October 9, 2015. Four Mile Creek SP to Dorset, VT - Lost in the Rain, the Colors and the Clouds. Today's drive from western New York, across the state, to southwestern Vermont was through the rain. As we approached Vermont, the GPS got silly and directed us in ever decreasing concentric circles. Had we not broken the cycle, I suppose we would have disappeared into a black hole.
The rain began about 10:00 last night and continued throughout the night. It dogged us across the state of New York on Interstate 90. For some reason, the GPS directed us off the Interstate at Amsterdam, NY, and put us on back roads for the last two hours of the drive.
Annie expressed disagreement with Gypsy and I did a foolish thing. I sided with Gypsy. Eventually, I reasoned, Gypsy would get us to our destination. Somewhere in eastern New York or western Vermont, I noticed - about the same time as Annie - that we were reentering a village we had been in twenty minutes before. We had been directed in a twenty-minute loop! I don't know how that happened. But, it shook my faith in Gypsy.
It also exposed me to ridicule and scorn from my travel companion. She had previously expressed doubt about Gypsy's reliability. The recognition that we had traveled in a big circle was validation of her sound judgment and of Gypsy's fallibility. Her concern increased as we found ourselves on a narrow, two-lane road which climbed into the clouds until the visibility was less than a quarter of a mile.
So, once again, Annie showed that when an electronic device is at odds with her, I should listen to her and not the electronic device. You'd think I'd know that by now. I'll do better next time. Annie says that's what I said last time. She is right, of course.
We will be in Dorset, near Manchester Center, VT, for the next four nights. There are outlet stores in Manchester Center and Vermont country stores in the vicinity. And, as you can see, Vermont autumn colors are at near-peak. I suspect we'll get the full seasonal exposure over the next seven to ten days. This could be the best fall display we've enjoyed in our several trips to New England. Stand by for more.
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1 comment:
This maybe a duplicate. sometimes I don't do the publish thing correctly.
The words of Wisdom of Daniel Cobb are appropriate "Local knowledge preempts anything the Navigation device tells you" or something like that.
We had similar experiences, but did not fault the electronic device but rather the local signage, which was either non existant, very small print, or not uniformly placed to confirm the directions we were receiving.
We resorted to the old fashion ways of looking at the maps and understanding the instructions each morning before departing. We also had the maps close at hand for ready reference and once or twice pulled to the side of the road to confirm and understand our path forward.
But, it did find Waker point and H.W's. beach home.
The colors are beautiful!
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