Upcoming Fall Festivals

There are some fun small town fall festivals coming up in the next few weeks.  These are like little county fairs without the animals and rides.  Head up Route 57 into the picturesque town of Granville over the Columbus Day weekend and in addition to the historic homes of this National Register of Historic Places, you will encounter a wide variety of craft and food vendors over this three day Granville Harvest Fair event.  Begin the day by parking at the village school where items are displayed both inside and outside.  After visiting there you can either walk to the next grouping of vendors or you can take the free school bus that will shuttle you to the next location which is the Town Greens near the library and the historic Granville Country Store.  If you choose to walk, the short pleasant walk to the next area will bring you by additional vendors and tag sales.  The greens area is where most of the food vendors are located as well as the historic Granville Country Store which offers a variety of food items for sale including their famous cheeses.

Inside Tip  If you are a reader you might want to plan to get there early on Monday and head for the library for their book sale.  The first time I went to this event, I bought a grocery bag full of books for $2.00.  I could probably have fit few more books into my bag but wasn't sure I could fit any more onto my scooter.  I think I ended up with about 20 books.

If you are a foodie, you will probably spend a lot of time in this area checking out all the choices.  Did I mention apple pie?  Don't forget to check the nearby church which always features reasonably priced home cooking.  Before you leave the Granville Harvest Fair, drive up to the top of the hill in the village to see more of the historic homes and to check out the two apple orchards.  The bag of Macouns that I took home last year were at the stage of perfection.  Some of the sweetest and juciest apples I have ever eaten and probably the freshest too.

The  Ashfield Fall Festival will compete for your attention during this same weekend.  Their website says, "The 2013 Ashfield Fall Festival (Ashfield, Massachusetts) will take place up and down Ashfield’s Main Street on October 12-13, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both days – rain or shine. The annual festival offers craft and art exhibits by more than 50 exhibitors, locally-grown and prepared foods, live music and dance, face-painting and other children’s activities, and book and tag sales. Admission is free. Parking is available in lots east of the town center on Route 116 (attendants collect donations for the Ashfield Citizens’ Scholarship Fund).  The festival also hosts the Ashfield Agriculture Commission’s annual Giant Pumpkin and Tallest Sunflower contest."

 There is a lot of community spirit at this event and a lot of good food.  The Historical Society is usually open for tours as are some of the town's churches which are historical in their own right. Many of the food booths are local organizations such as the Boy Scouts and the Fire Department.  Nan Parati, owner of Elmer's Store and local entrepreneur will be be offering New Orleans inspired food such as BBQ ribs, pulled pork, and crawfish pasta.  While there, check out their breakfast menu and make plans to come back for that as well as consider coming back for one of their evening in-store concerts and dinner.  I believe the next concert is October 26.

Inside Tip  Part of Ashfield's events includes a huge tag sale which is ongoing throughout the festival.  Last year towards the end of the last day I went over to check it out and was surprised to hear the announcement, "Everything is free."  Apparently at the end of the day everything is either given away or destroyed.  I saw the tables being quickly emptied into boxes which were thrown into the back of trash trucks and crushed.  If you can get to the stuff before they trash it, it is yours, free.

The foliage season is coming!  While recently on a scooter ride on Route 57 through Granville, coming out on Route 8, then up Route 20 through Lee to Pittsfield, I saw the colors starting to show up in a few places.  Not a lot, but enough to let you know that it won't be too long.  By the time of these two fall festivals, the colors should be pretty good so enjoy the foliage on your way to Granville, and Ashfield.  If you do stop at Elmer's, tell Nan that Joe T. sent you.  It is quite a place!

Here's The Tunnel

Here's the "tunnel" under the railroad tracks we paddled through last night.  This is not us but gives you a good picture of it.  It comes out in a backwater area but if you wanted to, you could take out and walk across the grassy area to Annie's Ice Cream Shop, when it is open, of course.  It is now closed for the year.

A "Cool" Evening Paddle

Peak Expeditions Community Boat House, Orange MA

 

Took another grandson on an evening kayaking trip last night sponsored by Trail Head Outfitters at the Community Boat House in Orange, MA.  On the 15th of each month Trail Head conducts a workshop of "outdoor" things such as, geocaching, map reading, and camping cooking.  Last night's was a paddle on the Miller River from 6-8PM.  Some participants brought their own kayaks, and the rest of us were able to rent at a very reduced price, watercraft ranging from canoes, two-man kayaks, inflatable kayaks, to stand up paddle boards.

There was a little autumn nip to the air as we started up-river at our own pace, but it was a pleasant night to be out.  If you have ever kayaked before, you know that you almost have to get your feet wet getting into the kayak and you will get a little paddle drip in your lap, and so it was for us.

As we leisurely paddled along, I met a local gentleman who had also been stationed at Westover as I had.  Happening to look skyward from time to time to see if I could spot any skydivers, I was rewarded with the sight of 12-15 parachutists working their way down towards the Orange airport.  Both times I have paddled up there, I have seen skydivers, never at the moment of jumping out of the plane but with plenty of time to watch them float down.  I appreciate the thrill they must get, but have not gotten the urge to participate.

As we continued on we were met by a very long oncoming train along the left bank of the river.  If I had been closer to the "tunnel" that runs under the railroad tracks, I would be reporting to you that I got run over by a train last night side but I couldn't get there in time.  When we did paddle through the tunnel we were saddened by the nearby quietness which was a clue that Annie's Ice Cream shop was closed.  Afterwards we took a drive by just to confirm they were closed so alas I could not prove to David that Annie's serves the biggest small cone in the world!

Joining us on the paddle last night was the 80 year old mother of  Trail Head's co-owner.  It was her first time in a kayak and she did a great job.  I was thrilled to see her picture on Facebook this morning so I could share it with you.  So there were two first timers last night; this lady and my grandson.  Might as well show them both.  Unfortunately I did not get her picture in the boat, but here she is enjoying some of the tasty chili and hotdogs provided by the event hosts, Trail Head Outfitters.

Eighty year old lady who kayaked for the first time last night.

My grandson's first kayak experience, too.

Enjoying some Trail Head chili and hotdogs.

The sun was just about down as we returned to the boathouse and the nip in the air was a little stronger but we didn't mind.  We were exercised, well-fed, and had made some new friends----and even found an open ice cream shop on our ride home!

My First Scooter

 

Many years ago when I was an evening division college student taking a marketing course, I was part of a team given the assignment to do a complete marketing plan for a product of our choosing. While researching snowmobiles, I kept running into information about minibikes and began to get more interested in them than our assignment.  Finally one day I found a Honda Mini-Trail 50 minibike in a showroom so I could actually examine one.  I fell in love with it!  It was so "practical" and relatively affordable.  The handlebars folded down so you could conveniently store and transport it.  It even fit in the back of my 1970 Toyota Corolla station wagon along with all our camping gear and two kids.  Even with our limited income, my wife graciously allowed me to buy this toy.  When I had a Saturday morning class, I would load up the minibike and head for the hills after class, often ending up in Hampden, riding on horse trails through the woods.  It was very safe because it was so small you could just stand  and hop off  if you got into an unsafe situation in the woods.  The low geared transmission gave it a lot of power so you could ride up steep hills with no problem.  When we went camping I would load it up, with hopes that  I could get permission to ride it there.

Back in those days you were not allowed to ride scooters or minibikes on the roads, so all my riding was restricted to woods, back roads, a vacant lot, or my own yard.  In the winter, after a big snow, one of my favorite things was to get on my minibike and ride  through the snow with my feet spread out to the sides like outriggers.  While my neighbors were out shovelling or snow blowing, although it sounded like I was snowblowing, it was just me gunning the engine, slipping and sliding on my minibike!

What a great little machine.  I never had a problem with it.  I never had any maintenance done on it.  In fact, at one point it had been stored in my cellar for about five years with the same gas in it.  Closing the vent on the gas tank filler cap and closing the fuel shutoff valve leading to the carburetor were the only things required for long time storage.  Even after sitting there for five years, that little Honda started on the first kick!  I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So after "outgrowing it," in a weak moment, I sold it to a friend who was buying it for his young nephew.  But by then the seed had been planted for more future two wheeled adventures in my life.
 
 That seed laid dormant for about 25 years until resurrected by serious retirement thoughts which rekindled the images of conveniently running errands around town and taking leisurely backroads scooter rides.  This, plus seeing scooter displays at our local mall, really got me seriously thinking about getting one.  Thus started my quest for a motorscooter.  And my family knows that once I start on a quest, I don't stop until I find what I am looking for.

My first scooter looked like this 150cc TGB R9 Laser.

After the intense product research for which I am known, I bought my first motorscooter, a used 150cc TGB R9 Laser bought from Scooter Centrale in Plainville, CT.  This dealership had a great selling feature; a large parking lot where you could actually ride the scooters before you bought them.  What a great concept!  Undoubtedly, the opportunity to ride in that lot, has lead to more sales than the owner could ever have envisioned. When you ride one, you want one!

So after showing my license, signing a waiver, and finding the right size helmet, I went out to the lot to try three different scooters.  I was interested but undecided about buying one until the sales girl told me that the TGB had only 400 miles on the odometer and was being sold on consignment very reasonably.  That got my attention!  Apparently the scooter's owner was not happy with a potential problem with the remote control locking device.  I realized that getting rid of the remote control (and thus never using it) would solve the problem. Who needs a remote control to lock a scooter?  I'd rather save the money on a good deal.  I became a very happy scooter owner!

Ready to ride to work for the first time.

This was a great size for a first scooter because it wasn't too heavy, was very maneuverable, was fast enough for a beginner at about 45 mph, got excellent gas mileage, and fit through the side door of my shed.  But after riding for about year,  I realized it was not powerful enough to ride on highways, and the speed would drop off when riding up big hills.  So I felt I needed to get something powerful enough to actually ride on the highway.  Not that I wanted to do a lot of highway riding, but sometimes you can't get to your destination by taking only back roads.

Next: Graduating to a brand new Piaggio BV 250......

Life is Good

 I am pretty outgoing so it was not out of character for me to approach a stranger at the recent Franklin County Fair, with my hand extended for a handshake, smiling as I said, "It sure is", intending to convey a sense of kinship with a fellow Life is Good t-shirt wearer.   Apparently my "friend" did not share that connection because he left my hand dangling there in midair not even hinting at a smile and hardly making eye contact.  His wife got it, and mumbled, "Life is good" to him as they kept walking, still probably convinced that I was a salesman, mugger, kook, con man or panhandler at the least.

My immediate reaction at being "rejected" was annoyance, perhaps a little bit of anger; maybe peeved is a better word.  Then I thought of a quote I recently saw on Facebook.

        Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about.                                                Be kind.  Always.

Please keep this in mind the next time you run into a person or situation that is less than pleasant and act accordingly.  Don't add to their burden.  You might even consider praying for them and their unknown situation.  And don't wear a t-shirt that says it if you don't believe it.

Scenic Route to Franklin County Fair Today

 Took a scooter ride to the Franklin County Fair  in Greenfield today.  My favorite event was the Indian River Olde Time Lumberjack Show.  Rather than a competition, it was a funny show, mixing humor with bonafide lumberjack skills such as log rolling where the guy "accidentally" falls into the water, men using a crosscut saw cut the log faster than a man with a chainsaw, and using springboards to stand on while chopping off the top of a simulated tree.  They also do an axe throwing demonstration but I missed that part of the show. The pictures below are from their website.

Topping a "tree" using a springboard to stand on.

 

Crosscut saw racing a chain saw.

 Almost as fun as the fair was getting there.  Route 47N through Hadley is one of my favorite rides.  The area between there and Sunderland is very scenic flat farmland with the Connecticut river on your left.  An unexpected treat today was seeing leaf tobacco hanging in the barns drying with many of the barn's side boards opened to provide ventilation.  In North Hadley I again saw the intriguing home that was converted from an old mill building.  It is such an interesting building that I am tempted to knock on the door and offer them five dollars just to let me look inside.  I get this urge every time I go by that area.

My scenic backroads route to Greenfield (and the Franklin County Fair) continues by turning left onto Rt 116 in Sunderland.  You will know you are at the right intersection because you will see Mount Sugarloaf and the Poet's Seat off to your left as you approach the intersection.  Probably a mile or so before this point, off to the left near the river, is the tranquil Riverside Cemetery which was established in 1714.  If you are interested in old and interesting tombstones you will want to stop here.  The popular Mikes Corn Maze at Warner Farm is also very close to the cemetery.

After turning left onto Rt 116, shortly after crossing the "blue bridge" turn right onto Sugarloaf Road.  At this point, If you want, you can take a detour up to the top of Sugarloaf for some beautiful views of the river.  If not, proceed along Sugarloaf Road into the town of South Deerfield and bear right onto North Main Street which will take you across Route 5 onto Mill Village Road.  Enjoy the beauty of these small towns as you drive through, observing their architecture, libraries, and churches.

You will really feel like you are in the country now, because you are.  From Mill Village Road, turn left onto Stillwater Road and follow that until a right turn over the Deerfield River onto Upper Road.  All along Stillwater you will be driving next to the Deerfield River and will probably see some fly fishermen out there.  I usually take a right turn then onto Lower Road because it is much more scenic but Upper Road will get you into Greenfield too.  Along Lower Road you will pass a huge turf farm (grass) and can catch several glimpses of the river off to your right.  Lower Road will take you directly to Wisdom Way.  Hook a right there and you will pass the fairgrounds and shortly thereafter you will wonder how Greenfield got out into the middle of this countryside!  Total distance from Chicopee is probably about 30 miles.

 I know some of you will ask me"Why didn't you just post a Google or Mapquest map?"  Believe me, I tried before spelling it all out here!   There are quicker options to come home if you don't want to backtrack; Route 5 and I-91S are both easily accessible from Greenfield.  In fact, the Route 5 option will bring you by Yankee Candle on the way home.

I also must admit that I enjoyed seeing Robinson's Racing Pigs yet once again.  Love to see them swim!  Unfortunately I cannot get this video without the 10 second commercial, but it is a great video!  Robinson's Racing Pigs

Great ride, great day!

Another BBQ Place-B.T.'s Smokehouse

B.T.'s Smokehouse in Sturbridge, MA is another of my favorite BBQ places.  I probably go to this one more often because it is not that far away and if you are on the way to or from Boston, it is so easy to get off the pike for a quick stop!  And I love the food!  Originally located near the campground in Brimfield (the one that was damaged by the tornado), B.T.'s has moved to bigger quarters in Sturbridge and recently expanded again, including a nice picnic area outside.  In addition to the traditional smoked meats, there is a wide selection of "sides" from macaroni and cheese to collard greens.  The pecan pie squares are a favorite too.

Here's B.T.'s mission according to owner Brian, 

"We try to pay homage to the regional BBQ Joints that scatter the Southern States. Wherever you are from, you have your favorite BBQ joint. In most places BBQ is at least as important as religion if not more so. BBQ is not just firing up the grill and slappin’ on a steak, it is a culture, a way of life. We are trying to bring that experience to you here in New England. We proudly serve fine quality natural meats that have been dry rubbed and slow smoked for up to 14 hours with local apple and hickory woods. From our humble beginnings in our roadside trailer to our new restaurant space; our passion and love for food is something we hope you will feel and taste in every bite of our food. The smile on our customers faces and silent tables with the occasional moan and sounds of smacking lips, are the reasons why we do what we do."


Disclaimer  If you do not want to be tempted to blow your diet, do not go to B.T.'s Smokehouse Facebook Page.  Brian is a very creative chef and likes to post pictures of those creations there.  If you look, you will go!  Like them on Facebook and you can see each delicacy as it is "born".

At the risk of losing my status as a Southerner, if you look closely at my two-meat dinner plate, you will notice that in addition to  the ribs, I have beef brisket instead of pulled pork.  Not that I don't like pulled pork anymore, I just have developed a taste for the brisket.  It is very tasty!  I took my grandson David there for his birthday and it was his first time to have BBQ.  Looks happy doesn't he?
 

HOT WINGS EATING CHALLENGE
One last thing----if you are looking for some excitement you might want to consider the Hot Wings Eating Challenge.  You will have to ask them for the exact details but basically you must eat a certain number of spicy-hot chicken wings within a certain time.  I have seen some wannabes in action but I have not seen anyone successfully meet the challenge.  But if YOU feel up to the challenge just remember it won't be pretty (that's for sure), but you will be full and if you win, you don't pay.

If you do go to B.T.'s, tell them that Joe T. sent you and please let me know how you like it.

Brief North Quabbin Promotional Video

North Quabbin Promotional Video

 I recognize a few places on this brief video; frisby golf at Tully Lake, kayaks and stand up paddling at the Orange Community Boathouse, Doane's Falls at Tully Lake.  I think the other activities are probably organized by Peak Expeditions.

What A Fun Week I Had Last Week

Had a great fun week last week.  Went kayaking Friday night, rode my scooter to the Cummington fair on Saturday, and hiked around Tully Lake on Sunday afternoon.

FRIDAY  While previously checking out Orange, Ma, I discovered that Peak Adventures, which operates the Community Boat House, has a special kayaking event on Friday nights.   For $15 you can kayak on the Miller River from 5-7 PM.  That also includes a meal at the end of the paddle.  My wife wasn't free that night  so I took my grandson, Joel.  We had a great time!  This very reasonable  price includes the rental of the kayak, canoe,  or stand up paddleboard and the food.  It would be great to have a place like this closer to Chicopee, but until we do, you might want to check out this Friday night activity before the weather gets cold.  Regular rentals during the week are only $8 per hour for a kayak, canoe, or standup paddle board.  At that price it is not worth loading up your own kayak and driving it up there.  Just rent theirs and walk away afterwards.

SATURDAY  This is also fair time, especially for some of the smaller communities.  Each year my trip to the fair becomes a special outing because I ride my scooter to the fair, take in the entertainment, enjoy some fair food, and get in another scooter ride on the way home.  The Cummington Fair, which was last week, is one of my favorites.  It is very family oriented and has great entertainment which is thoughtfully scheduled so the acts do not conflict with one another.  My friends, Danny and Dianne rode out with me on his motorcycle last Saturday.  After the roast beef dinner, we saw the frisby catching dogs performance,  saw the Matt Episcopo magic show, listened to the musically talented Jose Duddy, and finished the day with the oxen pull and a quick tour of the antique tractors and "one lung" gasoline engines displays.

My other favorite small town fair is the Spencer Fair which is this weekend.  I think I exceeded my caloric intake in Cummington and may have to sit this one out.  However if YOU go, be sure to stop by Nelson's Fudge and the place that sells the world's best apple crisp.  I don't know the name of it but manage to find it each year.  You can ask where it is.  That apple crisp alone is reason enough to go to the Spencer Fair!

SUNDAY The third event of my great week was a 4.5 mile hike around Tully Lake (just across the Athol line into Royalston) on Sunday afternoon.  This is a great recreational lake about 48 miles from Chicopee.  Excellent lake for kayaking and canoeing, picnicing, and hiking as well as frisby golf, if you do that.  This place is well worth the drive.

Volleyball area with the boat ramp in the background.  There is also a horseshoe pit.

   

                                                           Pretty nice bathrooms.

                                     Making sure I have everything I need before hiking.

                     I sat here facing the lake and read after hiking around the lake.

There is a very scenic view about .4 of a mile on the left of the lake accessible by an improved pathway.  A series of waterfalls are accessible by hiking about 2.5 miles around the lake to them, or by taking an improved path just past the campgrounds, or you can drive up to the beginning of the falls on a paved road.

Hiking around the lake is a pretty challenging hike because of the roots and rocks.  Hiking boots are definitely recommended.  I would definitely start on the left side of the lake otherwise you will be doing a lot of uphill hiking.  To the right of the lake is a frisby golf course.  This is an excellent lake for canoes and kayaks because there are several islands to explore and boat motors larger than 9 hp are prohibited.  In fact both times I was there, I saw no motorized boats.

This is a great place to visit.  To further whet your appetite for Tully Lake, I have posted a video of the upper section of the waterfalls.  Happy exploring!

                                          Video of Upper Section of Doane's Falls