essays

A Winter Picture Break

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I don’t know about you, but I am getting awful tired of the cold. Winter seems to drag on much too long. But to remind us that there is such thing as hope, and that it will be really nice out in a few months, a few warm weather pictures and memories will help.

A Hot Dog!

A Hot Dog

Paddling Across Horseshoe Lake!

Towards Mt Morris

Hot Summer Eve on Taconic Crest Trail!

Looking Out Towards Albany

Corn Field South of Hillsdale!

Copake Valley

Lows Ledge!

Lows Ledge

Camping at Lake Chazy!

Afternoon

The important is to remember that summer will come eventually, and it will be so amazing as always. Just count down those winter days, and focus on the warmth of summer.

Brasher Falls State Forest

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There are two camping areas in Brasher Falls: The Tri-Town Equestrian Assembly-area (field camping) off Truck Trail 901, north of DEC Maintenance Garage, and a 21-site Drive-in Camping Area known as the CC Dam Association / Walter F Pratt Memorial Forest at Redbrook River Dam. The CC Dam Association area is maintained by a group of local volunteers, and offers many amenities not found at most primitive camping areas. It also staffed by volunteers on weekends.

Brasher Falls Sign

Like Moose River Plains, all of the sites are hardened with gravel, have picnic tables, and outhouses. They are a short walk from a man-made lake, consisting of the Redwater Brook (red from iron in water), which was damned up by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Swimming is allowed. There is a horseshoe pit. There is a hand pump for water, although it says “Non-Potable Water”, so boil first. Many of the sites are pretty close together (25 sites on 1/2 mile of road, only one side), with somewhat limited screening. On weekdays in summer, when I camped there, it was little used.

Campsite 21

Nearby there are dozens of miles of truck trail, hiking, and horse trail to explore, and while not-officially sanctioned by the DEC are also used for riding ATVs. ATV use on roads were allowed prior to Court-case prohibiting on-road use of ATVs except to access trails.

“The Walter Pratt Memorial Park features two accessible camp sites [ed note: and 19 other sites that can accommodate trailers/RV/trucks] designed for use with camper trailers. Each site has an accessible picnic table and a shared privy. There are also two accessible picnic sites and a privy located in the day use section of the park, the picnic tables overlook the impoundment at Redwater Dam. The park is open from mid-May to October, for camping and picnicking.”

— NYSDEC Brasher/Bombay State Forest

Roadside Campsites.

Road Number of Sites
Walter Pratt Memorial Forest
At the Redwater River Dam		 21
Tri-town Horse Camp (Field Camping)

Walter Pratt Memorial Forest.


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Tri-Town Horse Camp Assembly Area (Truck Trail No. 901)


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More Resources…

C.C. Dam

Camping

Entering the Campground

Horseshoe Pit

Moose River Plains

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Moose River Plains is the largest roadside camping area in the Adirondacks. It has also been called the largest roadside camping area in the United States, at least with entire road system, considered as a single consolidated unit of 175 campsites. In recent years, a number of sites have been abandoned or closed to protect environmental resources, however the supply of campsites usually exceeds even peak usage on holidays, so finding a good spot is never hard.

Campsite on Moose River Plains road

In Fall 2010, a new Unit Management Plan was adopted in Moose River Plains. It made the following major changes to the area:

  • Reduced Drive-in Campsites At Wakley Dam to 5. A couple additional tent sites will remain. The Wakely Dam will prohibit motor vehicles crossing it except snowmobiles.
  • New “Intensive Use” Area Was Created to Allow for Up to 150 drive-in campsites (tent or RV or truck camper) to remain along Moose River Plains Road, Helldiver Road, Lost Ponds Foad, Loop Road, Red Dam Road, and other Camping Spurs with spacing less then 1/4 mile. There is no charge to use these sites, you just need a permit if you stay more then 3 days.
  • Campsites Along Otter Brook and Indian Lake Roads will be spaced a 1/4 mile apart, and avoid sensetive areas, such as closing the sites right along the Moose River. These sites will be primarily tent sites during the summer, but during Big Game Season, RVs and truck campers will be allowed.

The recently adopted Moose River Plains Unit Management Plan discusses some of the chnages to Roadside Camping in the area…

“The creation of the MRPCA will create some challenges in educating the public as to what to expect within the area. As the area will not charge fees, nor will reservations be taken, users will be arriving at the area without the benefit of knowing what site they may be camping at. Users will need to drive through the area and locate a site that is suitable for their needs. In the unlikely case that no sites are available, users will need to be educated as to what alternatives exist in the general area. Providing information at the two entrance points, Cedar River Flow and Limekiln Lake, will be an important part of informing users of the type of opportunity available in the MRPCA. It will also provide an opportunity to provide information on alternative locations should the MRPCA not meet their expectations.”

