I would say that I rolled into bed last night around 11PM. I found myself still staring at the ceiling at 3AM. I was having the most random thoughts about today. I finally fell asleep thinking that I am just plain weird. Upon awakening this morning, I read an email from my sister telling me that she had very odd election day dreams last night. After that, I checked out my uncle’s blog and he said the same thing. I guess, either I am not that weird, or all three of us are.
I voted today sticker
The school where the voting was taking place was much busier than I thought. I was on the phone with my idiot friend when I rounded the corner to see police lights. In Connecticut, the police are pretty much required to be there if you are doing anything…voting, construction, etc…they are fairly laid back though. I heard reports on the radio this morning about how crowded the polling locations already were. I figured that this small town wouldn’t have any issues. I am usually in and out.
Traffic on election day 2008
Election day 2008 signs
I drove right by and had to turn around. Me, being me, thought I could find a better spot down the road. When that didn’t happen, I drove into the main parking lot right behind everyone else. While we were waiting in line to find a parking spot, some old man cut around everyone else and parked in an open spot. I wanted to put the car in park, walk over to him and smack him across his chest. I didn’t though because all the cops were around. Watch your back old man.
There were a few differences between New York and Connecticut voting. First, the lines that you go into to check in were alphabetized by street name rather than last name. I helped the woman in back of me find her correct line. She may have been a Republican, so I’m not sure that was such a good idea.
The second difference was that we used paper ballots here instead of the big gray machines from the 1940s. That worked well and was very fast.
After I did what I had to do, I got my sticker and walked outside to enjoy the sun.
Today, we hopped in the car and went for a little ride.
First, we stopped by the local library so Laura could get a library card and pick up a book. The town library is newly renovated, expanded and really very nice. I haven’t been in a library in years. You should have seen me…I was astounded. I went to the back of the fiction aisle and found whole sections of my favorite authors…Ridley Pearson, John Grisham, James Patterson. I was floored. So this is what libraries do…ahhh.
After that little chore was done, we got back in the car and started our trip up to Putnam and Connecticut’s “Quiet Corner.” First off, let me just say that this has got to be the most colorful Autumn I have ever lived through. I have never seen so much orange in the leaves. I am used to yellow and red, but it’s the orange that really gets to me. It is so bright, it knocks my socks off. I have to pull over to put them back on.
I didn’t expect the trip to be so much fun. Usually, I focus on getting somewhere, but today, it was hard to ignore the peace and tranquility of the area. I once asked Laura where everyone was. It was cool driving fast through all those country roads with no one around.
Autumn country road, CT
We went through a bunch of towns, but one really caught our attention. It’s called Pomfret and it hosts the “Pomfret School.” If you don’t know this about me, I’ll tell you that I love private schools. I don’t know why. I guess it’s because everything is so neat and clean and taken care of so well. The students look presentable and the money is just falling out of people’s pockets. I get a big kick out of it. Fortunately, Laura and I have a knack for finding these places. Connecticut seems to be full of them. People must laugh as I do a double and triple take while driving through.
We drove through the school and headed up to Putnam. Putnam, CT is known for its antiques. The story goes like this…”Putnam fell on hard times during the early part of the century and reinvented itself”…you know, the typical tale. I have heard the story before and know the drill. When visiting these places, I use a cautious eye.
We arrived in Putnam and I noticed that the actual main street area was a little smaller that what I expected. It was a cute town though. I definitely noticed that it had fallen on hard times and noticed a few vacant shops. What shops were there were pretty interesting.
Putnam, CT
We spent a little time in probably the largest antique shop in the town. I can’t seem to find the name of it, because it just said, “Antiques” above the roof line. They had some pretty nice furniture at semi-reasonable prices.
Antique furniture in Putnam, CT
Stained glass in Putnam, CT
Antique dealer in Putnam, CT
Looking through window at Montgomery Ward, Putnam, CT
We walked down the sidewalk a bit and took a few pictures of places like…
Clippers Hair Salon, Putnam, CT
and…
Courthouse Restaurant, Putnam, CT
A few more steps and I saw a really intriguing alley. I took some pics of that, but they didn’t come out so well. What did come out well was my pics of an old window and the huge Coca-Cola painting on the side of a building.
Old window
Coca-Cola painting on building
We spent a while in Putnam and decided to head out. On our way back, we grabbed a picture of The Harvest Restaurant sign in Pomfret, so I could remember the name of the place. We have been searching for a nice restaurant like this that offers brunch. Since this restaurant looks nice and is in a nice area, we are going to give it a shot.
This is a pretty cool park. It has a large lake and trails all over the place. We walked around part of the lake and up to the rail trail. There was a huge field. I am thinking of getting another super frisbee to throw around. The last time I played with mine, Rob threw it in to a tree. I don’t blame him, the tree was about a quarter mile away and it was one of those crazy frisbees that go really far. Rob is going to have to come over so was can play again.
When we were done with the hike, we headed out and wrapped up a rather nice Autumn day.
