Photo of Andy Arthur

Andy Arthur

Ultimately maybe I could have headed out of town this weekend, 🏕️ but that's behind me and I found ways to be busy and have fun riding down to Henry Hudson and Hollyhock Preserve this weekend. And doing lots of reading. I'm hoping for better weather next weekend, but maybe it's time to get out of town regardless.

Right Now I’m Thinking I Wish I Could Have Monday Off 🚵

|

I realized that I can’t leave Thursday night to go camping, as I am leading the Save the Pine Bush Hike on Thursday night. But even I were to take off Friday, it probably makes more sense to go out on Friday morning early as I would most certainly be riding the Catskill Scenic Trail most of the day. Sunday and Monday look like the best days of the “weekend” though I don’t think I’ll be able to get Monday off.

I might end up working most of Friday and possibly leaving an hour or two early to get up to camp and set up. Saturday hang out and read, do some riding of truck trails if it’s not too wet and then Sunday ride the Catskill Scenic Trail the bulk of the day, maybe heading home around dusk. Even if it’s only two nights out camping, it could be a great weekend, and don’t forget Memorial Day Weekend is the following weekend, and I’m thinking of spending that weekend up in the Green Mountain National Forest, with the screen tent, hiding out from the Black Flies.

The ethics of killing Gypsy Moths along the trail 🐛

|

Once again walking through the woods this weekend at one of preserves I came across a big nest of Gypsy Moths with their tent teeming with hungry catapilliars ready to hatch out in a few weeks and become troublesome pests defolidating the forest rather then beneficial moths or butterflies. I grabbed a stick and knocked it loose from the tree, and then using my foot smashed as many of them as I could.

I was surprised nobody else has done likewise. Gypsy moths are certainly a pest, and while no one person can eradicate them all themselves, it seems like it’s a step forward to kill those who are in your path. For sure it’s a no question judgement on your own land, but when seeing them on public lands, should you take the time to knock them down and smash them? While nobody else did, I certainly took the time to do it.