Mount Greylock to the Coast
Highs and lows … from the summit of Mount Greylock, at 3491′, Massachusett’s highest point, to Salisbury Beach State Reservation, at sea level, the photo above reveals the true high point of this week’s travels. Fried clams from the Clam Box in Ipswich, MA.! Been waiting for this for six years! Kind of pricey, but oh so good. $36 for lunch is a little out of my normal price range, but they don’t skimp on the clams and they were so good.
Tuesday morning, I was up and on the road before 7 AM to visit Mount Greylock in western Massachusetts. Came upon this great old barn while traveling the back roads.
From my campsite in Charlemont, I took the Mohawk Trail (Route 2) up to Whitcomb summit, where I stopped for this photo of the valley below, actually hidden in the fog is the town of North Adams.
The view from the summit of Mount Greylock was quite similar on this gorgeous blue sky morning.
This imposing structure is the War Memorial at the summit of the mountain.
From Mount Greylock, I returned to the Country Aire Campground in Charlemont and loaded up the Equinox (so nice not to have to mess around with the tow dolly anymore) and checked out at 11 AM , heading for the Massachusetts coast and the campground at the Salisbury State Reservation (State Park). The image above was taken at the boat launch site within the park, looking up the Merrimack River to the town of Newburyport. In a past life, many times I used this boat ramp to launch my boat for attempts at Bluefish and Stripped Bass.
Today, while the river looked relatively calm, the ocean was stirred up from a brisk wind out of the north, bringing with it rather chilly overnight temps in the 40’s, perfect sleeping weather for my tastes.
I am booked here through Friday night, then have to leave and head up the coast of Maine. Would like to have stayed a few more days but all 494 campsites are reserved for Saturday night … and it is the off-season for the coast, just too many old retired farts taking up too much space if you ask me. And this campground goes for a cool $50.83/night, resort prices for a decidedly less than resort facility. I can remember when the place was mostly empty after Labor Day and campsites were under $20. Ah, the good old days!
I appreciate the good writing and good humor!
So glad to see you back.Photos are beautiful.
My mouth is watering looking at your clam dinner. My choice would be shrimp! Fall on the East Coast is the most colorful time! Looking forward to your pix!
Nanci loved the photos of the Bridge of Flowers.
I grew up at the base of Mt. Greylock. You can see my old house from the summit. You had a great day on the mountain. Al
If you go up as far as the “Down East” area. (I think that is what they call the far northeastern corner of Maine.) Check out Cobscook State Park. All the campsites this late in the season are now first come first serve. If you can get campsites 7U or 8U you will have a view of the 20′ tides from the windows in your RV. 4U & 5U are nice as well, just not quite as good of a view. Link to the SP website: https://www.maine.gov/cgi-bin/online/doc/parksearch/index.pl?search_radio=1&state_park=15&historic_site=&public_reserved_land=&shared_use_trails=&town=&distance=&submit=Go+%BB
Thanks for the info, I know I am going up as far as Jonesport, might make it up to Lubac.
If you do get that far downeast, be sure to visit the “reversing falls” not far from Cobscook SP. http://downeastcoastalconservancy.org/dcc-trails/reversing-falls/
Most interesting to see the water falling over the rocks in one direction and then a while later falling in the opposite direction.
If you get as far as Boothbay Harbor check into Shore Hills Campground. We have been there a few times. Some of the campsites are right on the estuary. We were there about this time last year and it had a couple bald eagles, osprey, several greater and less snowy egrets, great blue herons and a few other birds. They fish the flats when the tide goes out. We were there on Labor Day weekend and not as many birds but it may have been early. It’s usually a fairly quiet campground as well.