Long Pass

It was opening day of football season. So we decided to go for a drive in the rain.

We went looking for some place to eat, and got on the highway going north. We kind of shot the idea around of heading to Brattleboro, Vermont, but it didn't really take.

I said let's stop somewhere and eat first, then see if we feel like going all the way up there.

We passed exit after exit, and kept going. Then I remembered a good place in Greenfield.
We got off at that exit and in no time we saw 'the sign' through the rain soaked windshield.




My love affair with Greek pizza joints continues.

After a tasty steak and cheese grinder and personal pizza, we were refreshed and ready to press on to the Jewel of southern Vermont. Brattleboro.

Brattleboro is a town of about 12,000. Until a dairy crunch in the 1970's it was a big farm town of 190 farms. Now there are nine. It's former calls to glory and employment were the Estey Organ company, at one time the biggest manufacturer of organs in America. Before that is was a spa/resort town, when some springs were discovered in the mid 19th century. Before all of that it was a trading post, called Fort Dummer. Yeah, I spelled it right.

This cool hotel was probably from the spa/organ era:

The Main strip has nothing if not variety.
There are hokey shops with trinkets and baubles,

Next to pricey art galleries, next to used record stores.



Next to cafes, next to restaurants.



There are books stores and bicycle shops. There are, of course, Hemp clothing stores.



A lot of variety on a short street. The same can be said for the local inhabitants.

I always stop in at a big old store called 'Sam's Outdoor Outfitters', they have just about everything you could need for the great outdoors.

Once when we were up here last year, roaming around in one of those pricey art galleries, we had a star-sighting. Whoopi Goldberg, (be impressed if you'd like).

A little further up the street are three steepled churches, this one an old Baptist Church, pointing solemnly to the heavens.

I bet they've had rip-roaring services on the inside though...

I forgot what denomination this one was. Interestingly, both of these churches had beautiful stain glass windows, that were covered with Plexiglass.

Insulation? Preservation? Restoration? I suppose they still look as good from the inside when the sun hits them.

You've probably heard about the recent spate of nudists running amok all over town. I didn't spot any. The town government clamped down hard and nipped this disturbing trend in the bud. With a temporary ban. In certain areas. Until mid September.

Vermont = laid back.