essays | Page 46 | Andy Arthur.org

Sunshine Makes Me High

Andy | August 21, 2010

Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy, sunshine in my eyes can make me cry. Sunshine on the water looks so lovely, sunshine almost always makes me high.

– John Denver, Sunshine on My Shoulders

You know, there is nothing like the first rays of sunshine in the morning. Whether it’s waking up to the sunrays breaking throug the glass of the truck cap, sitting down at a lake or on a hilltop watching the sun rise, or even just looking at the bus window at the rising the sun, it gives me an increadible high.

Sunshine means a new day has broken. A new chance to explore, to discover, to figure out who I am as an individual. A new chance to do good and change the world. Everything starts over again, as we go from the cycle of morning to night in the life of the day.

Night time can be dark and frightening at times. Yet, then with the rising of the sun, the light shines brightly over the world once again.

It Should Not Rain on Weekends

Andy | August 17, 2010

I am absolutely opposed to rain on the weekends. Rain can ruin weekend plans, force people to be stuck inside, when it would otherwise be much nicer to spend time outdoors exploring the great outdoors.

Now there is absolutely no way to prevent rain from occuring on weekends. It’s not like we can pass a law preventing or just tell god not to rain on our weekends. There are no giant raincoats that we place over the sky, to keep the clouds from dumping their load upon us.

It’s not to say that we don’t need rain. Rain keeps the plants and crops growing, it keep things from drying out to much and decreases the risk of wildfire. It keeps our streams and wells replenished and full. Yet, does that mean it’s okay for it to rain on weekends?

Why can’t every weekend day, be beautiful, and sunny, low humidity, and 75 degrees?

Kayaking Mountain Pond, Aug 14

Andy | August 14, 2010

Mountain Pond is located about 2 miles North of Paul Smiths College on an old routing of NY 30. It is a mile long, has catch and release fishing, and good place for some solitude and flat water paddling. It is in Debar Mountain Wild Forest, with 2 large campsites on the pond, 3 smaller ones on or near the pond, and 10 other along Mountain Pond Road. It’s little used due to it’s remote location, and easy to even get one of the large sites on the lake on the weekends.

Paddling. Just paddling along Mountain Pond in the kayak.

Tall Pine. Lining the edge of Mountain Pond, as I ride around in the kayak.

Towards Jenkins Mountain. The last hill that makes up Jenkins Mountain is where Mountain Pond gets it’s name from.

From Southern End of Mountain Pond. This is looking from Campsite 1 at the Southern End of Mountain Pond, looking North. Old NY 30 winds right along the shore of NY 30, the New Routing is about a 1/2 mile away for NY 30.

Campsite No 1. This is campsite No 1 at Mountain Pond. It was never used on the Saturday Night I was there, but it looks nice, if not a bit small.

View from Campsite 1. Here my kayak is parked at Campsite 1, where I got out for a stretch. Looking south at this rather spectacular looking lake on a great day. The lake winds back and forth, for about a mile.

Along Edge of Pond. This is looking at the eastern, more mountainess shore of Mountain Pond.

Central Part of Lake. On the left is the western shore, by where NY 30 runs. It is a beautiful, if not humongous lake with lots of shoreline and bys.

Many Downed Trees. There where many downed trees that had fallen into the lake, from the often steep eastern edge of mountain pond. Campsites are on the other side of the lake, and they all where in good shape.

Northeastern Bay. Here is an Northeastern Bay at Mountain Pond. Not as pretty as farther south with the steep rock ledges against the lake, but still a classic Adirondack Lake.

Loons. While this picture is somewhat in shadow, there where loons on Mountain Pond. They were not all that noisy, compared to Polliwog Pond or especially Mason Pond, where they howled quite bit more in the evening.

Mountain. This is the Mountain at Mountain Pond. It’s not much more then a hill, because Jenkins Mountain has largely petered out before reaching here, but it’s still a lot higher then surrounding elevation.

Campsites No 4 and No 5. As I had previously noted, Campsites 4 and 5 where pretty close to one an another. Nobody ended up staying at No 5, although somebody parked there for a while to go paddling.

Treeline. This is the tree line towards the top of Mountain Pond, on this rather beautiful day for sure.

Campsite No 4. This was taken from the lake. It was great to be right on the lake, at this very remote Adirondack Pond.

Here is a map of the pond.

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Camping at Mountain Pond, Aug 14

Andy | August 14, 2010

Mountain Pond is located about 2 miles North of Paul Smiths College on an old routing of NY 30. It is in Debar Mountain Wild Forest, with 2 large campsites on the pond, 3 smaller ones on or near the pond, and 10 other along Mountain Pond Road. It’s little used due to it’s remote location, and easy to even get one of the large sites on the lake on the weekends.

Old NY 30 Signs. Along Mountain Pond Road/Old NY 30, you can see the road signs dating back to the 1960s or maybe even earlier, prior to modern alignment of NY 30.

Campsite 4. Here is the view of Campsite 4 from Old NY 30/Mountain View Road and down by the lake. A nice campsite, big, roomy, and private, although the much smaller Campsites 5 is fairly close.

Making Up Blueberry Cake Mix. Here I’m the Blueberry Cake Mix, and getting ready to add the Blueberries I picked up at Moose River Plains. Should be real good.

Baking in Dutch Oven. That sure smells good, doesn’t it. I put the pan that the mix was in dutch oven up on rocks, so it didn’t burn the bottom of the cake, and made sure to add adequate coals to the top to keep things cooking evenly.

Mountain Pond in the Evening.

First Rays of Sunshine. I purposefully picked this campsite, and parked my truck so that the first rays of the sun, would come through the truck cap, and wake me up around the crack of down (around 6:35 AM this time of year).

Getting Out and Stretch. That’s my rig with all the messy camping gear and sleeping stuff around, as I first awake in the morning.

Sunshine. Sparkling on the pond, first thing in the morning. Real purty.

Ropes. These are the ropes and bungee cords I use to secure the kayak on the roof. Seems to work well on the kayak blocks.

Gear All Packed Up. Now just to get the kayak up on the roof.

Here is a map of the camping area.

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Camping at Polliwog Pond, Aug 13

Andy | August 14, 2010

Fish Creek Ponds is a series of largely connected ponds in Northern Adirondacks, North of Tupper Lake. On Floodwood Road, there are series of 15 free drive in campsites one can camp at, with about half of them located on various lakes along Floodwood Road. On Friday night, August 13, I camped out at Poliwog Pond, and then paddled around it a bit in the evening, and then again in the morning. I also drove out around Floodwood Road, to look at the ponds and other campsites along it.

Camping Only At Designated Sites. This sign is found along the beginning of Floodwood Road, prior to the blacktop running out. There are 15 sites, that appear not to be fully used, on this lake.

Campsite on Polliwog Pond that I stayed at on August 13th. This site would be truly the most perfect in the world, except for being so close to another one and the fact that the beach area next to the site was kind of swampy and not nice.

Under the Tarp. While when I was up at Poliwog Pond I didn’t really need the tarp, I set up a tarp. It was a beautiful day out for sure down here, right on the pond. The tarp was easy to set up, with the plentiful trees to make it easy to tie up.

Laying Back in Truck Cap. Ah, mornings. Lazy times. But then again, I got to paddle around the lake, get some pictures, pack up and head north. So be it.

Private Bay for Swimming. Once I started to get ready, I put on my swimming trunks, paddled across the lake, around an peninsula, to a very private bay. I took a “bath” using the teapot, soap, and shampoo on the bank, washed the soap off, then went swimming in my own little private beach. Nobody else was around! It was wonderful.

Perfect Area for Swimming. The downed tree blocked the waves, it was sandy beach. I really liked this area a lot.

Across Poliwog Pond. It’s a remarkably hazy summer day. This is from the south bay of the pond, where I was swimming and getting cleaned up in the morning.

