Foli-asms with ctyanky

[pwt54]

Well. I've just got back from driving ctyanky around foliage heaven. I'm bushed! So I'll give you a quick report.
It was foggy all the way from Johnson to Waitsfield. I didn't see anything. We took route 100 to Middlesex and then some back roads to route 12. As soon as we got to Shady Rill we drove out of the fog and into bright sun and blue skies, and a ton of foliage. Route 12 between Montpelier and Morrisville is peak ! Elmore Mountain was fantastic. Because of the light winds Lake Elmore had some great reflections.
Then we went to the Clay Hill section of Johnson. You can drive there using Pearl Street, which starts next to the White Church with the Clock. Drive straight up to the plateau for some great views to the southwest. There is a road on the left called Cemetery Road. Drive that to the Plot Cemetery. Nice color and a stone wall. Go Back the way you came and turn left. Drive to the Ben Ober Hill Road on the right side for great northeast views. Drive the Ben Ober Hill Road out to route 100c and turn left.
We drove route 100c to route 100 and turned left. We drove route 100 to route 118 and route 118 to Belvidere/ Long Pond. Ctyanky had a " foli-asm".
We continued to Montgomery for lunch. Then we drove route 58 through Hazen's Notch and Lowell. More " foli-asms". The sugarhouse on the Lowell side was awesome. Ctyanky's camera was smoking.
Route 58 to Orleans was great. We took I-91 to Lyndonville to do the Stannard Mountain Road. It wasn't that great.
Ctyanky just had to go to Willy's Store in Greensboro to shop a bit, so we went there. After that we went home. The sun was low and in our eyes. so foliage viewing was tough. I have found through the years that foliage viewing between 4 pm and 6pm is not too good. But between 6pm and sunset things pick up.
The wildcard playoffs will be starting soon, so I'm signing off. Tomorrow it's the Waitsfield area. The colors were looking better today.

[ctyanky]

Get some rest tonight Phil! You still have tomorrow and Thursday to get through!

P.S. You forgot the part about the hornet that I discovered crawling in my shirt during lunch! That was awful!!!!!!!! I knew something felt funny and strange when we sat down!

[Jacky CW]

Great Reports, thanks.

[DCE Nebraska]

I have been reading the foliage reports and must say that I am discouraged of what it will look like when I get there. The foliage is much earlier than normal and my planning this year was for Oct 6th to Oct 10th. Am I correct to assume that the Northeast Kingdom will be past by Monday of this next week. How about the Peachum area? Smugglers Notch? We will be staying in the East Central part of Vermont and I know that foliage is a little later than up north. Some of the pictures of the gap roads and around Killington is peak now and it will be mostly sticks in another week. I am hopeful that Jenne farm and nearby roads with all of their sugar maples will be hanging around. I am enjoying the viewing of the pictures but it does appear that in another week, the NEK as for peak foliage, may be over. Thanks to all who provide the pictures and reports.

[ctyanky]

Don: Waitsfield and the Mad River Valley should be perfect for you for one of the areas. Don't despair! Woodstock should be great. I am sure others will chime in and reassure you that color will be abundant and linger in many areas for your arrival on the 6th! You say "east central", what area are you referring to?

The weather is looking to be continually amazing and you will be rewarded!

[Andy]

On most of the shots I am seeing, things look a bit muted, and there appears to be early leaf drop/loss like a few years back. I see lots of bare trees, but still green and muted colors. The disappointing thing for me has been that the trees that seem susceptible to the early drop appear to be the hard Maples.

[DCE Nebraska]

Thanks for the info CT and Abbey. I also heard from the General Manager where we are staying and she reported that north of Lydonville would probably be peak but the area around Bradford and WRJ is not there yet but will be in another week. We always take in the Waitfield Warren area and was hopeful the Appalachian Gap woud be still peak and not over with. CT, when I say East Central, it is White River Junction which is usually later than most of it and they have a couple of roads with a lot of Sugar Maples on it. We stay there and just take day trips just like those who stay at Waitsfield. If peak in most areas is gone, we always have wonderful foliage on the way out of Vermont rather it is Highway 4, I-91 and taking the Mohawk Trail or Highway 9 to Bennington or the Interstates from Albany to Scranton and of course i-80 in Pa. I am sure pleased you two ladies are skilled in providing the most information on craft fairs, village and hamlet celebrations and of course the foliage. I am really looking forward to it and keep informing for a few days.

[ctyanky]

Don! You have a lot to look forward to! Stay tuned for the post on today's SOV Meet up! You will be very happy!!!!!!! You will not be disappointed in the upcoming foliage during your week!

[DCE Nebraska]

I took the advice of Carol and CT in that there would still be good foliage when I arrived on Oct 6. In fact I even viewed the picture of Peachum. I don't think either one of the two or anybody else had any idea that the foliage change would be so rapid as it was this year. Peachum was even past peak on Oct 7 and the road from Danville to Marshfield was also sticks. We stopped in Marshfield for lunch and a dessert from this famous dessert place and I highly recommend it for anybody in the future. They do not use cool whip but it is all whipped cream. The owner who handles the desserts can appear to be insulting if you take him serious. We then went down the Groton State Forest which was not too bad and also the road down through Chelsea was pretty good. Then it really poured and the wind blew so you can about imagine what happened to the foliage. ;
As for New Hamphsire, it was pretty good around Conway and the lakes area south of there. As for Southern Vermont, it was not bad at all. I thought the foliage would be great between Danby and Paulette and down to Dorsett, but it was average at best. Our greatest foliage was actualy in Pennsylvania along I-80 and I would recommend that stretch for serious leaf peepers. I was so hopeful it would be a good foliage year for us but it came much earlier and faster than normal. So we will check again next year as I do think the NEK and northern Vermont is the best for foliage. I am sure that CT and Abby were taken back by how fast the foliage came and went. I can still go to Arkansas as they have their peak around the 24th. It is a great fall foliage state. Keep up the good work with all of the recent information.