Rolling Along

Connecticut may be one of the smaller states in the nation, but it is rich in history and has a suprisingly diverse landscape. The ACA route hugs the border between Massachusetts and Connecticut, and took us through a variety of small towns as well as rich agricultural areas. For those that know their American history, it comes as no suprise that the Connecticut River valley was one of the most fertile areas that the early northern colonist encountered. Ample water, relatively good transportation, and good soil provided for a bounty of agricultural products to be grown. The area on both sides of the river still maintains much of that rural character today.

The Connecticut is the longest river in New England, 407 mi long, rising in the Connecticut Lakes, N N.H., near the Quebec border, and flowing S along the Vt.-N.H. line, then across Mass. and Conn. to enter Long Island Sound at Old Saybrook, Conn. The river is navigable to Hartford. The Connecticut Valley is one of the best agricultural regions in New England. It's water power led to the rise of industrial cities along the river in the 19th cent., and the valley became a manufacturing region; large centers include Holyoke and Springfield, Mass., and Windsor, Conn. Agriculture accounts for only a small share of state income; dairy products, eggs, vegetables, , mushrooms, and apples are the leading farm items. Truck farming (local produce) is also important.We rode by numerous fields of corn that was in the process of being harvested, dairies, tree farms and nurseries, and most suprisingly of all, tobacco. One generally thinks of tobacco as a southern crop, associating it with Virginia or the Carolinas, but Conneticut has a long history of growing broadlead tobacco.High-grade broadleaf tobacco, used in making cigar wrappers, has been a specialty of Connecticut agriculture since the 1830s. Largely shade-grown in the lower Connecticut Valley, it remains a valuable crop. We passed by numerous tobacco barns where the leaves had been gathered and hung up to dry. These barns are unique in that they are designed to allow maximum airflow; every other slat on the side is propped open during the day to speed the drying process, and shut at night to keep out the moisture and dew. The smell of drying tobacco leaves is actually aromatic and somewhat enticing. Not seductive enough to start smoking, but it was a sight to behold.

Heading into East Windsor (on the east side of the river), we stopped to take photos of workers harvesting the leaf in the fields. The work is still done by hand, and the crew all appeared to be from Central or South America. We paused to take a few photos of the activity, and noticed that the workers would not face the camera. They eyed us nervously, wondering what this couple on a fully loaded tandem were up to. While fidgeting with the camera adjustments, a man who we assumed to be the crew chief got off the tractor and warily approached us. "Are you from immigration?" he asked in somewhat fractured English. It was then we began to understand why they workers were so nervous about our presence. Our guess was that many of the laborers were working "without proper documentation", and strangers stopping in the middle of the road taking photos was a bit suspicious to them. The fact that we were fully dressed in bicycle regalia; helmeted, wearing Camelbacks, and sitting astride an 11 foot long tandem with a trailer named BOB obviously did nothing to assuage their paranoia. We smiled to the gentleman and tried to assure him that no, indeed, we were not undercover agents working for the Border patrol, and simply that we were fascinated in watching for the first time, the process of tobacco being harvested. We doubt that this eased his consternation, but it was the best we could do.

Taking our leave and waving with our best cowboy "Adios" we rode off into the sunset, crossing the Conneticut river to spend a pleasant evening in Windsor Locks at a hotel. Matt relatives (Barry and Ruth Ann) live near New Haven and were kind enough to drive up and meet us for dinner. We spent a wonderful evening together, and being refreshed and restocked with critical supplies (camping gas cannisters-here's a tip-believe it or not, the best price is as Wal Mart) we awoke the next morning to proceed on in our westward journey across the "Constitution State".