In which we go to Woodstock, NY!

Today was the day!

One quick pic before we leave....













We had absolutely perfect weather today and almost perfect road conditions. The drive up went quicker than expected, even if we did end up having to navigate that notorious traffic roundabout that Maddy got lost on trying to get to Delhi last year. However, since she actually had her GPS hooked up this time, we got through it no problem.

Although a friend of Maddy's had warned us, somewhat snarkily, that we'd never find a place to park, we found a municipal lot almost right away. We even had this dude out in the field nearby to watch the Rogue for us.

As you can see, we had perfect weather to just walk around and look.

This is right across the street from the muni lot.
















Me in the town square. I don't think Maddy's little Nikon does sunlight very well. That pic in the muni lot got pretty overexposed, too.












The square, again. I think I could live in this town. I think Maddy could, too. She's something between an eighties punk, a goth and a hippiechick. She'd fit right in.

 Tannery Brook....

You have to hit at least one totally touristy place when you go somewhere new - provided there is one, that is. This place was a blast. We found a larger version of that "Hippies Use Side Door" sign that Maddy has as a magnet among other things.

"Take another little piece of my heart..."

We both love Janis.

Love the phone box. Too bad it wasn't a TARDIS...

Just in case there was any doubt about where we were....

In case you're wondering, the famous three days of peace, love and music actually took place at nearby White Lake. The shop above had a milk bottle box from Yasgur's Farm,, but they didn't allow pictures in the shop.

Nevertheless, I think we were both thinking of stopping in here and asking about available properties. It's hard to explain, but the atmosphere here is so cool and laid-back, plus it's just gorgeous up here. I can see why John Ashton fell in love with it and left England for the Catskills.

The town square again. The next few shots are some random pics from around the town square.

There were a bunch of these around the town....



















We're not sure, but Maddy thinks this might have been the place John Ashton was talking about in Beautiful Chaos. Apparently he, along with Richard and Tim Butler headed out for a night on the town while they were recording Forever Now back in the eighties. (They were in nearby Bearsville, working with Todd Rundgren.) As John tells it, he woke up the next morning with no idea how he'd gotten back. Turned out it had started snowing big-time while they were at the bar, and they all got pretty hammered and well, John decided he was going to drive them back....luckily, someone they knew took over and drove instead, or they would have probably ended up in a snowdrift somewhere on Mink Hollow Road. (Maddy said that, for the record, she can think of several occasions when she had to drive home in a snowstorm and has no idea how she got back. Unlike John, she was sober at the time and actually remembers it, but still has no idea how she did it....)

*Maddy's note: it's not the sort of thing you forget - at least not without several years of therapy.*


Told you it was gorgeous...

Yes, we got a picture. No. I didn't get a Harley, darn it. But someday....













The drive back wasn't bad, as you can see - this is somewhere on the NYS Thruway (I-87.) At least, not until we had to go through Newburgh. Maddy said it's always a mess going through there, and today was no exception, with the left lane of the Newburgh-Beacon bridge closed. But all in all, it was a blast. (I'd say it was a great trip, but well - not that way... :)






Okay, I like this travel doll stuff.....

p.s. - Obviously, no, we didn't meet John Ashton. Oh well.....and no, we didn't find the bead shop, either. It's not there anymore. Still, a really cool trip. :)