山里人家,平凡人家.
写写自己所经历的,所见的,所闻的 ,所想的...
来美后至疫情前自驾游那么多年总共跑了美国三十来个州，疫情中不方便跑国外，干脆自驾游把美国游个遍。东北秋叶游后美国自驾游完美收工。
我们喜欢户外，自驾游中徒步走道是必不可少的项目，我们把这戏称为“开疆阔土”，“宣示主权”。哈哈，回归自然，回归本性。
动物中，撒尿划地盘的动物主要是哺乳动物，包括狮子、老虎、豹， 棕熊、牛、马、羊等。此外，大熊猫这样的动物也会采取类似的行动。这些动物的尿液中携带独特的化学成分，这些化学物质的气味可以被同种的动物所识别，通过这种方式，动物能够标记自己的领地，宣誓所有权。
与先前不同，在游了artist bluff 后，（除了波士顿）以后的行程中亚裔面孔不见了，我们两张亚裔脸简直成了游客中稀有的”大熊猫”。
整个秋叶游的行程中我们走了许多步道，但同一天走的两条步道印象特别深刻。
步道：Severance Mt trail , 来回花了1小时45分钟，来回2.6英里，一路上就我们俩人，爬到山顶，哇，风景这边独好，连绵起伏的群山，三四个高山湖泊被群山环抱，满山遍野，万紫千红的秋色尽收眼底，山顶见到一位坐在岩石上约近三十岁的小白独行侠，出外徒步时，不管什么人一见面仿佛像老朋友一样一见如故，聊起原来他是住在离此地三四小时车程的城市，每隔一段时间会来此地享受孤独，沉淀下来，重新充电。聊完他便下山了。
我们拍拍拍，小坐一会我们便打道下山，这时碰到一对刚上山顶的小白小情侣或小夫妻，俊男美女，超级靓眼，打过招呼后我们继续下行，回眸一瞥，好一幅温馨浪漫的图画，一对年轻的背影面朝漫山遍野五彩缤纷的秋色，天人合一忘我沉浸在这美妙的大自然中，不求地久天长，只求曾经拥有，这浪漫时刻也是给人生留下深刻印象的那一刻：只有你和我。赶紧掏出手机，拍下这美好的瞬间，必须收藏。
下山中途又碰到一个正在歇脚的近60岁老白妇女独行侠。聊了几句。连我们总共6 个人。
走完此步道后继续驱车前行，来到一条步道Panther mountain trail, 我们到入口处时，只见一条通知，还有两天此步道就要被关闭，某人还叨叨了一句，“怎么这么早就要关闭了，还是十月中旬呢”。
那天无风，一路上万籁俱静，一根针掉地上都能听得见，班得瑞的”寂静的森林”在耳边回响。一路上，只有钉挂在树干上简单蓝色路标指示方向，我一路欣赏，一路拍照，走得慢。某人走得快，他总是这样，走一段路回头接应我。咦这家伙又不见了。树林、树林还是树林，突然脑海中闪现要是出现一只熊怎么办的念头？赶紧打住，多想想心里要开始发毛了。
走到一个岔路口，有三条小道，不知往哪走？就停在那等，等某人来接应，等了好久，某人回来了，理所当然被臭骂几句，我们的干粮，饮水，衣服都在他的背包里，要是迷路，我可能就“壯烈”了。原来不显眼的路标在右上方不远处的树干上，我眼神不好没看见。
快接近山顶时，步道越来越窄，只容一人通过，路标又不明显，一下雪什么都看不见，怪不得步道要早早封了。山顶也没什么好景色，但对我们来说也算是一种别具风味的体验吧。
除了这两处印像深刻的徒步，还又另两处景观值得一提。
Hoosac tunnel: 此铁路遂道1875年完工，全长4.75英里，近150年，至今仍在使用的铁路遂道，，此遂道建成时为北美第一长，世界第二长，难得的是此铁路遂道现在还在使用。沿着hoodsic river 开车，一路上风景如画，很少有房子，停车路边，准备拍照，一农庄妇人马上向前询问有何需要帮忙。河中间三个貌似圣诞老公公把橡皮筏抛锚固定在江心垂钓，见我在拍照，三个人同时招呼招手，拍好后，我掉转镜头, 三位白胡子又同时举起手，于是我的手机留下我和江心三垂钓的老头合影。
来到铁路隧道，游人总共七八个，碰到一位一身短打的业余摄影爱好者，我穿着毛衣加后外套还觉得冷，架着镜头，等待准备拍摄火车出隧道的那一刻，此兄超级热心，给我们介绍隧道旁走1英里有一瀑布，我们因为另有安排，也就作罢。再说我们已看过伊瓜苏瀑布，对其他小瀑布已提不起兴趣了。
Williams College，这座建于1873 年的文理学院为美囯数一数二的文理学院，我家大娃当初申请大学前收到该学院提供免费机票及相关费用，参观他们学院，大娃对文理小学院不感兴趣，自然也没有接受offer , 但此学院的名字刻在脑海里，这回我们去东北部自驾游干脆参观一下，建于1893年的校舍非常紧凑美观，逮住一个背着书包的小白女孩询问，女孩非常热心，给介绍了建筑物的归属，这是图书馆，那是….. 末了，问她“你喜欢这个学校吗？”回答道非常喜欢。
15天的吃住行，
