TS4-1 Hop 1
152 miles via US 202, MA 21, I-90, I-87, I-890 (near Schenectady) and NY 5. Cumulative tow miles: 152. Truck miles: 170. Cumulative truck miles: 170.
This hop was over roads that we have traveled before, so no surprises. There is a lot of up-and-down both on US 202 and I-90, so the engine got a good workout. No check engine lights. Whew!
The only deviation from the planned route was taking I-890 at exit 25 off of I-90 instead of exit 26. We were following the GPS at this point and its infinite wisdom declared that I-890 was the better option. Who are we to argue with the Great God GPS?
The road was fairly smooth until we hit a rough patch in I-890. That jumbled things in the RV a bit. Most alarming, though, was the discovery that I had failed to secure the living room television and it was hanging out on its mount. How quickly we forget basic steps in the teardown. No damage done, though.
The Mohawk in the morning
Our home for 3 nights was the Arrowhead Marina and RV Park. This is the same park we stayed at last year. We even got the same site as last year, with an unobstructed river view. The campground is convenient to Schenectady, Albany and Watervliet and is right on the banks of the Mohawk River. Last year the weather and the river were both serene. This year, not so much. Schenectady, like most of New England, has had a very wet summer. The Mohawk River this year was about 6 feet higher than last year and was muddy, with a swift flow. Last year it seemed like a nice river to canoe on if you stayed near shore. This year it looked angry and uninviting when we arrived, though its looks improved with the morning sun.
The great view makes up for the railroad noise and the poor TV reception.
River Road House bar
Last year we were tempted to visit the new Rivers Casino in downtown Schenectady but never made it. We got there this year. I did okay at the slots, losing only $10. But Jett took a beating, to the tune of $80. Not a bad casino, but the slots seemed a tad stingy.
Turkey club
Blackened haddock
After losing money at the casino we spent some of what was left on dinner at the River Road House Bar & Grill. This is a very small place in an historic building (first operating as a tavern in 1830) on the south bank of the Mohawk. It got good reviews and we weren’t disappointed. The fried pickles, though not the best ever, were very good and my blackened haddock was superb. Jett raved about her turkey club. Recommended.
NY cemetery tour
Stone Church
Stone Church cemetery
Last year we spent a lot of time visiting Jett’s childhood homes in Watervliet. This year I visited cemeteries. The main destination was the Stone Church in Rhinebeck NY where 2 of my ancestors were reportedly buried. I also swung by Pittstown NY to search the Old Cooksborough Cemetery for two more of my Dutch ancestors. I didn’t find any of them – no surprise as they were all 18th century graves which tend to not survive to the 21st century. But I was able satisfy 4 photo requests in findagrave.com, so it wasn’t a wasted trip. I was actually quite pleased that I found the Old Cooksborough cemetery at all as it was tucked behind some houses and was not visible from the road. Both cemeteries were overgrown and in poor shape and over half of the headstones were unreadable, which is sad. But I am glad I found them. It puts me a little closer to my Dutch ancestors.
Old Cooksborough Cemetery
Red Apple Farm
Beer barn and livestock pen
New England is littered with roadside farmstands. Most are quite good, with fresh vegetables, fruits and, in some cases, homemade jellies, jams and pies. A few offer self-picking of apples, blueberries, strawberries and other fruits. Some are so good with so many products and activities that they become destinations. Red Apple Farm, in Phillipston MA, is just such a place.
Red Apple Farm has some kind of vague familial association with Lamb City Campground, our seasonal home. We were told, by an employee at Red Apple, who really wasn’t too sure, that perhaps the owner of Red Apple was the son of the owner of Lamb City. What is absolutely indisputable, though, is that they are adjacent to each other and Lamb City prominently advertises Red Apple in its literature and runs hayrides through the connecting fields so that campers can shop at Red Apple. It is certainly a cozy relationship.
I visited Red Apple four times this summer. The first visit was a brief lets-see-what-they’ve-got visit with Jett. It was pre-July 4th so it wasn’t very busy and the shelves were only partially stocked. Still, we were impressed by the variety and quality of the merchandise.
The second was a mid-summer visit with Rusty and Ray and Kim’s three neighbor kids, Connor, Riley and Levi. We walked the connecting road with Rusty leading the way. They went into the store and spent some money on fudge, to which they gave high marks. They also enjoyed the animals in the livestock pen – lots of goats plus a few ponies and steers. Finding and eating wild raspberries on the way home was a bonus.
Red Apple General Store
Jellies and jams
The third visit was on Labor Day with Jett and her sister Sybil. Our intent was to get a meal (they have a BBQ shack) and a beer (from the beer barn). However, both closed at 4pm, which was the precise time that we arrived. So we were forced to switch to Plan B – dinner and drinks at the King Phillip Restaurant (to be reviewed soon) which we enjoyed very much. I got a beer at the beer barn before we departed. But I was disappointed to find that no beer is actually brewed there and the offerings, while interesting, were limited. The whole visit was a bit of a downer, but King Phillip saved the day.
The fourth visit was just a couple of weeks ago, with my wonderful granddaughter Lili. She was not impressed by the merchandise in the store but enjoyed picking a bag of apples which were ripe.
Four visits, four pleasant days. If you get to Phillipston, check out the Red Apple Farm. Recommended.
Tree with – what else? – red apples
Picking wild berries