When I left last Tuesday, I only had a rough idea of where I’d be going. I knew I wanted to take a drive through Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont, but other than that I was playing it by ear. I started out in Connecticut on Route 7, and boy I couldn’t leave that state fast enough. Shortly before reaching the Massachusetts border things finally started to look better, scenic wise, but the area had a “blahness” to it that left me with no desire to stick around.

Massachusetts was a completely different story. I entered via the Berkshires and was greeted by a picturesque view of autumn leaves and old fashioned buildings that made me think I had traveled back hundred years in time. I had originally planned to keep going on Route 7, but I got a call from Mumsy who suggested, “Hey, why not go to Yankee Candle Headquarters?”

I made a mad dash for the interstate, completely perplexed that I had to drive miles and miles just to find an entrance ramp to get on, but once I was on it the rest was smooth sailing to South Deersfield. I spent the rest of the afternoon ohhing and ahhing everything the store had to offer (pictures forthcoming in a future post,) then bought popcorn! And umm, maybe a hundred dollars worth of candles too. *ahem* But moving right along…

I was roughly somewhere in the middle of Massachusetts now, so I decided, best thing to do was go up 91 and then take the Mohawk Trail to Williamstown, where the Greylock Mountains were located. The scenery kept getting better and better, and in hindsight I probably should have stopped at a restaurant that overlooked a huge valley on the way, so high up was it that you forgot there was a ground underneath you. I need to go back there some day.

North Adams and Williamstown also turned out to be lovely, a place worthy of staying at again for a more conventionally planned trip. I stayed the night at a dinky place called Willows Motel, which had a 19 inch TV you had to squint at from your bed and free wifi, that is, assuming you brought a ten foot antenna with you to shove up blue sky’s butt in the vain hope that you might get a decent reception. All I can say is, thank God for Verizon. To top it off, there was no table either. I had to eat and use my laptop on a nightstand. Ah well, at least the room was clean.

The next morning I drove into Vermont and passed through Bennington, and I immediately decided this was another town worthy of a more extended visit. In fact I think that whole area from the Mohawk Trail to Bennington deserves another trip to for a more extended stay. There was just something about it all that appealed to me. Old style towns with a mountain backdrop, yet with a freshness and appeal that left a smile on my face. The only thing I didn’t like about the area was how close it was to Albany. Ew. Just knowing I was that close was enough to keep me driving.

Well that, and the unbelievably spectacular views I was being treated to as I continued traveling up Route 7. Vermont was absolutely gorgeous, the scenic drive alone was worth the trip. I finally landed in Rutland after an hour or so, but this time I decided I didn’t really like the area. It felt too… New Yorkish to me, even though Killington was just a hop away. I drove up Route 4 to Killington but again, it just seemed like there was nothing there for me. I realized this drive would have been more appropriate if I had been a skier or a winter sports enthusiast, but since I was neither, the only thing left to do was to stay at a resort with a breathtaking scenic view, and the only one I knew that fit the bill (The Cascades) had nothing available. Not feeling the magic, I decided to head back to Route 7 and continue up to Middlebury.

But once again Middlebury did nothing for me either. Seems Vermont is a great place to be until you actually stop driving. It could have been all psychological, or because I hadn’t planned beyond a simple drive here, but I definitely did not want to spend the night at a town that reminded me too much of home for some reason. I was also a mountain man, and because I was now out of the mountainous state park, there wasn’t enough of a backdrop to suit me, unlike Williamstown and North Adams back in Massachusetts.

So, what to do? I now had several options. I could keep going north to the Vermont capital Burlington, stay at a classy hotel for the night, then hop a ferry over to New York, and from there I could visit more familiar grounds, specifically Lake Placid, a favorite vacation spot of mine. Or, just continue north from Burlington and take the scenic byway Route 2, which would have seen me travel over several islands and bridges from Vermont to Plattsburgh NY, but God only knows what I was going to do from there. Or, I could turn back and drive instead to Ticonderoga, New York, another favorite area of mine, spend a night there, and maybe use that as a launching platform for daily trips into Vermont again, or again, just go from there to Lake Placid.

I ultimately opted to drive to Ticonderoga, and I’m glad I did. Route 125 proved to be the most scenic drives yet in Vermont, and I was driving during that part of day when the sun was just beginning to set. Some of my best pictures may in fact be from that particular drive. I drove over the bridge and stayed the night at a gorgeous Best Western.

One of the things about these kinds of trips was having to make snap decisions that I might wind up regretting. Where do I stay, where do I go, what do I do? I had to make these decisions on the fly, and as the day wore on, I had to make them quick, or wind up spending the night in my car or at a sleazy motel. I also wasn’t relaxing as much as I’d like because I was running around like a chicken without a head, exploring every area I could find. It was exciting, to be sure, but eventually you wind up needing a vacation just from the vacation itself.

After the night in Ticonderoga, I opted to go to Lake Placid, thinking maybe I made the wrong choice, but curiously enough, the bridge I went over closed the very next day. If I had stayed in Ticonderoga I wouldn’t have been able to go back into Vermont unless I took a ferry. Interesting how that played out.

By this time now I just wanted to relax. I wanted the mountains, a place to stay with a scenic view of the lake, a fireplace, and hot babes. Well, 3 out of 4 ain’t bad.

So now, after 5 days of my vacationing adventures so far, I think I’ve learned a few things:

The places I like to visit don’t really have that much to offer unless you’re an outdoorsy kind of person. Things like hiking and camping don’t really appeal to me, although I did try hiking once. ONCE.

I’ve never even skied either, though I do think I would enjoy the experience, especially snowmobiling and maybe a few other winter related activities.

These things always tend to be done in groups though, and I guess one of the reasons I’ve never done it is because I’d really feel the sting of being alone. I’d just watch as the whole world would walk around in pairs and groups while I’d stick out like a sore thumb, being the lone ranger that I am.

I’ve also noticed that I tend to go places when it’s offseason, which helps save on the costs and from dealing with the crowds, but it also means recreational places that would normally be open during peak season would not be available then, leaving me with even less options.

I also realize that because I’m traveling while its offseason, I haven’t had an issue with finding a place to stay with the hotels I’ve chosen, which I’m sure would not be the case if I had been traveling during a busier time of year. It’s something I’ll need to consider for the future.

All in all, I think the kind of vacation that would ultimately suit me is one that’s tailored for reclusive writers. Ever seen The Shining? Well think of me as a slightly less crazier version of Johnny. But it does seem to fit me, having a hotel all to myself, in a wintry wonderland, peacefully enjoying a warm fireplace as I typed merrily away on my laptop, which is in fact what I’m doing now.

I wonder if that’s my calling, to be a traveling kind of writer? That maybe the best kind of vacation for me is a recluse or a retreat somewhere where I can enjoy some peace and quiet, great food, a scenic view, and an ideal setting that would allow me a chance to really get my creative juices flowing. I’ve been googling around for online communities that might offer more information or even vacation packages with professional writers in mind. It might give me a better idea of how to plan for a future vacation, where to go and where I could ideally stay.

Speaking of my next vacation, that happens to be in just a few weeks, where I take a short trip to Lancaster, Pennsylvania to catch a bluegrass show. And eat melted pretzels at Sheetz!

Who knows, maybe I can find a sexy Amish girl there willing to give me wubsies and bake me pie.

Tags: autumn, Connecticut, drive, driving, fireplace, food, hotels, lake placid, Massachusetts, new york, recap, ticonderoga, time, travel, vacation, Vermont, writer, writing
Categories: Lincoln's Personal Log
 
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