Yes, America's largest bike race is back upon us April 13 and 14 in Cambridge, with over 3,000 amateur racers from 40 States and 15 countries participating...and yes, there will be a giant Expo starting Friday from 10am in the heart of Cambridge with all sorts of vendors...but what, you are asking, does any of this have to do with the plow pictured above?  This is to call your attention to McCartee's Barn, one of the many easy-to-miss treasures you'll find while you're out exploring the Battenkill Valley during the races.  McCartee's Barn, located next to the Salem Central School, is a wonder to behold; chock full of local artworks, antiques, garden ephemera, jewelry, cookware, etc., etc., etc. So by all means begin your Battenkill weekend with the race, but don't miss the opportunity to "plow through" the barn and the many other local wonders you'll find while you're out cruising around (and take home a better memento than just a race t-shirt)!

Where was the Battle of Bennington fought? 

The answer should be as obvious as "who is buried in Grant's tomb?"  Actually, the great battle that set-up the battle at Saratoga - the turning point of the Revolutionary War - was fought right here in the good ol' Battenkill Valley. 

On August 11, 1777, British General John Burgoyne dispatched about 650 soldiers to Bennington, Vermont under the command of Col. Freidrich Baum to collect the cache of weapons that were know to be held by the rebels there.  Burgoyne believed they would outnumber the rebels by about five-to-one.  Long story short, on August 16 the band of mostly German soldiers tried to hold a redoubt on a hill just outside of Hoosick Falls and were defeated by General Stark and several waves of rebel soldiers and militia from New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.  About 70 rebels were lost, compared to over 900 of Baum's troops. 

So, the Battle of Bennington monument, that great monolith of limestone that pierces the sky on a hill in Bennington and can be seen for miles, actually marks the spot of the cache of weapons, not the battle itself.  If you'd like to see the actual battle sight (and I'd highly recommend it) you need to go just beyond Hoosick Falls on Rt.  67 and look for the National Monument site.  It's closed for the season now, but you can drive up to the top and see where the redoubt was and have a picnic (tables and ranger station provided) and enjoy a gorgeous circular view of the Battenkill Valley.

There is an enormous amount of Revolutionary War history dotted throughout the Battenkill Valley and the experience is all the better in that much of the landscape has not changed since that time.  So get out there, keep on the lookout for those ubiquitous history signs along the road, stop and check out some old burying grounds (Salem's is of particular note), and get a feel for the history of your country on the grounds and battlefields where it all began.  Right here in the Battenkill Valley. 

What would you do if you received a letter telling you that the person who married you was a fraud...and that your marriage is not now - nor never has been - legal?  That's just Act I in a trio of funny, flabbergasting and often poignant  looks at significant others and the roles we play in one anothers lives.  This is the fifth time around for me and my writing partner, Jay Kerr, owner of the Fort Salem Theater, and this time we wrote three separate acts specifically to showcase the talents of our cast, who hails from TV, the Movies, and Broadway.  And man do they shine!  Shows are this Friday and Saturday night at 8pm and Sunday at 2pm and you can reserve tickets by calling 854-9200.  Do it now, before they're all gone...and I look forward to seeing you there!

OK...this idea is going to take a little effort on your part, so I'm going to make a bet with you:  try it once and see if you don't believe that little extra effort was well worth it.  I'm talking about Destination Walking; driving to a place like Salem or Shushan in the Battenkill Valley to take a walk.  It's a completely different experience than "Mall Walking".  It gets you out in the open country, taking in that delicious country air, witnessing breathtaking new vistas around every bend in the road.  More importantly even than that, it gets you out of your old routine and takes you to a beautiful new place to explore, putting another notch in your Life Experiences belt.  Get your friends together and try it.  To get you started, come to Salem on Rt.22, take Riley Hill Road, which starts out steep but levels out and opens up nicely.  Make two left turns when you come to them and you'll loop back into Salem on Blind Buck Road, past our beautiful school and just north of Riley Hill road where you started.  I do it in 40 minutes at speed, but you'll likely want to take twice that much time as the scenery - if not the walk - will take your breath away.  Another nice one is in Shushan.  Park by the covered bridge on Eagleville Road off of Rt. 313, then go over the bridge and bear left onto Binniger Road, take that out to Rt. 61, (the paved road you'll come to in a mile and a quarter), make a right and then another right when you get to Eagleville Road again.  This is a bit longer, a tad over 4 miles, but hey...you came all of this way, right?  Of course, you really should make a day of it, to explore the funky eateries, art galleries, antique stores and curiosity shops that make the Battenkill Valley so unique. And if you should be passed by a car be sure to give a friendly wave.  We do that here.

