Archive for the ‘Travels’ Category
Sunday, October 21st, 2007
Wow, what a day.
Laura and I had to get new sneakers, so we headed up to the “Prime Outlets at Lee.” I will tell you, I thought the place was much bigger. It was refreshing to visit something so cozy and nice. People were just walking around enjoying the day. There didn’t seem to be any attitude that usually comes alond with these places…well, the ones in New York anyway. Yeah, you know what I’m talking about.
We found a good shoe store. Laura bought two pairs of sneakers and I bought one. It has taken such a long time to do this, it feels good to have it done. After that chore was finished, it was time to have some fun. We took Pleasant Street, or Rt. 102 West into Stockbridge. I think everyone else had the same idea for today. After all, the leaves are almost in full effect and the weather was perfect. Stockbridge was a little crowded, but not too bad. We parked our car on the side of the road and headed down towards the Red Lion Inn for some lunch. Right across the street from the car, there was a little park that I never noticed. It’s pretty cool, so I grabbed a photo.
We made it down the road…almost to the Inn, when I remembered that I left the gift certificate Laura got me for my birthday in the car. We had to walk all the way back to get it. Upon our return to the place we were standing ten minutes earlier, I decided to take another photo.
This is the ally that leads to the back of the Red Lion Inn. I wanted to eat lunch in the courtyard. Well, I guess they aren’t serving lunch there anymore, because there were no tables set up. Instead, we went downstairs to “The Lion’s Den.” It’s more of a tavern type deal.
We had a great lunch. We did get a little tipsy because we decided to have a little drink before we sat down.
That was fun too.
After we finished eating, which seemed like a really long time, we headed upstairs to make our Thanksgiving dinner reservations. We have been trying to get in here for a few years, but they are always booked up. This year, they had one table for two open. Yeah!!! We made it. I made the reservation and we are in. That is so cool. After that, we left.
We have been planning to go apple picking for a couple of months now, but have yet to get the chance. Today seemed like a perfect day to head down Rt. 7, a little South of Stockbridge and a little North of Great Barrington, to a place called Windy Hill Farm. We have been here a few times and really love it. They have pumpkins and apples and everything else.
I tell ya, it makes me sooooo happy.
Unfortunately, we showed up at 4:35 and they stop the “you-pick” at 4:30. Good thing our friend Eric let us up to pick a few apples on our own. I climbed a nice sized tree to get two shiny apples way up on top. I handed them off to Laura and we headed back down to the store.
We bought a big bag of mixed apples for $8 and a pumpkin for $8 too. Oh, yeah, we are all set up. Remember last time we got a pumpkin up at this place? Man, I love the Berkshires.
Oh yeah, before I forget, take a look at the picture I took while crossing the Castleton Bridge over the Hudson River.
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Tuesday, October 16th, 2007
Laura and I cruised up to Woodstock again this weekend. I told her that I wanted to go hiking up that big mountain everyone climbs. I am not sure the name of it, because we never actually got to it.
We drove into town with the best of intentions. When we got somewhat closer to the action, we noticed a whole bunch of traffic. I guess it was leaf peeper Sunday. I can’t make fun of them because we were there too. One thing it did do was to make us sure that we don’t want to move to Woodstock. I think when you move to a town, you want it all to yourselves. Not you entirely, but you and the people who live there. Woodstock is a town that people visit, that’s for sure.
We parked out of the way a little bit, in the health food store parking lot. Then, we walked up to Joshua’s Cafe. I was really hungry. I love the food at Joshua’s. It’s different and it’s good. The only problem is that the place was packed. Laura and I had to wait upstairs and drink some Guinness while we waited. That was rough. The reason it was rough is because it was out of the bottle and it cost $9. Even the girl behind the counter had a pained look on her face.
We ate and walked around a little bit. Then we left. We have been there so many times before, I am not sure it holds its luster.
Here is a photo of the soon-to-form drum circle. It started at 4PM, but we were gone before then.
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Saturday, October 6th, 2007
Ahhh…my first audio book. I don’t know how Laura finds these things, but she does.
I like to think of her sitting at her computer, very studiously analyzing and contemplating my psyche. “Who is Jay?” she would ask herself. “What makes this guy tick?” In actuality, she probably sees what is popular that day on Amazon, but we try not to think about that.
