ORIGINAL: flyingJ
Hey Ge force, I live 45 minutes from Sara., and Fly in Fort Edward. The field we use belongs to the state, there is no membership dues, but there are several qualified instructors there, that are more than willing to help you out. I trained there 3 years ago, was only getting in one day a month, due to my work schedule and now fly most every sunday. By using an instructor with a buddy box to learn on saved me alot of time, money and disappointment. I can proudly say, that I can still use my original trainer this year to let my wife learn to fly.
GE Force, this is a great offer! It is well worth making such a drive to save your plane from the inevitable crashes that will occur from trying to learn on your own. Flying with others will also help you meet people and you may discover some others who live close to you.
There are also a few clubs listed in the Albany area in the AMA club locator
http://www.modelaircraft.org/clubsearch.aspx . Even if you decide not to join one, it's worth calling them to see what they know about fields in your area.