The Official Argue About Where Upstate NY Is Thread

[BmillsSkier]

Solid argument for the 55 speed limit.

[gravitylover]

Buzzkill.

LOL

I've seen some shit on that road for sure. When I went to college in VT and lived on LI I drove it a lot so, mid 80's, and then I moved here in 96 and it has been my primary N/S route unless Rt 22 is easier. I had a super mellow ride one night when the road was covered with deer for about two hours. I could barely get over 30 before another one popped out. At times it was 5-10mph in 1st gear surrounded by them. After that I was scared to even drive so I stopped for a beer. Failed at that because the age had just changed to 19 in NY. I've seen cars just drive off the road at 60, semi trucks wedged under bridges and ripped open like a sardine can, 30 car pileups at the bottom of big hills and one night it was like a slalom course for 75 miles with all the cars scattered and stuck in the snow. All in all it is still one of the all time great roads on the east coast. When conditions are right and you can just cruise and use the whole road it's a ball, sometimes you even get lucky and roll the whole thing at 75(+) and don't have a problem. There are all sorts of incredible side roads that drop off that road on both sides.

That mountain range is pretty awesome and a totally overlooked beautiful slice of the planet. The highest peaks of the range are around Castleton VT and all the way down to here in Putnam County the ridge runs well over 1k feet. It doesn't sound like much but it creates a few sections of near alpine conditions. Because it drops to near sea level on both sides the weather can be pretty dramatic and the microclimates throughout the range are really fun to watch. The mt biking is fantastic the whole way and hiking you can get into some pretty isolated spots where you would think you were anywhere other than NY. Where it butts up against the Berkshires the relief is huge, it's also one of the best passing zones on all of Rt 22

For those that don't know, Rt 22 runs from the Bronx to the Canadian border. I think it's the longest state road but it's possible that Rt 9 is, I don't know for sure.

[Benny Profane]

Oh sure, just go ahead and hammer on that road at even 70. Good luck. There's like a thousand places for them to hide, and the local towns need the money.

[Aldo]

An ode to the taconics!

I’d like to add that the James Baird state park with its rtj 18 holer and what used to be one of the best little pubs around was always my favorite exit....


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[ötzi]

Attachment 367649
Don’t see them often downstate.
518 in the house.

Deer whistles?

[Aldo]

Didn’t have those on the grand safari did you?


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[grskier]

Just finished a Monticello Bagel Bakery Bagel.

I forget how good I had it growing up.

[BmillsSkier]

Oh sure, just go ahead and hammer on that road at even 70. Good luck. There's like a thousand places for them to hide, and the local towns need the money.

Oh Im not doubting any of those aspects. It was the instant connection to an arbitrary speed limit (that could arguably be solely for revenue enhancement) as the reason for a violent wreck that we have no frame of reference for that’s all.

Deer whistles?

In the Midwest I swear only guys who had those things on their cars were the ones to hit deer while driving. Fucking magnets or some shit.

I guarantee there’s a guy in Michigan who invented them who laughed his ass off every time a pair was sold.

[huckbucket]

Oh sure, just go ahead and hammer on that road at even 70. Good luck. There's like a thousand places for them to hide, and the local towns need the money.

We need to shut the whole fucking thing down. Road blocks at every exit. I mean fer chrissake ... someone's either gonna get killed or worse yet, reach their destination.

[Wrecked]

I guarantee there’s a guy in Michigan who invented them who laughed his ass off every time a pair was sold.

Probably... I drive a truck and just pull the chord and lay on the air horn when I see them on the side of the freeway and they scatter to safety...

I think I saved a dozen last year doing that...

Exit for: unfortunately... it’s in the spring when they come to the side of the road to lick the excess salt when you see a lot of dead ones on the road... but alas...frost laws keep me off the road this time of year...

[ötzi]

Didn’t have those on the grand safari did you?

I had them on a '90 Cherokee and pegged a deer directly on it. Exact hit. Decided I must have put them on backwards.

[ötzi]

Come on, that's funny.

[BmillsSkier]

Come on, that's funny.

See my post above. The man is laughing.

[Aldo]

It’s sad man, you didn’t read the directions, you see put them on one way it actually calls them to you, the other way they scatter.
Please just read the directions next time... sheesh


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[Brownski]

Oh sure, just go ahead and hammer on that road at even 70. Good luck. There's like a thousand places for them to hide, and the local towns need the money.

You’re not entirely wrong but all those curves and little hills are so much more fun at 85 in a Caprice Classic. So sublime. It’s hard to resist. 90 in a minivan trying to make it back to the Bronx for first pitch... that’s less sublime but a little more exciting.

[Timberridge]

^You should try it in a '49 Pontiac.

On that one little section just south of I-84 where you have to pull your side mirrors in...

Come on, that's funny.

It was. It was.

Anybody ever try mounting a Stuka siren?

[BmillsSkier]

^You should try it in a '49 Pontiac.

On that one little section just south of I-84 where you have to pull your side mirrors in...



It was. It was.

Anybody ever try mounting a Stuka siren?

That would probably terrify the elderlies in Britain.

Not sure about deer.

[Timberridge]

Good point. Maybe it only would work on British deer.

[Aldo]

I recall a 68 Lincoln at high speed on that road - certainly used the whole swath. Just line up the fins.

[ötzi]

Son, you're gonna drive me to drinkin'.

[BmillsSkier]

Upstate?

[riser4]

That would probably terrify the elderlies in Britain.

Not sure about deer.

My 93 yo FIL knows the distinctive noises made by each type of German bomber that dropped shit on him during the Battle of Britain and the Blitz.

[gravitylover]

An ode to the Taconics!

I’d like to add that the James Baird state park with its rtj 18 holer and what used to be one of the best little pubs around was always my favorite exit....

That golf course is fantastic. We should hit that this season. I haven't played there in years... The mountain bike trail network on the east side of the highway is one of the top destination trail zones on the east side of the river. @TR that stone wall section south of the 84 crossing used to be a favorite of drivers ed teachers until most school districts had to put an end to it when their insurance companies told them they'd pull the coverage for the classes if they kept using it. Did anyone here ever get to ski the area that used to be in Fahnestock State Park before it closed in 1984/85 season? I used to see it when I'd go through on my way to and from college but when I finally had skis in the car and time to take advantage of it in March 85 it was closed and never reopened. There were two other great little areas in that zone that also closed around the same time. Both were sight distance off 84, one in E Fishkill on Rt 52 and the other was on Mt Beacon.

[Aldo]

great track at James Baird for sure - is the bar still open?

[Brownski]

I’ve never skied Fahnestock but I went and hiked around last summer to see if it would be worth returning with snow on the ground. I think most of what would be worth skiing is part of the XC area now. We did find two campfires still smoldering in campground though. We put them out.