Appalachian Trail and Beyond

Something that I love about my location on the East Coast is how close we are to the Appalachian Trail. Pretty much anywhere you go along the coast, you can pick up some part of it. It's perfect for an afternoon hike, or an all-day adventure.

For those that don't know, the Appalachian Trail is about 2,200 miles long, beginning in Maine and ending in Georgia. My uncle and I have talked about hiking the whole thing for years, but we're both too out of shape (myself more than him - he used to be a Marine . . . no big) for something like that.

Anyway, on Sunday, Robby and I decided to get out of the house and do hike part of it. We're both a little tight on money, and nature is always free. It was such a beautiful walk. I love summers on the East Coast - everything is green. Thunderstorms roll in and out in the span of 15 minutes. Lightning bugs. The list goes on and on and on. We didn't walk for very long, but we came across a ton of wild red and black raspberries and blackberries. We saw fern groves, a stream, and didn't come across people the whole time. We jumped on the trail at Pen Mar State Park, which apparently used to be a hopping mountain resort in the late 1800s into the mid-1900s. Who knew! People from Washington, DC would come for the weekend to get away from the bustle of city life. Now the resorts are torn down and High Rock is nothing more than an art show in spray paint. But walking along the AT takes you away from all of that and drops you back into a place where human contact is something left far in the future.

Maybe one day I'll hike the whole thing, but for now, it's just fun to make an afternoon of exploring the nature in my backyard. An adventure doesn't have to be an extravagant affair. Rather, an adventure can take place every day if you're doing something you've never experienced before.

Happy adventuring!

Vermont - Day 2

Our second day in Vermont, we focused most of our energy in Waterbury and Montpelier. We took a great route between Smuggler's Notch and Stowe that's usually closed in the winter. It's winding road goes down to an unmarked one lane curving course with boulders blocking your visibility. It was my boyfriend's dream come true to drive, but as a passenger, it was a little intimidating.

Waterbury is a cute town with popular destinations like Ben and Jerry's, Cabot Creamery Annex, and Green Mountain Coffee. We went to all three of these places and they weren't disappointing. We stopped at Cabot Creamery first and it was awesome. They have all of their cheeses out for you to sample. If you're lactose intolerant, have no fear! Their cheddar cheeses are naturally lactose free, so sample to your heart's content. My personal favorites were the Vermont Cheddar, the Private Stock, and their Artisan Reserve. They suggest serving the cheese at room temperature in order to really savor all of the flavors. And trust me, their cheeses are savory in flavor with lots of complexities and depth. I never considered myself a cheese connoisseur, but I'd like to be one after that! They also have fun flavors like Buffalo Wing, Garlic and Herb, and Smoky Bacon.

Right next door is a Lake Champlain Chocolates store. It's not the original factory that you can tour (that's in Burlington), but they sell pretty much everything that LCC makes. They have a decent selection of fudge, chocolate candies, caramels, hot chocolate, and gift baskets. It's worth swinging around for. I picked up an organic chocolate bar, and it was okay. Growing up on Hershey's, nothing really compares to that - except possibly Cadbury.

A few minutes' drive down the road is Ben and Jerry's. If you get there early enough, you can probably miss the crowds. We came at the brink of it, I think. As we were leaving, which was around 1:00 PM, there were buses full of kids rolling in. It's true what they say about tours filling up quickly. It's a $4 charge, but it's worth it for a tour and a "free" sample at the end. The flavor of the day for us was Cotton Candy . . . and it was delicious. I normally like cotton candy ice cream, but this was better than anything I'd ever had before. Again, though, their factory was like any other you see. A lot of metal objects that mix things together, and package them for mass production. However, it was neat learning about my favorite ice cream flavors and watching the movies that show you how things are done. Ben and Jerry were (and still are) total hippies - and their passion for peace, love, and ice cream is definitely reflected in their business. The people who work there say Jerry stops by a few times during the summer just to see how things are running. We didn't see him, but there's a chance you might be able to if you're there for the warmer months. Apparently Ben is working in DC "trying to save the world." After the tour, there's a gift shop and scoop shop where you can buy to your heart's content. I really wanted to try their signature Vermonster . . . but for $40 a pop, and only two people to eat it, I decided it probably wouldn't be wise after the cheese and chocolate from the stops before. However, you can get a Lil Vermonster for $15. I'll look into it next time around. Also, make sure to stop by their Flavor Graveyard to pay your respects to your retired flavors. I was sad to see one of my favorites, Vermonty Python, there. But at least it had a good spot to rest under the shade of the maple trees.

