North Fork Gap
A narrow gap in North Fork Mountain, which is one range to the east of Dolly Sods and the Applachian Front and west of Petersburg, WV.
75 Percent of New Yorkers Live in Most Population Dense Blocks
New York State is 54,562 square miles but 75% of the population lives in 1,016 square miles - which works out to be 1.8% of the state's land and water area. If you include only land, the blocks where 75% of New York State's population lives is 2.1% of state's landmass.
Friday November 6, 2026 — NYS Census - PopulationLeaving in a SuperDuty… ๐ป
The plan is to key into the Ford Pass app to fire up the SuperDuty at 6:25 AM and be rolling down the highway by 6:30 AM tomorrow. Pack everything but the cooler and toothbrush tonight, already loaded a bunch of gear last night. And just drive, no dilly-dallying or side trips until I am well into West Virigina.
The Hills of West Virigina are calling and I must go ๐ or so I tell myself in my extreme mental illness as I roll down the highway with my cruise control locked at 2 MPH above the legal speed limit, because it unlikely to draw the attention of cops but keep me up with the speed of traffic and make it possible to make it there by dark. Waze says it’s about 8 1/2 hour drive, but I figure 10 hours with neccessary pee and fuel breaks. But no side trips planned on the way down, though I’ll probably do some on the way back next Saturday, assuming Thursday doesn’t turn to snow and ice. It depends on the models, but I want to be cautious, โ๏ธ as weather can change quickly on the Allegheny Front. Canaan Loop Road is relatively flat and near a major state highway, still I don’t want to get stuck in a foot of early snow.
Packing is moving forward, I really want to have as much done before getting up tomorrow morning, doing a quick shower and rolling by 6:30 AM. Avoid drinking too much coffee โ lest I have to stop and pee too much, though I still figure I will do my first break at East Worcester even if It is a brief one. ๐งป Then keep on pushing ahead. ๐ฃ๏ธ No time to dilly dally, miles need to be completed. Probably would be better to stay over in Pennsylvania but I don’t want to do this on this trip not just because they raised the rates at County Bridge and you have to reserve in the advance. ๐จ๐ปโ๐ปI just don’t want to waste a whole day both directions staying over in PA. I just want to get down there and get camp set up for the week. ๐๏ธ I do expect West Virigina to be bitterly cold and somewhat damp on Saturday evening but Sunday looks beautiful. As does the rest of the week, โ๏ธ though Thursday has the possibility of a cold rain, I am watching for the risk of it evolving into snow. ๐จ๏ธ I guess if it’s really bad, there is always Blackwater State Park Campground, I am sure if it’s still open, they’ll have plowed roads. Hoping that forecast is wrong, other models show other things.
Blueberry pancakes this morning, ๐ซ I was low on flour so they were a bit liquidity and thinner then normal but whatever. Packing, and now a quick shower ๐ฟ and then I want to deposit my New York State ๐ power rebate check, you know the $100 bribe the governor sent but didn’t arrive to me until after Election Day. ๐ณ๏ธ I voted for her regardless, even if I do own guns, burn my garbage and drive an F-350 SuperDuty. Maybe it was a mistake, ๐ก I don’t know, I’m not building my off-grid cabin in New York regardless. Get the propane tank filled this morning, so it’s one less thing to do in the evening. Not sure if I am going to stay until 5 PM in the office, ๐ข I’d rather have more time to shop and get packed and get sleeping ๐๏ธ before the long drive tomorrow.
Sunrise
Got up early several mornings in National Forest to watch the sun rise. Not such a cold morning this day but still the sun felt good on my face.
Thursday October 26, 2023 — Monongahela National Forest — Forest Road 13 Informal Camping Opporunities 🗺 — Monongahela National Forest 1:24k Topographic Map Index 🗺 — Olson Fire Tower 🗺— PDF with All Maps 📚





