Car Guy Magazine Car Guy Magazine Issue 1014 | Page 38

Flowers adorn this pedestrian bridge in Shelbourne Falls. signs today to warn motorists of this curve, but modern automobiles don’t have the failings of the early horseless carriages and the curve is now far more interesting due to its history than to the thrill of taking it with no brakes. Along this part of the trail are many observation towers promising a four-state view, many souvenir shops with the must-have item for the folks back home, and many cabin-style hotels still looking for guests. Once you get past the summit, you proceed down the western slope, which has been described by its promoters as “America’s Switzerland.” As you descend toward North Adams, you arrive at the Famous Hairpin Turn. This has been a must-stop for travelers since the 1920s. At this dramatic turn — which is one of the most popular postcard views of the Mohawk Trail — your ubiquitous observation tower was erected along with the Hairpin Turn tourist shop. This was not just a tourist facility, 36 CarGuyMagazine.com but it was the only tourist shop offering free water for the many overheated engines struggling to make the summit. One of the last remaining buildings of this tourist complex is the still-operating Golden Eagle restaurant. This building was turned ninety degrees and relocated back away from the curve to avoid the crashing cars and trucks, which had a tendency to end up it the front of the shop. The western terminus of the Mohawk Trail is Williamstown established as a plantation in 1753. Williamstown is home to Williams College and The Clark. The Clark is The Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute. It is a world-renowned art museum and research center with one of the largest collections of French Impressionist paintings in the world. A pretty side trip out of Williamstown is the small winding road to the top of 3,500 foot Mount Greylock. At the summit is the Veterans Memorial Tower in remembrance of the casualties of all wars. On clear days you can see not only the Berkshires, but New Hampshire and New York as well. Many people associate the Mohawk Trail with the fall foliage season but it’s more. It is American history with a palate of changing colors with the seasons. When you tour the trail, relax and take your time. Enjoy the road and what the towns have to offer. Stop and climb an observation tower. Buy some dorky souvenir. Eat at some roadside stand that ma and pop started in 1915. Walk down the street in Deerfield and wonder what it was like to live in that colonial period. There are not many places in America where you can get in a nice car and drive back to 1669, watching history change along the drive. You can do this on the Mohawk Trail and you don’t need a DeLorean and plutonium to do it.