Summer Sounds of Salem kicks off this Saturday and continues every Saturday through Labor Day.  Come hear live music from 11a-1p while you shop a "real" farmer's market. (C'mon, this is Salem I'm talking about here!)  It's a great way to recharge and there is no charge for the music!  This year, the performers will be using the celebrated Front Porch donated by Salem Art Works, a front porch reproduction all the way from the U.K. that showcases the uniquely American tradition of "hanging out on the front porch."  Just drive through town with your windows down - you can't miss it!

If you ever wanted to dip your toe into the Battenkill Valley then take this weekend - May 5-6 - to drive up to the Washington County Fairgrounds just east of Schuylerville (up the hill) on Rt. 29 and come to the big Antique Fair. 

"We're looking at the largest show we've ever had," said Michael Green of Fairground Shows, NY.  "We already have 225 dealers and more are calling everyday."   Gates open at 8am and tickets - good for the whole weekend - are only $3.  Sr.s just $2 and kids under 14, free.  In addition to antiques for sale, several dealers will also provide appraisals for customer's antiques, so bring your stuff along and see what it's worth.  That old piece of junk collecting dust could be worth a mint!  See you there!

The 2012 Tour Of The Battenkill - America's largest one-day Pro/Am cycling race - is back in the Battenkill Valley April 13-15!  The official word:  "Racers compete over 62 miles of rolling terrain on both dirt and paved roads as they travel through the world famous Battenkill Valley. Set in early spring, the race starts and finishes in the scenic village of Cambridge, New York and courses through covered bridges, family farms, and rural villages along the many challenging backcountry roads that traverse Southern Washington County, New York."

So just how big is big?  The 2011 race played host to over 2,500 amateur and professional cyclists from throughout North America and dozens of nations worldwide.  This year there will be an appearance by 3-time Tour De France Champion Greg LeMond, who will be doing a book signing at Battenkill Books (appropriately) on Friday.  There are races throughout the weekend and a real carnival atmosphere throughout the village of Cambridge (and beyond) so most anytime you come you're bound to see some exciting happenings.  Hey, it's the biggest and the best and it's happening in the Battenkill Valley.  What more do you need to know?  See you there!

Why settle for just another haunted house when you can experience an entire haunted COURThouse?!  Fear This brings its terrifying tale back to Salem again this year to the old Salem Courthouse, where something has apparently gone horribly wrong!  It seems that the tail end of Hurrican Irene swelled the White Creek, flooding the entire basement of the Courthouse and Jail.  The high water damaged the electrical system, leaving certain cellblocks unlocked.  Now it is unclear whether the guards or the prisoners are in control of the premises.  Whoever is in charge is meting out some harsh justice based on the horrifying sounds coming out of there, but you'll just have to come and witness what's going on for yourself.  Tour the different levels of the Courthouse - including (if you dare) the old jail - then head outside through the maze and then down into the depths of the labyrinth under the Courthouse itself. 

Tours run between 6pm and 9:30pm Oct. 14 & 15, 21 & 22, and 28, 29 and 30.  Admission benefits the Courthouse Community Center.  $10 adults, $5 kids 13 and under, $5 volunteer fire/rescue personnel with ID, or $25 for families. 

If the Battenkill Valley is the ideal harvest time location,  Gardenworks is the ideal destination.  No if's, and's or but's about it!  Gardenworks almost defies description.  It's a berry farm, a gourmet food emporium, a pumpkin patch, an art gallery, a bakery, a craft shop, a work shop...and if you haven't been to Gardenworks yet, go now, because you'll not only get in on a host of cool things from the harvest but you'll also know the ropes come Christmas time (I guarantee you'll want to return!). 

Gardenworks will host its annual Harvest celebration on Columbus Day Weekend, October 8-10. 

 

Fresh from Gardenwork's kitchen sample delicious recipes highlighting fall produce, from squash soup to cheesecake.  Learn about the different fall squashes and how to prepare them.  Take home free recipes for great winter meals.  All samples are free and available from 10:00-4:00 each day. 

 

Visit the Barn Gallery for "What Came First, the Chicken or the Egg," an exhibit featuring artists Roy Egg and Leah McCloskey and their whimsical images of chickens.  Children are invited to paint pumpkins while all are welcome to peruse the glorious fall produce on sale at Gardenworks.  In October that means mounds of pumpkins, squashes, apples, cider, organic vegetables and gourds.  The Gardenworks barn is also stocked with colorful fall decorations for your home like chrysanthemums, dried flowers, Chinese lanterns and Indian corn.

 

Gardenworks' raspberry fields will be open for picking.  Take advantage of the October Raspberry Rewards program.  Beginning October 1, leave half of your u-pick raspberries at Gardenworks and take home the other half for free.  The berry fields will be open for the pick and share program until the temperature drops to 27 degrees Fahrenheit.  Call Gardenworks for picking conditions.  You can also pick and keep all your raspberries for $2.50/pound. 

 

Directions to Gardenworks:  From the traffic light on Route 22 in Salem, follow the foliage heading west on Route 30 (also West Broadway).  Gardenworks is five miles from the traffic light.