Spitzer had not been seen outside his Manhattan apartment house since he announced his resignation Wednesday, the New York Daily News reported. But Saturday morning he walked one of his dogs in Central Park and then loaded the pets and luggage into his van.

The governor even spoke briefly to photographers staking out the building entrance -- "Can you give me some space, guys?"

The Spitzers arrived in Gallatin, about 50 miles south of Albany, at noon.

Lt. Gov. David Paterson is to be sworn in as governor Monday, only a week after the story of Spitzer's trysts with a young woman employed by a high-priced escort service became public.