Winter Trip Into the Catskills

On Saturday, February 23, 2008, I took a roadtrip from the Capital Region of Albany, New York into the Catskill Mountains and the Hudson Valley of New York State with John Krakoff.  A recent snowstorm accented the scenery, draping the landscape with a fresh blanket of snow along the trip.  

Nicknamed the Winternationals, which for these purposes, a roadtrip made soon after a snowstorm, it was a fun day to take a roadtrip.

Routes traveled along the trip included (more or less in succession): NY 155, Albany CR 306, NY 85A, NY 85, Albany CR 1, Albany CR 401, Albany CR 403, Albany CR 409, Greene CR 50, NY 81, NY 145, NY 23, NY 296, NY 23A, NY 42, NY 28, NY 30, Delaware CR 1, NY 28, old NY 28, 
NY 212, Ulster CR 32, NY 32, Ulster CR 34, Greene CR 47, NY 23, NY 32, NY 143,  Albany CR 312, NY 443, NY 85, NY 85A, NY 155

Here are some photo highlights of the trip...



NY Route 81 westbound just before its western end at NY Route 145.  NY Route 81 goes through some of the smaller towns in northern Greene and southern Albany Counties.


Old stone arch bridge that once carried the old Susquehanna (Catskill) Turnpike.  This was found in East Durham and can be found off of NY Route 145 in East Durham.


Old warning sign found on an old alignment of NY Route 23 in Durham.  John Krakoff had found this a while back, and it is believed to be the only one if its kind still kicking around.  Please prove me wrong!


Pedestrian bridge over the Schoharie Creek in Hunter, on the way to the Hunter Mountain ski area.  Not sure if this once the entrance to the ski area, or if it is a nice decorative touch.  The vehicular entrance is on the left, lined with a median including foreign flags.


This is Hunter Mountain, one of the highest peaks in the Catskills.


A Ukrainian Catholic Church draped in snow.  This can be found near NY Route 23A near Lexington.


More winter mountain scenery along NY Route 23A near Lexington.


Typical mountain scenery view along the road.  This is on NY Route 42 southbound near Shandaken.


This is a covered bridge that connects to a New York State DEC recreation area.  It's a newer bridge, but still, very fitting for its surroundings.


Old sign goodness on Ulster CR 49A near Belleayre Mountain in Highmount.  The black on yellow sign for Fleischmanns is very rare indeed.  The only other example I have seen like that is near Ellicottville in Western New York's Cattaraugus County.


Mountain scenery on NY Route 28 northbound near Fleischmanns.


Downtown Margaretville, NY.


Cast iron sign and truss bridge on NY Route 30 southbound in Margaretville.  Trus bridges, and especially pont truss bridges, are a common sight in both the Catskills and Adirondacks of New York State.


Old stone school house near Margaretville.  This school was built back in 1820 and is a historic landmark.


This is on a New York City reservoir road near the Pepacton Reservoir, near the former hamlet of Arena.  New York City took a large number of acreage in the Catskills and Hudson Valley for reservoirs during the 1930s and 1940s, and as a result, a few towns / villages / hamlets fell victim to the rising waters.  New York City also maintains a number of through roads within the reservoir areas.


Tompkins Falls, as seen from the remote Barkaboom Road near the Pepacton Reservoir.


NY 28 southbound between Andes and Margaretville.


Old NY Route 28 in Fleischmanns is a gold mine for old signs.  There is also a third old cast iron sign from the 1930s (of a similar design) in downtown Fleischmanns.


Eastbound on NY Route 28 just east of Pine Hill.  NY Route 28 changes cardinal directions from an east/west route to a north/south route at the Ulster/Delaware County line.


NY Route 28 as it crosses the Espous Creek in Phoenicia.  The Esopus Creek is known for its tubing and kayaking opportunities.


NY Route 28 east of Phoenicia.


Nissen Road bridge over the Espous Creek near Boiceville.  When they say "do not cross", they mean it!


Pony truss bridge, constructed in 1924, on Ulster CR 40 near Mount Tremper.  Ulster CR 40 is part of an old alignment of NY Route 28.  

There was another truss bridge nearby, off of NY Route 212, that I wanted to get to, but the snow made it pretty much inaccessible.


Mountain scenery on Ulster CR 40.


Eastbound on NY Route 212 near Willow.


Entering downtown Woodstock (yes, that Woodstock, of hippie fame) on NY Route 212  eastbound.  Woodstock has a vibrant business district of shops and restaurants.


