Nomad Life - Day 236

What a relief - I slept very well in the Quality Inn (Ledgewood) and didn't get up until 0645!  I started teleworking immediately but took break at 0730 to eat breakfast in the hotel lobby.  On the way back to my room, I learned that the Fitness Center was closed - dang.  Oh well - that kept me on track to finish my working hours for the week...  While investigating my options for lodging later in the day, I tried to get a room on Westover ARB (no luck) before settling on a place in the Berkshire Mountains, just across the New York / Massachusetts border.  Just before 1030, I took another break from teleworking and and packed my car.  Hoping to ensure no more mid-day surprises from colleagues and clients, I paused to telework in my car for a little bit before departing the hotel.  Temps were in the 80s but didn't feel as oppressive as the previous day...  At about 1040, I finally left Ledgewood and headed west on US-46 until I could get on NJ-183.  Later, I used US-206 and city streets to reach the Morris Turnpike.  Beyond that, I followed more back roads until I got back on US-206.  Along the way, I experienced a huge amount of Deja Vu from my days hiking the Appalachian Trail nearby (and staying in the valley).  This was most clear when I passed the Jumboland Diner (Branchville) - I remember that place very well.  I soon passed through a corner of the Delaware Water Gap NRA (1135) and followed River Road to where it crossed under I-84.  This was actually where I entered the state of New York (1155).  After skirting Port Jervis, it took some more back roads before I was on US-209 - but then I had a run on the same road for a while.  When I reached Kingston, I got on CR-31 and then weaved back and forth (via more back roads) across the Thruway (I-87).  When I arrived at US-9W, therefore, I felt some relief.  This sensation was short lived: I was soon stuck behind a long line of trucks...  The rest of my "toll avoiding" route included stretches of NY-144, NY-32 and I-787.  I started feeling the need for fuel just before I got on I-90 but there were no really good prices anywhere nearby.  I crossed the Hudson River at 1410 and then continued east (in the part of the Interstate with no toll) until I found (using my Google Maps app) a possible gas station.  In the end, the option I chose was not optimal - still, I decided to partially fill my tank at a Sunoco Station in Rensselaer, NY (1420).  With very little in the way of food options nearby, I also picked up some "lunch" (snacks) at their mini-market.  After driving back to I-90. I continued east (still no toll) until I could exit at US-9.  I followed this road south until I had the option to get on to NY-9H.  My destination target was the Martin Van Buren National Historical Site in Kinderhook and I arrived there at 1445.  Before exiting the car, I did a bit more teleworking and was relieved to find that mostly everyone else had signed off their computers for the week.  After putting my computer away, I got out of the car and was surprised to see all the evidence of a recent (heavy?) rain shower.  Almost immediately, my Merlin App informed me that there was a Scarlet Tanager nearby - this was my first sighting of this species.  Mindful that there was only one remaining tour of the President's Home (Lindenwald), I practically raced inside the Visitor Center and was relieved that I hadn't missed it.  There ended up being only two other guests and the intimate tour was very informative.  Van Buren apparently spent most of his life in Kinderhook (except when he was living away for his political career).  There were original furniture pieces, mostly original floors, carpets and wallpaper, and evidence of the former President in nearly every room.  We discussed how there was not (yet ?) a Presidential Library - this location was, apparently, the only place where one might find important information about the 8th President.  Very glad I checked out the NPS unit!  At 1620, I departed the park and drove into Old Kinderhook so I could visit the grave site of the President. I found it (using a map from the National Park) to the north of town and followed signs through a large cemetery to find the obelisk that marked Van Buren's final resting place.  By then, it was 85 F and the evidence of incoming rain was very pronounced.  Still, it wasn't actually raining yet - this gave me the idea (correct, as it turned out) that I could walk around for a little while in Old Kinderhook.  I found a nice statue of the President and took some photos with him - nearby, I found other historical and quaint evidence of the town's fondness for their native son.  There were times, though, when I thought about an old "Seinfeld" episode where George Costanza was harassed by the "Van Buren Boys"...  I stayed until 1645 but then headed east (via NY-203 and NY-22).  It started to rain (pretty hard at times) before I reached State Road 980D and crossed into Massachusetts (1715).  I drove through (busy) West Stockbridge and got on MA-102, which took me into the town of Lee, where I'd made a reservation at the Econo Lodge (Lee / Great Barrington).  After checking in (1730), I resumed teleworking in my pretty hotel room (it had a great view, through a sliding glass door, of mountains to the south).  Outside, it started raining hard again.  Along the way, I skipped dinner and then wrapped up my work week at 2045.  With the rain stopped by then, I went walking (in the dark) in an attempt to reach two miles (half my step goal) for the day - fortunately, I was successful.  The temps by then had settled in the high 70s (rather pleasant).  Back in my room, I watched movies, read and did Duolingo exercises until finally going to bed at 0100.  It's good to be back in the Berkshires!