住：有Marriott 的连锁就住，我们是会员，会员一年有1 晚免费住宿及一次免费升级，这回给免费升级了三次没用积分，有时酒店会主动给免费升级，到Boston 时，用积分换升级也没有，因为全满了，这回15天的行程用积分免费住了5个晚上，对于新会员，有时促销会给相当于5个免费住宿，所用信用卡住宿加油购物都有积分。对于经常出行的驴友挺合算。没有万豪的连锁店，就住其他大品脾的连锁店。有时地方太小，也只好住汽车旅馆，多年前住在一个印度人开的汽车旅馆，发现有臭虫，深夜逃离，都留下阴影了。从此 住宿时行李箱不放地上，随时拉上箱子拉链。
吃：我们是国际胃，什么国家的食物都能吃，吃的最多的是日餐，好吃，健康。有时一万人的小城都有挺不错的日本寿司店，韩国，（最好是夫妻老婆店，英语讲不利索的，地道）泰国的，墨西哥的轮着吃，老美餐好的也挺好吃的，新鲜牛排，小羊排，海鲜烤的能不好吃吗？
我家某人最辛苦，我们住宿通常只订一两个晚上，灵活机动，某人负责开车，订宿及安排行程，我负责找吃的，煮吃的，通常早餐酒店吃，中餐前不着村后不着店肯定吃干粮，所以晚餐一定要吃好，Google 和yelp找评分4.5以上的(至少4以上），不光看评分，还得要菜品图像。（上过当）出去自驾游在小城里市不能吃中餐，最难吃，多年前订了酸辣汤，端上像刷锅水，在另一家中餐馆订的三个菜端上来，三个菜一个味，brown sauce 的味道，简直败坏中餐的名声，从此在小城不吃中餐，吃什么菜都比中餐好吃。东北缅因数州产龙虾，超市有买活龙虾及有填好料的龙虾卖，40几刀龙虾，鱼加蔬菜，拿回来，蒸或烤或煮，小酒搭搭，吃得不要太舒服。
indian lake，游人不多，很喜欢。
Severance Mt trail 的山顶景观。
Severance Mt trail 山顶
车窗外山里人家
秋色倒影
车窗外的小城
途中小城
傍晚抵达酒店外的晚霞
Hoosac tunnel
Hoosac tunnel旁的业余摄影师。（经他同意的）
Hoosac tunnel 铁路桥上的景色。
hoodsic river 河中心三垂钓的“圣诞老公公”。
Shelbourne Falls.
建于1793 年的著名文理学院，Williams College, 130 多岁了，非常精致漂亮
东北随处可见的加顶小桥，躲雨歇马的地方。
日餐
老美海鲜餐馆的菜，入口即化的五花肉，烤带子及crab cakes ，精致又美味。
2022自驾游所跑的地方
附赏秋详细行程表,供有意自驾游的网游参考。
New England Fall Foliage Trip
October, 2023
Day 1 Fly to Boston and rent a car at Boston Logan International Airport
Day 2 Visit Harvard Medical School, Harvard Botanic Garden, etc.
Day 3 Drive to Acadia National Park, MaineStopped by Ogunquit and drove through several small towns along coastal highway 1. Then stopped by Portland Head Light in Cape Elizabeth, and continued to drive along Old Route 1 along the way in Brunswick, Bath, Rockport, and Camden.
Day 4 Acadia National Park.Drove up to the summit of Cadillac Mountain and sightseeing.
Drove Park Loop Road inside Acadia. This included Jordan Pond (hiked along the lake), Bubble Rock (hiked), Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, Otter Cliff and some more.
Day 5 Continued sightseeing at Arcadia NP and then drove to New Hampshire White Mountain at North Conway.
Visited Bass Harbor Lighthouse and nearby rocky coast.
Drove to Schoodic Peninsular and stopped by Raven Nest overlook and Schoodic Point.
Drove to North Conway.
