Massachusetts High Point

Pittsfield, MA
Bonnie Brae Campground


These next few High Point stops are going to be much quicker than we wanted, but we have friends we are eager to meet up with in Maine.  We have also spent a few times in different parts of Massachusetts so we don't mind that we'll just be zipping through this time.

 

It was a short and pleasant drive through some very pretty countryside that reminded us of where we used to live in Upstate NY.

I couldn't get my camera out fast enough but we had just come out of a very large turn.  The way this wall was painted made it feel like we were on a racetrack.

 

We had a very nice campsite with our own deck at Bonnie Brae Campground.  It's a small, private park with nice natural landscape.  Very green.  We paid $40 a night for FHUs.  Site #25. The owners were very nice and came right over to see if we needed any help getting in to our spot as it was rather tight with a large stump on one side.  They even trimmed some branches out of the way for us.  No problem though, Steve backed right in like a pro!

We took a little drive through the cute town later.  The campground is just up the hill from a cute lake.  We did some shopping then relaxed at camp.

Many pretty buildings and churches with lots of very nice people.

Well, most of the people.  Except this guy.  I guess this is what you put on your truck when you're an A$$hole from Massachusetts.  Loud and Proud :-)

The High Point here is another beautiful mountain with a large tower.  Mount Greylock is located in the Berkshire Mountains, and is the highest mountain in Massachusetts at 3,491 feet.  It can be seen for miles around, and is very impressive as it rises nearly 2,700 feet above the surrounding town of Adams, Massachusetts.  It is a "monadnock",  which is a lone, isolated mountain rising steeply above the surrounding area.

At the top there are 365 degrees of beauty as well as the 93-foot-high Massachusetts Veterans War Memorial Tower.

The light was at the time the strongest beacon in Massachusetts, with a nighttime visibility range of up to 70 miles.

While we walked around, took pictures and enjoyed the views, we stopped to talk to this gal who was hiking.  The Appalachian Trail runs through here as well.  After chatting with her for a bit we learned this about her:  Her trail name (everyone who hikes the Pacific Crest Trail, Continental Divide or the Appalachian Trail is given or takes a "trail" name for the hike.  Usually something silly noted about you).  This is QP.  It stands for Queen P.  As is pee.  Something to do with her little dog which started the hike with her and was later picked up by a friend.  She is a solo hiker in her 20s.  This always impresses the heck out of me!  I love to hike.  I love to hike alone now and then.  But to hike a long trail system like this, sleeping, hiking alone in the middle of nowhere, crazy weather, animals etc, ALL ALONE just amazes me!  So proud of anyone who does this.  QP lives in North Carolina and started at the beginning of the Appalachian Trail in Georgia with a little snow in March and hopes to finish in Maine in September.  She took a short break and spent some time sightseeing in Boston.  The worst mosquitoes were in NY and the longest stretch to her was during Virginia.  She has seen 3 bears along the way so far but all ran away once they saw/heard her.  She said her scariest moment with an animal was actually a cow!  It was not too happy to see her and she was afraid it was going to charge her.  Luckily it didn't.  Good Luck to you Queen Pee!  We hope you make it to Maine!

 

This cute pavilion is also used as an emergency lodge.

A cute sign stating "Bear Right" ahead to visit their roadside stand.

It was a short but nice visit.  There is so much to see outside of Boston.  I'm sure we'll be back in the future to spend more time in these mountains.