pwt54's last foliage report

[pwt54]

I drove around western VT from Bristol South to Manchester on Sunday. I drove around the Brattleboro area yesterday. The weather last week really hit the maples hard. There were bare trees in both areas. Most of these bare trees were the maples with their red and orange leaves. There was a lot of color in western Vt west of routes US 7 and 116 and south from Burlington to Bennington. The same can be said about eastern VT from about Windsor south to Brattleboro and east of the Green Mountain Range. You will not see as much red and orange as you would usually see at this time of the year. I would drive these 2 areas this coming weekend. Because the prevailing winds were from the northwest, the slopes facing east and south had better color than the slopes facing north and west. The one surprise was route 100 from Ludlow north to Pittsfield and from Warren north to about Stowe. Still a lot of color on the east facing slopes. Route 100 from Stockbridge north to the Granville Gulf was bad. This long narrow valley acts like a wind tunnel and the wind whips down through there. Foliage Season is pretty much over for me, so this will be my last foliage report. I'll keep checking. however. Hopefully Mother Nature will be in a better mood next year.

[GIC]

Hey ptw54.

A thousand thanks to you and all the service you have provided for us nature minded people. It was a great pleasure to meet you and your brother. Next time around I want to have a gourmet bean dinner you always speak about.
A fine person you are. Thanks again for your time the memories you produced for us all.

Take care,
GIC

[Susan2004]

We drove from Waitsfield to Waterbury today (Ben & Jerry's - yum!) and were surprised at the amount of color still around route 100. It was a very pretty drive, even through the drizzle and mist.

[ctyanky]

Susan: did you get to the Cold Hollow Cider Mill? Andy's uncle's syrup is sold there. It's now in a jug instead of the tin. There is the manager called Gail there and she'll point you to Sunday Brook Farm syrup which is absolutely the best I've ever had!!! Carol can attest to it and Andy of course, will probably chime in and put in his two cents!

[Susan2004]

Oh no, I forgot all about the syrup. We generally avoid the cider mill because it's always mobbed and we have a great cider mill about 10 minutes from us at home with one of the old wooden presses that you can watch and fabulous cider donuts. They press concord grape juice too. Yum, yum. We were going to head to Bragg or Morse Farm tomorrow and to Montpelier because we always get at least a gallon of the grade B to take home...we prefer it to the grade A. We bought a quart of the grade B from Gibb and Sue at Meadow Valley Farm but they didn't have too much of it to sell because most people prefer the A.

[ctyanky]

Susan: don't forget to get a creamee at Morse or Bragg. I like the ones at Green Mountain Sugarhouse in Ludlow, but Phil likes Morse I think it is, the best.

bm and I stopped at Morse last week on our trek. Great place. Or was it Bragg? I totally forget. My mind is still a blur from non-stop Vermont for a solid week!!!

[Susan2004]

First year we made the trip with our daughter (2006) I got a creamee at Green Mountain (we stayed in Ludlow that year). Last year we got one at Bragg...I agree not as good as Green Mountain. This year I think we'll try Morse...we'll see!

[pwt54]

Thanks for all of the compliments. I look forward to this time of year and helping all of you foliage fanatics find the great foliage and rides. This year I had to add photo-ops to my suggestions. Believe it or not, I am already thinking about next year.