“Unlike other intensive use area campgrounds in the Park, amenities such as bath houses, playgrounds, and paved drives are not ever going to be considered for the MRPCA. Pursuant to APSLMP guidelines for newly created intensive use areas, the MRPCA will only contain up to 150 roadside campsites along approximately 20 miles of roads. These sites will have fire rings, pit privies and picnic tables as their only amenities. Some of these sites will remain relatively close to the road, while others will remain several hundred feet back, accessed by short driveways. A majority of these sites will be comprised of existing sites, some fairly well separated from other sites and some clustered in small groups. This will provide for a variety of camping opportunities depending on what users are seeking. Existing sites that are very close to the road may be relocated to a location that provides better screening or may be converted to parking areas with a walk‐in site located a short distance from the parking area. Any newly constructed sites will be located in a manner to provide vegetative screening between the site and the road.”

— NYSDEC Moose River Plains UMP.

Map of Moose River Plains.

There are no campsites shown on the map, and as listed below both the Intensive Use Area and other portions of Moose River Plains will continue to allow camping as listed below.

Moose River Plains Overview

Roadside Campsites, Post UMP Changes.

These are based on the UMP proposal not implemented yet. This is considered the minimum number of sites under the new plan, the Moose River Plains Camping Area, may increase form 112 to 150 sites in the future, depending on the demand. The DEC plans to limit Otter Brook/Indian Lake Roads to tent only sites during summer season has not be finalized.

Road Number of Sites Site Types
At Wakley Dam:
Cedar River Road		 5 Tent (plus others) or Vehicle
Moose River Plains Camping Area Roads:
Moose River Plain Road
Campsite Loop
Helldiver Pond Road
Lost Ponds Road
Loop Road
Rock Dam Road		 112 Tent or Vehicle
Otter Brook Road 14 Tent, Vehicles Allowed During Big Game Season
Indian Lake Road 5 Tent, Vehicles Allowed During Big Game Season

More Resources…

Camping Down By Otter Brook

Kayak Tying Down Tarp

Site 57 in the Plains

Campsite 55

Ferris Lake Designated Roadside Campsites

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The most popular area in Ferris Lake Wild Forest is to camp along the 20-mile long Piseco-Powley, a spectacular seasonally-gated, state truck trail. Other roads in area provide more remote roadside camping opporunities and are listed below.

Campsite North of Powley Place

The Ferris Lake Wild Forest Unit Management Plan mentions the following about Roadside Camping in the area…

“The FLWF provides a variety of different camping opportunities. The interior portion of the unit contains numerous primitive tent sites that are located along the shores of the more popular lakes. These sites are designated with a yellow camping disk and often contain a fire ring. There are also a number of car accessible sites located along secondary access roads, such as the Powley-Piseco Road, G Lake Road, Mountain Home Road Extension and Edick Road. Most of these sites can accommodate small camper trailers. There are no lean-tos within the unit.”

— NYSDEC Ferris Lake Wild Forest UMP.

Roadside Campsites Designated in UMP.

Road Number of Campsites
Edick Road 2
G-Lake Road 3
Jerseyfield Road 2
Mountain Home Road Extension (Rough Truck Trail Past the Floe) 6
Powley-Piesco Road (Open Late Spring-December)
Northern Hardwoods Section Near Mud Pond
Central Section Near Marshlands of Powley Place
Southern Section Near Potholers		 Total: 22
5
10
7

More Resources…

Location of Roads with Camping in Ferris Lake UMP.

Designated Campsites Along Edick Road.

This map is from the Ferris Lake Wild Forest UMP.

East

Designated Campsites Along G Lake Road.

Please note that the roadside campsites are noted by “GLR”. The “GL” sites are traditional primative tent sites, beyond the gated end of G Lake Road, that you have to backpack into. This map is from the Ferris Lake Wild Forest UMP.

Designated Campsites Along Piseco-Powley Road.

These maps are from the Ferris Lake Wild Forest UMP.

Cascade Lake

Strawberry Moon

Renters vs Population Density - NY Census Tracts

Designated Campsites Along Mountain Home.

This map is from the Ferris Lake Wild Forest UMP.

Betty Brook Road

Plains of East Canada Creek

Campsite Set Back Off the Road

North Up to Piseco-Powley


Spending Most Our Lives in Cars

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Most people do not realize how much time they actually spending in cars, driving around or visiting various places. Most people don’t care to calculate the math, so I did it for you. If these average speeds seem slow to you, remember that when driving you have to stop or slow for stop signs, stop lights, and traffic congestion.

