We left New York for a week in the Berkshires, the mountains in western Massachusetts. Drove up, via the Taconic Parkway, we are staying at The Porches, a hotel in North Adams across the street from MassMoca, the factory turned modern museum. The Porches is comprised of a row of former workers housing.

The Porches in North Adams, Mass.

North Adams remains largely blue collar despite the decline of its industrial base. But clearly, cultural tourism, not to mention the proximity of natural beauty, has changed the focus of this small city of 14,000. Yesterday, we rented bikes and peddled the Ashuwillticook Trail, formerly a rail line linking the towns along the Hoosic River. It’s about 11 miles–double that if you go both ways as we did. Today, we plan to visit MassMoca.

MassMoca and car wash across from The Porches