated with the moon rising at 12:16 am. The moon will rise at 1:00 am. The New Moon is on Friday night with mostly clear skies. The Hunter Moon 🌝 is on Saturday, October 12th. The sun will rise at 6:43 am with the first light at 6:15 am, which is one minute and 5 seconds later than yesterday. 🌄 Tonight will have 11 hours and 50 minutes of darkness, an increase of 2 minutes and 51 seconds over last night.

Tomorrow will have a chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 2pm. Partly sunny 🌞, with a high of 85 degrees at 3pm. 16 degrees above normal. Maximum dew point of 65 at 10am. Summer like for sure. South wind 8 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. 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. The high last year was 66 degrees. The record high of 97 was set in 1895.

In four weeks on October 20 the sun will be setting at 6:06 pm,🌄 which is 47 minutes and 25 seconds earlier then tonight. In 2018 on that day, we had partly cloudy, rain showers and temperatures between 62 and 46 degrees. Typically, you have temperatures between 58 and 38 degrees. The record high of 80 degrees was set back in 1965.

Tomorrow I will probably go to Walmart and get more blue jeans 👖. I wrecked the one pair and I’m running low on pairs that aren’t ripped or falling apart. Maybe I can order them online and save the trip. Tuesday I need to go to State Farm and Slingerlands and present my insurance discount certificate. I might walk there. Wednesday is the Guilderland Planning Board meeting but I’m not sure if I can make it as I want to avoid driving the truck until it’s been looked at next week. Thursday is going over to John Wolcott house. I’ll walk there. Next weekend is staying home, cleaning and planning out my autumn road trip.

Looking ahead, Average High is 60 🍂 is in 3 weeks, Daylight Savings Time Ends 🛥️ is in 6 weeks, Average High is 50 🍂 is in 7 weeks, December 🎄 is in 10 weeks, Bill of Rights Day 📜 is in 12 weeks, Days are Getting Longer ☀️ is in 3 months, National Pie Day 🍰 is in 17 weeks, 5:30 PM Dusk 🌆 is in 18 weeks and Election Day 2020 🗳️ is in 6 weeks.

Reservoir

June 13, 2019 Night

Good evening! Partly to mostly cloudy and 57 degrees in Delmar, NY. ☁ There is a south-southeast breeze at 6 mph. 🍃. The dew point is 52 degrees. We had some breaks in the clouds but now it’s gotten fairly overcast again.

Tonight marks one week until summer ☀ and hopefully the legislative session will be done, I’ll be home by five o’clock and can enjoy evenings in the park and weekends in the wilderness. I think I do a good job at the sometimes challenging aspects of my job but I look forward to a relatively quiet summer at work without wearing a suit and tie. 😎 Not that I wear a suit, just a blazer. I’m not into being super swanky.

I was feeling pretty good today but the headache and aching returned a bit tonight. 😖 Not terrible and I did go for my evening walk. That said I hope this doesn’t last all summer. If it gets worse I tell myself I’ll have to visit the doctor. Crickets are doing their things, rumble from the rail yard, it’s actually a bit cool out back. Getting late, I should head in soon.

They ordered dinner for us at work today, so which was good because the refrigerator at work quit working so I think my dinner might have spoiled. 🍲 I did move it to the other refrigerator at work and brought it home and into the freezer. I’ll give it the sniff test and decide if it’s compost or dinner over the weekend. Got done with work in time to catch the 8:15 bus home, which was an enormous articulated bus. 🚄 What a waste in my book, the enormous bus was virtually empty.

Tonight will have a chance of showers, mainly after 11pm. Mostly cloudy 🌧, with a low of 52 degrees at 4am. Four degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical night around June 1st. Maximum dew point of 52 at 10pm. South wind 6 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible. In 2018, we had mostly clear skies in the evening, which became cloudy by the early hours of the morning. It was somewhat humid. It got down to 60 degrees. The record low of 39 occurred back in 1970.

Tonight will have a Waxing Gibbous Moon 🌔 with 94% illuminated. The moon will set at 3:38 am. The Strawberry Moon 🍓 is on Sunday night with a chance of showers. The sun will rise at 5:16 am with the first light at 4:42 am, which is 3 seconds earlier than yesterday. 🌄 Tonight will have 8 hours and 42 minutes of darkness, a decrease of 29 seconds over last night.

