Sunday Driver: Amherst, Mohawk Trail and the Quabbin
It is the end of Memorial Day weekend and I usually partake in the full slate of motorsports that accompanies this weekend of remembrance and reflection. I have rarely ever missed this trifecta: Monaco Grand Prix, Indy 500 and Coca Cola 600. However on Sunday, I just felt like driving. So, my trusted co-pilot, the Mrs., strapped into the trusty ST for some western Massachusetts and parts unknown favor. Sure, I missed Lewis Hamilton complaining about something in his eye in "the principality", The lights out finish at the Brickyard and Jimmy being Jimmy in Charlotte, but it ended up being too fine a day not to be out in the world.
So, I pushed start, flicked on the camera and just as Memorial Day weekend has three races, I want to pay my respects by offering up three scenic drives: US 202 to Amherst Center, Route 2- Mohawk Trail to the NY State border, and Route 9 west of the Quabbin Reservoir. Some of these areas are nationally renown for the great fall foliage but they are awesome during the rest of year too, especially for driving....well most of time. In any case, I will offer up some snippets, but will let you use the Google Machine for most of the tourism bit.
First up was the Monaco GP. I mean the drive to Amherst via US202 and Amherst Rd. This is a 21.5 mile run. (Watch Video) We got to this part of the state around 9am via Route 2 from Boston, which in its own right is rife with scenic views and seeds of our nation's history running through Lexington and Concord, Minuteman National Park and Walden Pond. In choosing this route, we bypassed the official start point of the Mohawk Trail, the picturesque town of Erving, Miller and Turner Falls. In any event, I have driven this section of 202 several times and this latest drive through was not the best. Large swaths of the highway southbound is being repaved and is consequently grooved along with raised castings (which will be evident in the video clip); this obviously causes a lot of road noise for miles and miles. Also, both 202 and Amherst Rd. are very bumpy, but I was fully prepared for that. Maybe Amherst Rd. will get some fresh tarmac in the next few months. However, I like driving through here.
Along the 21.5 miles there will always be something to do or see. The speed limits are not too restrictive (40-50mph) and this stretch has long, fast sweepers along with some tighter radius corners. It also has numerous elevation changes along with some long straight sections with adequate pass zones and decent sight lines. However, traffic levels on this particular day and the state of the road were not suitable to passing in the 202 section. Amherst Rd. offers a sore butt and old world driving charm with properties right up on the roadway and beautiful architecture, if you can spare enough time avoiding the bumps. In the times I have been through this whole section enforcement seems light, but it is a small sample size so drive with pace at your own risk. Paying some respect to the limits here still offer up a nice drive. Also, when you arrive into Amherst Center, The Lone Wolf is a great place to have breakfast.
The Indy 500 or second leg of this trek, was the Mohawk Trail (Route 2). We reconnected with the trail in Greenfield, MA and made the run to the New York border and Petersburgh through the Berkshires and Taconic Mountains. The New York Times offered up a nice write up titled Driving the Mohawk Trail in Massachusetts. The Mohawk Trail is a blast to be on and I have driven this route on several occasions as well. The run from Greenfield, MA to Petersburgh, NY is 47.5 miles. There is plenty to experience; you will find something that you will like as far as seeing the sights as well as using the steering wheel and throttle. We did not encounter a lot of traffic on this day, which has also been my experience on the several other trips out here that I have made. (Watch Part 1)
In my opinion the stretch is part tarmac rally stage, part Spa Francorchamps. In sections you blast through the higher points in and in others through sleepy towns that probably do good business in the winter with skiing. The roads are pretty smooth over the entire length, with plenty of river, mountain, and town views. However, I must say that driving through here is a some cultural ambivalence, particularly on Memorial Day weekend. One on hand, driving through open roadways thinking about our amazing history. On the other hand, some of the culture that was destroyed when forging that history. You have to think about it when you are driving on road named Mohawk, passing through areas named Quabbin or Taconic and live in Massachusetts. (Watch Part 2)
The final leg of this journey actually is from Albany, NY...Albany? Although my focus is New England, we could not just turn around now that we were on the border; what fun would that be? So, began the longest leg or our Coca Cola 600. Just as in the 600, it is a tale of two races with day transitioning into night. We continued to push on westerly, now on NY State Road 2, towards Grafton, then Troy and eventually into Albany. We started our path back east on US20 with a steady stream of "classic cars in the wild", down right bad ass customs, Mustangs of all years and stripes, and other note worthy pieces going westbound. In addition, some of these areas were no less spectacular driving and scenery-wise as we made it past Lebanon Valley Speedway and eventually back into Massachusetts and Pittsfield. For some reason, I didn't stay on US20 and opted for Route 9. It is of no consequence as the run back to Amherst was just as pleasurable as getting the state line in the first place as Route 9 in this part of the state does a dance with the Swift River and eventually the Connecticut River all with ample day light. Note to self...bring more freakin' batteries for the camera.
