Waypoints | STOPS ALONG THE WAY
Concord, NH: CON
This part of the country truly blossoms in Autumn. This is when the leaves turn a brilliant pallet of colors, the air becomes cool, and the men don their kilts and take seminars in whiskey tasting and Scottish heritage.
 For it is in late September that more than 60 scottish clans from all over the United States descend on the state for the New Hampshire Highland Games, a festival of Scottish heritage like no other.
The perfect airport from which to launch your excursion into plaid is Concord Municipal, CON, which is minutes from the Hopkinton State Fairgrounds, where the event is held. Activities include pipe and drum competitions, hurling contests, food, drink, and of course, the wearin' o' the plaid.
Of course, there are other things to do and see in Concord during this time of year. The Concord Farmer's Market runs Saturday's from 8:30 to noon through October on Capital Street. Or you can stick around until Nov. 12, when the “Somewhat North Of Boston,” or SNOB, film festival kicks off at Sweeney Hall of New Hampshire Technical College here.
The Highland Games are held this year Sept. 23-25. For more information, visit nhscot.org. For information on the SNOB Film Festival, visit nhliving.com/events/snobfilmfest/.
Albuquerque, NM: ABQ, AEG
If you love slow flight, be sure to stop by ABQ at the end of September for the world-famous, Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, held annually from Sept. 30 through Oct. 9.
What started as a promotional balloon race to celebrate the 50th anniversary of a local radio station 32 years ago has grown to become the premier event for balloonists in the United States. Indeed, Albuquerque is to ballooning what Oshkosh is to airplanes.
Each year, more than 700 hot air balloons of all shapes and sizes take to the skies above the city celebrating one of the earliest forms of lighter-than-air flight.
But be warned-this is a festival for early risers. The first event, inflation of balloons for the Dawn Patrol launch at 6:15 a.m. Starts at 5:45 a.m. The first major launch, the Mass Ascension, starts at 7 a.m.
Other activities during the event include a wine tasting, a classic car show, fireworks displays, and sunset balloon competitions.
For the lighter-than-air set, this is the place to be. You'll want to land at Albuquerque (ABQ) or Double Eagle II (AEG), and you can find everything you need to plan your visit to the fiesta at aibf.org.
Gardiner, NY: N45, 5NY5
Autumn is time for picking apples, and the best spot we know is in Gardiner, NY. Touch down at Kobelt (N45) or call ahead for 5NY5 (Gardiner's private airport), and you're less than a mile from Wright's Apple Farm, familyowned and operated since 1903.
The farm, which was featured in the September 2005 issue of Better Homes and Gardensmagazine, is being run by the fifth generation of the Wright family.
Wright's farm operates a little differently from most apple farms. Instead of weighing the bags on your way out, Wright's charges a flat, per-person picking fee and supplies you with one bag. Extra bags can be purchased for $5 each, which works out to about $.35 per pound-not bad in today's market.
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The farm itself is a pleasant mix of downhome, pick-your-own family fun, an on-site bakery, and bubbling industrial apple production; apples are shipped from here throughout the U.S. and even to Europe. The site also boasts a zero-oxygen storage facility where apples are kept just-picked fresh for up to a year.
Once you've had your fill of apples, you can head to nearby New Paltz for a shopping excursion, or visit one of the area's three local wineries.
Accommodations for overnight visits include a range of local bed and breakfast establishments, as well as a motel and campsite nearby. The perfect spot for a weekend in the country, you'll find everything you need for the perfect trip at eatapples.com.
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Madison County, IA: 3Y3
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Step back in time to a celebration of by-gone days when men were men, women were women, and the bridges-they were covered.
If you want to score points with the woman in your life, spend the second weekend in October here for the Madison County Covered Bridge Festival, scheduled for Oct. 8 - 9.
The event features a quilt show, cowboy riding competitions, non-stop music from one of six stages, an antique show, and what else-a tour of the county's famous covered bridges.
This is also where the "delicious" apple was discovered in 1872 by Jesse Hiatt.
The nearest airport is the Winterset-Madison County Airport, 3Y3.
There are five remaining covered bridges, down from an original 19 that were ordered covered by the County Board of Supervisors to protect the expensive hardwood flooring from the weather. The Roseman Covered Bridge was made famous by the 1992 Robert James Waller novel, The Bridges of Madison County. You'll find everything you need for the perfect romantic weekend at madisoncounty.com.
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