Wanted to be to the top before it started to rain and darkness approached so I did a quick bushwhack straight to the top, greenies be damned. Still getting a bit damp on the way back down but I expected it. I don’t want to establish herd paths and erosion so I took a dry, lightly traveled zig-zag pattern to the top.
What can I say, I’m an outlaw like that time watching four of July fireworks from the summit a few years back. I also was curious to see how windy it was at the top and get some exercise in after the corn beef and cabbage at the parents house . Got to enjoy it while I can still can because I know such things aren’t long in the world. With so many older people, they are with you forever until they aren’t. Less windy than I expected, there was some pretty good gusts out there. The whole weekend has been windy. Not good for my parents though, the weeping willow tree that overhangs their house is in bad shape, and all it needs to come down before it takes the house. Hopefully it won’t come down before they can have someone take it down not on their head. I would never plant a soft-wood like a weeping willow near a house, or any structure I cared about.
When I was out there, I went for a walk around the property, surveying the shape their woodlot and land is currently in. Been reading a library book about managing wood lots. Their wood lot could use a work for sure — getting rid of all the trash species and brambles and getting more light in there for desirable species. I don’t know if I’ll eventually end up owning it when they pass away but my sister has her house up in Saratoga and I’ve been looking at a homestead, and they have 5 acres barns and forests that could be restored with goats, pigs and chainsaws.
Not off grid, not outside of New York, not as wild as I want and it’s more residential then I’d like so I’d have to be careful what I’d burn with the burn ban but maybe it’s what I’ll end up with eventually. It’s a kind of redneck neighborhood but it’s New York with it’s laws. I was glad to hear they’re planning on taking down at least one of the big trees out front that is in bad shape this year with a tree-cutting crew, one less thing for me to worry about – I do wonder if they don’t get it down soon it won’t take down half or all of the house. But then I guess it’s not my problem. Maybe the city will take the property to add to reservoir conservation lands. Might be who I end up selling it to if I do decide to move out west after I retire and my parents pass.
Warmer than I expected this afternoon when I went out to see the folks. I think it was warmer outside my apartment then inside it. I actually was chilled through enough mid morning when I was reading that I ended up turning on the portable electric heater and my heating pad. Then I dosed off apparently because sleeping into six o’clock wasn’t enough. Been in bed and asleep most nights by eight. Truck seems to be running good. I am excited to get out of town, maybe sooner then later. Really could use a good camp fire, but got to be careful this time of year with all that dry grass. Between the wind and dryness, I decided this was not a good weekend to camp. And I was not wrong on that fact – not only was it gusty both days but also kind of gray and not nice. Rained a bit while I was driving but to folks but not a big washout yet but rain and potentially severe storms is coming later.
I wish in someways it was a more adventurous weekend, but I did get a fair amount of reading done, more work on my taxes, got that new shifter lever on my bike and chain. I am not happy with chain skipping but I’ll have to decide if I will need to put the old chain back on or replace the cassette. Crankset is a bit sticky with the new chain, but it’s rapidly getting better as the chain stretches. Maybe I should put the old chain on, but it’s not that bad and once I break the new chain in a bit more maybe it will be good. Kind of don’t want to wear on the crankset more as that’s expensive but I’m kind of hoping it will stretch enough to keep the old cassette. I can always swing by Steiners to get a new cassettee and have it on in five minutes myself, but I only swapped the chain thinking it good maintenance. With the rain though, I’m not planning to ride in tomorrow at any rate. I’m annoyed, what can I say.
from the summit a few years back. I also was curious to see how windy it was at the top and get some exercise in after the corn beef and cabbage 
at the parents house 
. Got to enjoy it while I can still can because I know such things aren’t long in the world. With so many older people, they are with you forever until they aren’t. Less windy 
than I expected, there was some pretty good gusts out there. The whole weekend has been windy. Not good for my parents though, the weeping willow tree that overhangs their house is in bad shape, and all it needs to come down before it takes the house. Hopefully it won’t come down before they can have someone take it down not on their head. I would never plant a soft-wood like a weeping willow near a house, or any structure I cared about.
surveying the shape their woodlot and land is currently in. Been reading a library book about managing wood lots. Their wood lot could use a work for sure — getting rid of all the trash species and brambles and getting more light in there for desirable species. I don’t know if I’ll eventually end up owning it when they pass away but my sister has her house up in Saratoga and I’ve been looking at a homestead, and they have 5 acres barns and forests that could be restored with goats, pigs and chainsaws. 
but maybe it’s what I’ll end up with eventually. It’s a kind of redneck neighborhood but it’s New York with it’s laws. I was glad to hear they’re planning on taking down at least one of the big trees out front that is in bad shape this year with a tree-cutting crew, one less thing for me to worry about – I do wonder if they don’t get it down soon it won’t take down half or all of the house. But then I guess it’s not my problem. Maybe the city will take the property to add to reservoir conservation lands. 
Might be who I end up selling it to if I do decide to move out west after I retire and my parents pass.
when I went out to see the folks. I think it was warmer outside my apartment then inside it. I actually was chilled through enough mid morning when I was reading 
that I ended up turning on the portable electric heater and my heating pad. Then I dosed off 
apparently because sleeping into six o’clock wasn’t enough. Been in bed 
and asleep most nights by eight. Truck seems to be running good. I am excited to get out of town, maybe sooner then later. 
Between the wind and dryness, I decided this was not a good weekend to camp. And I was not wrong on that fact – 
not only was it gusty both days but also kind of gray and not nice. Rained a bit while I was driving but to folks but not a big washout yet but rain and potentially severe storms is coming later. 
but I did get a fair amount of reading done, more work on my taxes, got that new shifter lever on my bike and chain. 
I am not happy with chain skipping but I’ll have to decide if I will need to put the old chain back on or replace the cassette. Crankset is a bit sticky with the new chain, but it’s rapidly getting better as the chain stretches. Maybe I should put the old chain on, but it’s not that bad and once I break the new chain in a bit more maybe it will be good. Kind of don’t want to wear on the crankset more as that’s expensive but I’m kind of hoping it will stretch enough to keep the old cassette. I can always swing by Steiners to get a new cassettee and have it on in five minutes myself, but I only swapped the chain thinking it good maintenance. 
With the rain though, I’m not planning to ride in tomorrow at any rate. I’m annoyed, what can I say.