Day 6 Thu East side of White Mountain and railway trip
Drove along east part of Kancamagus Scenic Byway and stopped by Saco River Covered Bridge, Albany Covered Bridge, Lower falls scenic area, and Rocky Gorge (walked along Swift River).From Rocky Gorge drove up to Bear Notch Road. At the end of Bear Notch Road, drove north to Crawford Notch State Park. Stopped by Highland Center (Railway Station) and hiked up the Mount Willard trail (3.2-mile round-trip to a clifftop overlooking Crawford Notch).
Next, continued north to view the Mt. Washington Cog Railway, which goes up to the summit of Mount Washington, the tallest mountain in the northeastern US at 6,289 feet.
On way back to Residence Inn, stopped by Diana’s Baths and Cathedral Ledge and then drove through the town of Jackson.
Day 7 Drove west through Kancamagus Scenic Byway and visit Franconia Notch State Park
Returned to Kancamagus Scenic Byway and drove west, stopped by several overlooks.
Hiked up to Artist’s Bluff to Bald Mountain loop trail (1.4 miles, 436 ft elevation), but did not see anything because of thick clouds.
Stopped by Echo Lake.
Droved along the Mountain Tram Station and Old Man of the Mountain Profiler Plaza.
Droved to Sugar Hill to see scenic vista.
Day8 Franconia Notch State Park, Flume Gorge, Artist’s Bluff
Visited Flume Gorge, a relatively easy 2-mile loop hike to see multiple waterfalls, streams, and covered bridges.
Stopped by Boise Rock.
Visited Littleton town ,Hiked to Artis it’s Bluff again. This time it was very crowded but very nice views at the top.
Day 9 Sun Sightseeing at Stowe and Smugglers’ State Park
Stopped by Vermont’s pretty capital, Montpelier (downtown and Vermont State House).
Visited Ben & Jerry ice cream factory and Cold Hollow Cider Mill in Waterbury VT.
Toured Stowe’s white-steepled Community Church and the downtown.
Drove VT 100 north from Stowe to Jeffersonville and stopped by several overlooks in Smugglers’ Notch State Park VT.
Stopped by Alchemist Brewery in Stowe.
Day 10 Sightseeing along VT 100 from Burlington VT to Adirondacks NY
Sightseeing at Burlington lakeside of Lake Champlain.
Stopped by Church St and Market Place in Downtown Burlington.
Stopped by the World’s Tallest Filing Cabinet, Burlington VT.
Stopped by Warren and Mad River Valley.
Stopped by Woodstock and visited March-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park and hiked along Quechee Gorge, Vermont’s deepest gorge.
Drove through several VT small towns/villages (Newfane and Williamsville Covered Bridge, Dorset, and Manchester).
Day 11 Visited Adirondacks State Park NY.
Scenic drive to Indian Lake and sightseeing along Indian Lake and Diamondbacks Lake.
Hiked at Severance Mt trail (2.6-mile round trip) and hiked to Panther Mountain at Chestertown.
Day 12 Drove from Glens Falls to Williamstown
Stopped by Albany, New York State’s capital city, and Washington Park, State Capital, and Downtown
Stopped at Hair Pin Turn and Golden Eagle Restraint for pictures.
Hiked at Busby Trail to Spruce Hill, 3-mile round trip, elevation 680 ft. and visited the nearby North Pond.
Drove through the town of North Adams and visited Williams College.
Day 13 Thu Drove from Williamstown to Boston
Drove up to Mount Greylock Summit (3491 ft) and then drove east along Mohawk Trail (65 miles long from Williamstown to Greenfield MA)
Stopped by Hair Pin Turn for pictures.
Stopped by Wigham Western Summit and “American’s Switzerland”.
Stopped by Whitecomb Summit.
Visited Bissell Covered Bridge and Hoosic Tunnel and drove along Hoosic River.
Visit Bridge of Flowers, Glacial Potholes and the town of Shelbourne Falls.
Stopped by Poet’s Seat Tower in Greenfield and Turner Falls (Great Falls Discovery Center), MA
Stopped by French King Bridge to take photos, Millers Falls MA
Day 14 Visited Boston suburbs
Day 15 Visited Downtown Boston and Fly back to home.
Visited Boston Downtown (South Church, The Embrace, Public Garden, Boston Commons 1634, and others).
三个菜，一个味道。哈哈，我们也上过当！知道我们在美东的人的苦处了吧，要吃像样的中国菜，只能去中国人集中的地方。我们这里，中国人少，平时出门，就吃西餐。我们喜欢吃西餐，是被逼出来的。
西式的五花肉，真是入口即化，说实在的，中国的红烧肉，我还没吃到过入口即化的呢。