Now that Autumn is here, I think the camera will be coming out a lot more. We have many mini adventures planned.
There certainly is something different in the air. I can feel it in my bones. Just going out for a little cruise this morning felt strange. Maybe I drank too much coffee this morning, but if not, something is going on.
I, like most people, love Autumn. I am guessing there are few better places on earth to be during this season than New England. It’s not only the trees, it’s the landscape, the weather, the types of homes and the people. Everything adds up to a really great time of year. What’s especially nice is the smell in the air.
Every year during Autumn, I try to take just a few minutes out to just sit somewhere. Listening to the leaves fall and feeling the breeze is quite therapeutic. No matter what’s going on in life, relaxing on a nice Autumn day has its uses.
This is one thing I am trying to do on my blog…I am trying to take pictures during different times of the year. I always wonder what this time of year was like or that time of year was like. I have a horrible memory when it comes to this kind of stuff. I do remember that last year in New York, the leaves were still falling at the end of October.
Here are some photos from today. Remember, most of the leaves around here are still green. There are a few though that are turning. The following pictures are on the road right down the hill.
I was on the way back from Home Depot this afternoon, when I approached some commotion. As I pulled up a little further, I noticed a motorcycle on the side of the road, kind of crumpled up. It was laying on its side.
On the other side of the road, I saw a few people sitting next to a bald guy talking to him. He seemed to be wearing motorcycle riding clothing. I came to the conclusion that either he hit a car or a car hit him. There was a gas station right in the middle of the scene. I am just glad he was ok.
What strikes me as odd about the state of Connecticut is that there is no motorcycle helmet law. From what I have observed so far, about 1% of riders here actually wear helmets.
The law here states that if you are a motorcyclist, 17 years old or younger, you have to wear a helmet. If you are bicyclist, 15 years old or younger, you have to wear a helmet. I guess they put the lives of older individuals in their own hands. I suppose that’s ok.
The whole thing is weird because in New York, the law pretty much states you have to wrap yourself in bubble wrap every time you leave your house, no matter what you are doing. Seeing people fly by on the highway at 80mph with just sunglasses on is a little unnerving.
I keep trying to tell anyone who will listen that they should get into the wood pellet selling business. I mean it. If you want to get into a “carbon-neutral” business, start selling wood pellets.
The demand for wood pellets has been rising like absolute craziness. There are no licenses and no classes to take. All you need to do is get a truck, find a vendor, put an ad in the Yellow Pages, get a garage and start making money. It’s pretty much a year round business now. You’re crazy…CRAZY if you don’t listen to me on this one.
I visited a website the other day checking out all different brands of wood pellets. This place sold and delivered to the entire state of Connecticut. They prided themselves on having the most diverse and best quality wood pellets in the state. Well, when I got to the order page, guess what? Every single brand of wood pellet was sold out. Even the pellet stove store I bought this pellet stove from stopped answering their phone. Now, you have to leave a message and they will get back to you. I had to stop by in person yesterday just to speak with them.
I am not sure about the margins for selling woods pellets, but I would guess they are flexible. You could probably make up for a lot in delivery charges, but I would expect the rest is pretty easy. Just think about it…if there were blogs back when people started delivering heating oil, you might have seen a similar post.
I swear, if someone doesn’t start doing this, I will.
On Monday (Labor Day), we decided to get in the car and cruise down to Gillette Castle State Park in East Haddam, CT. This has been on my “to do” list for a while.
We weren’t really in the mood for a hike. We kind of just wanted to see the castle. I read good things about it and heard it was really cool. I also wanted to see if it would be a good place to launch a boat, since it sits right on the Connecticut River.
It’s a good thing we weren’t in the mood for a hike. Even though there is a trail map, this state park isn’t like the others we have been to. The castle definitely is the main attraction. There is a visitor’s center and everything. The trails lead, in a zig-zag fashion, down to the river. We walked them, but there really wasn’t an opening down there. I kind of popped out of the woods where the water began. It’s not bad in the least, just not a hiking park.
Now, what was really cool was the castle. It overlooks the Connecticut River like nothing else does. I was surprised to see so many boats on the river. I mean, I guess it was Labor Day and everything, but still, it was packed with boats. I think the best part of this river is the fact that it leads down to the Long Island Sound. I am guessing that you could get from the castle to the Sound in about a half hour. That’s pretty neat, and really good if you have a boat.
The castle has tours, for a fee. We didn’t take them up on the offer this time, but I think we will do it when the weather gets a little cooler. I am thinking around Halloween. It can be spooky, I’m sure, especially because the castle has secret passage ways. I like secret passage ways because I am a secretive and sneaky person by nature.
Here are some photos of the castle and the surrounding area.
Bridge near pond at Gillette Castle State Park
Bridge at Gillette Castle State Park
Sherlock Holmes - William Gillette sign at Gillette Castle State Park
On the way to Home Depot yesterday, I decided to take a detour and quickly drive through Eastern Connecticut State University. I am checking out the local colleges for interesting classes. I already found a nice “Entrepreneurial” class over at UConn. It teaches you how to set up, operate, successfully harvest and start over a small business. That’s my gig. East Conn has some good photography and writing classes that I am interested in.
