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Archive for the ‘Outdoors’ Category

Fall foliage scenic drives in Connecticut include the Long Island Sound coastal routes, and the Litchfield Hills in Northwestern Connecticut. These areas offer dramatic scenic drives any season, but for me, the trip that comes alive in the fall is nestled in eastern Connecticut’s “Quiet Corner” and is Route 169. This is a gem of a fall foliage scenic drive in Connecticut. Let me take you for a quick spin…

Peak fall foliage in Connecticut usually starts mid-October and lasts through end of October, sometimes drifting into early November. Connecticut has a milder climate than many other areas of New England, as evidence by the plethora of wineries and vineyards enjoyed by the region these days. Many scenic routes take you close to one of the 16 open for visiting.

But back to our fall foliage route…

Traveling Route 169 is as much about historic buildings and communities with traditions, as about brilliant color changes – although you’ll be blessed with plenty of opportunities to soak up the color and take an eye-popping memory snap. The drive follows Route 169 from Lisbon, CT, to the border with Massachusetts. Though it’s just a short drive of over 30 miles, nonetheless as you’ll see it packs a lot into a small area.

Begin your scenic drive in the town of Lisbon, which can be reached, from I-395 exit 83A. The center of town is known as Newent. In the town visit the Bishop House Museum and the Newent Congregational Church for a flavor of some of the architectural styles in this region of Connecticut.

Follow Route 169 out of Lisbon/Newent and drive the 8 miles to Canterbury.

Named for the cathedral city in Kent, England, Canterbury was originally settled in 1697, and offers a window into Connecticut’s early American past. Highlights are the classic New England Town Green and the Prudence Crandall Museum.

Prudence was an extraordinary woman, and The Prudence Crandall Museum documents her attempt to provide education for black women during a time of violent oppression. Prudence’s neighbors and friends eventually ostracized here and forced her to close her school and move away from the area never to return.

Wright’s Mill Tree Farm is a pick-your-own local favorite, and during the fall foliage season offers a spooky hayride, and the chance to pick-your-own pumpkin. This 250-acre farm is in the north end of Canterbury.

Travel the 7 miles to Brooklyn, where along the way you’ll pass farms and homes set among the rolling hills and fields of the region. Brooklyn is steeped in history. You’ll discover historical buildings galore with a high concentration of them in a 1.75-acre area known as Brooklyn Green. Both Brooklyn and Brooklyn Green is on the National Register of Historic Districts.

Places to view include Friendship Valley Inn, a stop on the Underground Railroad, and where Prudence Crandall was given refuge during her trial, and the 18th century Old Brooklyn Burying Ground. The close-by C. Vaughan Ferguson, Jr. Conservancy offers walking trails among marshlands and hills.

The easiest way of visiting Brooklyn Green is simply to park the car and walk. With five churches on the green and a cluster of historical buildings, statues, and commemorative stones, something is bound to catch your eye to explore further.

Leaving Brooklyn on Route 169 and heading north towards Pomfret, you’ll pass the 200-acre Lapsley Orchards in the Bush Hill historic district. Here during the fall you can pick crisp apples or purchase the perfect pumpkin for your front porch.

Another side trip worth taking before you reach Pomfret is Mashamoquet Brook State Park and Putnam Wolf Den. At the junction with Route 101 head west and take the entrance into the park less than a mile down Route 101. With the abundance of maples and oaks in the park the fall foliage dazzles. Be sure to take the path and short walk to the Wolf Den where a plaque describes the events leading to the killing of the last wolf in Connecticut.

Back on Route 169 take the next few miles into the center of Pomfret. A walk through Pomfret presents another chance to check out an 18th century graveyard at The Sabin Cemetery, 19th century churches, and a 13th century French window at the Pomfret School chapel. Pomfret is also home to Sharpe Hill Vineyard, one of the wineries on the Connecticut Wine Trail, and open for touring and wine-tasting.

Continue the drive north on Route 169 out of Pomfret for Woodstock, the final leg of this scenic drive. Before reaching the picturesque New England village of Woodstock, you’ll have the chance to explore many more hiking trails at The Connecticut Audobon-Pomfret Farms and The Air Line Trail.

Connecticut is deep in museums and historic homes, and in Woodstock it comes together at Roseland Cottage – a striking pink Gothic Revival style house which is also home to the Bowen Museum. The house has original furnishings and tours are offered June – October.
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Long and frequent has been the debate amongst hikers and campers regarding the use of internal or external frame backpacks. Many old timers insist that external frame packs are the way to go, mainly due to years of utilizing externals, and reluctance (like all of us), to change. The younger generation tends to gravitate toward the trendy internal frame packs. It seems that the new wave of hikers are as much concerned with form as they are with function.
In my experience, having owned and used both types of backpacks, I have compiled some recommendations based on experiences on (and off) the trail.

External Frame Backpacks
Pros– Generally less expensive, more compartments, pack doesn’t rest directly on back, increasing ventilation.
Cons– Usually more bulky than internal frame packs, can impede hiking, and storing in tent.

Internal Frame Backpacks
Pros– More streamline, more compact.
Cons–Can be expensive, few compartments, pack rest against the back.
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Many camping enthusiasts enjoy the comfort of canvas tents while they are out in the wilderness. The only thing that is certain about nature is that nothing is certain. Canvas tents are durable and can withstand rain and wind much better than standard tents. They are generally well constructed using quality materials and are simple to set up. This is especially beneficial to the most common purposes for canvas tents, which is shelter for hunting and fishing trips.

Canvas tents offer sturdy walls, floor and roofing. They are usually accompanied by metal bars to secure the tent on site. In this instance, you will definitely get what you pay for. Canvas tents offer heavy duty zippers and high walls and ceilings. They are designed for the most comfort in camping by offering wilderness buffs an opportunity to stand up, walk around, stretch out or even sit down in a chair and relax. The high ceilings provide additional comfort to campers while also providing extra headroom. This comes in very handy, especially for the taller individual.

When shopping for canvas tents, it’s a good idea to decide on a budget before you start browsing. If you know how much money you can spend, then you will be better prepared to make a decision and will be less likely to overspend. After all, you will need to save some money for the additional camping supplies that you will want to take along for the trip. It’s always a good idea to work out a reasonable budget anytime before you make a substantial investment. When shopping around, keep in mind that canvas tents are more expensive than other models and can be priced at several hundred dollars each. For a model with more features, they can cost as much as $1,000.00 or slightly more.
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“Eureka!” That’s what many parents say when they find a camp for their daughter that focuses on science.

That may be the cause of excitement as more than 1,700 girls, ages 11-13, will take part in a variety of engineering and science-related projects at the weeklong EX.I.T.E. camps across the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific, sponsored for the eighth year by IBM. EX.I.T.E. stands for EXploring Interests in Technology and Engineering.

“Traditionally, girls have shied away from taking math, science and technology courses because they didn’t think they could excel in them, or thought the classes were unrelated to what they wanted to do in their lives,” said Katherine Hegmann, IBM General Manager, Global Application Services, Business Consulting Services. “What many girls don’t realize is that technology is providing opportunities for careers in virtually every field they could hope to pursue.”

As part of this year’s program, EX.I.T.E. Campers will work in teams with IBM employee volunteers on innovation projects allowing the girls to realize the wealth of ideas and talents they possess that could make a difference in medicine, health care, agriculture, entertainment, consumer goods, environmental preservation or rescue and relief efforts. Each camp will document its innovations by creating a three-dimensional model, blueprint or presentation. The campers will get a chance to present their innovations to local IBM volunteers and executives who will in turn provide feedback.
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