Day 1
Manchester, NH to Bennington, VT
July 9, 2016
It rained all day. We ate a bagel & yogurt continental breakfast at the Econo Lodge in Manchester before we took off for the day, Didn't get to eat again until dinner.
Boscawen, NH - Bittersweet Fabric Shop
Very cute cabin set back a bit, their RowByRow was a beautiful "Home In New Hampshire" which came all cut AND prepped with iron-on fusing! Love it! They didn't have any new license plates for this year, and I didn't like their plate for last year, so I passed on it.
Henniker, NH - Quilted Threads
FANTASTIC Fabric shop, one of the best I've seen in awhile. A little bit of everything and VERY up-to-date with contemporary, cutting edge fabrics, styles, and patterns - including clothing and woolies. Purchased a super-cool advent calendar pattern with pieced daily 4" paper-pieced pictures for each of the 25 days. Row by Row Plate: GO NUTS 4 BOLTS
Hillsborough, NH - Franklin Pierce (14th US President) Homestead
Dede took the tour in the house, while I watched the DVD about the area and Pierce's childhood in the area. Beautiful place, so glad we stopped.
Wilmington, VT - The Vermont Bowl Company
Years ago, when I worked at the Kimball Shop in NEH, we sold gorgeous wooden salad bowls made by John McLeod. So as I was cruising along through Vermont and saw the sign, we stopped. Gorgeous, gorgeous bowls. Drool-worthy bowls.
Bennington, VT - The Scarlett Creation
Small quilt shop that had yarn, too. It was pouring cats & dogs when we got there, and I had to take off my shoes, roll up my pants, and wade through calf-deep raging water to get out of the car and inside (fun!) I bought the first fabric for Charlie's quilt here, small pink hearts in a haphazard pattern on white. RowByRow plate: GOT QUILTS
Bennington, VT - Bennington Pottery
I remember coming here with Steve years ago, and it was fun to bring Dede here. Such beautiful pottery!
Dinner: Bennington Pizza Plaza - Delicious pizza, spaghetti, and salad. Inexpensive. Huge drawback: Dede left a bag with most of her pattern purchases and when we went back an hour later, they were not there. Someone must have taken (stolen!) her bag. I can't imagine that happening, especially in Vermont....
Autumn Motel, Bennington - run by a 3-generation Indian family, who were very nice.
Day 2
Bennington, VT to Cooperstown, NY
July 10, 2016
Same kind of drizzly day as yesterday EXCEPT bright sunshine mysteriously appeared several times. Skipped breakfast
Bennington, VT - First Church Graveyard:
Robert Frost Grave
Letterbox #1 (my first VT)
Letterbox #2
Bennington, VT - Bennington Monument
Elevator to the top! Great, friendly, funny elevator operator, super sweet high school girl at the top. Gift shop.
Bennington, VT: THREE (3!!!) Covered Bridges
1 - Silk Road
2 - Papermill (we walked down a path through the woods to see it a bit down the river, with the dam water falls....exceptionally cool.
3 - Henry (there was a picnic area and bench here, with lovely views)
Lunch at Subway
Bennington, VT - Bennington Museum
GRANDMA MOSES!
Arlington, VT - Sugar Shack Norman Rockwell Exhibit
15-minute DVD and lots of memorabilia. Great stop.
Cobleskill, NY - The Yardstick
First of all, a welcome rest from rainy driving and open on Sunday, which really pleased us. Purchased two fat quarters for Charlie's rag quilt and their kit, which uses a panel with bird prints.
Cooperstown, NY - Terrace Motor Inn on Route 80
Dinner at Mel's at 22 in Cooperstown, delish!
Day 3
Cooperstown, NY to Seneca Falls, NY
July 11, 2016
Beautiful, sunny day. Breakfast at little sports bar/cafe on Main Street in Cooperstown.
National Baseball Hall of Fame. Awesome. Well worth a bit of an out-of-the-way drive. It's beside Ostego Lake, which is lovely.
Lakeview Cemetery - a really old one that, unlike yesterdays in Bennington, has not been cared for very well. It's huge and built on a very high hill. Steps are built into the hill at various points. I found a letter box there, and although there were others, we enjoyed our ride through the cemetery and then hit the road.
Utica, New York -Tiger Lily Quilt Shop - another favorite! We spent a couple of hours there. I was so overwhelmed, I didn't purchase any of the Christmas fabrics that I was looking at for my Advent calendar. Lu, the manager, was a hoot. We discovered it's less than 5 hrs from Mt. Holly Springs, so I'm going to come up and take a class.
New Hartford, NY
Subway - late lunch (ha! really late....)
Sew Wilde - unimpressive shop with TWO different rows to choose from. Both were cute.
Seneca Falls/ Waterloo - Microtel
Walmart provided us with salads, dip, crackers, chips, soda, and a red velvet cupcake for Dede.
Day 4
Seneca Falls, NY to Rochester, NY
July 12, 2016
Bkfst at Microtel
National Women's Rights Museum - CLOSED!!! We couldn't believe it, two or three days each week!
Victor, NY - Ivy Thimble Quilt & Gift
LeRoy, NY
Jello Museum at the LeRoy Historical Society
Barn Quilts
Letterbox - great story:
Webster, NY - Cafe Sewciety
Rochester, NY - Jackie Lynns Fabrics & Discount Sewing Center
Rochester, NY: Ontario Beach Park - we waded in LAKE ONTARIO!
Rochester, NY: Radiance Inn & Suites
Day 5
Rochester, NY to Niagara Falls, NY
July 13, 2016
Rochester, NY - George Eastman House - Dede went in and toured, enjoying it greatly. I staying in the car and wrote postcards.
Brockport, NY - Country Treasures (a gift shop and quilt shop with a totally country theme).
Brockport, NY - Lunch at Jimmy Z's Texas Hots, where I enjoyed a unique lunch: a layered basket of macaroni salad, french fries, and tater tots topped with a cheese burger, fried chicken strip, mozzarella cheese and gravy. YUM!
Lockport, NY - A ride down the Erie Canal through a set of double locks. Cool!
Niagara Falls - drove around a bit, getting acclimated. Went into an information center/gift shop where we purchased a "tour" for tomorrow that included a night at the Sheraton at Niagara Falls for $139. Couldn't pass it up!
Dinner at Rainforest Cafe - a Chinese chicken salad that was light and yummy and perfect.
Day 6
Niagara Falls, NY to Jamestown, NY
July 14, 2016
Day 7
Jamestown, NY to Fishkill, NY
July 15, 2016
Day 8
Last Day
Hyde Park NY to Peekskill Train Station (& Grand Central) AND Mt. Holly Springs, PA
July 16, 2016
