DEER PARK SPRING 1873

Gary (number two son) has a place in Saratoga Springs for May and June, and had a break in his schedule so I drove over today, am spending the night, and will head back sometime tomorrow.  I would have driven over in “Black Beauty” (TR3) but last week she decided to stall out when you slowed down, and also overheat.  I think she just prefers to sleep at Sports Car Services in West West, but it worked out (meaning I make the best of any situation) because I have the past few days been working in a house in Dorset, VT, with 30,000 books (throw me in that briar – I mean book – patch) and would not have had the time I planned to finish my “weather equipment” on the car.

I arrived at lunch time, we visited and then went downtown and walked around Congress Park.  Gary had one editing project to finish, so he headed off to a cafe, and I headed to the museum – but found it just closing.  But in the information center (built as a trolley station in 1912) I enjoyed reading the displays, watched the video, and collected travel information for my growing collection.  I then walked back to the park to continue trying to learn different features of my new camera, and then walked around more before meeting up with Gary. 

IN CONGRESS PARK

We then drove around more to various neighborhoods and down to Saragtoga Spa and the Gideon Putnam Hotel where we found more historical panels telling of the history.  As you may know I have loved learning about summer resort history for decades, have a great collection of books on the summer experience and development of the vacation.   Our drive ending in Ballston Spa which I had not been to before.  We walked around enjoying the original 19th century architecture of the business buildings, and then had a nice dinner in a local cafe.

Gary graduated from Skidmore College here in 1993, and my has the campus grown, but remained beautiful.  On this short trip, however, I have seen and learned even more than what I knew of the town before, and I do plan to return to delve more into the history, and the back roads I chose from Arlington, VT over were great, and I can’t wait to give them a test in “Black Beauty.”

Not sure what I will do tomorrow, but part of the fun with these quick breaks is not knowing what you are going to do – just do it.

I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO PHOTOSHOP THIS RED MGB OUTSIDE THE CASINO ON CONGRESS PARK INTO A BLACK TR3 (Note to David C.)