Yesterday a friend and I took the Metro-North Hudson Line at Grand Central. Garrison, NY was the destination to check out rental possibilities. We asked the conductor if he knew of Garrison. He said, “There’s lots of trees there.” That didn’t help much. However, a stranger sitting across from us with a love of the Hudson River towns picked up on our conversation with the conductor. She began telling us a little about the history of Peekskill, Garrison, Cold Spring www.coldspring.com , and Beacon www.escapemaker.com/ny/beacon/beacon.html . She said that since 9/11 more and more people have moved to the river towns. There’s a lot of creativity, many artists live there, and new galleries are opening up all the time. And she said that she’s been thinking of selling her Manhattan apartment and moving to Beacon and then traveling. I always perk up when I hear the word travel. It’s a magic word to me. You, too?
The stranger’s name is Mary. And Mary with a delightful way about her, gave us a new way of looking at the river towns. She was on her cell phone for awhile; I didn’t know she was gathering more information until she handed me a card with names to call if Garrison was the place of choice. Nice! As we continued to talk about the towns, the day’s itinerary got shifted. Garrison, it was noted by Mary and the conductor, was not a place to be without a car. Final talk about Garrison ended with, “It’s a beautiful place if it’s the lifestyle desired.” Thoughts of Garrison were eliminated. We would get off at Cold Spring or Beacon. Some semblance of a plan was forming thanks to Mary in the know.
We decided to get off at Cold Spring. Beacon was a stop away should we want to see it later in the day. Cold Spring is a charming town with very friendly and helpful people. We asked a lot of questions from people we met while walking along the streets, and they freely gave their time to answer. I was beginning to feel like a reporter. People from Manhattan never quite get over the friendliness and helpfulness of people in other areas. This is not to say Manhattan is not a friendly place, it’s just to say it’s not as friendly. However, there are big exceptions, Mary being one of them.
Cold Spring has lots of large houses, antique shops, craft places, restaurants, a library, a bookstore, a lovely inn, and whatever is needed for a cozy lifestyle. It’s a quiet town; it’s a clean town, and we were told that on weekends it’s a town busy with tourists. Going to new places makes you think of new possibilities and the many different lifestyle choices. Thank you to those people who shared their experiences yesterday. It was most pleasant. And a big thank you to Mary who I’m sure goes through life helping strangers along the way.
“Afoot and lighthearted I take to the open road, healthy, free, the world before me, the long brown path leading wherever I choose.” – Walt Whitman