Doing the Greater Ithaca Art Trail has become an annual tradition for me. The weather is usually fine and the ride down is beautiful, with the autumnal trees at their peak. This year I wondered if they were going to use my mailbox idea from last year. It's really simple: attach some mailboxes to poles, cover with ArtTrail signage, fill with ArtTrail maps, and drive them into the ground as directional signage.

I misplaced my map, so I went to print it out online. First, it wasn't an "it," but a "they." Five sectional maps, one artists' key, five studios keys, and no overview map. Without taping them together, it wasn't very easy to view where to go, especially while in a car. Please, next year, at least have an overview map to print.

There is no way you can see all 49 studios, unless you go both days, for both weekends. Since I don't do that, I usually read through the blurbs and decide where I want to visit. Then I mark them on the map and plan my drive accordingly. After storing up on coffee, pastries, water, and other assorted sundries, I headed out. Having figured out which studio would be closest, I headed there, determined to get a proper map.

No, they didn't use my mailbox idea, and instead used little stick-in-the-ground signage that sat very close to the ground, not easy to see until you were right on top of it. I did a lot of drive-bys and turn arounds.

The really neat part of doing any art trail, other than going at your own pace, is going into each artist's studio. You get to see where they work, how they work, and sometimes watch them work. Glassblowing is especially cool to me.

This year's art trail wasn't really any different than last year's, but that doesn't discount it at all. There's not much more that could be done to improve on the idea. It's what it is, and it's worth the drive. And there's always the chance that you'll experience something not on the trail proper. Like sitting on a blanket in an old cemetery, drinking a bottle of wine, while watching the sunset on the blazing trees.