OT - New Yoirk State Farm Country Recommendations

Heading somewhere between Bangor and Portland Maine from Lancaster PA. Friend of mine said we ought to strike out a route through the NY countryside - lots of farms, etc to see on the way - or.....

Stick with I-95 and the traffic that goes with it.

Recommendations?

Thanks!
Bill

You could head north and then east, there is quite a bit of farm land on the eastern side of the Hudson Valley. 10 miles north of me on RT 40 headed through Greenwich NY and to the east of that entire corridor is some very nice farm land, with some scenic views of the Hudson valley. That is a tad bit out of your way though. I would avoid 95 before and around the George Washington Bridge, that is always jammed up. Off to the east of the NYS thruway, south of albany ny, its hard to say, but rt 22 or along the taconic parkway is also very scenic, just watch yourself on the taconic, that is a dangerous road with all the turns. Nice views towards the north of it. NYS 7 will take you east again through Vermont.

Bill, I live near I88 and it runs from Binghamton to Albany. There are farms along the way and you can jump on Route 7 and that runs alongside I88 and see even more farms. In the pic I88 is in the valley. Have a good trip which ever way you choose!

Get off the interstate and wander. Guaranteed a good time.

Despite the common myth that NY consists almost entirely of urban and sub-urban hell-holes, most of NYS is extremely rural and dirt poor. You get away fromt he population centers on any back road and you'll see farms. That is if you stay out of the Adirondack Park, a desolate playground for the wealthy unbanites who keep the locals under their iron fist of taxes and regulation.

If you want to see people eeking out a living on what the USDA call "sub-marginal farmlands" travel along the St Larwence Valley onthe NY/Ontario-Quebec border. Bring some happy juice though, cuz it gets depressing.

Went to college in Ithaca... and it is a very rural part of the state. The Finger Lakes region is a very beautiful area, with many dairies and a few wineries thrown in. A stop at Watkins Glen State Park is always good, too.

I think the Otsego-Delaware-Schoharie County areas are some of the prettiest farm areas. I lived there for 40 years. When I first moved the there, the common comment for our area was there was "no way to get there" for city people. Then in 1979, Interstate 88 got built right through the middle of it.

I don't know about all the "poor people" the other poster mentioned. New York has so many tax-payer supported give-aways - I think it is impossible to be "poor" in NY. That, and the gun laws, is why I finally left. NYC is also now the "police state." I just came back from my old farm (I still hold the mortgage on it). I drove 780 miles from northern Michigan, through Ohio, Pennsylvania, and then NY. I did not see a single cop until I crossed the NY line. Then, even in the most rural areas - I swear I saw a State Trooper every 20-30 miles all the way to Cooperstown. Pretty ride though. I off course, got pulled over in the American Indian-owned town of Salamanca.

NY - is one of the prettiest states in the US. Also one of the most taxed, corrupt, and regulated. I do not miss it at all. Photo is from my upper field and you can see Interstate 88 in the distance. NY even made junk cars illegal. No more then on allowed per property unless it has a snow-plow on it. I had 80 acres with over 30 junkers and/or projects so I was a BIG violator.

95 is too far east for you anyhow. I would take 87 to Albany then cut across. 95 becomes the Cross Bronx at one point and you will always hit traffic there. { you live in Lancaster Pa , how much more scenic do you think NYS will be compared to home?]

I grew up in the central NYS area. At the head of the finger lakes specifically.
Scenery is beautiful - especially from this time of the year into the fall colors. However, I will give you two warnings:
First, watch your speed. The entire state is one big speed trap. They WILL stop you and ticket you for as little as 3 to 5 miles over the limit. Also, it is rare to see any police car without a radar in it.
Second, watch out on secondary roads. An out of state license plate will get you stopped every time. Passing through Owego, I got two speeding tickets. First one, I was about 5 mph UNDER the limit. The sheriff said he was giving me the ticket because "there are a lot of accidents on this road." The second one was from his buddy down the road because I said "but I wasn't speeding." Both tickets were dismissed by the judge after I told my story.

You have been warned. So go ahead and do enjoy the scenery.

New York is beautiful, geographically. Route 20, which runs parallel to I-90 runs through some nice farm country - and you can stop ACG's and get some syrup...
As far as poor people in NY - there are plenty of them. It's much more expensive to live in NY than most states, so an income that would make you middle class in most states, makes you poor in NY.
My little 35 acre spread on a dirt road costs me close to $6000/year in taxes.
Have a safe trip
Pete

I'd take Rt 81 instead of 95 out of Va. You will get to see a lot of PA farm country, the PA mountains, some lovely farm country in southern NY, and then the Catskills region south of Syracuse. Then I'd take the Thruway (Rt 90) at Syracuse to the Albany area. 87 runs north into the Adirondacks from Albany and South to the Rotten Apple. You could take Rt 8 from Syracuse to the Albany area if you don't want to drive a toll road, but 8 and the Thruway parallel each other within sight of each other most of the way. Either way you will pass through the Mohawk Valley all the way to Albany. Basically, any route you choose from about 75 miles north of the Rotten Apple will take you through some of the most beautiful landscapes on the planet. You will see more stinking cops through NY than the whole rest of your trip combined, but they are not quite as bad on speeding tickets as they were years ago. Rt 81 and thruway traffic generally runs at 70 to 75 mph. The cops generally leave you alone unless you are on the sunny side of 80. I have found PA much the same way these days. PA also used to be an absolute b#@$%H for writing tickets for 1-2 MPH over the limit. Most two laners are a 55 mph limit and if you stay on the shady side of 65 you should be okay. 67-68 WILL get you a ticket. Much more than 5 over in villages will get you ticketed also. Stay with the flow of traffic and enjoy the scenery.

Yup. That, and the pics you see Loren post, is what the real NY looks like pretty much border to border.

Unless you are in a big hurry leave 81 and 90 alone
I would enter NY at Corning then drive 414 to 5&20 and head east. Brett2407 is 100% correct. Not much besides poverty in NY. The laws are all made to suit NYC and the rest of us just get hung out to dry.

I don't know that our cops are any worse than others. On a 55MPH you are normally good for 62. Towns and villages are bad, because speeders are important to the revenue stream. Most NY speed zones will have a yellow advisory sign before the speed drops. Be at the limit when you pass the white statutory sign. Another trick some towns pull is in school zones. The school zone light is flashing. Sunday afternoon no school so you cruise through the school zone at speed. You get nailed for school zone speed. The sign says Speed limit when light is flashing. Nothing about school hours. Leave the light on over the weekend and pick up several hundred dollars for the town.