Tomorrow will have a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy 🌦, with a high of 67 degrees at 12pm. 11 degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around May 9th. Another cool day. Maximum dew point of 52 at 7am. South wind 8 to 17 mph becoming west in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 33 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies. It became humid as the day progressed. The high last year was 73 degrees. The record high of 96 was set in 1892.

Saturday might be okay 👌 but I’m not thinking it will be a real nice weekend. Saturday, partly sunny, with a high near 79. South wind 7 to 15 mph. Maximum dew point of 54 at 8pm. ⛅ Sunday, showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 8am, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 8am and 2pm, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 2pm. ☔ Mostly cloudy, with a high near 78. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. Maximum dew point of 66 at 4pm. Typical average high for the weekend is 78 degrees.

I doubt I’ll be working this weekend 🏢 but tomorrow could be a fairly late night at work. I’m not going to drive in but I can always get my truck later on if necessary. I doubt it though, I think they’ll move through the agreed 👍 upon rent bills pretty much in the daylight. There are some decent protection for upstate renters in there. I know as long as I live in New York, I’ll rent a small apartment and take transit to work. 🏡

Maybe for ten more years, although I guess staying with the state until age 55 is financially sensible 💵 but I also want to get on with the rest of my life. It all depends on how much longer I have family locally – my parents are getting up there in the years and I don’t have really any other relatives locally. I’d like to live some place cheaper than New York in state with more freedom, off grid in a cabin / hobby farm out in the country. 👴 I tell you, I’m already getting so gray and I don’t feel that old, even when I put the suit and tie on. 👔

I look at summer in the short term but I do dream about the future. 🔮 Camping on dirt roads is a lot of fun ⛺ as is kayaking fishing 🎣 and cooling off on the Potholers but I do dream of a world based on reality rather than escape. 🌍 I do watch too many hours of people making their lives homesteading and farming, living off grid, hunting and fishing, making a good life for themselves and their families. I hate the indignities of living in New York and the urban life but I’m saving for a better tomorrow.

I got the wire I need for connecting the second accessory battery 🔋 to the proper side of the long voltage disconnect. This will protect it from under voltage ⚡ when camping. I also will wire up the solar panel gauge and always on USB ports for charging things like my flashlight 🔦 or portable USB battery bank. Then maybe go for a walk out to Five Rivers or some place I can walk 🚶to on foot. Might need to pick up a few groceries next week, although not a lot.

In four weeks on July 11 the sun will be setting at 8:33 pm,🌄 which is 39 seconds earlier then tonight. Yeap, days will be getting shorter. I’ll probably be packing for my summer vacation then. In 2018 on that day, we had mostly sunny skies and temperatures between 83 and 63 degrees. Typically, you have temperatures between 82 and 61 degrees. The record high of 98 degrees was set back in 1936.

Looking ahead, Summer ️⛱️ is in 1 week, Independence Day 🇺🇸 is in 3 weeks, Hottest Time of the Year 😅 is a month away, August 🌻 is in 7 weeks, Last Sunset After 7 PM 🌆 is in 16 weeks and Average High is 60 🍂 is in 4 months.

Mr. Sun

June 11, 2019 Night

Good evening! Clear and 60 degrees in Delmar, NY. There is a northwest breeze at 7 mph. 🍃. The dew point is 48 degrees. Not a half bad evening for sitting out back but the migraine headache and achiness returned a bit. I was reading about somebody I’m Facebook friends with who was hospitalized after collapsing with after complications from Lyme disease. But who knows, it could also be mold exposure at home. But I did do my evening walk to burn off some calories from the work picnic.

Tonight will be clear 🌃, with a low of 50 degrees at 5am. Six degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical night around May 26th. West wind 3 to 7 mph. In 2018, we had mostly clear skies. It got down to 57 degrees. The record low of 38 occurred back in 1972.

Tonight will have a Waxing Gibbous Moon 🌔 with 80% illuminated. The moon will set at 2:38 am. The 🌕 is on Sunday night with partly cloudy skies. The sun will rise at 5:17 am with the first light at 4:42 am, which is 7 seconds earlier than yesterday. 🌄 Tonight will have 8 hours and 43 minutes of darkness, a decrease of 37 seconds over last night.

