Upstate

I'm traveling this week for work and pleasure, although it's at my insistence that the work element entered into the equation. It's the reason the trip took form. While I would have preferred to have stretched it out by a couple days--and not be carting a trunk full of television equipment--it should be a good time, if driving-intensive.

I spent the better part of the day driving east through the southern part of New York. The first time I drove through this part of the state was the weekend before Thanksgiving in 1995. I was shocked at how little I passed. There's a lot of wilderness and little else, at least what's visible from the highway. Today's journey marks just the third time since then that I've driven through upstate New York two, yet even though I know what to expect, I marvel at how isolated it can seem out here.

My first stop on the trip falls under the "pleasure" designation. Since I've come about halfway to my primary destination--Bangor, Maine--it made perfect sense, at least to me, to visit the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. It's not like the place is on the way to much anywhere else, so with it being sort of on the route, I had my excuse to stop here. (I'm actually staying about twenty miles away to save on otherwise fairly high hotel rates for the middle of nowhere, although rooms are no bargain here.)

As I transferred my belongings from the car to the hotel, I felt as though anyone seeing me unload or cleaning my room might incorrectly assume that I am an assassin or terrorist. (I have two cabbage cases with TV stuff, three other cases, and two tripod bags that could be mistaken for something carrying rifles.)

I failed in my lunchtime quest to find a local place to eat, but for dinner I stopped at Neptune Diner, one of those places that's open 24 hours and serves just about anything you can imagine. I certainly didn't leave there needing to eat anything for the rest of the evening. If I lack for other options, I certainly have no problem returning there. We'll see how long I visit Cooperstown tomorrow, though. I don't expect to pass through here again anytime soon.