Outdoors — Andy Arthur.org

Lighting & Appliances

Andy | October 23, 2010

This is third in a series. First read about generating power using the inverter.

Lighting System Wiring.

For wiring in my system, I use two sets of surge strips. One is plugged in the cab of the truck, directly to the inverter. This is used for charger and cords I want in the cab. When parked and camping, I then use a 12 foot extension cord / lead lamp cord, to run power out to the bed. There is another surge strip plugged in there. From there, is were I plug in all the appliances to the bed, along with the two other lead lamps that I use when camping.

Compact Florescent:
My Set Up & What You Need to Know.

Whether or not you believe in global warming or the price of your utility bill, compact fluorescent are a technology you want to embrace when truck camping. Truck battery technology — whether or not you have a deep cycle or starting battery is limited in the amount of current it can retrieve, prior to requiring you to start up the truck and generate more current.

Low-cost, high-efficiency compact florescent lighting (CFL) is the most important invention when it comes to truck camping. You can get a lot of light on your campsite using CFL technology, with minimal battery drain. For example conventional incandescent bulbs versus florescent lighting:

40 watt incandescent = 9 watt florescent
(50 watt incandescent estimated output of camp lantern)
60 watt incandescent = 12 watt florescent
100 watt incandescent = 24 watt florescent

You can therefore, produce a lot of light using compact florescent lamps compared to camp lanterns. You can have the best lit campsite around town! I swear any time I camp at Moose River Plains, people wonder why my campsite has so much light.

I typically use two lead lamps I bought at home depot for $9 with 24 watt florescent bulbs. The fixtures are rated for 75 watt incandescent bulbs, but with the cooler and lower energy consuming florescent bulbs, you can get more light output out of these fixtures then you normally would. Moreover, your saving your battery by the lower electricity consumption.

For inside the truck cap, I use a desk/reading lamp outfitted with a 9-watt compact florescent light. I have used bigger lamps, but under in the intimate space of the truck cap, you don’t need more light for reading other activities. Why waste energy, that you can conserve, and avoid having to start the pickup on up?

Other Electrical Appliances.

When I’m camping, I always bring a portable (desk) fan, a clock radio/alarm clock. I also often bring my laptop, charger, along with chargers for things like my mp3 player, cell phone, and portable weather radio. I could also bring more devices, and indeed I have plenty of current with an 800 watt inverter (remember 742 watts = 1 horsepower) to power almost anything within reason I could bring camping.

The Truck Radio:
One Other Appliance Not to Forget.

While the truck’s radio is built into the truck, it can be a great source of entertainment. Just roll down the windows, and crank up the tunes up! Be aware however that the radio uses a lot of electricity compared many of the appliances you might plug into your inverter.

ou might find it more energy efficient (meaning less idling the truck), if you get a portable boombox that you can plug into the truck. Many use a lot less wattage then a conventional car radio, and you can direct the sound where you want.

Taking an Anti-Vacation

Andy | October 18, 2010

When I was younger, I tended to take more anti-vacations then vacations. Vacations, as least as I conceived in years past, are more about getting out and doing things. They are about days of hiking up mountains, kayaking, exploring new lands. They are about rush and hussling to get as much possible into a short period of time.

In contrast, an anti-vacation is about relaxation, camping, and doing as little possible. It’s about not watching the time every minute, but instead just de-stressing and allowing the time to fly by without care. It’s about sitting back, reading, drinking beer, and watching the wind blow through the trees.

An anti-vacation is not about new experiences. It’s not about going to great places, or doing remarkable things. It’s about being lazy, and just enjoying oneself without doing a lot of work. It’s a cold beer, it’s a campfire in the woods. It’s a true vacation, even if it seems more like an anti-vacation then a vacation.

Fall at Green Lakes State Park

Andy | October 10, 2010

Green Lakes State Park beautiful and unique state park featuring mineral rich waters, meromictic ecosystems, and old growth forest outside of Syracuse, NY. I went out for a 1.5 hour walk along these lakes on a beautiful fall morning around 7 AM.

It is a three mile walk around both Green Lakes and Round Lake, and is very popular for crazy suburbanite joggers, which will try to run you over when you go for an early morning walk. In the day time in the fall it’s even more crowed, though there is no entry charge after Labor Day Weekend

Watching the sun rise across the lake.

The colors along the trail as the sun rose where spectacular.

As I walk along the very colorful tree line along the lake.

As the fog rises on Green Lake and over green lake.

Walking over to Round Lake and watching the colors of the trees reflect on the lake’s surface.

On a brightly lit trail around Round Lake as the sun filters through the colors of fall.

And dozens of color reflect upon Round Lake.

Then I walk over to Green Lake with the colors at peak on a very beautiful fall morning.

From the southern edge of Green Lake, there is this pretty little point jetting out into the Lake.

I proceeded to walk along to the western Edge Of Green Lake to see the bright colors across the lake. This is from the point shown in the previous photo.

One last view of the colors, as I return back to my truck.