Eastbound on Ulster CR 32 (Glasco Turnpike) near Mt. Marion.


The abandoned Exit 20 interchange for Interstate 87 southbound (New York Thruway).  This can be found off of Ulster CR 34 (Malden Turnpike).


Truss bridge over the Cauterskill Creek near Catskill.  The Thruway Bridge is in the distance.

Walking the Poughkeepsie Railroad Bridge

Recently, there was an article in the Albany (NY) Times Union regarding the future of the Poughkeepsie Railroad Bridge that crosses the Hudson River between Poughkeepsie, NY and Highland, NY. The article can be read here.


The basis of the article is that, after sitting dormant since 1974, this one vital transportation link between New England and the rest of the country, is slated to become a pedestrian bridge that will help link rail trails in Dutchess and Ulster Counties. The bridge, which is over a mile long, is expected to reopen in the fall of 2009. Expansive views of the Hudson and its surrounding environs will be offered as a result.


Here are a few photos of the bridge as seen from Highland's Mariner's Harbor.

The newest piece of the Interstate 73 puzzle.

Today, I along with Bob Malme and Scott Kozel took a drive out to Greensboro and checked out the recently opened piece of the Greensboro Outer Loop. We also checked out the new Ellerbee section of I-73/74 and US 220. However, I didn't take any photos of that new highway on this route.

So here are some photos of the new bypass:

This is where I-85 South and now I-40 West move onto the Greensboro Outer Loop. Take a look at the difference in the I-40 and I-85 Business Loop shields. The 40 shield actually has the word 'Loop'.

Yes indeed, it's an I-73 shield on the overhead on the bypass at US 220. I-73 is signed on the newly opened southwestern corner of the loop. Can you hear the motorists just say...where did I-73 come from since no one has any clue on when I-73 South will appear with the US 220 South sign.

Here's where I-85 splits off to head to Charlotte. Even more of that phantom I-73 freeloading onto I-40.

Just because we are nice folks here at the blog. We'll take a time out from the I-73 lovefest to appreciate the contributions of a VMS and Wendover Ave.

The Exit 212A sign is not quite ready for the big leagues. One day (maybe 2013...maybe not) that sign is going to read I-840 North and yeah I-73 North will be on it too.

Now on I-40 East coming towards the loop from Winston-Salem. We find the South version of our friend I-73 (still freeloading off of I-40 though). Now what's up with the missing shield. In an amazing display of awareness, the DOT removed an incorrect standard Interstate 40 shield after realizing that there would be two I-40 Easts on the sign. The Business 40 shield hadn't been installed yet. Any takers on when that will get fixed?

Jealous since it wasn't included on the westbound shot at Wendover Avenue, I-73 makes an appearance here. What an attention whore.

I like these guide shields that North Carolina uses. Damn that 73 just wants to be seen in every shot doesn't it?

Well as I alluded to earlier, I-73 is a bit of a magician (or a freeloader). Just as quickly as it appears out of nowhere it disappears into thin air at I-85. We exited onto I-85 South at this point, but there are no references of this end of I-73 or that it would eventually continue south towards Asheboro with US 220.

Oregon? Absolutely!

Recently, I have been focusing a bit more on the little known Oregon section of Gribblenation, which is known as "Absolutely Oregon!" I recently added two pages to that part of the site, one for the Stayton Jordan Covered Bridge and the other for Silver Falls State Park. And while the establishment may point out that a covered footbridge and a waterfall that is quite reminiscent of Taughannock Falls near Ithaca, NY may have nothing to do with roads, keep in mind that you do have to take roads to get there.

There is also some personal significance to this, as my mother's side of the family, and more specifically, my maternal grandmother, can trace their roots back to the little town of Sublimity, OR. This is a stone's throw away from Stayton and Silver Falls, and not that far away from the state capital of Salem. I took these photos in July 2006, during a vacation to Oregon and Washington State that I tied in with a family reunion. I am planning future visits to Oregon, especially with my mother retiring this year. As part of her retirement, she is moving away from my native Long Island and relocating to Oregon's Willamette Valley. So enjoy these photo pages, and expect more from the Pacific Northwest in the near and distant future.

Also, be sure to check out the Stayton Daily Photo by Celine Chamberlin. I had found her photo site while trying to get the Stayton Jordan Covered Bridge page together, and I stumbled upon a great number of excellent photos.