A colleague and I need to meet, this coming Friday night, to hand over
some rare and fragile (can't be safely shipped) computer equipment.
We've decided that West Stockbridge MA is where we want to do this
(it's the correct driving distance from both our workplaces) and 6pm
is when we want to do it. What are the names of the truck stops there,
et cetera?

A successful Answer would have two places where we could meet (we
don't actually need to sit down or anything) that would meet the
following criteria:

- NOT ON THE TURNPIKE, and NOT ON THE NY THRUWAY. I will be coming on
the Mass Turnpike, but she will not; I don't want her to have to buy a
ticket just to meet me. Likewise they should be after the NY Thruway
tollboth so I don't have to go onto that.
- EASY TO FIND. Both of us are non-worldly geeks and have been known
to have problems with RL (especially finding things in it). We'd
rather have someplace really clear, "The Texaco station at exit XX,"
rather than someplace "nicer" but hard to find. (I've looked at the
internet myself and found some of the latter in the Dining Guide to
the Berkshires sites etc. but - no. Also most of those places are only
open in summer and it's THIS Friday we need it.)
- SAFELY TRAFFICKED so that either of us can wait in a parked car for
20 minutes as we try to connect. In other words we shouldn't look
weird or out of place parked there on a Friday night. A gas station
with a convenience store and bathrooms would be superb. A coffee shop
would be fine too (the person who got there first could sit at the
counter)...

Thank you in advance for helping us out. I can only afford $30 so
don't feel you have to spend too long on this! More than 2 options
would be overkill...

Hello and thank you for your question.

Here's a nice restaurant/cafe right in West Stockbridge.  Whichever of
you arrives first can relax and have a cup of coffee - - what could be
nicer?

You should meet at the Shaker Mill Restaurant & Cafe, 5 Albany Road,
West Stockbridge, Mass 01266-9206
(413-232-0100)
Parking is available around the back of the building, between the
Restaurant and the Shaker Mill Inn.

Here are detailed directions and maps:
http://shakermillinn.com/directions/mapshaker.gif
From NYC:
Take the Taconic PKWY to it's end at the intersection of Interstate
90. Go east 1 exit to the Cannan, Austerlitz exit. Go right onto Rt.
22 south for 300 yards and turn left onto rt. 102. Take Rt. 102, 3
miles to the intersection of Rt 41. Turn right onto Rt. 41, go approx.
300 yards to the Shaker Mill Restaurant on the right.

From Boston:
Take the Mass Pike west to exit #1. At the top of the exit ramp turn
right. Go 200 yards to Rt. 102 turn left. This will become Main St.
Follow along until you see the Shaker Mill Restaurant.

From Hartford:
Take interstate 91 north to the Mass Pike. Get onto the Pike going
west follow the directions from Boston above.

Search terms used:
"West Stockbridge" Restaurant

Thanks again for giving us a chance to help.

Sincerely,
Google Answers Researcher
Richard-ga

---

Clarification of Answer by richard-ga on 06 May 2003 21:24 PDT

I just remembered that you asked for two meeting places.

The Shaker Mill Inn can be your second spot - - you can see it from
the restaurant.  And yes, the Inn is open in the month of May.
http://www.shakermillinn.com/

-R

Thank you for your comprehensive answer!

Card Lake Inn:
http://www.cardlakeinn.com/index.html

Marble Inn:
http://www.bedandbreakfastnetwork.com/en/United_States/Massachusetts/West_Stockbridge_2.html

West Stockbridge Restaurants:
http://www.dininginmass.com/413/weststockbridge.htm
http://www.berkshireweb.com/dining/themap/frweststockbridge.html

Berkshire Truck Plaza:
http://www.payphone-project.com/payphones/usa/massachusetts
http://www.ramppub.com/trukstma.htm

Berkshire Ice Cream:  (says the factory is closed for renovation)
http://chefmoz.org/United_States/MA/West_Stockbridge/Berkshire_Ice_Cream954312270.html