Wed & Thu – On to Saratoga Springs

Wednesday

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Google maps said my drive from Alton to Saratoga would take four hours.  My GPS for the same route said five hours.  Anyway, I was awake at 4:30 Am after an early night at Sue & Jeff’s, so rather than pretend to sleep for another hour or so, I got up and showered and hit the road.  Knowing I would be leaving early, we had all said our good-byes the night before.  I was on the road at 5 AM.

[Sue commented and told me what I said was the front of the log was actually the side.  The front is where the porch is and from where I took the pictures of the three of us.  It faces Mt Major, which Sue aptly pointed out did not appear in nay pictures.  Bad photographer.]

The drive was all on state roads, no interstates, and there was almost no traffic anywhere.  And Google won the time prediction competition.  The ride took four hours to the minute.  The route (for those who care) was on routes NH 28, US 202, NH 9, VT 9, and some other various and sundry numbers.  I went through or near Concord (NH), Keene (NH), Bennington (VT), Schuylerville (NY), and finally arrived at Saratoga Springs.

Just before arriving in Saratoga proper I decided to make a very brief stop at the Saratoga National Historic Park.  Alas, it is only open and manned on Friday through Sunday, but I saw what I needed to see (nothing?).  “Here in the autumn of 1777, American forces met, defeated and forced a major British army to surrender.  This crucial American victory in the Battle of Saratoga renewed patriots’ hopes for independence, secured essential foreign recognition and support, and forever changed the face of the world.”.

In Saratoga I went to Patty’s house and picked my cooler and chair left there two years prior.  Patty had an appointment but left the stuff by the front door.  I bought some beer for the cooler and visited the Saratoga Public Library where I renewed my library card and did a couple of quick printouts of racing information.  Then it was off to the track for my first day at the races.  Sunny and hot (low 90’s) and very humid  No winners.  Just not a good start.

I left before the last race and proceeded to the Marriott Residence Inn, my home for the next 13 nights, and checked in.. A quick shower and I was off to pick up Patty and her daughter Misty for our annual dinner (missed last year) at the Wishing Well, my favorite Saratoga restaurant.  It’s a great steak house, and we all enjoyed cocktails, huge shrimp cocktails and NY strip steaks.  There was much talk of the “good old days”.  Alice was fondly remembered.  She was great friends with both Patty & Misty.

Thursday

Still hot and humid in the morning, but a front was going to be coming through with cooler air behind it.  Alas, a front usually means rain, and in Saratoga rain usually means a deluge.  I set up at the track, watched a few workouts, and then visited Hannaford’s, my grocery store of choice in Saratoga, and stocked up on essentials for the room.

The front arrive when I was at the track awaiting the first race, a steeplechase over hurdles.  And a deluge it was!  The steeplechase was actually cancelled, and all the grass races for the day were moved to the main track.  Bummer.  Still, I had a good day with two nice winners to win back a bit of what I lost yesterday. The rain was gone by 2 PM, and sunny and less humid weather prevailed for the rest of the day.  The forecast through Sunday is excellent.

Until next time, . . .