Hillbillies Invade My Town

[n2ize]

You do have a point about Old Forge and some other areas. I actually almost moved to Old Forge back in the early 90's when I was still young and sorta free and I lived in Little Falls and Dolgeville for a few years, which if you don't know, is just a smidge south of the park border. The way you made it sound though, these people are like southern hillbillies and quite frankly, as you clarified, nothing could be further from the truth. I lived down south too, in Southwest Virginia and I traveled all over the place down there, including to many remote places on hilltops that accommodated transmitter sites. Same as when I lived in Little Falls, because I always worked on transmitters. There's definitely a huge difference between a southern hillbilly and an Adirondacker, despite their both being able to live off the land.

Indeed I fully agree. I haven't been to rural / remote Alaska or Canada's Yukon territory yet but I must say the Adirondack region is probably one of the most beautiful places that I have ever seen east of the Mississippi. I particularly love the boreal pine forests that seem to stretch on forever speckled with white birch trees. I particularly loved my day hikes along the Boreas River and along Elk Lake shadowed by the higher peaks. The views both far and short were breathtaking. Late one afternoon I got stuck and had to camp along a trail because I underestimated how fast darkness falls in such a forest shadowed by mountains. Also I meandered too long along the way mesmerized by the scenery. But within a matter of minutes I could no longer see the trail much less find my way back to the trail head. That night this city boy learned what a great fire starter is white birch bark. Oh and speaking of being a city boy, when I would mention to some of the local people that I am "from the city" they assumed I meant Glenns Falls, or maybe Albany or possibly Quebec. They were surprised when I told them, no, I mean "the city" as in New York City. In any event all the local people I met up there were very friendly and would always engage in conversation.

[N2NH]

Theres no right season for black flies.

Which is why I didn't move there. Those black flies are famous. Stunningly beautiful countryside though. You can take Amtraks Adirondack from New York through the area and it is an incredible ride most of the way to the Canadian border.

The big picture 1

[W4RLR]

Hmmm, looks like some of my neighbors down in the holler...then again go back three generations to Calhoun County, Alabama and those folks look a lot like my kin!

[n2ize]

Which is why I didn't move there. Those black flies are famous. Stunningly beautiful countryside though. You can take Amtraks Adirondack from New York through the area and it is an incredible ride most of the way to the Canadian border.


The big picture 1

The train is nice, I've been on it, but you haven't experienced the Adirondacks until you've physically walked the trails. The black flies can be pests but it is worth the bother. Actually I have found them less annoying than NYC mosquitos. And most of the year they aren't a problem. An Adirondack winter is spectacular as well. However, with global warming most Adirondackers are saying the winters ain;t nothin like they used to be. To which I tell them... It's just a natural cycle.;) LAF GRAFS anyone ??

[WØTKX]

http://youtu.be/UVUi8ZIPK7M

[kb2vxa]

New Jersey has hillbillies both north and south but none in between. Out in the Pine Barrens they're appropriately called Pineys who keep the legend of the Jersey Devil alive because they do NOT want to be disturbed. Up north in the Ramapo Mountains is another legendary tribe, the Jackson Whites. http://weirdnj.com/weird-news/jackson-whites/ Strange, Jackson is in central Jersey but I digress. That's another bunch that doesn't want to be disturbed so they play Deliverance to the hilt and much to the dismay of the Pineys keep the Jersey Devil as breeding stock.

Then in the Southwestern US the Calvary found the original Misfits not on an island but in the desert, the Hekawis. Not exactly hillbillies but they fit the profile. Their chief best described how they got their name.

From F Troop "Reunion for O'Rourke," Season 1, March 8, 1966
Agarn: "How did the Hekawis get their name?"
Wild Eagle: "Glad you asked. Many moons ago, tribe leave Massachussetts because Pilgrims ruin neighborhood. Tribe travel west, over stream, over river, over mountain, over mountain, over river, over stream. Then come big day. Tribe fall over cliff. That when Hekawi get name. Medicine man say to my ancestor, 'I think we lost. Where the heck are we?'"

[N7YA]

Ill take black flies and skeeters all day over living here any more than the time we have allotted.

[N2NH]

The train is nice, I've been on it, but you haven't experienced the Adirondacks until you've physically walked the trails. The black flies can be pests but it is worth the bother. Actually I have found them less annoying than NYC mosquitos. And most of the year they aren't a problem. An Adirondack winter is spectacular as well. However, with global warming most Adirondackers are saying the winters ain;t nothin like they used to be. To which I tell them... It's just a natural cycle.;) LAF GRAFS anyone ??

The sprit is willing, but the legs aren't what they used ta be. I wouldn't mind walking the trails but the nerve damage in my legs sez otherwise. I do miss going on long walks like I used to but The Adirondack isn't a bad alternative. The Hudson Valley is really incredible. I saw it on North by Northwest and fell in love with it. Just going to the end of the Hudson Line on Metro North is a great ride in itself. A bit less expensive than Amtrak if you go off peak.

[n2ize]

The sprit is willing, but the legs aren't what they used ta be. I wouldn't mind walking the trails but the nerve damage in my legs sez otherwise. I do miss going on long walks like I used to but The Adirondack isn't a bad alternative. The Hudson Valley is really incredible. I saw it on North by Northwest and fell in love with it. Just going to the end of the Hudson Line on Metro North is a great ride in itself. A bit less expensive than Amtrak if you go off peak.

I hear you. I am in a similar situation. I have mild arthritis in my knees which makes can make walking rough at times unless I take some Ibuprofen or Voltaren (diclofenac) at least 12 hours in advance. But I don't like to use those medications very often. I also need to shed some pounds if I plan on doing any future long range hiking.

far as radio goes when I used to go hiking in Columbia county I could be heard from time to time on the Mount Greylock repeater (in Massachusetts). There was a cliff in East Chatham where you could see for miles and miles, you could see Albany in the distance and beyond into the foothills of the Adirondacks. Then, turning south west you could see the fringes of the Catskills way off on the horizon. Needless to say VHF and UHF propagation was awesome from there. When I was further north into the Adirondacks I would occasionally talk into the Mt. Equinox repeater (in Vermonte). It pretty much covered the entire area. I used to go up that way often and a lot of hams in upstate NY, Massachusetts, Vermont, etc. got to know me as if I were a local.