Vermont In August

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After being in the rocky, deserts of the Southwest, Vermont was a welcome change, with it's lush, green landscapes. Vermont is like no other state. In fact most people want to keep it that way. There are lots of charming little towns that still have stores that are OPEN right in the middle of the town! Rutland even made Walmart put it's store there. There are lots of quiet dirt roads with small old timey places to poke around in and of course LOTS of cows. If you go to Montpelier, be sure to try the maple creamee's at the Morse Farm. They are even better than Ben and Jerry's.

Jim and I rented a "camp" on the edge of Calais, Vermont for one week. Calais had one store (with almost everything in it), that we could walk to and a barn with a cow painted on it. (see picture). It also had a town hall at the crossroads, and that was it. The camp was on Curtis Pond. You go past the store, and turn left on the first dirt road, and then a quick right on Camp Road. Watch out for the mound system! It had all modern conveniences, but it was somewhat rustic.

Dan( Jim's son), Ginny and Emma(grand daughter) Kern, came from New Hampshire for a visit. Jim taught Emma and me how to fish and we all kayaked. We also attended Circus Smirkus, a marvelous circus performance put on by very talented high school students.

Becka, my daughter, lives in Montpelier (9 miles away)and could visit in the evenings. I got to know my new "Grand dog" Ceili, a pointer, lab mix. We spent one evening picking blueberries on a farm, while listening to a blues band. It was sort of like "First Friday's at the Frick". Everyone spread out their dinner among the blueberries. Another night we attended a car race at "Thunder Road". We were guests of a race car driver, who also happened to be a state senator from Montpelier. Becka got us the tickets.

The last day we also rode our bikes on the Burlington trail along Lake Champlain. This was the annual ride Becka leads. Normally there is a ferry which takes you out to the islands in Lake Champlain on August weekends. This year the wind was too strong for the ferry to run on the day we went. But the ride was quite beautiful.

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Photos

A Vermont Cow
The barn in Calais, Vermont.

Our "camp" at Curtis Pond
It came with an old beat up row boat, a small kayak, a VERY complicated coffee pot, and a microwave with only one possible setting. Otherwise it was perfect.

Tranquil Curtis Pond
Although not full of fish, it was perfect for kayaking and warm for swimming.

Becka and Ceili
Kayaking on Curtis Pond. Becka built her own kayak, a beautiful, sleek wooden one. Ceili doesn't like the water, but she can swim.

Emma was the only one to catch a fish
Jim and I tried and tried, but NOTHING! As all fisherfolk, we have a theory---the fish didn't like the warm water, so they stayed at the bottom where it was cooler.

Becka and Joan with "Bike Friday"
On the Burlington Causeway on a windy cloudy day. Becka promotes Bike Friday's because they are REAL bikes that nicely fold into a suitcase.

Jim biking against the wind
Coattails flying, Jim is riding back from the ferry that takes you across to the islands.

Comments

[Gwen]

I'm envious!
Love getting the travelblogs - and enjoying (vicariously the travel locations. Well done.

[connie]

WOW!!
This might be my second comment - I think I moused to soon!! Anyway, that's a gorgeous spot! My question - why did you come back to Pittsburgh??? Glad you did, anyway!!