Play Well August 2018 I celebrated my 100th Connecticut museum with cake at home with family. 200 was an overnight at Foxwoods. 300? The Upscale Bernard's restaurant in Ridgefield. How would I ever outdo myself at 400? Oh, I know! At work! How exciting. I thought it would be kind of neat. I worked at … [Read more...]
Completed Towns & Celebrations
Completely Nutsmeg An astute reader once asked, “Hey Steve, how will you ever actually complete a Connecticut town?” What she meant was that new things open all the time. New breweries, new museums, new trails, new whatevers. And believe it or not, I sometimes learn of things that belong on a CTMQ list after I’ve … [Read more...]
OK Hartford
Everything In Its Right Place OK Computer cover art, Hartford I’ve done a lot of cool stuff for this website. A lot. I’ve gotten excited over the years when I’ve met certain people and gained access to certain places. But I’m not exaggerating when I say that the day I learned that the washed out cover photo on … [Read more...]
Top 10 Fake CT Towns
I Was Bored "Fake towns" is a bit harsh, as these are very real places. And really, not too many people are confusing them with the "real" towns in which they are located. I am purposely ignoring the "big" fake towns (Danielson, Willimantic, Mystic, Rockville, Winsted, Storrs) because they aren't all that fun for … [Read more...]
Mt. Monadnock
Mt. Monadnock (3,150 feet) Jaffrey, NH September 21, 2017 25th on 52WAV (Me: 1/52; Calvin: 1/52) 35th on NEFF (Me: 6/50; Calvin 1/50) I could write 5,000 words on this page. But I won’t. Just know that Calvin’s first “real mountain” was pretty much everything I could have dreamed it would be for him. Why? … [Read more...]
The Sky’s the Limit 2016 Hiking Challenge
This is DEEP, Man (Again) Connecticut State Parks “The Sky’s the Limit” 2016 Hiking Challenge Back again for another year! Fortunately for you, you don't have to read any longwinded introduction this year! For that, all you have to do is read what I wrote about the inaugural year's challenge here. The DEEP even … [Read more...]
Enders Island
This Is It: The Enders Enders Island, Mystic May 16, 2015 Every once in a while I'm tasked with writing a page that I find difficult to write for reasons that may surprise you. In this case, it's because Enders Island is a confusing, strange, stunningly beautiful, relatively unknown, mixed bag of a place - with a … [Read more...]
Site of The Great East Thompson Train Wreck
Wreck it Out! E Thompson and New Roads, Thompson June 3, 2011 I recently posted a poll on the CTMQ Facebook page (which, if you’re reading this, you really, really should be a fan of here by “liking” it) asking people what they liked most about CTMQ. After a day, only ONE person chose “the completely random … [Read more...]
Pygmy Village
More Than a Little Stupid Pygmy Village, New Britain/Plainville You know it's a good page when there's an... Introduction I love junk like this. Every state has ‘em, really no more than another. I had them around me in northern Delaware/southeastern Pennsylvania – Satan Road (where the trees “grow … [Read more...]
Connecticut: Mt. Frissell
Triple Frissell Drizzle Mt. Frissell, 2,380 Feet July 2003, August 2012, October 2017 36th on the US State Highpoint List (Me: 7/51; Calvin: 3/51) 1st on CT County Highpoint List (Me: 1/8; Calvin 2/8) 2017 Update: Had to do it. Just had to. With my son Calvin ready, willing, and able to climb mountains, it … [Read more...]