2025-06-03 – Schodack Island State Park, Schodack Landing, NY
Today began a part of this summer’s journey that will follow major portions of US-20, the first transcontinental highway and still the longest highway in the US. We skipped the beginning of the road, choosing to use interstates to get west of the Boston area. We picked up US-20 in Sturbridge at the intersection of I-90 and I-84. It turns out Sturbridge is the place we spent our honeymoon almost 54 years ago!!
US-20 winds its way west through the Berkshire Mountains of western Massachusetts. It is a beautiful area traveling through valleys and many small towns. The drive was relaxing compared to interstate highways with aggressive drivers, heavy traffic and big rigs. Drivers mostly stayed near the speed limit on the well maintained, mostly two lane roads.
Our only stop was in Springfield, MA, home of the Springfield Armory National Historic Site. Today, the armory is within the property of the Springfield Technical Community College. The historic site is closed on Tuesdays but we got to see the buildings and read the signage anyway.
Begun as a major arsenal under the authority of General George Washington early in the Revolutionary War, this first national armory began manufacturing muskets in 1794. Today, its museum section houses one of the largest collections of military small arms in the world.
Armory staff and others in town were responsible for some very important inventions. The most famous employee, Thomas Blanchard, invented several specialized machines that allowed unskilled workers to make uniform parts including gun barrels and stocks. Prior to his inventions, these items had to be hand made by skilled craftsmen. Blanchard’s machines were some of the great inventions on the road to America’s industrialization.
Nearing the Hudson River, we headed a few miles south from US-20 to the campground in Schodack Island State Park on the Hudson. Much of the island is a bird conservation area but it also offers a campground, picnic areas, boat launch and hiking and biking trails.
We found our site and settled in. Dinner was a tossed salad and sautéed chicken tenders.
2025-06-04 – Schodack Island State Park, Schodack Landing, NY
Heading north to explore the area, a navigational error put us on a bridge across the Hudson and right into Albany’s downtown. Wow! From near wilderness to urban canyons. Well, we decided to take advantage of our error. We visited three sites, the first of which was Washington Park, one of several downtown green spaces. We loved the town houses that lined the streets on the perimeter of the park.
The NY State Capital Building was next on the list. We found a parking garage, walked seemingly miles through underground hallways and a convention center and were finally scanned through security into the capital building. (Bill forever surrendered one more small pocket knife at the security screening.)
The building was completed in 1899 and, at $25 million, was the most expensive government building of its time. Yeah, but it was worth it! The architecture and décor are amazing. Every wall, ceiling, stairway and chamber is huge in scale and are graced with phenomenal granite carvings, marble wall panels, tile floors and coffered ceilings. We were amazed.
Both chambers were in session so photos were forbidden except that a staff member allowed us to take one surreptitious photo in the senate chamber. The building is well worth the visit.
Then there was “The Egg”. The building is a performing arts center right next to the capital building. Construction was completed in 1978 as part of the Empire State Plaza in front of the capital building. It is a slightly tilted ovoid structure that appears to sit on a slender pedestal. It houses two theaters, seating 450 in one and 982 in the other. We were unable to get inside but it was very cool just to look at.
Finally, we headed off to pick up some groceries and return to the campground. We took a short bike ride, looking over the rest of the campground, the boat launch and the picnic areas. The bike trail north turned out to be a short one, ending under a railroad bridge.
We can’t end this episode without mentioning the cottonwood storms in the park. Cottonwood trees, which seem to be plentiful along the river, release their seeds by the millions about this time of year. The white cotton-like fluff balls are constantly in the air and accumulate on the ground much like snowflakes. That’s fine except if they are damp, like on a dewey morning, they stick to the treads on your shoes and get spread everywhere you walk. Pretty but annoying!
So, we ended our day back at WAWA for a dinner of sautéed cod and salad.