Witness Tree

[ctyanky]

Hi Al: I'm hoping to arrive in Peacham town sometime after lunch on Monday, 9/30 (I'm coming from a long weekend in the NEK). I "may" head straight to East Montpelier in the a.m. to visit a dairy farm (where I am taking my future polo lesson of all places) and then to visit an older gentleman who retired from the NW corner of CT to Montpelier. I expect to be in town after 2ish. I am staying right in the village all week and then will head to the Stowe area for another week. If you are around Tuesday (10/1), we could meet at the café and try to find your elusive tree. I hope it hasn't declined to some sort of disease and is still there, or is not a figment of someone's imagination! There's a lot of maples trees on hills in Vermont!

I also have plans to go to the Cabot Fall Foliage Festival on 10/1 in the afternoon, and tool around some of the ponds and lakes in Woodbury/Cabot/Marshfield if you are interested to check out the foliage. (All weather permitting). Phil (pwt who is forum moderator from Johnson) is thinking of heading in too around those days but not sure. You would love meeting him. He is the king of VT roads and knows every twist and turn, every back road and class 4 roads in the state!

If you find the photo location, please let me know. I have one more person to ask at the historical society as someone else I spoke with at town hall says that is the last resort! CT

[bogey456]

Hi Ct- I didn't find the tree in the photo but I found one that looks better. It's in the back of cemetery by the fire station.

Al

[ctyanky]

oh good! did you go on East Hill and Academy Hill? The cemetery views are indeed amazing. There is a row of maples along the road that turn beautifully in the fall. Think they are on the left as you walk into the cemetery down the road in there. Was the tree you found solitary or in that row?

[bogey456]

Hi CT, I'd love to meet up with you and Phil and hopefully learn some new places. Do you think the 1st is a little early for the Peacham area? The pictures I have of the tree I'm thinking about were taken October 15 (2015). The entrance to the cemetery is on Academy Hill rd across the triangle from the fire station. There are several single trees in the back but I don't remember which one I have pictures of. If you open Google Maps and go to the satellite view you can see the tree(s) I'm talking about. I'm not sure about East hill road. I know I've probably been on it but it doesn't ring a bell. We can kick it around as we get closer to the end of the month. Either way I'd like to meet up with you guys even if it is on the early side.
Al

[ctyanky]

Hi Al, on the average, I think 10/1 is early. However, this season "may" bring a different scenario. I really can't even guess at this point but Phil just emailed me and said the leaves are starting to change in the NEK and not just the stressed one. The reason I stay in Peacham is to be able to enjoy all that the area has to offer. I love the route 2 corridor, Danville, Marshfield, Woodbury, Cabot and Plainfield and all the ponds and back roads. If my friend doesn't come up Wed for a couple of days, I may have that time frame open as well. What time do you usually arrive in Peacham from NH? I should be ready about 9:30 ish.

Let's plan on 10/1, Tuesday if it is not pouring rain. As we get closer, we can finalize and meet at the café or the cemetery and head first down either Town Road where there is a great farm and a sugarhouse in the woods and loop back to Mack Mtn. Road to route 2. Phil leaves his house usually at 8:30 and has to get his cider donut and coffee or he will deconstruct! I'll get a route planned in the meantime. There are some nice farms and views up on Hollister Hill Road in Plainfield and I can show you the barn that was built over the road in that area. The ponds are the big draw if you like reflections. There is a nice reservoir on route 2 with a dam and sometimes there is a lot of color and reflections. Maybe you have already been there......….

In the meantime, I will go google the site you mentioned.

I think this thread has taken a life of its own. Crazy!

[ctyanky]

PS the barn over the road is in Woodbury. I have to get out my Jimapco because last year I got a bit lost up there but found it and then took Cemetery Road (outstanding drive) down to Marshfield. If Phil is there, I won't have to worry.

[bogey456]

Hi CT--A life of it's own is right. I generally leave Nashua around 6:00 (could be earlier) and it's about a 21/2 hr drive so 9:30 will be fine. The café you are talking about is the one to right of the country store by the church, right. Why don't we plan for that-weather permitting. We can touch base again the last week of Sept.

Al

[ctyanky]

Yes, sounds good at the café near the country store and touching base last weekend in Sept. I have to get Phil on board now. BTW, I found my post from 2017 where I took Maple Tree Lane (Town Road) Peacham, and met a photog near the sugar shack from NH. We talked side by side in our cars on this dirt road for 1/2 hr talking about the foliage and such. If that was you it would be crazy!

[ctyanky]

Al: Have you been on Cabot Plains Road? Some of the best color I've seen there was in the back fields. Also, we may be in Calais and stopping in Maple Corners to the general store for late lunch...…………. Curtis Pond may have some nice color right there.

[bogey456]

Hi CT- I believe I have been on CPR as I have it marked in my JIMAPCO. I think I know the sugar shack you are talking about but the meeting doesn't ring a bell. I don't how you keep all these roads straight. My JIMAPCO is so marked up in this area and the Lyndonville -Burke area that it is hard to keep straight what roads I've been on and what ones I just have marked. Ninety percent of the roads I have marked (and also in my GPS) have come from places I've read about on this forum.
Al

[ctyanky]

Al: I think I have a VT Jimapco implant in my brain! Honestly, I only highlight the roads I've done. And I use different colors. Whatever I have learned about VT back roads, well I owe it all to Phil. He is incredible! He does not need a Jimapco anywhere in the state but does have one as well as a Delorme in his trunk. Wait till you meet him and you will see why!

Being a New Englander, as you may well know, you learn as a young person to use landmarks to keep track of roads and directions and to visualize those landmarks into memory so you stay oriented. Grid patterns seem to be non-existent esp. in rural areas. Where I grew up in rural CT, everything was built in circles it seems, with no apparent rhyme or reason as to how to get around. We used farms, churches, fence lines, landscape oddities, etc. to tell people how to get somewhere! This has really helped me with all the back roads in VT and in CT where I am mostly in the NW corner of the state. But I still say "it's down the road a piece" and some people don't like that.

My Jimapco is really marked up too and pages are now falling out! I would go crazy if I lost it!

[ctyanky]

Forgot to add, was just up in the NW hill towns of CT. Color arriving there and it is about a week to 10 days earlier than last year. Reds are intense!

[ctyanky]

Al: I just talked to Phil on the phone and we are set for 10/1 now at the café "around" 9:30. If there are any areas you would like to explore other than what I mentioned please do so. Those routes/areas are not set in stone and we'll figure it out as we go. Probably 2 cars. I don't mind driving but Phil likes to be the driver. But I am sure we will eat at the Maple Corners General Store and take you to the barn over the road in Woodbury. We have to watch the weather as well. See you soon! CT

[bogey456]

CT: Still good for 10/1 We'll (my friend Bob, we tour Vermont together in the fall) follow your lead as you guys are much more familiar with all the back roads around there. We're hoping to learn new places for future visits. Al

[ctyanky]

Al - Looking forward to meeting you and your friend Bob. Fun and adventure ahead! This is going to be GREAT! I'll get out my Jimapco this weekend and scout out some routes and run them by Phil. Feel free to make a list of some new places you would like to see in the route 2 corridor, Danville, Calais, Plainfield, Woodbury and Marshfield. I really want to find your original tree in Peacham but I have a whole week to do that!

I may be meeting Ed our talented forum photog at some point for a sunrise at Marshfield Pond (if I can motivate myself to get up that early, very difficult ) He actually met Minnesotaman from the forum there one time last year. Small world!

See y'all soon! CT