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...]
Stafford Cidery
Cockamamie Stafford Cidery, Stafford August 2017 I don’t know where to begin or what to write on this page. I guess the very most important thing is that I know NOTHING about cider. The alcoholic and carbonated version of cider, anyway. As of today, Connecticut has two cideries that produce this type of booze – … [Read more...]
SCC: Woodlawn Trail
The World is Upside-Down Stafford Conservation Commission (SCC): Woodlawn ~2 Miles, July 2017 I lamented the lack of proper scaling on the three Stafford Conservation Commission trail maps back when Damian and I explored the Diamond Ledges over in West Stafford. I don’t wish to belabor the point, but for a … [Read more...]