Tomorrow will be sunny 🌞, with a high of 77 degrees at 5pm. Typical for that day. Maximum dew point of 50 at 8am. Calm wind becoming south 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon. Should be a nice day if you’re not stuck in the office. I’ll try to walk outside to the capitol. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies. The high last year was 82 degrees. The record high of 95 was set in 2017.

Nice weather expected for Saturday based on the latest forecast. Saturday, partly sunny, with a high near 78. ☀ Maximum dew point of 57 at 7pm. Sunday, a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 78. ☁ Chance of precipitation is 50%. Maximum dew point of 65 at 5pm. Typical average high for the weekend is 78 degrees.

Unless something changes I doubt I’ll get out of town for the weekend. But I will hopefully have time for a few more projects around home. 🏡 Even if I’m not working Saturday I expect a late night on Friday so I’ll be too tired to get packed and head out of town. Once I finish my next wiring project on the truck I’ll doubt I’ll ever change things again. It will be interesting having the power meter on solar panel to see how much power is actually being produced.

I got the three USB cables I ordered a few weeks back from China. 🔌 They’re like $2.80 for 1.5 meter or roughly 5 foot high quality cables on AliExpress. Sure they took like 3 weeks to arrive but they’re better quality than Walmart for a fraction of the price. These will be left in my truck for powering various devices. I have similar ones I use inside that have proven to be very durable and long lasting. UGreen is a great brand on AliExpress and also very lightly packaged for minimal waste.

I was kind of hoping for the barometric pressure sensors to arrive but no luck on that front. They’ll get here eventually from China. I think they’ll be a lot of fun to program when I get them and wire them up to the VMS display in my bedroom. 📟 I really should make more time with the soldering iron.

I’m looking at the third week of July for my summer vacation this year. A week earlier than many years due to my dentist appointment. ⛺ I’ve thought about going to the Adirondacks and camping at different locations throughout the week but I really enjoy spending my summer vacation at the campsite on Chicken Coop Road in the Finger Lakes National Forest and visiting state parks throughout the week. Although maybe the Adirondacks would be nice for a change, especially poking around the Western Adirondacks which I haven’t done in several years. 🗻

In four weeks on July 9 the sun will be setting at 8:34 pm,🌄 which is one minute and 17 seconds later then tonight. In 2018 on that day, we had hot, sunny and temperatures between 92 and 61 degrees. Typically, you have temperatures between 82 and 61 degrees. The record high of 103 degrees was set back in 1936.

Looking ahead, Primary Day 🗳️ is in 2 weeks, Last Sunset After 8:30 PM 🌆 is in 5 weeks, September 11th 🇸 is in 3 months, Constitution Day 📜 is in 14 weeks, October 🛥 is in 16 weeks and Election Day 2020 🗳️ is in 73 weeks.

I expect a long day at work tomorrow so I should probably retire to bed. Good night. 😴

Hole

June 10, 2019 Night

Good evening! Rain and 67 degrees in Delmar, NY. ☔ There is a south-southeast breeze at 6 mph. 🍃. The dew point is 62 degrees. For a while it was really pouring this evening. Seems like we will get a good inch or two out of this storm. I’m sure the farmers will love that. 🚜 The skies will clear tomorrow around noontime.

I picked up Big Red and he has had his oil changed and tires rotated. 🚘 It needed to be done, not a big deal, fairly convient with the buses downtown. Did not get soaked walking up Wolf Road as the heaviest rain held off until I got home. Made some pasta for dinner, been feeling a bit congested with a migraine again this evening. I think I’m allergic to Mondays. 😧I probably should have ridden the exercise bike or worked on other projects but I didn’t feel that great.

Tonight will have showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 11pm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. Steady temperature around 66. Southeast wind around 6 mph becoming calm after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible. In 2018, we had mostly clear skies. It got down to 55 degrees. The record low of 36 occurred back in 1980.

Tonight will have a Waxing Gibbous Moon 🌔 with 70% illuminated. The moon will set at 2:10 am. The 🌕 is on Sunday night with a partly cloudy then chance of showers late. The sun will rise at 5:17 am with the first light at 4:42 am, which is 9 seconds earlier than yesterday. 🌄 Tonight will have 8 hours and 44 minutes of darkness, a decrease of 41 seconds over last night.