On the run back to Boston from Amherst via Route 9, (Watch Video) we began to transition into night. For me, going back on this route is both pleasurable and lamentable. Pleasurable because as you exit Amherst into Belchertown and eventually past the Quabbin Reservoir, you experience a road combination that is very exciting, yet relaxing at the same time. If you catch it with no traffic, it is very rewarding to cruise through here, checking the landscape and being at peace. It helps that the road and the public works crews help with that as this stretch of Route 9 is generally pretty smooth. It is lamentable because you eventually come up on more and more development and population density until you come upon Worcester. You then know that the rest of Route 9 is basically divided highway, business parks, malls, and everything in between until you make it home.
Mohawk Trail Driving Tours
Mohawk Trail
So, I pushed start, flicked on the camera and just as Memorial Day weekend has three races, I want to pay my respects by offering up three scenic drives: US 202 to Amherst Center, Route 2- Mohawk Trail to the NY State border, and Route 9 west of the Quabbin Reservoir. Some of these areas are nationally renown for the great fall foliage but they are awesome during the rest of year too, especially for driving....well most of time. In any case, I will offer up some snippets, but will let you use the Google Machine for most of the tourism bit.
First up was the Monaco GP. I mean the drive to Amherst via US202 and Amherst Rd. This is a 21.5 mile run. (Watch Video) We got to this part of the state around 9am via Route 2 from Boston, which in its own right is rife with scenic views and seeds of our nation's history running through Lexington and Concord, Minuteman National Park and Walden Pond. In choosing this route, we bypassed the official start point of the Mohawk Trail, the picturesque town of Erving, Miller and Turner Falls. In any event, I have driven this section of 202 several times and this latest drive through was not the best. Large swaths of the highway southbound is being repaved and is consequently grooved along with raised castings (which will be evident in the video clip); this obviously causes a lot of road noise for miles and miles. Also, both 202 and Amherst Rd. are very bumpy, but I was fully prepared for that. Maybe Amherst Rd. will get some fresh tarmac in the next few months. However, I like driving through here.
 |
| Looking towards Amherst Center |
The Indy 500 or second leg of this trek, was the Mohawk Trail (Route 2). We reconnected with the trail in Greenfield, MA and made the run to the New York border and Petersburgh through the Berkshires and Taconic Mountains. The New York Times offered up a nice write up titled Driving the Mohawk Trail in Massachusetts. The Mohawk Trail is a blast to be on and I have driven this route on several occasions as well. The run from Greenfield, MA to Petersburgh, NY is 47.5 miles. There is plenty to experience; you will find something that you will like as far as seeing the sights as well as using the steering wheel and throttle. We did not encounter a lot of traffic on this day, which has also been my experience on the several other trips out here that I have made. (Watch Part 1)
In my opinion the stretch is part tarmac rally stage, part Spa Francorchamps. In sections you blast through the higher points in and in others through sleepy towns that probably do good business in the winter with skiing. The roads are pretty smooth over the entire length, with plenty of river, mountain, and town views. However, I must say that driving through here is a some cultural ambivalence, particularly on Memorial Day weekend. One on hand, driving through open roadways thinking about our amazing history. On the other hand, some of the culture that was destroyed when forging that history. You have to think about it when you are driving on road named Mohawk, passing through areas named Quabbin or Taconic and live in Massachusetts. (Watch Part 2)
 |
| A look back into Massachusetts from Petersburgh |
On the run back to Boston from Amherst via Route 9, (Watch Video) we began to transition into night. For me, going back on this route is both pleasurable and lamentable. Pleasurable because as you exit Amherst into Belchertown and eventually past the Quabbin Reservoir, you experience a road combination that is very exciting, yet relaxing at the same time. If you catch it with no traffic, it is very rewarding to cruise through here, checking the landscape and being at peace. It helps that the road and the public works crews help with that as this stretch of Route 9 is generally pretty smooth. It is lamentable because you eventually come up on more and more development and population density until you come upon Worcester. You then know that the rest of Route 9 is basically divided highway, business parks, malls, and everything in between until you make it home.
Mohawk Trail Driving Tours
Mohawk Trail
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