Nipping up to Stafford to Tuck in the Woods Northern Connecticut Land Trust's Nipmuck Woods, Stafford November 2024 Here's a good example of the challenge of what I do with CTMQ. Although, in fairness, I do this to myself. I "completed" Stafford in 2017. It felt good. Granted, Stafford isn't exactly a bustling … [Read more...]
Bob White Farm (Private)
Bob and Weave, Bob and Weave Northern Connecticut Land Trust's Bob White Farm, Stafford November 2024 I don't think you're supposed to hike here. It's tough, man. It's tough being a Connecticut completist and seeing a trailed and mapped property almost surrounded by trailed and mapped properties - and … [Read more...]
Culver Pond Nature Preserve
Rock Around the Dundee Culver Pond Nature Preserve, Stafford September 2023 As a general rule of thumb, if you're driving to a trailhead on a dirt road in Connecticut, that trail is going to be worth your effort. I'll admit that Culver Pond challenged this "rule" that I just made up, but in the end, it held … [Read more...]
Off The Rails Brewing Company
Something's Off About the Name Off The Rails Brewing Company, Stafford September 2023 I was excited to visit what was, at the time, Connecticut's newest brewery: Off The Rails Brewing Company. From the pictures online it looked beautiful: Large, open, clean, and had an especially attractive outdoor area among the … [Read more...]
Staffordville Post Office
The Whole Package Staffordville Post Office, Stafford If you ever find yourself driving around Staffordville and western Union and become lost in the thought that you've somehow driven off the grid to somewhere in, oh I don't know, Michigan's upper peninsula somehow, this creepy post office may wind up being your … [Read more...]
Shenipsit State Forest Intro
Shenipsit State Forest Ellington, Somers, and Stafford Shenipsit State Forest began in 1927 with the purchase of land at the summit of Soapstone Mountain in Somers to erect a fire tower to keep a lookout over the forests of the eastern woodlands. Over time, additional acreage was purchased to form the sprawling … [Read more...]
Tolland County Highpoint: Burley Hill
Burley Hill Tolland County Highpoint: (1,316 Feet), Union December 31, 2021 Wow, this is weird. I just went to look at my page on the Windham County Highpoint at Snow Hill in Ashford and it turns out that I conquered that county on New Years Eve Day exactly five years prior to climbing Burley Hill. I was … [Read more...]
Gasoline Alley Automotive/Ford Museum
Full Gas Stafford (Google Maps location) October 2017 I do not know if Donald Passardi still opens his private museum to visitors. Information on this place is very hard to come by these days - not that it was ever easy. Heck, I've never been sure what the name of this place is. I've seen it as Gasoline Alley … [Read more...]
Stafford: Complete!
Stafford: Complete! Basil's Here is the CTMQ Guide to Stafford with my list and stories about everything I've done there! After a decade of writing CTMQ, I decided to try to “complete” towns. In that decade of traveling and writing, I had already done a lot of stuff in many of our towns already. However, I … [Read more...]
Stafford Motor Speedway
The Finish Line! Stafford Motor Speedway, Stafford August 11, 2017 A couple things to preface this page: 1. I had a really fun time at the Stafford Motor Speedway. 2. This was, in part, due to the fact that it marked my final visit in Stafford. I've completely completed the town! That’s right, … [Read more...]