Life and such: Travel Adventure Day One

I did something that I don't normally do - I planned stops along route. Yup, I actually stopped a few times on a trip. I didn't just get in the car and drive to my final destination. Yay me! I am growing up. Sort of. I still wasn't relaxed enough to stop when I hadn't planned - like to take a picture of hay bale art - or at a brewery restaurant that I hadn't known about that I saw along the route. Sigh. Baby steps.

I had determined that getting out of the house around 10:30 am would be a good thing. How I came up with the time, the logic now escapes me. But that is what my brain had calculated. And that is when I managed to head out the door. I packed oddly, though. I took some stuff that I didn't really need to take until the marathon trip. I did get some dishes done and the plants watered - well, Augustus watered - a few drops from a pitcher and a promise that someone with more caring would attend to them soon. It will have to suffice.

Got in the car, programmed in the first stop and headed off into the sunrise, sort of. East at least. It was only an hour and a bit before I arrived at Turning Stone Casino and Resort. I had never been before and thought now would be a good time to visit. It was a bit of a shock to smell smoke inside the building. NYS has been smoke-free inside for a long time - but not in an Indian Casino apparently. Ick. I survived, barely. I wandered through to see what was who and found the place to sign up for a "Diamond" card. I long for the days when one could cash out whenever one won - the clink of quarters in the chute was music to my ears. Sadly, no longer. I put money on my card and took money off my card. How dull! I played the $10 that was given to me for signing up (lost it all) and then played $50 of my own money. I ended up with $37. Not too bad for a half hour or so of fun watching the dials spin!

Next stop, Utica to visit the people who brew Saranac beer. I hadn't realized that they were the brewers of Utica Club. Awesome ads they used to have - with the talking steins. Those were days. I knew I was between tours, but thought it wouldn't hurt to see the place. The store was boring and they didn't have the caramel porter in stock. I guess it is seasonal. Sadly, the woman in charge of the store rubbed me the wrong way. That is just the way things happen sometimes. Perhaps it was because I was hungry, but she irked me and it took me a bunch of miles (50 or so) to shake the bad feeling she left in my aura.

Off to Glens Falls. Mom and I stopped there last year on the way to Maine. Turns out there is a second brewpub in town. I am glad I stopped. Cooper's Cave Ale Company is about five businesses in one. Ice Cream makers, Soda makers, Gift Shop, brewery and restaurant. I chatted with the owner, Paula, for a bit. And all of the people I spoke with her pleasant and accommodating. The only negative in my book was the lack of wifi - which is a conscious decision on their part. I hope that is revisited at some point. Anyway, I had a delicious bowl of Buffalo Chicken Soup. (The soup was good too. :) ) And a taster of six beers. I thought the taster was a bit pricey, but life is like that sometimes. I enjoyed all of the beers that I tasted. And there were six others that I didn't taste. I guess I have to go back again.

I didn't linger too long, though it was a place that was comfortable to just hang out in. I had to make tracks so that I could get to my next stopping point.

The drive to Burlington wasn't too arduous. I got there around 7:30 and called Lisa on the phone. We knew each other from High School but hadn't kept in close contact all that time. Recently we found each other on Facebook. It was great catching up with her. We ate a yummy dinner and were going to have beer, but it was just too crowded in town. There was a Jazz Fest happening, and I was too full anyway. So it was time to sleep. I decided, rather than staying in Burlington, to head a bit further down the road. I asked my GPS to find me a hotel and it did: an interesting EconoLodge in Montpelier (capital of Vermont). Much needed sleep was accomplished! A long and fun driving day!