Details for Next Saturday's Fall Leaf Tours, North and South
The Green Mountain Region PCA will hold its final driving tour of the year on Saturday, October 10. The annual foliage tour will have two start locations, both of which will end at the Okemo Jackson-Gore Mountain Resort area (this is different from the main base).
The start locations are coordinated so that participants will arrive at the Okemo Resort location between 12 and 12:30 p.m., whether coming from the North-Central region, or the Southern region. Members are encouraged to make lunch arrangements on their own, as has been the practice during the summer tours with covid restrictions.
There is sufficient room in the Okemo Jackson-Gore area for those who may want to renew acquaintances and picnic with friends while enjoying some “car talk”. Members are also reminded that covid safety guidelines will be followed; masks should be worn during the drivers’ meetings, and social distance guidelines followed as recommended by the Vermont Department of Health.
If you are attending this tour please email your name, passenger name, phone number and start location to gmrpca@gmail.com. If you have not already provided the club with a completed Communicable Disease Waiver be sure to complete it and the PCA Liability Waiver. The forms should be given to the tour leader prior to the drivers’ meeting.
Southern Start and Route Information
The Southern Tour will start in Grafton, meeting at the Grafton MKT, a coffee shop and bakery in the town center. After following an interesting route through southern Vermont owns, the tour will loop back near the start location, then proceed north through Chester and end at the Okemo Jackson-Gore ski area.
The tour will be led by Dave Whittall. When arriving in Grafton, parking is on the street. Dave feels there is sufficient parking to organize the start of the tour. Members should park heading south on route 121 toward Saxons River. If you need coffee, breakfast, gas or a restroom please arrive well before 9am so that you have sufficient time to take care of personal needs prior to the drivers’ meeting. There will be restroom stops on the drive, although they are not included on the route map and information below. The tour length is approximately 74 miles.
Start location: Grafton Mkt, 162 Main St., Grafton, VT 05146
Arrival time: 9:00 a.m.
Drivers' meeting: 9:15 a.m.
Tour start: 9:30 a.m.
Approximate finish time: 12-12:30 p.m. at Jackson-Gore.
(Note - the Southern Route map inadvertently shows tour ending at Okemo main lodge. This is not correct. It ends at Jackson-Gore.)
Northern Start and Route Information
The Northern Tour will start at the Exit 5 Park-and-Ride located at VT-64, Northfield, VT 05663. To get to the park-and-ride, participants can follow I-89 north or south to exit 5. Take Exit 5 toward Northfield (turn right off the exit if arriving from the north - traveling south on I-89, and turn left off the exit if arriving from the south - traveling north on I-89.)
After taking exit 5, follow signs to Northfield; the park-and-ride is on the right about two-tenths of a mile from the exit. The northern tour will drive through the towns of Northfield, Roxbury, Randolph and Rochester, after which the route will end with a classic VT 100 drive through the central center of the state ending at Okemo Jackson-Gore.
The tour will be led by Duffy Miller. When arriving at the park-and-ride, there is no rest room facility, so please find a rest room, gas, breakfast, etc prior to arriving to the tour start. Gas is easily found off Exit 7 (Berlin) if traveling from the north, and off Exit 4 if traveling from the south. Both exits have rest room facilities at the gas station, and coffee, breakfast sandwiches, etc… if needed. Exit 4 has a McDonalds. Plan accordingly if you need extra time for rest rooms, breakfast, and gas before arriving at the park-and-ride. The tour length is approximately 81 miles. A rest stop will occur at the Rochester green. Rest rooms are available at the small market in Rochester, and at a small coffee shop.
Start Location: Park-and-Ride, Rt VT-64, Northfield, VT 05663
Arrival time: 9 a.m.
Drivers’ meeting: 9:15 a.m.
Tour Start: 9:30 a.m.
Approximate finish time: 12-12:30 p.m.
See you soon!
Duffy Miller
Events Chair
