As I think of it, the "Middle Valley"  starts just south of Albany.

It is sometimes surprising to discover how many people know of the hamlet of Medusa, NY, in the Town of Rensselaerville. Many have been introduced to this quiet countryside place by the summer programs of the Congregational-Christian Churches (United Church of Christ)

Medusa happens to be my wife's hometown; where we were married; and where we built a summer home that is the site of our annual Stiles family reunions. 

From time to time there are tourist venues about an hour's drive of our summer home.  Some stay put, like Howe Caverns and Hunter Mountain, but others close like the Catskill Game Farm. Most often, there are many things to do, but the best seems to be just to sit on the porch or at a campfire looking out over fields to the distant mountains of the Catskills that fill our view. 

 While staying at our summer home, I taught psychology and sociology at Columbia-Greene Community College, and took advantage of offerings at the Rensselaerville Institute.