Nearly a hundred miles later....

...... our Ride in the Country took us on more back roads than we'd intended, but it was fun!

We started out heading West on Route 20 and turned N. (right) onto Route 46. Before we'd gone a hundred feet, we swung left onto Pratt's Road. Unless you're really looking for Pratt's Hollow, you could miss it. It's a quaint little cluster of houses at a crossroads.





The church on one corner has a sign that reads "Geographical Center of N.Y.S."

(Click to enlarge photographs.)







and diagonally across from the church is a large old grayish building which we have been told was the famous "Coonrod's!" We, regretably, never had the pleasure of spending an evening at the bar, there, but we know several Watervillians who will certainly perk up at the memories they have of the establishment.



One of the attractions was that it didn't look like a bar: I mean, who - looking at this sign - would guess it from the outside? Professors from Colgate and Hamilton used to love going there to "get away from it all" and the clientele made a point of never recognizing anyone that they saw there.



Peterboro isn't very far from Pratt's Hollow, but we spent quite a good deal of time (inadvertently) exploring several lovely country roads getting from one place to the other.


(On a gray day it's a good idea to have a compass at hand and, if your vehicle has such a device mounted nearly in front of your eyes, it's a good idea to remember to consult it now and then!)


Peterboro is in the Town of Smithfield, whose Community Association has an excellent website filled with fascinating bits of history!




The community, neatly centered around an oblong parade ground or "village green," was the home of the famous Abolitionist and Human Rights Advocate Gerrit Smith whose recently restored office building is a National Historic Landmark.








Elizabeth Smith Miller, Gerrit Smith’s daughter, was a leader in the 19th century drive for women’s rights, suffrage, and dress reform. She developed a new clothing style for women that consisted of loose fitting pantaloons, that were popularized and became known as Bloomers.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who was Gerrit Smith’s cousin, spent her summers in Peterboro, where she met her husband, abolitionist Henry Stanton.

Together, these two women changed the role of women in America!

Across the "Green" from the Gerrit Smith Estate we spotted this maple tree, proudly declaring herself the first to wear the bright colors of Autumn. And we could not help but admire a lovely old home that has been beautifully decorated and is a Bed & Breakfast called "The Charlotte Amelia Inn."




And then off to Fenner, where we had thoroughly intended to spend more time and take more pictures than we did.







There are just so many windmills, and they seem to go for miles. Our one bit of serious concentration was to come to a full stop, roll down the windows and listen ........ and we concluded that you can only hear the rotation of the blades if you're really trying to!



We made a point of reaching Route 5 in Chittenango, to see how their Highway Reconstruction Project was coming. It appears to be in about the same stage as Waterville's - another layer or so of paving is needed before all the orange and white barrels and orange pylons can be removed. Chittenango, however, has one thing that Waterville does not have: a "Yellow Brick Road!" Actually it's a yellow brick sidewalk, but it pays honor to native son Frank Baum, the author of the "Oz" series of children's books.

After lunch in Sherrill, we headed home, making one last stop --- atop Hanover Hill at the Shanley Road crossing --- to take this picture of of one of Sally Zweifel's four glorious petunia patches!