I can’t get over the clarity of the new stereo I installed in my car today. Just a moment ago, I walked outside, across the driveway to it. I sat down in the driver’s seat and turned the key. The radio came on so I could hear 95.5 WPLJ, down in the city. I changed the channel to 100.3 Z100. It’s remarkable how clear the radio receives the signal. My old one never did that.
I opened the package of the audio book, “Wandering Home – A Long Walk Across America’s Most Hopeful Landscape: Vermont’s Champlain Valley and New York’s Adirondacks,” by Bill McKibben. I really didn’t know what to expect. My mother has been raving about audiobooks ever since she lived back in my home town. I think they helped make her drive everyday to work in Danbury a little bit easier. She used to say, “My car can steer itself on the trip to work. That’s how used to it I am.” I think she really believed that at times. Well, when she told the story, she sounded very convincing.
I pushed the CD in the brand new slot. Everything is so shiny. The radio stopped and the CD started. A very faint, but clean guitar sound started. It got louder, and then a very soothing voice, that introduced himself as the author, Bill McKibben, began to speak. I though, “Ooh, this is going to be good. I listened for a few minutes and turned the key back, so the sound stopped. I didn’t want to ruin the first part of the story during a time when I wasn’t focusing on it. I turned the key forward, so the CD turned on again. Yup, it picked up right where it left off. This was going to work out fine.
So what’s the story about? Well, Bill’s website tells it like this…
“The acclaimed author of The End of Nature takes a three-week walk from his current home in Vermont to his former home in the Adirondacks and reflects on the deep hope he finds in the two landscapes.”
That’s not all, you can read the rest here.
As you can see, I am quite excited about using my frontal lobe even more than I currently am. It is going to be nice to break out of the mold of NPR and bad local radio. Yeah, it’s going to be nice.
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Wednesday, October 3rd, 2007
Laura and I had a tough weekend. A lot happened that called for a kind of peaceful getaway. We were in the Copake, NY area, so we decided to visit one of our favorite places, Bash Bish Falls in the Berkshires. I think the Berkshires are just great.
We didn’t actually see the falls…all we did was drive up to the top parking lot and turn around. Laura was wearing heels, so it would’ve been a tough hike for her up the rocky cliff. I wouldn’t have minded helping, but she was pretty straightforward with her resistance. Instead, we decided to stop off at the Depot Deli at the bottom of the mountain.
There was something about this place that I haven’t felt in a long time. It was so peaceful and restful. We pulled into the parking lot and just sat for a few seconds. It felt good to stop. We got lunch in the deli and ate outside at the picnic table. We had a visitor…
This cat was very friendly. I had to shush him/her away a few times because he/she kept jumping up and trying to eat my food.
We discovered something really neat in this area. The Harlem Valley Rail Trail.
This rail trail goes all the way from Wassaic to Chatham (in the future).
In the area is the Taconic State Park.
Maybe the whole area is the Taconic State Park…who knows. I think it is.
After we finished eating, I asked Laura if she wanted to talk a walk down the rail trail. At this point, the whole heel thing was history. The trail is paved. She agreed and we walked down a few hundred feet.
What a beautiful trail. It’s the kind of place you want to sit and enjoy for hours, if not a lifetime…and believe me, we have had that conversation. I couldn’t get over the quiet.
We walked to the bridge and started talking to a woman who lived across the street. She was telling us about the area and the Berkshires. She was retired and was enjoying the weather. What a great place to live near.
I took a few pictures of the river under the bridge, but this one was the best.
I am not sure of the name of this river, but it’s the same water that comes from Bash Bish Falls.
We are going to try to go back soon with our mountain bikes to ride the trail for a few miles. It’s nice because it’s all flat and level and with tons of trees.
Till then…
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Wednesday, October 3rd, 2007
I have to say, I am getting a little sick of the drive to work. Perhaps I should say that I am getting a little sick from the drive to work.
The minute I get on Interstate 84, I see the diesel smoke pouring out of the trucks on the highway. I try to change lanes, so it doesn’t come into my car, but I can smell it anyway. There are so many trucks on the road, it gets difficult at times.
When I hit the toll booth, things get really bad. Everyone is giving their cars so much damn gas, the whole place stinks. I couldn’t even imagine working in one of those toll booths. Poor people. They probably all have asthma.
I don’t know what to do. There really is only one way to work. I try to breath as shallow as I can, but I still get headaches from all the pollution. It truly is disgusting.
