In Memoriam Redux

My father-in-law, Matthew Joseph Dermody, passed away this morning in Albany Memorial Hospital from cancer. He was born in 1925 in Newcastle, Limerick, Ireland and was a really nice guy and an avid outdoorsman and camper.

Here Comes the Rain

and I am happy. It was too dry, there were fire warnings and the new leaves would have shriveled if it didn't rain soon. Also, pollen-phobes get some relief, as well as the rafters and whitewater folks too, now there's some water to release. Better the rain now when growing things need it than worthless fall washouts. This will top off the water table too for wells.

In Memoriam

Found out my friend, Kim Van Evera passed away. She ran the Back to Basic: for Real Camping in Yurts and Outdoor Experience Near the End of the Northville - Lake Placid Trail. I met her on the web, we were both in some defunct New York State webring and I could tell she was right down the road from my old campsite in West Benson. She lived down in the middle of Bleeker, in Fulton County, in the Park. So I contacted her, at first trying to sell, but I loved what she was doing so I had to check her out. So I did a few times during the Fall and helped her raise a big 32' yurt. She left two beautiful little girls. She was a serious back country hiker herself, and picked up campers at the Northville - Lake Placid trailhead. National Geographic wrote a piece about her. She was totally unique. Bye Kim.