Driving from Rhinebeck, NY into New England was on a lot of backroads, two-lane highways, and a string of small towns. The countryside between the Hudson Valley and Western Massachusetts Berkshires must be spectacular in the fall. The rainy, on-again-off-again days that preceded heading back to Massachusetts finally started to dry out, and luck was with us as we broke down the rig and set out for a place in Oakham, Mass.
Pine Acres in Oakham, MA is kind of an Oasis; to get anywhere near shopping for groceries is a bit of a trek. We were surrounded by Holden to the east and Spencer to our south. Barre is to our north and to the west is Wheelwright. Of the four points around Oakham, I wonder if any of these towns might sound familiar? Maybe not. I guess for a lot of people these names might not seem at all familiar unless you're from the area. So sure, we were in Oakham. It's probably easier to say that Oakham is located in the central part of Massachusetts. But it's better, in my opinion, to say Oakham is a recreational wonderland!
You're in a true country setting, where the campground is wooded and sites offer shade, sun, lake views, tent sites and remote sites. Pine Acres has a mix of fifth wheels, bumper trailers, diesel pushers and nomads. It is a big rig friendly place.
We ran out of rain luck as it started up again the last 25 miles of our drive. The campsites are all marked, but in certain areas, they're tight. And in some cases (ours), not easy to spot. Fortunately, they have guides there to help you get to your site, which we needed, as we completely missed where it was. So it was a back in site, where the first 30 feet was grassy ground turned to mud. The Puffin had gravel underneath where we set down, but I would have had trouble backing in because this particular site was on an angle to the others and had no clear boundaries. The help was much appreciated.
In setting up, I realized that the rear cargo compartment was ajar. I thought I had locked it and I was right; it was locked. However, the slam latch broke. The Morryde pull out drawer latch didn't lock and I suspect the weight of the stuff on it slammed into the door causing it to break. Since the catch snapped and spring is completely missing, it was obvious I needed a replacement. The trouble is, the exterior is painted to match the rig. I bought a whole new latch (exact model), and just used the backing. So far, so good.
Pine Acres is family owned and it is clear they are a resort atmosphere place, except the grounds retain a woodsy, lakeside appeal. They're investing a lot of money into improving and upgrading the facilities. They've installed paver walkways around the main gathering space, which is a huge wooden structure with a band stand and tons of picnic tables. The pool is nearby, as are tennis and pickle ball courts. There is an arcade, a general store, ice cream and restaurant that serves breakfast lunch and snacks. Hiking trails cut through the park and wander all around. Dean Pond has beach front and docks. There is a lot to do within the park and at nearby state forests. A lot of fishing goes on here as does boating, canoeing and kayaking.
Julie was able to get out of work early one day, so we set out to explore the lake (Dean Pond), which nestled alongside of the campground. So we were able to rent this paddleboat.
So we have to peddle the bloody thing and the distance from your seat to the pedals insures chin bruising from your knees. The trick was not to knock yourself unconscious, nor cramp up. We had rented the SS Swan for at least an hour and a half. The SS Swan had other ideas, so we argued for a little bit before we returned her to the other testy swans docked near the office 45 minutes later. I've never ridden on the famous Swan boats in Boston, but now I know they'll be just fine if I don't. Julie just told me that you don't peddle on the Boston Swan boats. Sure, that makes me want to go.
On the Friday before we left, we went to Hardwick vineyard and winery. The weather was great and they had live music. The facility is pretty remote and getting there was a nice drive. The wines were okay and we had a Charcuterie board, listened to music and relaxed. That night, we joined the other campers at several food trucks, where we ordered some food and wine and ate at the big pavillion while listening to some guy playing Everly brothers songs. Knowing and singing along made me feel old, but happy anyway.
We walked the campground a lot and there are no permanent sites. Pine Acres will lease you a seasonal site and you can keep your rig there until the next season without storage fees. It was easy to see those campers who do that, as they have prime lakeside sites, with docks and they are setup for the summer. We've never explored this area of the Commonwealth before, never knew it was there, even though it's in our old backyard.
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