Signs On The Berlin Turnpike

 Not to get too far into the history of this stretch of Retro-Secondary-Highway, but I thought it would be fun to photograph the signs. 

Still light out, a photo of the tell-it-like-it is Gandhi Plaza.

A very well-traveled building, now an Indian restaurant. I believe it was built as a restaurant, went through various "sketchy" iterations, and now its a restaurant again. As far as sketchiness goes, this strip of road was formerly peppered with Strip Joints (and worse), which are now gone.

 Speaking of which, this was "Centerfolds", the last holdout.

Mini Golf is a "thing". These places are actually nicely maintained. I couldn't get a photo of the competition, "Safari Golf'.

On to the Motels. I have never seen so many seemingly useless motels on one strip. This road runs between New Haven and Hartford, neither of which city lacks lodging. If you wonder how all these little places stay in business, the signs may give you a clue. Many offer weekly rates, and others......

Looking creepy in the twilight.

Some of these show a little owner pride, with cutesy themes, and some do not.

Boring Types:

Cuter Types:

The Summit Lifesaver Motel.

In the midst of it all a gun store with An Opinion.

This sign is huge, visible from far away, but not very well lit.

How could I resist the beautiful symmetry of this sign & awning? One of the best neon on the road. 

It must be a Grounded Place.

Here's a fun "twofer" . The Psychic business is right next door, but the signs look good together.

Actually nice.

 

About at crummy and depressing as it gets:

But to wrap it up, a (years-old) picture of the most famous Photo Op on the Turnpike, the Olympia Diner! 

Spiderweed Preserve

 With a name like that, who can resist? I read that this property got its name from  the unkempt condition of its garden.

In Middletown, CT, adjacent to The Bear Hill area by unmarked trail, but accessed from "Dripps Road".

Welcome sign. on a steep slope.

From here, it was a steady climb up an old woods road, which I think was access to a homestead.

Ruins, in rather peculiar condition. Some of it seems to be in surprisingly good condition, yet some of it appears to have been removed-no rubble or debris. What fell down must have been removed for safety.

On a fairly steep slope.

I think I see where the floor was. The doorway in the previous picture must have been to a cellar? (no sign of stairs)

What does that say? "The world....?"

The trail (thankfully) levels off after this area, and a spur trail leads to an overlook with this nice view: