This morning, I was awake at about 0530 and, thinking Elizabeth was still asleep (very quiet downstairs), spent time reading and doing Duolingo/puzzles. At about 0730, I came down and found her reading - we then resumed our interesting conversation from the night before. Ivy had been quiet for my entire visit but I noticed that she was very friendly if I gave her attention. Elizabeth and I ate breakfast (cereal) and continued our discussion until about 1030, when she departed or Mass. After that, I spent a little time getting clean - the shower was broken so I used an interesting cleaning pad, from Israel, that seemed to work well. Once my car was packed (1100), I departed Danby and headed south on US-7. The weather was much better than had been forecasted (clear, 70s) but there were ominous clouds on the horizon (mostly behind me). At Manchester, I exited on to VT-11/30 and followed that road almost all the way to Bromley Mountain, where VT-30 split off to the south. I took that road and made my way through scenic mountain passes and pretty valleys. For most of this phase of my drive, I was constantly reminded of the local author, Archer Mayor, whose books about the detective (Joe Gunther) are mostly all set along this road. Passing through Newfane (1200), I sent a photo of the town square to my friend, Ed, but then continued on to the junction with US-5. Normally, I've bypassed Brattleboro itself (to get on I-91) but I drove into the center this time. Wow - what a maze of one way streets, strange intersections with poorly timed light changes, pedestrians without fear and indecisive drivers. In the end, I was glad to reach the Connecticut River bridge (Brattleboro Road) and cross into New Hampshire... I followed NH-116 towards the town of Hinsdale and tried to locate a trailhead for the Ashuelot Rail Trail. Google Maps put me on NH-63 on the edge of town and that took me where I wanted to go. When I did find the parking lot I'd been seeking (1235), I realized I'd actually located TWO rail trails that were on the New Hampshire Rail Trails Challenge - the other one was called the Fort Hill Rail Trail. Instead of following my initial plan, I began exploring the Fort Hill option because it followed the edge of the Connecticut River. Because of a forecast of potential rain, I brought an umbrella. For about 45 minutes, I enjoyed the leisurely stroll on a grassy surface - trees surrounded the path and I got lots of nice views of the Connecticut. Another highlight was the high bridge that crossed the Ashuelot River. It was very quiet and I only saw a few other people (all bikers). From the plentiful "No Trespassing" signs, it was clear that the local residents didn't want anyone on the property that skirted the trail boundary - I initially thought I'd be backtracking to my car. But a new plan had begin percolating in my mind: what if I could get off this trail, walk through town and access the Ashuelot Rail Trail? When I reached the trail crossing over River Road (1315), I saw my chance and clambered down a steep embankment (there was an actual trail with a sign that pointed towards Hinsdale) to the gravel track. I deduced that I'd walked about 1.6 miles of the Fort Hill Trail by that point. Not long afterwards, I made it to pavement again and ended up arriving in town right near the NH-63 junction with NH-119. Seeing signs for "the oldest continuously operated Post Office in the USA", I walked up the main street until I located the old building. Before turning south on Depot Street, I noticed a diner across the street - by then, I was feeling hungry and decided to check out my food options (1340). Inside "Bacon Me Crazy", I found what appeared to be a "shrine" to all things bacon. With 20 minutes before they closed, I decided I needed to investigate! I sat at the counter and talked with the staff until I'd decided on my lunch (bacon cheeseburger) - when it arrived, I scarfed it down happily. The establishment was supposed to close at 1400 but several other folks arrived after I did and I started to feel bad for the employees. As a result, I finished my food and prepared to leave just after the posted hours. The staff (and the son of one of the servers) actually engaged me in more conversation, though, and I didn't end up walking outside again until about 20 minutes later (1425). Friendly people! Crossing the street, I realized how warm it had gotten (low 80s) and that made my climb up the steep hill of Depot Street a bit harder. Still, I had a full belly and kept going without complaint. Reaching the junction (located right next to the old depot) of the Ashuelot Recreational Rail Trail, I had to get my bearings - there weren't a lot of signs at all. Two bikers came along from the north and pointed me in the direction of the southbound direction and, after that, I was OK. For the next 45 minutes, I walked briskly on the high train grade - Hinsdale and the river were at least 100 feet below. The trees were great for shade but I still got a bit sweaty and drank a good bit of my water. By 1515, I was at my car again and felt good about the 2.5 miles of Ashuelot Rail Trail I'd completed. Overall, I walked 5.3 total miles (counting the roads) in roughly two hours. In my car again, I resumed my drive on NH-63 until I entered Massachusetts (only about 6 miles away), when the route changed to MA-63 and I saw signs for my entry into the Pioneer Valley. In the town of Northfield, I turned towards the west (MA-10) and soon was able to get on I-91 and head south. I briefly thought about stopping for some ice cream from the Friendly's in Greenfield (a place I've frequented over the years) but was shocked to see it had been converted to a Starbucks. Sadly, that's yet another franchise gone - hope at least a few will remain in the end... Continuing south, I had to re-learn my "city driving" as the other cars around me were rapidly switching lanes, tailgating and doing other aggressive things. Fortunately, I didn't have any delays during my drive and crossed into Connecticut by about 1600. During this time, I stopped to search for a nearby Mass for late Sunday - a rare thing, certainly, but I'd seen them before. Unfortunately, all the nearby Parishes had completed their liturgical schedule for the weekend by the time I had an opportunity to try to attend. Oh well - the streak of Sundays has ended... Returning to the task of trying to reach the Motel 6 in Windsor Locks, I followed a rather scenic route (that Google Maps suggested to that location) and made my way to the Bradley International Airport. By 1630, I was at the check-in counter and hoped to be in my room shortly. Unfortunately, the desk clerk had to take me through an elaborate series of tasks, each completely out of the ordinary, and I was a bit annoyed by the time he gave me a key. This annoyance increased when I reached my room and found a puddle of water in the middle of the floor. After returning to the office for a room swap, I eventually (1700) was able to move in properly and try to set up my "office" for the next day. Most everything is getting rather routine but my government laptop decided that today was the day to stop working. The problem connected with the power switch, which I later learned was a typical weak point for Dell Latitudes. After exhausting my own skills, along with a few tricks I found on technical blogs, I ended up having to call the IT Help Desk. Fortunately, they work 24/7 so I was able to get help and, eventually, order a brand new computer. The trick now, though, will be to have it delivered to me while I'm on the move. Oh well - that's a problem for another day! Even though it was dinner time by this point (1815), I didn't feel like leaving my room. Instead, I got a shower and then started catching up on my blogging, reading and eBird reports. During this window, I communicated with Brenna, Kelly S., Elizabeth and Eileen - making plans and thanking friends for letting me stay with them. By 2200, I felt sufficiently ready to try to go to sleep. However, the noise of departing jets from Bradley didn't make that easy and I needed another 20 minutes to get settled and start to doze. Nomad Life has been going well so far - only a few hiccups but each has had a relatively painless workaround. Hopefully, the good vibes will continued!
