Have the trees and leaves survived?

[Nancy]

Hello,

I was very saddened to hear about the catastrophic hurricane that devastated Vermont and its residents last month. I have tentative plans to make my first visit to Vermont during the first two weeks of October this year in order to see fall foliage. But I'd like to know if the storm knocked down the trees or the leaves? I'm just wondering if it might be better to postpone my trip to next year. Thank you for your help!

Nancy
negarza@sbcglobal.net

[pwt54]

We have plenty of leaves up here. The big damage was not from the wind, but from flash floods. The stressed out trees are showing some color change. This is normal ! I saw a couple of waterlogged red maples that looked gorgeous.

[Nancy]

OK, you talked me into it! I just bought my plane tickets: L.A. to Boston for Oct 4 - Oct. 12. Next question: We'll be landing in Boston at 5 p.m. on Tuesday and renting a car. I did make reservations at a hotel in White River Junction for the entire time, but I'm concerned about the first night. Do you recommend staying in Boston, or somewhere on the route to WRJ or driving all the way to WRJ the first night?

[ctyanky]

Hi Nancy! I'm thrilled you decided to come to Vermont after all! It was the right decision. Ok, you are "scheduled" to land at 5 in Boston. Does the exact arrival time ever happen? Plus if you are stopping in Chicago, well, you know what I mean. Also, this is prime time in Boston for rush hour traffic! Boston drivers, traffic, not a great combination! Factor in getting your bags, securing your rental, getting much darker then around 6:00, etc. etc. etc.

"If it were me", I would choose to stay the first night outside the Boston corridor. Getting out of Bahston between 5 and 7 is a total nightmare. I also noted you said you were "concerned" about the first night. Why not relax after a cross country flight: get your bags, your rental car, get a place to crash the first night and find a good restaurant nearby and just simply wind down. Get up really early and start your journey and feel refreshed for Vermont!

There are less expensive places to stay outside the 128 loop/corridor of Boston than at the airport.

That's just my own opinion and what I would choose to do. Anyone else???

[Utah Baker]

I think you would be fine to head straight up. Our first trip we flew into NYC and headead up about 6 p.m. You need to consider the time change, it will be only 3p.m. when you arrive L.A. time. But of cousre it depends on how tried you think you will feel. Google Maps shows it to be a 2hour and 10 min drive. I'd go for it!

[Nancy]

Thank you all for your suggestions! I've decided to do the sensible thing (and the considerate thing for my driver/husband) and take Abby & Ctyanky's advice to spend the first night close to Boston. In what section or town do you recommend we stay? I think it should be on the route towards Vermont but not more than a half hour drive from the airport if possible. I've tried figuring this out by myself but can't as I'm unfamiliar with the city. Any help you can give me with this would be greatly appreciated! Nancy

[ctyanky]

Nancy: Glad you made a good decision for you and your husband regarding staying overnight after a long flight. Here are my thoughts having lived in Boston for many years, but I will defer to Carol for confirmation. Take 93 right out of the airport area and head up towards NH. Find a place in Nashua or Manchester for the night. Prices will be much lower than the North Shore and points west of Boston. You can pick up 89 in Concord.

(Billerica is just outside Boston just off 93 a bit (you have a GPS?) and that is another option instead of NH. It is a bedroom community but I think there are quite a few places to stay there so do check it out!)

Carol: what do you think?

WXMAN may have a lot of suggestions too when he gets back from NH......

[Nancy]

Thank you ctyanky and Carol! This is a tremendous help! You guys are great!

Nancy

[ctyanky]

You're welcome Nancy. I am confident your trip to Vermont will be everything you've hoped for. Let us know how the first night accommodation situation worked out for you and as Carol said, post your experiences here after you are back in sunny Cal.

Carol: that was great info for Nancy. I knew you would have the Bahston info ready!

[Andy]

Nancy: Looks like you came to the right place and got some great local knowledge from two who make the trek from Mass/Conn many times.

Have a great time in Vermont. Its is a place of wonder. I will be flying to SF during that week and I'll wave as our airliners pass each other

[Nancy]

OK, I'm a little worried now. Although you all have assured me that the trees and leaves have survived, I just found a map in the Vermont Agency of Transportation Travel Information site that shows that there are 23 road closures and 20 road work areas in Vermont. Plus I read that most of the covered bridges are down. I am worried that we'll have a hard time getting to those beautiful trees and leaves, not to mention those pretty little towns I've read so much about. Please reassure me that this will not be a problem. Thank you again for your help!

Nancy

[Andy]

Nancy, perhaps the best thing would be for you to tell us where you want to go and what you want to see specifically and we can help you with whether they are closed and whether there are alternative routes

[pwt54]

I think only one or two bridges are down. Most of the damage is on the approaches to the bridges. Our Covered Bridges are insured by the League of Cities and Towns and they have said the bridges will be repaired or rebuilt.

[Nancy]

Hello everyone!
My Oct. 5th trip to Vermont is still on (despite some earlier worries)! I've been following this forum every day, along with a few others I found on line. I have everything prepared: hotel, car, air. The only thing I don't have prepared are driving route plans. I see that there are lots of suggested routes from past years on this forum, but if you could pick just a few, which would you recommend? We will be based in White River Junction for six days and hope to see beautiful foliage and pretty little towns. Thank you once again for your great advice!
Nancy

[pwt54]

Route US 4 is open now. Route 100 should be open down to Ludlow by next week. Colors look good on these roads. Route 106 is officially open down past the Jenne Farm Road. There is a detour using the Upper Farm Road south of there. Route 131 in Cavendish will not be open before Thankgiving. Routes 17 and 125 are open and look good for your trip. Route 73 will not be open any time soon. The way things looked today, any road north of Route US 4 will be good. I'll check the Northeast Kingdom on Sunday. Stay tuned. This may be one of our best years in a while.