The Old Administration Building at Green Lakes (taken the previous afternoon).

The New Administration Building at Green Lakes.

Note: The best time for peak folliage at Green Lakes State Park is during the Columbus Day Weekend in October. This is when I was out hiking here. If you want to visit it during the most pretty part of the day, make sure to get here right at the crack of dawn, which occurs about 15 minutes later then surrounding areas, due to the low elevation of the lakes.

Here is a map of the walk around Green Lake and Round Lake. If you are doing it in the morning, it’s best to walk around the Eastern Shores first for the sunrise, and the Western Shores second to see the colors on the leaves.

View Green Lakes State Park in a larger map

Thematic Map: Acres of Land Developed between 2001 and 2016

Thematic Map: Residential Rental Properties in the City of Albany

Mallet Pond State Forest, Aug 29

Andy | August 29, 2010

Mallet Pond State Forest is a smaller state forest (2,584 acres) across the valley from the Burnt-Rossman Hills. While smaller, it is still rugged and remote, with rough dirt roads, two ponds, camping sites, and public lands to explore. Many of the roads around it are poorly marked and heavily posted, however if you follow the below map, and drive up to Summit on NY 10, and take Sawyer Hollow Road to Rossman Fly Road, it’s not as bad to locate.

View Larger Map

Rossman Fly Road. This is from the intersection, as it head down into the valley where Rossman Pond and Mallet Pond are located.

Rossman Pond. There are a series of hunting campings and private houses located along the other shore. The state only owns about 1000 feet of frontage along the lake, basically enough for a campsite and a parking area.

Campsite at Rossman Pond. This is one of the many informal campsites in the area. None of them have designated markers, and don’t comply with state set backs, but as witnessed by the wear and tear on the grass, and mention in the Unit Management Plan, they are well used and recognized as such.

I drove down to Mallet Pond Parking Area. Unlike Rossman Pond, Mallet Pond actually has a sign showing where it is. There are no other signs for Mallet Pond from here on down, but the road is easy to follow to the pond.

Gate at Mallet Pond. There is a gate 1/2 mile from Mallet Pond. Normally I don’t like gates and keeping the public from driving down to their lands, but Mallet Pond is kind of nice being so remote for camping, fishing, or wild life observation. Rossman Pond, which you can drive right up to, has no such gate.

Path Down to Mallet Pond. It’s handicap accessible and if their wasn’t the gate, you could drive all the way down to the pond.

Mallet Pond. It certainly is a beautiful little pristine pond, a ways off the beaten track.

Campsite. For being the “party” lake for SUNY Cobelskill students, it was remarkably clean and well upkept. Maybe those farm kids actually take care of the land. Actually, most of the lands around here are well upkept, in part thanks to Ranger Tom Edmons too.

Pond from Campsite. It certainly was a pretty little campsite up on the bank.

Cattle Skull. This cattle skull was hung up at the campsite on a tree. Cool! It appears to be from a dehorned cow, and the lower jaw is missing. I’m guessing it was brought on up by a SUNY Cobelskill Ag Student.

Butterfly. Pollinating a wildflower along Mallet Pond.

Mallet Pond. Standing up on the embankment of the dam.

Mallet Pond Dam. The earthen dam that makes up Mallet Pond is about 30 feet high. You wouldn’t know it unless you look at it from a top the dam.

Goldrod. Walking along the eastern side of Mallet Pond.

Edge of Mallet Pond’s embankment is made up these large flat shale rocks, and lined with them to discourage erosion over it’s massive earthern dam.

The upper pond is Rossman Pond, with the campsite right by the parking area. The lower pond is Mallet Pond, which you have to hike down to. Both ponds have undesignated but popular campsites.

View Mallet Pond in a larger map

Camping at Betty Brook, Aug 26

Andy | August 26, 2010

The Betty Brook Campsite remains one of my favorite in NY State, especially because it’s a quick hour drive from downtown Albany out there, over the Thruway and the Warren Andersen Expressway. It almost never disappoints, and it was a great night.

Morning Sun. The valley being so deep around Betty Brook the sun sets early, and rises late this time of year. Looking at the sun through the trees, a little after 9 AM.

Betty Brook Road. Just looking at this road brings me home, back to my favorite camping area.

The Campsite. And yes, I of course have my trademark Christmas lights that I always use for ambiance.

I headed from here, in my truck, up to explore the Mallet Pond State Forest-area just to the north. I probably will camp up at Rossman Pond the next time I am here, because the pond is so pretty and I can paddle around with my kayak there.

Here is a map of the Betty Brook Campsites. There is a larger one to the south, but I generally prefer the one to the north, as its smaller and the firepit and stone table is much nicer.

View Hiking in 2009 in a larger map

Lighting System Wiring.

Compact Florescent: My Set Up & What You Need to Know.

Other Electrical Appliances.

The Truck Radio: One Other Appliance Not to Forget.

Compact Florescent:
My Set Up & What You Need to Know.

The Truck Radio:
One Other Appliance Not to Forget.