Tomorrow will have showers likely before 11am. Cloudy through mid morning, then gradual clearing 🌞, with a high of 72 degrees at 5pm. Five degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around May 26th. Maximum dew point of 59 at 6am. Northwest wind 7 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph. Should be pleasant day by afternoon but blustery. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible. A year ago, we had partly cloudy skies in the morning with some clearing in the afternoon. The high last year was 78 degrees. The record high of 94 was set in 1947.

Tomorrow is the work picnic 🍔 assuming I’m not stuck in the office until late. 🏢 It might be a nice night for the picnic but I do expect a long day tomorrow with Green Light 🚦 expected to pass the assembly tomorrow. Free hot dogs and beer always are good. I’ll walk back and catch the 13 to the 18 at Lark and go home rather than driving. 🚙 I discovered when my parents were in the hospital that usually the 18 and 13 are scheduled for easy transfers on Lark all day long. Sucks to have to back downtown but that’s the best way to transfer.

Cool but fairly sunny for the last weekend of Spring 2019.☀ Saturday, partly sunny, with a high near 74. Maximum dew point of 55 at 4pm. Sunday, a chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 75. Chance of precipitation is 40%. Maximum dew point of 59 at 4pm. Typical average high for the weekend is 78 degrees.

By the following weekend, school 🚸 will be done for the kiddies, and most of the pools and beaches will be open for swimming 🏊. Getting out of town for this weekend doesn’t seem promising but there are many things that I can do around town including fishing and kayaking. 🎣 It’s the third Saturday of June. I expect late nights on Thursday and maybe Saturday so I don’t know how I’d fine time to get out of town this weekend. But it’s good to save money 💵 as bills have proven tighter this month than expected.

I got the battery pack 🔋 that I had mom order for me on Amazon. It’s charging now. This week I’m going to wire an always on socket inside my truck specifically for keeping that charged along with hooking up the shunt and meter to the solar panel so I can monitor how much electricity is actually getting produced. I also want to hook up that other wire for the second accessory battery so it’s protected by the low voltage disconnected ⚡ which is important while camping or when we have many cloudy days or an equipment malfunction.

In four weeks on July 8 the sun will be setting at 8:34 pm,🌄 which is 2 minutes and 15 seconds later then tonight. The long Independence Day Weekend will be history by then but it will be followed by my vacation two weeks later. In 2018 on that day, we had mostly sunny and temperatures between 86 and 56 degrees. Typically, you have temperatures between 82 and 61 degrees. The record high of 100 degrees was set back in 1936.

Looking ahead, Latest Sunset 🌆 is in 2 weeks, July 🏊🏿 is in 3 weeks, Cow Appreciation Day 🐂 is in 5 weeks, Last Sunset After 8 PM 🌆 is in 9 weeks, Labor Day 👨‍🏭 is in 12 weeks and Columbus Day 🛥️ is in 17 weeks.

 East Canada Creek

June 9, 2019 Night

Good evening! Partly clear and 71 degrees in Delmar, NY. There is a south breeze at 7 mph. 🍃. The dew point is 48 degrees.

So far this is the most pleasant evening of the year for sitting out back. 🎑Not too hot or cold and lots of moonlight while I watch a mixture of artificial and real fireflies outback. Maybe I’m stupid but I sure like watching those laser light fireflies. I didn’t see any ground fireworks at Walmart but they must be selling them as I’m hearing occasional bangs around. Not that lighting off fireworks is an appropriate activity in the suburbs but America. 🎇 Crickets are chirping as is a very noisy heat pump groaning from the high end apartment down the road.

Everything on my list got done this weekend 📃. Well except maybe for working on John Wolcott’s history project but I’ve put in a lot of time in that so it can wait a few weeks until I have more free time besides work. The truck got washed 🛀 , groceries bought. Including a a special treat for the hot weather – orange juice. 🍊I get that orange juice is super sugary but it’s better than drinking beer or eating too much ice cream. I also try to drink lots of water with a drop of lemon juice or cider vinegar.

