This weekend we were bathed in beautiful weather, so I decided to go in search of better scenery and twistier roads than can be found in eastern Mass. This may well have been the last weekend around here to get out and go, so my plan was to get an early start and head out west along route 2 out to the Mohawk Trail, up into Vermont through the Green Mountain National Forest to Bennington, across route 9 (the Molly Stark Trail) to Brattleboro, then south from there to pick up route 2 again and head back from there. In total, almost 300 miles.
Nice plan, but I didn't quite get out as early as I wanted to. By the time I got past the divided-highway portion of route 2 (where the Mohawk Trail begins in earnest), traffic had started to pick up with folks putting along, enjoying the clear day and temperate weather. The ride was a lot of fun, but it seemed plagued with equal doses of good news/bad news:
Good news:
The views were excellent. It's been a while since I've been out to the Berkshires, and it really is fantastic.
Bad news:
I didn't bring a camera. I also missed the last of the foliage by a week or two.
Good news:
There are some really fun twisty bits once you get into the more mountainous areas of the state.
Bad news:
I always seemed to be behind someone who insisted on going 10mph below the speed limit. Argh. It was very frustrating...I wasn't intent on hitting the curves at breakneck speed, but idling along wasn't part of the plan either. Passing opportunities are infrequent and I was frequently about 10 vehicles back from the head of the pack (I wasn't the only one frustrated). Several times I wondered if I had accidentally stumbled into a parade.
Good news:
The western half of the route was through the mountains, protected forests, along rivers, over bridges that spanned unfolding valleys...overall very fantabulous.
Bad news:
I had to turn back earlier than I wanted to due to the late start and the tortoise-pace of traffic. I went out as far as the end of the Mohawk Trail State Forest and turned around to head back home. I never got into Vermont. :( Overall ended up being just shy of 220 miles.