Lost and Found off Exit 21 on the Thruway

How the view that inspired Thomas Cole, founder of the Hudson River School of Painting, also inspired me.

The view of the Creek from my back deck. Photo courtesy of author.

As we left the Thruway at Exit 21 towards Main Street, Catskill, in my realtor’s 1998 red Toyota Corolla, I was beginning to despair. It felt like I’d been driving down Main Streets in search of the perfect getaway/oasis/home/nest/sanctuary forever.

In search of something, at any rate. A sign, perhaps?

I had already scoped out Main Streets in Pennsylvania (too distant), New Jersey (too New Joisey), Brooklyn (too pricey), Long Island (too Long Islandy), Fire Island (too impractical), Beacon (too big), New Paltz (too college-y), Woodstock (too expensive) Palenville (too small), Saugerties, (too few house options), and Hudson (too towny). Not to mention all the Chathams: East, North, West—how many damn Chathams were there? However many, they were too manicured and horsey for me.

Catskill was also a “too.”

“It’s too far north,” I complained to realtor Barbara. Plus, I’d never even heard of Catskill, singular. The Catskills, plural, vaguely, because of its Borscht Belt heritage.

“Mike Tyson used to live and train here,” said Barbara.