I also bought more drain solvent and my bathroom sink is working again for now. 😊 All the plumbing in my relatively cheap apartment is problematic, plungers and drain solvent are just part of life. Shower gas never gone more than a week or two without needing the plunger as long as I’ve lived here for the decade plus. Maybe it’s because I’m so dirty always bringing mud in. Yet another reason I prefer outhouses and very simple plumbing. 🚽

Tonight will be partly cloudy 🌤, with a low of 51 degrees at 5am. Four degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical night around May 29th. Not surprising with the low humidity. But good sleeping at least for tonight Maximum dew point of 48 at 9pm. South wind 5 to 7 mph. In 2018, we had mostly clear skies in the evening, which became partly cloudy by the early hours of the morning. It got down to 54 degrees. The record low of 36 occurred back in 1975.

Tonight will have a First Quarter with 60% illuminated. The moon will set at 1:40 am. Little bit of haze around the moon though. The Strawberry Moon 🌝 is next Sunday. Been so cold and wet not many strawberry 🍓 for sale yet. Or even daisies 🌼 along the roadside. For you early risers, the sun will rise at 5:17 am with the first light at 4:42 am, which is 11 seconds earlier than yesterday. 🌄 I was watching a farm channel the other day, recorded at 5:30 in the morning and it was pretty bright out then. 🔆 I really watch too much agriculture YouTube these days. But farming is such interesting business. Tonight will have 8 hours and 45 minutes of darkness, a decrease of 44 seconds over last night. Not going to loose much more night time from where we are now as summer is coming. And 15 weeks from today will be autumn. 🍁 Even though the black flies are bad now in 12-14 weeks it will be peak color in the Moose River Plains.

Tomorrow will rain likely, mainly after 2pm. Increasing clouds 🌧, with a high of 68 degrees at 11am. Nine degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around May 12th. Maximum dew point of 60 at 6pm. South wind 6 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies. The high last year was 78 degrees. The record high of 96 was set in 2008.

I will drop my truck off at the dealership tomorrow for the oil change and tire rotation. 🚘 Easy enough to do for sure, they’re the cheapest place around and I’m not lifting those 35 inch tires myself. Last oil change was in August because I drive so few miles during the winter. I do make sure though to keep the oil topped off when it is low. I used to do my own oil changes but it’s not worth the hassle. If I had my own land I might do it and it’s not a big deal on small engines or even tractors but it’s a pain crawling under my truck. I shouldn’t speak. I do remember that diasterous oil change on a $100,000 big John Deere farm tractor 🚜 (bigger tractor than nearly any farmer in New York would use outside of the Genesee Valley) on Millennial MN Farmers YouTube with the filter they couldn’t get off except with a grinder and a tap and die. Instead tomorrow, I’ll just drop it off before work and take the bus downtown. Let the experts do it.

While it’s a long ways off, NOAA is pretty optimistic about the weekend. 😕 Saturday, scattered showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 76. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Maximum dew point of 56 at 6pm. Sunday, partly sunny, with a high near 77. Maximum dew point of 57 at 11am. Typical average high for the weekend is 78 degrees.

If the weather is nice I may head up to the Adirondacks next weekend. 🗻 There is a possibility that I may have to work, physically in the office next weekend but I’m hoping that I can just camp somewhere I have cellphone 📱 reception and just work from my phone with a cold beer in one hand, laying back in the hammock.

This week I’ll order the wire to run the hot from the battery in the bed of my truck directly to the non switched terminal of the low voltage disconnect ⚡ so it is protected from under voltage by the LVD. I’m also going to hook up the shunt and meter on the panel so that I can monitor how much solar power I’m producing. Also plan to hook up another always on USB outlet back there to keep my little battery I ordered fully charged so I can charge my phone when I’m backpacking or at a swimming pool. I really want to do at least some back country camping this summer. ⛺ Lean-to or hammock. So many damn wires but I try to keep them neat with ties and things are properly fused. I’m learning a lot and while the panels, batteries and inverters are much bigger for an off grid cabin, at some point I’ll be blessed by living out in the country again. 🐮

In four weeks on July 7 the sun will be setting at 8:35 pm,🌄 which is 3 minutes and 12 seconds later then tonight. In 2018 on that day, we had sunny skies and temperatures between 80 and 51 degrees. Typically, you have temperatures between 82 and 61 degrees. The record high of 97 degrees was set back in 1988.

