New England Fall Foliage

As the temperature drops and the warm fall breezes begin to blow it only seems natural to think of New England in Autumn.  Vermont, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, and Connecticut are all states I want to tour during autumn.  I love autumn in Washington but the kaleidoscope of colors of New England in fall is something I must experience.

 

As I admire the beauty of Connecticut I would take in the history the B.F. Clyde's Cider Mill in Old Mystic.  The cider mill is America’s oldest steam-powered cider mill, family-owned and run since 1881.  As I continued my travels I would venture into Maine.  Biking, hiking or driving I would enjoy the fall color all over Maine.  I would go hiking and biking in Acadia National Park, canoe and listen to loons in the Rangeley Lakes, and, for a spectacular view, I would take the elevator to the Observatory high up on the Penobscot Narrows Bridge.

Autumn is not only great for beautiful fall colors but it's also grape harvest season.  As I meander through Rhode Island I want to visit vineyards, cut grapes and sample wine.  I will tour the historic Slater Mill,  North America’s first successful water-powered, cotton spinning mill on the banks of the Blackstone River.

Did I forget to mention the covered bridges?  Oh my, how could I forget the covered bridges.  Every state along the way would provide the opportunity to walk along kicking up an array of beautiful fall leaves and walk through another amazing covered bridge transporting me back to simpler time.

I just need to remember to pack a warm sweater and charge the camera batteries.

Montana



Sleeping Giant Mountain



I think if you don't have a desire to go to Montana then you just might be crazy.  Who would want to miss the opportunity to see the beautiful undisturbed country, all the rolling hills, mountains and wildlife.  I don't know much about Montana other then it looks beautiful and I want to see it....Oh wait I get to see it! It might be a work trip for training but I am sure that I will have some spare time to experience the beautiful wonders of nature.

I'll start my road trip in Auburn and drive to Spokane where I will become a passenger and get to sit back and enjoy the beauty as we fly by.  My final destination is Fort Harrison in Helena where I will spend four days. I really love traveling to new places especially on someone elses dime!

Free to See Events

                                                                                 

Not only do I want to go to new places but I want to experience new things.  I began researching cool things to do when I found a list of 'Free to See Events' on the National Geographic Travelers web page.  Of the 24 events 3 of them are right here in Washington State, including the Pike Place Market, bicycling through the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, and the National Lentil Festival Parade in Pullman.  There are other fun events such as the Idiotrod in New York City where people dressed as boy scouts push decorated shopping carts through the streets of New York in a spoof of the Alaskan Iditarod.  You may ask why someone would want to watch this, but I say why not.

                                                             

Skagit County Tulips

I love attending events in small communities and rural agricultural areas where they have festivals just to celebrate the main crop of the area.  Next year I will have to make it to Walla Walla for the 'Walla Walla Sweet Onion Festival'.