New England Road Trip Report

I believe this is my 3rd visit to both Connecticut and Massachusetts but much of this is uncharted territory.  I had not explored Connecticut outside of the coastal areas and had never been to western Massachusetts, which has a different vibe than the Boston area.  You can't predict the exact dates for peak foliage but Columbus Day weekend in New England is usually a good choice.  Not so much this year.  Supposedly, a summer drought delayed the peak and it won't be as colorful when it does peak.  There was minimal foliage in NYC but spotty colors in New England and it was getting better towards the end of the trip.  Weather was a big concern with a Nor'Easter forecasted to hit over the weekend.  In the end, the weather was a downer but it didn't wreck the trip.  It was cloudy and breezy with occasional showers but no downpours.  

10/11- Uneventful.  Drive to Atlanta for a direct flight to Hartford, Connecticut.  From there, it was 30 minutes north to Springfield, Massachusetts.  I arrived after dark and just chilled for the night.

10/12- Driving tour of Springfield then toured the Basketball Hall of Fame.  I've now been to the HOF of all 4 major sports.  I don't really follow basketball nowadays but did play in a youth league for several years.  That brought back some good memories.  I stayed in Springfield for lunch then went north to Greenfield before picking up the Mohawk Trail through the Berkshires.

I stopped at a pretty nice park near the town of North Adams and went into Vermont just for the hell of it.  It was still an enjoyable day but it would have been a lot better with decent weather and peak foliage.  I took an 8 mile road up to Mt. Greylock, the highest point in Massachusetts at nearly 3,500 feet.  The scenery was nice on the way up but there was zero visibility at the summit.  I arrived in Pittsfield for the night just before dark, as planned.  

10/13- First stop was a short but steep hike down to Bash Bish Falls on the border of Massachusetts and New York and saw a little bit of Fall colors too.  The original plan was the FDR Presidential Museum in Hyde Park, NY but it was closed due to the government shutdown.  Too bad.  That did enable more time in NYC so it wasn't all bad.  I don't think I've ever been to upstate New York on my own.  As it was, I did cut through a small portion of New York on the way but only met the lenient standard.  By lunchtime, I was back in Connecticut and stopped to eat in Danbury.

From there, I drove south to Norwalk to catch the train to Grand Central.  First stop was the gripping 9/11 museum, which I probably would have missed if I went to the FDR.  I had been there 8 years ago so it was worth seeing again.  From there, I took the subway to Brooklyn to see the bridge with the skyline lit up at night.  Epic as expected.  I had a bit of an adventure finding a subway to my hotel in Queens but it turned out okay.  Probably should have stayed in Manhattan or Brooklyn instead.  I made a friend at that hotel last Spring but unfortunately, she wasn't there tonight.

  

10/14- Walking tour of Central Park and the Rockefeller Center.  I feared zero visibility at the Top of the Rock.  Although the views certainly would have been better on a clear day, it was still worth seeing.  Central Park was clearly visible as was most of the Empire State building but the WTC was obstructed by the clouds.

From there, I walked to Grand Central and caught the train back to Connecticut.  It was another 2 hours into Hartford.  I arrived by late afternoon and took a walking tour of town and had a drink at a bar.  

10/15- Toured the Capitol building in Hartford then drove to the airport to catch the flight to Atlanta.  The drive home was tough.  Not an epic trip but I am glad I did it.