Today I departed the relatively busy Mohawk Valley, a major east-west transportation corridor through the Appalachians, and mostly drove less-traveled back roads through farmlands and forests. Once again it was a cool and overcast day, but it never rained (though it did overnight in Utica).
I headed generally eastward toward Vermont, through Fairfield, Dolgeville, Johnstown, Saratoga Springs, Greenwich, and Cambridge, mostly following New York State Highway 29. I entered Vermont, and my first town was Arlington. From there I turned north onto Vermont Historic Highway 7A, which was recently designated "The Shires of Vermont Byway." Its name is understandable: much of the countryside did look like it was straight from The Shire in Lord of the Rings. I continued to the southern outskirts of Rutland, a city of nearly 17,000 people, the second-largest of the towns I passed through today (only Saratoga Springs was larger, with a population of about 27,000).
I journeyed another 168 miles today. 3,939 total miles now.
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View looking east from just north of Utica. |
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One last look at the Mohawk Valley (looking south). |
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Church building in Saratoga Springs, NY. |
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First Baptist Church. This and the two previous churches were all on the same block (the gray one was across the street from the other two). |
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Just east of Saratoga Springs. |
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The trail follows an abandoned railroad grade for about two miles through various wetland habitats (I only walked a couple hundred yards on it). |
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The Hudson River at Schuylerville, NY. The river here separates into two branches around an island. This is the western branch, next to a city park. |
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Discounting the PCB contamination, it's a beautiful setting. |
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A section of the Champlain Canal runs through Schuylerville. |
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Looking eastward across rich farmland toward Vermont's mountains. |
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Cambridge, NY. |
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Rice Mansion Inn Bed and Breakfast, Cambridge, NY. |
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Private residence in Cambridge. |
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Saying goodbye to The Empire State (for now). |
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Vermont! |
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Looking Shire-like. |
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Cemetery at Wallingford, VT, about ten miles south of Rutland. |
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Across Highway 7 from my hotel in Rutland, VT. Besides the Taconic Mountains in the background, this could be Anytown, USA. |
Steve, why the PCB's?
ReplyDeleteVermont is a special place, I think. Highway 100 is even more special but any spot is interesting!
ReplyDeleteThat shot of the trail along the old railroad grade is stunning!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sierra!
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