Loon. Throughout the night at Poliwog Pond, there was loon calling back and forth. This is located on the western bay of Poliwog Pond.

Western Bay of Poliwog Pond. There was somebody camping up on the banks, but other then that it was relatively quiet.

Long Pond Entrance. While I didn’t get a chance to haul my kayak into Long Pond, and do some paddling around there, this is the access point fo the Saint Regis Canoe area. It looked very popular.

Swamp Across from East Pond. This was located directly across East Pond on Floodwood Road.

East Pond. On Floodwood Road. Looked quite pretty. There is one drive-in campsite in here, along with an accessible boat dock.

Middle Pond. On Floodwood Pond road. There also is a large drive-in campsite on Middle Pond.

Floodwood Road. There are 15 drive in campsites on this very dusty dirt road, that is heavily traveled, mostly by people heading to the Boy Scout Camp and the Saint Regis Canoe Area. This along Middle Pond.

Floodwood Road at Franklin County. This is where you cross from being in very remote Town of Altamont to Santa Clara. Pretty area for sure.

Here is a map of Floodwood Road, Polliwog Pond, and surrounding ponds.

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Walking Across Wakley Dam on a Full Moon

Andy | August 13, 2010

One thing that everybody should experience at least once in their lifetime, is to walk across Wakley Dam at a Full Moon. Wakley Dam, located at the Cedar River Flow, crosses the river and provides access to 5 of the primative campsites at Cedar River Flow portion of Moose River Plains.

When you across the moonlit lake, across the lake towards Little Moose Mountain in the distance, and towards Sturges Hills, you’ll take in a deep breath, as you try to comphrend what moonlit beauty you are looking at. You’ll look up towards the sky, with millions of stars, uncompromised by distance city lights. There are no cities nearby, indeed, the nearest town is the Hamlet of Indian Lake, 12 miles away on a rough dirt road.

… Cedar River Flow is amazing in the day time.
It’s even more amazing at night …

Camping at Cedar River Flow, August 12

Andy | August 12, 2010

Buying Firewood. There is this great place for campfire wood on Cedar River Plains Road, about 8 miles in. You get a lot of wood for $5.

Cab Full of Firewood. The seat and floor boards where stacked with firewood. It kept me going for the next 4 days, although I really didn’t have big fires until the last day when I was up at Mountain Pond. That may have violated DEC firewood regulations, at moving the wood 60 miles, but too bad. It’s my wood.

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Wild Blueberry Fields. I decided I wanted to drive up there from Cedar River Flow, to eat some, because I knew they would be in peak. This is an hour away (or 15 miles away at 15 MPH), up in the sandy plains of Moose River Plains from Cedar River Flow. These are some of the best blueberry fields in the Adirondacks, and despite being in season for three weeks and very popular, still have many berries to pick.

Blueberries. All I can say is delicious. And so numerous, as you look around all you see is blueberries.

Helldiver Pond in Evening . Watching the sun set over Mitchell Ponds Mountain.

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Moose River Plains Road After Dark. It’s an interesting road to drive after dark, being so narrow, twisty, and rough, especially after drinking all day.

Camping at Site 8. This is down by the Wakely Dam. The prior day I spent paddling around Cedar River Flow and up the river a ways.

Picnic Table. I have yet to pick up my gear. It took a while to figure out which trees to use to set up the site, but ultimately with the steel poles, I got it set up.

Kayak Tying Down Tarp. I couldn’t quite figure out how to keep the tarp tied down. I tried to use a wood stake, but it kept pulling out of the ground. The kayak worked well for this purpose.

Packed Up and Ready To Go. See I’m all packed up and ready to go. Kayak is on the roof, and the site is all cleaned up. I don’t leave a mess or do ny kind of damage to site. Anything unburnt in the fire pit, I haul out.

Heading Across Wakely Dam. It certainly is not a real pretty morning out there. So be it.

Cedar River Flow Campsite No 8. It’s a pretty descent basic little campsite. Now off to Owls Head Mountain Firetower.

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