I am not sure why I decided to write about this. Maybe a trucker will read this and realize how disgusting they are making my life. Maybe they can use biodiesel.
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Saturday, September 22nd, 2007
Do you want to hear something really funny? It just so happens that my parents are actually going to Bermuda in six weeks. I had no idea.
I called my father last night and talked to him about my great idea. He kept saying, “Six weeks, you have six weeks.” I am like, “What the heck is this fella talking about.”
Well, there goes my plan, unless they want to go to Bermuda again in May or June. Hmmm…I am also thinking Antigua.
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Friday, September 21st, 2007
So I just got a great idea.
I have been telling Laura for some time now that I want to go to Bermuda. She kind of doesn’t really respond because she doesn’t want to go. I will have to strong arm her. Anyway, since I never get to see my parents anymore, perhaps I will call the travel agent and get some prices. Then, I will invite my parents to meet us there.
How is that for a family reunion?
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Thursday, September 20th, 2007
I opened my birthday present early.
My mother emailed me a few days (or weeks) ago and told me that I should be receiving a box from Amazon. She told me not to open it, and I didn’t…until last night. I was so proud of myself too. I even called her up just to tell her that I didn’t open it.
The box was just looking at me. It was kind of like that box of donuts looking at Mickey from all the way up there on the counter. What am I…a robot? I have feelings. Of course I am going to open the box!!! I felt like this venue would be the best way to break the news to my mother. I am a horrible person.
Anyway, for some time now, I have been aware that I have not been using my frontal lobe. It is kind of like mush. This has been hindering my thought process and decision making. The lack of activity, I suspect, is due to my lack of reading and continued education. I am nowhere near the level I used to be. I even have trouble writing these days.
Good thing I opened my birthday present early. It was just in the nick of time. In the box, I found two very interesting books. The first one is a thick paperback entitled, “1,000 Places to See in the U.S.A. & Canada Before You Die.” I started reading this last night. It felt very good up there in my frontal lobe. I am not sure if it was from reading the book or the thirty push ups I did. Yeah, that’s right.
What’s interesting about this book is that the author, Patricia Schultz, grew up in Beacon, NY. She even mentions Walnut Street. I thought that was pretty cool, since I eat lunch in Beacon quite a bit.
I read the first few sections…right now, we are in Connecticut, somewhere near the Connecticut River. It seems like a very interesting book and it feels very good to sit on the couch and read.
The second book is entitled, “The World Without Us,” written by Alan Weisman. I haven’t read anything in this book yet, but I am sure it will be good. If my mother ordered it from Amazon, she surely read the reviews. That’s just the way she rolls.
Anyway, since I opened my present early, it might be a good idea to get me something else that I can open on my actual birthday. Ok, just think about it.
And finally, THANK YOU!!! The gift was very thoughtful. Also, don’t feel too bad, I opened Stephanie’s gift early too.
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Thursday, September 13th, 2007
It’s getting a little chilly in the mornings these days.
I remember last year, all summer I was putting straight water in my windshield washer fluid tank. It started getting cold and the water in the hoses froze and I couldn’t clean my windshield. That was very annoying. I had to park in the sunlight so it would thaw out.
The weather is really good for going outside. This Sunday, we are planning on going up to Windy Hill Orchard in Stockbridge, MA to pick some apples. It is only supposed to be a high of 65 degrees and sunny. That should be perfect apple picking weather. Also, I am planning on getting another ten yards of mulch to spread out over various places on the property. I hope to work with the mulch this time without sweating so much.
Here is a photo I took this morning. It really isn’t of anything particular, but a man with a camera is dangerous.
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Tuesday, September 11th, 2007
Since this blog is named Blog and my brother Jeff is still a G, he deserves some real estate on these pages.
He went out to Colorado last week for some business and during that visit, he was lucky enough to go ATV riding up in the Rocky Mountains. I saw the photos and I felt like I needed to go riding too. That didn’t happen, but I still have the photos, so I decided to post them here. Maybe one day I will visit the same person my brother visited and we will all go riding.
Jeff writes…
I was out in Denver for work and stayed the weekend. One of the managers lives out there and he has a bunch of ATVs. We drove to the mountains to a little town called Buena Vista, CO. We rode a little on Friday and all day Saturday. We rode 70 miles thru the Rockies an thru 3 passes in the Rockies. We rode to Tin Cup, St. Elmo and others. We had perfect weather and only very minor incidents. Attached are a couple pics of the trip.
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