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Whitehall, NY is nothing like its namesake in London.
To get there we went up route 22 without taking detours or doing twirlies through the countryside.
Those were reserved for the return journey.
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It wasn’t as if traffic would be an issue!
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22 is a state route which connects many towns and is often quite busy but yesterday everyone must have stayed home.
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Almost everyone.
Luckily, this was not a putt-putt, so there were no moans from the driver.
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It seems to me that houses perched on the brow of a hill, unprotected, must suffer from the elements.
Blasted by snow in winter and sun-baked in the summer.
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Pigeons!
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Strong winds have brought down a great many leaves.
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But not quite all.
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On the way north, we passed through Slate Valley.
The small black mound in the centre here is all slate from one of the numerous quarries.
This area has the only active red slate quarries in the world.
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Slate Valley has a museum in Granville, which we passed through.
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Slate is useful and the quarries employ many people but I hate to think of the planet being dug up, of its every resource being drained.
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There is a lot to be said for the Amish way of life. They live off the land, using renewable resources.
But for most their life is too simple.
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Some days, you really do ask:
“Where is everyone?”
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We don’t ever see many people about when we are out driving, but usually we see cars and trucks, at least on main roads.
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Can’t say we missed ’em!
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Descending this hill we came to rows of houses that looked like military barracks, but not quite.
Maybe they were homes for factory workers?
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Then I noticed this vast construction.
Green Meadow Correctional Facility.
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Comstock, New York.
I wasn’t actually aware of its existence, to be honest.
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We were nearly at Whitehall, but I’m going to be a complete stinker and save those images for tomorrow.
This afternoon we have to go out again, so I’ve just got time I post a few of the pictures I took coming home.
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Although there was still very little traffic, Grant thought we should “jump off into the country.”
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We found ourselves in an upmarket community.
You can always tell by the road quality.
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“Look Maude, tourists!”
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Yellow trees stood out like beacons.
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Even affluent areas, have power lines:(
We’re used to seeing them, but I’d rather not.
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They make me feel as if we are getting all tied up.
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Coming back, the light was against us.
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Except where we went off on those side roads!
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Corn stacks. Never seen those before.
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Around, over and down the road went.
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Beacons. definitely.
I like the cornstacks, they look very traditional and ancient. You really do benefit from very little traffic. Even tiny Beetley has more traffic than you usually encounter.
Best wishes, Pete.
It is a rare sight indeed to see a road with no traffic over here. Even if there is no moving traffic we would normally see parked vehicles along the roadsides.
You must have chosen a very good day for this road trip to have had almost no traffic. I like that … and those bright red and yellow trees!
Love the colours but especially the photo next to “jump off into the country” – the perspective is great!
You’re so lucky to go on a road trip without traffic – what a treat and great to take photos.