Time Driving hours per 100 miles hours per 200 miles hours per 15,000 miles hours per 150,000 miles
Average City Miles Per Hour 20 5 10 750 7500
Average Highway Miles Per Hour 45 2.22 4.44 333.33 3333.33
Average Expressway Miles Per Hour 70 1.43 2.86 214.29 2142.86
50% City + Highway Speed 32.5 3.08 6.15 461.54 4615.38

Headlights

They say the Average American drives something like 15,000 miles per year. If your average speed is 32.5 miles per hour, including delays at stoplights and traffic, that means your spending on average 19 days per year, non-stop driving.

Time Driving hours per 15,000 miles days per 15,000 miles weeks per 15,000 miles
Average City Miles Per Hour 20 750 31 4
Average Highway Miles Per Hour 45 333.33 14 2
Average Expressway Miles Per Hour 70 214.29 9 1
50% City + Highway Speed 32.5 461.54 19 3

Peru Farms

In the lifetime of the vehicle, assuming you get 150,000 miles out of it, you will have driven the equalivent of 192 days or 27 weeks straight.

Time Driving hours per 150,000 miles days per 150,000 miles weeks per 150,000 miles
Average City Miles Per Hour 20 7,500 313 45
Average Highway Miles Per Hour 45 3,333 139 20
Average Expressway Miles Per Hour 70 2,143 89 13
50% City + Highway Speed 32.5 4,615 192 27

Now That’s Driving Like Crazy !

Cities are for Two-Ton Steel Ants

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One can be pretty sure astronauts, god, and, the space aliens must think cities are for steel ants, when they look down at America from outer space. Certainly, the two-ton steel ants (cars) and their concrete and asphalt herd paths (streets and freeways), are the most prominent feature of any American city.


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Every street must be wide enough to allow at least two of these two-ton steel ants to pass one another, along with having at least two more lanes for the temporary “disposal” of the steel ants along the curbs of the road.


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In more suburban locations, the two-ton steel ants get their own little private herd paths to be temporarily be disposed, off the main road. This means reduced chances of the two-ton steel ants being hit by other two-ton steel ants and the ease of having personalized temporary “disposal” locations for the two-ton steel ants.


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Where the two-ton steel ants congregate the concrete and asphalt herd paths grow larger, and they connect up with vast asphalt confined parking lagoons for their temporary “disposal”. The vast confined parking lagoons make the buildings that the keepers of two-ton steel ants live in and congregate around look tiny.


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The keepers of the two-ton steel ants will not stop at any level to provide convenience of the two-ton steel ants. The keepers of two-ton steel ants will gut the hearts of their communities to make the two-ton steel ants happy. The two-ton steel ants, while powerless without their keepers pouring more fossilized dinosaur bones into their tanks, control their keepers through powerful ideologies and a desire to keep speeding along.


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There are those, trapped by the ideology of the two-ton steel ants, that want the two-ton steel ants to continue to rule our cities, long after all the dinosaur bones are incinerated by two-ton steel ants. They say two-ton steel ants will survive by other means. They say that’s the only way their owners of two-ton steel ants can live their good life. Yet, is that the people speaking, or simply the voice of the two-ton steel ant?


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I don’t know. I like my truck, but I am not sure if our cities need any more two-ton steel ants destroying the landscape. Imagine what our cities would be like if were not dominated by the two-ton steel ants. Imagine if cities where people-centric, where people could walk around, and take mass transit safely to their destination. Two-ton steel ants belong on the parkways and out in the country, but not in the city.


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All of the above Google Maps are actual images from within the City of Albany, Capitol of NY State, and a popular gathering location for the two-ton steel ants. In America, there are 800 million parking spaces for 250 million steel ants, and 4 million miles of roads for them to drive on.

That’s America, land of Two-Ton Steel Ant.

Always Stuck in the Present

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One thing that\’s always bothered me a bit is that no matter how hard one tries, we are always stuck in the present. The present is forever lasting, we can not travel back in time or into the future. We can see cause and effect, and realize there is something called time but never really experience it or control it, because there is no time but the present.

Driving home the other night, I realized how strange time really is. I was 5 minutes from home, and I was so tired. Yet, I felt I could be driving forever, as there was no escaping the present, no matter how hard I tried. I knew I would be home in 5 minutes, but that didn\’t mean I was home. I could have been driving forever.

Moontree

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There is that funny thing called the future and the past. We remember the past, and can often forsee future events. Certainly if I had decided to doze off or take my hands off the steering wheel, I could perdict what would like happen. If I crashed, I probably could remember back to what happened on the sleepy night, but there would be no turning back the car from crashing.

The relationship of present to the past and future is often pretty clear in our minds. Yet, it seems strange when you really think about those other times, when you know there is nothing but the present, a time that will stretch on for enternity. We will never escape the present.