A Foliage Fanatic Report

[pwt54]

Today I decided to do route 100 again to see how things are going. Colors along route 15 from Johnson to Morrisville are still early. Colors along route 100 from Morrisville to route US 4 are more advanced. The stressed out trees in the wet areas that turned early are near peak and are gorgeous. If these trees are any indication, we are going to have a great foliage season. Route 100 through Granville Gulf is open and paved above Moss Glens falls. They are working on one last bad spot below the falls, then the rest of the road will be paved. In Hancock I stopped at the Ranger Station to use the restrooms and ask a couple of questions. This station has a visitor's center so stop in if you need the restrooms or information. Bad news here. Most of the roads and trails in the Green Moumtain National Forest. That includes Texas Falls and NFH 10, the Danby/Mt. Tabor Road. The Kelly Stand Road is a town highway so they can't say if that will be open. It was heavily damaged. In Rochester they are still working just north of the village. South of Rochester they are starting work on the route 73 bridge. It looks like they are going to put in a temporary bridge because the original bridge needs a complete rebuild. They are working on the bridge in Stockbridge. They have removed the buckled up pavement and will be repaving soon. I talked to an engineer there and he said the bridge south of Pittsfield needs to be rebuilt and it will take a long time, so they are building a temporary bridge there right now. I asked about Plymouth and he said they were coming along and in fact they plan to have route 100 open all the way to Ludlow by next week. WOW. I went down to River Road in Killington to see how that was doing. The road had been hit but was all fixed. The boardwalk to Thundering Falls is gone. When I came to route US 4 I turned left and headed to Woodstock. There were a couple of areas between Bridgewater and Woodstock that had construction delays. The Long Trail Brewery was open. I checked the Cloudland Road. but it was closed, and there were dump trucks hauling huge chunks of granite. I then went to South Pomfret and took the Pomfret Road. I have forgotten how nice this road is. It's a paved secondary highway with nice scenes and building. The colors were early today. Hewett's Corners has some nice photo-ops. I took the Hewett Hill road up to the Johnson Road and then turned around and checked the scenery. Real Nice! Back on the Pomfret Road I went to the Howe Hill Road. It's on the left side just past the Moore Maple and Apple Farm. It's paved. I saw the barn and stopped. Nice barn. All worn barn board. Not the best place for a photo, so I turned around and went back to the Pomfret Rd and drove down the road and turned around and came back. Driving up the hill I could see the barn better. This is the spot. Back on the Howe Hill Rd, I drove a short way and came to a small valley. On the right was a stone wall about 3 feet high! Abby, mark this on your list! The Howe Hill Rd will have good color but the scenery is not as good as the Hewett Corners area. This road ends on route 14 in Sharon. I then went to check out route 110. Colors from route 14 to Tunbridge were very early. From Tunbridge to Washington colors were more advanced with a lot of "firecrackers" in the wet areas. I then did route 12 from Montpelier to Morrisville. Colors from Montpelier to Worcester were very early. From Worcester to Morrisville was much better. Lots of "firecrackers" All of the roads I was on today will be very good but not quite peak by next weekend. I feel foliage fever coming on!

[ctyanky]

Oh boy Phil! This was a great report! I can tell by your descriptions that you are indeed suffering from foliage fever! I don't believe I have seen you this excited about the leaves so early on! YAHOO! I'm so excited to get up there and begin my trip based on your observations. I hope you can take me to some of these places I've never heard of or been to! I'm really sorry to hear about Kelly Stand Road. It was an incredible drive last year for our pre-season meetup. But things seem to be progressing rapidly elsewhere.

There is about a 15% - 20% color change here in Northern CT and the reds and oranges are the standouts. I know this is going to be a great season. It's been a deluge rain here all day and although the next five (yes five!) days call for rain, showers and clouds, the days after are looking spectacular for an extended period!!!!!

Thanks for this awesome report and I think you are getting the foliage fanatics foaming at the mouth for their Vermont trips!

[pwt54]

We are going to miss most of that rain this weekend. The colors in the Adamant area are the same as route 12 in Worcester, so we should hit it right.

[ctyanky]

Oh the drive through the Worcester Range on Worcester Mountain Road last year was so beautiful. I'm looking forward to our day trip in Adamant, Calais, East Montpelier, Woodbury and Marshfield! Adamant has so many criss-crossing roads it is unbelievable. I wouldn't mind going back to the barn built over the road. That was fun!

[Andy]

Figures. I choose THIS year to go to California Sounds like its going to be a great color season!

[pwt54]

Most REAL Vermonters save California for winter.

[Andy]

Oh, thanks, Phil. Rub it in!

[ctyanky]

Well Andy, you can always pan for gold. And we'll find the real gold that counts. In Vermont!!!!

(Ok, I'm sure you are going to have a trip of a lifetime out there! We'll miss you! )

[2doggiemom]

Andy here is a link for info about Fall Foliage. Once things get going, there will be posts everyday. Where in CA are you going? http://www.calphoto.com/fall.htm

[Andy]

Thanks, 2doggiemom, for the link. We are going to San Franciso. Daughter moved there this Spring. They live in SOMA, so most of my "excursions" are likely to be nearby, such as GG Bridge, Bay Bridge, Maybe the Muir Woods Redwoods, and some of the areas around the city.

We are going to be in Napa for an overnight, but it is a private wine tour, so photo ops will be limited to snapshots. This is a combined family vacation/photo trip, with the photo ops being more at the beginning and thus probably limited to around SF. Plenty to shoot -- just not really Fall Foliage emphasis.

My guess is that the Fall color would be more in the North in the Moutains and to the West closer to Yosemite.

I will check the link regularly, though. With my daughter living there, I'll probably have additional opportunities to visit.