Looking ahead, Fathers Day 👨 is in 1 week, National Nude Day 👱 is in 5 weeks (hopefully warm enough by then for skinny dipping), Sunset Before 7:30 PM 🌆 is in 12 weeks, Autumn 🍂 is in 15 weeks and Average High is 60 🍂 is in 18 weeks.

 East Canada Creek

June 9, 2019 Morning

Good morning! Happy Sunday. Next Sunday is Fathers Day 👨. Sunny and 50 degrees in Dormansville, NY. 🌞 There is a south-southwest breeze at 5 mph. 🍃. While a cold start to the morning — with very dry conditions continuing — it’s going to be much warmer later on. If not for it being such an unusually wet spring, it would be red flag conditions today.

Today will be sunny 🌞, with a high of 79 degrees at 4pm. Three degrees above normal, which is similar to a typical day around June 17th. Maximum dew point of 50 at 9am. South wind 5 to 10 mph. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies. The high last year was 80 degrees. The record high of 100 was set in 1933. Almost summer weather. Still two weeks until the pools open up for the summer though.

I’m at my parents house this morning in the truck camper shell, 🏕 and I’m still a bit undecided on the day. I might do the Gas Up, although I’m a bit tired as I’ve done it a lot in recent years. 🚜  I’m thinking of also doing some fishing and hiking for a while today at Partridge Run before going to the Gas Up.  Also considering — possibly — of hiking back to the Cliffs of Middleburg if I’m out that way. Then I have to head home, get my clothes ready for the week, run to the store, wash the truck. Should be a pretty nice day for sure, not too humid.😎

The sun will set at 8:32 pm with dusk around 9:06 pm, which is 35 seconds later than yesterday. 🌇 At sunset, look for mostly clear skies 🌄 and temperatures around 67 degrees. The dew point will be 49 degrees. There will be a south breeze at 9 mph. Today will have 15 hours and 14 minutes of daytime, an increase of 46 seconds over yesterday. Should be another nice evening to sit out back if the bugs aren’t too bad.

Tonight will be mostly clear 🌃, with a low of 52 degrees at 5am. Three degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical night around June 1st. Maximum dew point of 49 at 7pm. South wind 6 to 9 mph. In 2018, we had mostly clear skies in the evening, which became partly cloudy by the early hours of the morning. It got down to 54 degrees. The record low of 36 occurred back in 1975.

The replacement hammock seems to work well, at least with the straps and the bag from the other hammock. At under $20 I’m happy with what I got, even if it is a bit smaller (not by a lot). Supposedly it’s a double hammock, but I wouldn’t put more then one person in it. Seems basically the same material as the other hammock, although I prefer the steel carbiners (less chance of breakage), even if they are slightly heavier.😴 But at that price if it only last for a season or two, not a big deal. I might order a second one at some point, so I have a back up in case it rips.

I ordered one of those portable multi-cell USB 18650 battery banks that a lot of people have nowadays, the model my parents like.🔋I think it would be nice to have while wilderness camping to charge up my phone when it goes flat or my radio. I am going to install another USB port — or maybe build something out of another USB charger I have — that would be always on in the cap of my truck, and leave it plugged in all of the time, ready to go in my truck. I could even use it while camping with my truck — just plug in my phone if I’m too far away from my truck to use the USB charging. With the solar panel on my truck, I’m less worried about vampire loads running down the accessory batteries upon long times parked.

On this day in 1972, severe rainfall causes a dam in the Black Hills of South Dakota to burst, creating a flood that kills 238 people and causes $160 million in damage. By far one of the most costly man-made disasters in American history. Flooding continues to be such a problem in America, probably only made worse by climate change.

Right now, looking into the long-range, Saturday with mostly sunny, with a high near 73. Maximum dew point of 57 at 8pm. Typical average high for the weekend is 78 degrees. Some other models predict it won’t be quite as nice next week, and certainly fairly cool at any rate. Bass season opens up next week, which is notable.🐡 I think I may have to work, but I’ll take it one day at a time. The following weekend — with most beaches and pools open — would be nice to get away, even if it’s just an overnight trip to Burnt-Rossman.

As previously noted, next Sunday is Fathers Day 👨 when the sun will be setting at 8:35 pm with dusk at 9:10 pm. On that day in 2018, we had mostly sunny and temperatures between 84 and 50 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 78 degrees. We hit a record high of 96 back in 1967.

Campsite Along Red River