50 States, Day 160

50 States, Day 160 Nashua to North Adams and Back, 246 miles

 

"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the great accomplishment."

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

At home, my friends and I ride dirt bikes together in Utah, and we call one

particularly beautiful section The (PP!) Honda Commercial. During autumn months, one can ride down the trail and follow another as his bike kicks up freshly fallen leaves, weaving through orange and yellow trees. It's like riding in your own television commercial, with everything but the cool background music. Actually, the engines revving and changing gears as we race to a turn, slow through it and throttle back out of it make the cool background music.

Today we rode the Street Bike Honda Commercial. Cars ahead would stir up leaves that skittered to the shoulder and we rode between red and orange trees, and sometimes yellow so bright it hurt your eyes. Leaves would flutter to the ground in front of us as the sun shone in the blue sky.

Today's ride followed the Mohawk Trail, which began as a sham, because we tooled along next to eighteen wheelers on a four lane divided freeway. Trail indeed!

Yet as the miles clicked away, the landscape morphed to rural, the freeway became the road less traveled, the trucks turned off and the leaf peepers followed one another through glory.

The landscape ran the spectrum as trees varied from green as midsummer to completely denuded of foliage. Yet the center one-third rewarded the peepers handsomely. The black pavement carved its way over rivers, creeks and canyons, and then wound up hills with trees wrestling each other for attention, a beauty contest gone wild.

Much different than most of our rides, today's was a true windshield ride, as we rode to (almost-time didn't permit) North Adams and turned back, stopping only for gas and stretches and the Thank God Quilt Store. Yes, even in rural Mass, QG can sniff out the fabric. I stood outside with other Broken Down Men and we discussed the bike, the trip, fishing, crabbing, lobsters, the weather, and just got into economics and politics when QG stepped out, looking fresh as a daisy with a broad smile. Just what she needed.

Off again and we rode back, the sun dipping behind our backs, the shadows getting longer and amber colors abounding. The vibrant rainbow hues doubled themselves in the reflection of nearby lakes. Some days are good, some days really good and some days are great. Great day.

And hats off to the Great Creator, Who put together such a great light show for all us idiots. Thanks! And thanks to all of you too for following. Hope you enjoy it. Some day, some how, get out to New England in the autumn. It will exceed your expectations.

Now, with a couple of new batches of fabric fresh from the shop, Quilter Girl!

Waking up to see sunshine today made me feel so incredibly good.  It is amazing how the sun affects our mood.  We have been watching the weather and this is the best day for leaf peeping for us, so we took the opportunity and headed west.  

The western part of Massachusetts is totally different than the east.  It is more rural, hilly and covered in trees.  Many of those trees are deciduous trees and are turning glorious colors.  We rode a long ways, but it was very enjoyable and quite a contrast to Boston!  

 Yes, we did find a quilt store.  A Notion to Quilt was in Shelburne Falls.  It made me wish I lived there!  I was greeted by my favorite bright fabrics, lots and lots of them.  Then there were the florals, black & whites, vehicles, food, batiks and on and on.  There were bolts of fabric everywhere.  One great room lead to another with more treasures everywhere.  I was trying to hurry because we were both hungry, but it was difficult.  I grabbed a great bolt of book fabric that will be in the next quilt made for Kevin's writers group, then a piece of Star Wars for a pillowcase, and a sale bag of light colored fat quarters for the Irish Chain quilts.  I carried around a pack of batik 5" squares, but resisted, it was hard.  Great store, I highly recommend a visit.

 We finally tried a restaurant chain called Ninety-Nine.  We've seen them around, but never have been in the right place at the right time.  Today was the day.  Thumbs up for this chain.  I had a great BBQ chicken wrap and Kevin had Apple Dijon Chicken both were very good.  It was a great stop.  

 

Also, Amy and the babies are doing good.  Samuel is still in the NICU due to fluid in his lungs, but should be in their room in 2 days.  What a miracle!

QG

 

Tomorrow, Lexington and Concord tomorrow. See you then.