Now, I know these are the worst pictures on the planet, but please understand that it is really difficult to get these photos without feeling like I am doing something wrong. This country has got me so damn paranoid, that I can’t even feel comfortable taking pictures of a college from my car. I keep thinking that the “Thought Police” are going to jump out of the bushes and arrest me.
Anyway, this is what I got. I must say, this is a really nice little college. It is very clean and inviting. I have no idea what the quality of the academics is, but as far as looks go, it passes.
Tennis courts at Eastern Connecticut State University
Neat recycling cans at Eastern Connecticut State University
Looking up Eastern Road at Eastern Connecticut State University
Constitution Hall at Eastern Connecticut State University
Tower at Eastern Connecticut State University
J. Eugene Smith Library at Eastern Connecticut State University
For quite some time, Laura and I have been planning a trip to Tanglewood this Summer. Every time it came up, there was something else to do. I think there may have even been a time or two where I was just too lazy to get up and go.
Last night was the night. We decided that we would go on Friday and on Saturday I went to the food store for all the goodies. You know, we get all the good food to eat while listening to the music.
The weather was supposed to be a little chilly in central Connecticut on Saturday night. What I wasn’t expecting was the downright cold air that was hovering in the Berkshires. I mean, I guess at this point, 45 degrees feels cold to anyone. I brought an extra shirt, but wish I brought my fleece as well.
On schedule last night was the “All-Mozart Program” in the Koussevitzky Music Shed. We grabbed our usual spot in front of the visitor’s center and spread out everything we had. I lit the four “bug” candles, but didn’t really need them due to the chilly weather. Mosquitoes and gnats like the heat and I guess it wasn’t optimal conditions for them to be biting people. That was nice.
The music was ok. I seem to remember our previous visits being more thunderous, while this one was pretty quiet. I like a roar and this time was more like a meow. I explained to Laura this morning that I felt it was more entertaining to the people sitting in the shed, not for us on the lawn. I would still choose to lay under that stars any day.
About half way through, I decided to take a few photos of the area at night. I am sure you could have guessed I was going to do that.
As I have mentioned before, Connecticut is the place to be if you like parks, hiking, mountain biking and recreation in general. We are learning that people around here take this stuff very seriously. When driving around, it’s hard not to see people jogging, riding bikes, playing golf…whatever.
Last week, we decided to drive down to East Haddam to visit Devil’s Hopyard State Park. I looked at this park’s trail map online and it looked good. The thing that really attracted me was the waterfall. As usual, I opened up Google Earth and checked it out from above. Well, all it looked like was woods. I don’t know, after seeing the satellite view, I didn’t think it looked all that great. We went anyway. I am usually wrong about these things.
I was really wrong about this one. I have been to many state parks in my life and I have to say this one was the best so far. The water does it for me. It’s a very low-key park. There are no highways around and it’s tucked back in the woods. The waterfall is great and the river adds a lot to the hike. This park is going to be on our list for a long time. They also offer camping, which is cool.
I took a bunch of pictures and will add captions where I think they would fit.
We parked on Helon Cone Rd., right off of Hopyard Rd. This was the enterance sign to Devil's Hopyard State Park.
Chapman Falls on Helon Cone Rd.
Stone bridge on Hopyard Rd.
Random photo of stones that make the stone bridge.
Nice rock I found.
The beginning of the unblazed trail heading towards the bottom of Chapman Falls.
Continuing down the unblazed trail.
Chapman Falls at Devil's Hopyard State Park.
Field down near the picnic area.
The covered bridge at Devil's Hopyard State Park.
Beginning to walk down the orange trail towards the Devil's Oven and the Vista.
Eight Mile River at Hopyard State Park.
Cool picture of some moss.
Sign leading to Devil's Oven.
Devil's Oven at Devil's Hopyard State Park.
The perfect camping spot along Eight Mile River.
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Lake at Devil's Hopyard State Park.
Cool dude leaning against a big tree. Is that my Sizzle Chest shirt again?
Like I said, it’s a really nice park. I also took some video. Check them out…
Yesterday, while out and about, Laura and I decided to do a drive-by at the University of Connecticut, or better know as UConn in Storrs, CT. I took a gander at this area on Google Earth a few times and we actually wanted to visit for some time, but never got around to it. Now that we’re about 20 minutes from the town, it’s much easier to get it done.
Now, if you aren’t familiar with UConn, it’s basically the whole town of Storrs. I am not sure if the residents would agree with me, but that’s the way it seemed. I think it’s kind of like State College, PA and Penn State. Either way, it was pretty cool and much larger than I imagined. It was actually the biggest college I have ever visted.
Too bad it was raining and so gloomy out. I took the above photos while we were driving. We did a little zoom zoom through part of the campus.
When I was going to Binghamton University, I had a roommate who just came from Penn State. He said it took a half-hour to get anywhere on campus. That’s what it seemed like here.