If you're following your Vermont Brewer's Passport, The Alchemist is also in Waterbury. However, when we stopped, it wasn't open to visitors. I don't really know how you're supposed to get your stamp, but it's right off the main road. They can all of their beer, and I believe their signature brew is The Heady Topper. If you're desperate for a stamp, you can always wait outside until you see someone . . . or probably just give them a call.

We also swung by Green Mountain Coffee. It's in the Waterbury Amtrak Train Station, but it has a neat little museum on Waterbury and also on how GMC gets their coffee. Since it was sold to Keurig, you can stock up on your K-cups while there. They also have free samples of their coffee. I have to admit, they had THE BEST iced coffee I've had to date and the cheapest - just over a dollar! Most certainly worth the trip.

Our last stop was Montpelier. With a population of around 8,000, the capital of Vermont was . . . underwhelming to stay the least. Don't get me wrong, it's Main Street was cute and quaint, very charming. But there doesn't seem to be a lot going on. So, if you're driving to Montpelier with big hopes and dreams, don't get too excited. Our main stop was Morse Farm Maple Sugarworks. It's the oldest maple family in existence in Vermont, with more than 3,000 trees on their property producing syrup, and you can tell. It's touristy, and their gift shop is huge, but their maple syrup selection is also quite extensive. You can sample all four grades and see for yourself if you like the real stuff (the brands you get in your grocery store isn't the real thing . . . sorry folks). Not to mention, you can walk around and see how the syrup is tapped from the tree all the way to being brought to your shelf. They also have Maple flavored everything. I was a little disappointed - their creemees weren't as good as Bob's from Burlington. And yes, I had ice cream twice in one day. However, this is your place to stock up on gifts for the family.

Overall, it was a great day. It was relaxing, and hassle-free. I never felt pressed for time or rushed while in Vermont, which was lovely. Everyone seems to just go about their business at their own pace. If I could Montpelier over again, though, I would definitely stop at their State House and probably take a stroll downtown. There are cute bookstores and restaurants that I would've probably enjoyed going into. So, if you see something you want to do, make sure you take the time to do it! :) And if you're not sure, I'm positive that if you asked a local, they'd be more than happy to give you suggestions.

Vermont - Day 1

Our first day in Vermont, we visited Magic Hat Brewery, the University of Vermont, and the Lakeside Boardwalk. Magic Hat Brewing Company essentially started the microbrewery revolution in Vermont. It puts out 400+ bottles a minute and includes 48 beers in its repertoire. You can tour the brewery for free and sample their seasonal and in-house beers on tap afterward. When we went, they had eight beers to sample: Single Chair, Number 9, Circus Boy, Hocus Pocus, Elder Betty (their summer seasonal), Dream Machine, Humdinger, and Big Hundo (their in-house special). You can try four samples for free, but because my boyfriend and I were together, we got to try them all :) It was an interesting experience as Magic Hat's vibe is definitely eclectic. Their tour includes a unique video, and local art adorning their walls as well as music posters from venues they've been featured at. While it was cool sampling their beer and talking with our "bartender," a factory is a factory is a factory. It was neat to see, but it looked like every other factory I've been in.

We went to the University of Vermont next. Burlington has, like, four colleges in its vicinity, which makes for a packed town during the school year. However, we came at just the right time. School had just gotten out and the tourists hadn't come in for the summer, which was wonderful. We felt like locals walking around. The University of Vermont is pretty cool, if you enjoy seeing colleges (which I do). Their bookstore and gift shop is in the Davis Building, which you can see from Route 7, I believe. It was founded by Ethan Allen's brother, Ira, in 1791. If you see the abbreviation UVM around, which you will, it stands for its Latin name, Universitas Viridis Montis - the University of the Green Mountains.

After that, we found a meter along College Street and walked down to the lakefront. It had a neat boardwalk that you can walk along the lake. We grabbed a Maple Creemee from Bob's Ice Cream and admired the Adirondack Mountains of New York from across the way. If you're a local baseball fan, the Vermont Lake Monsters have a tucked away gift shop by the ferry. Look for the green lake monster outside. There is also fun little shopping places a street up. We stayed by the water, but the walk is certainly worth it. People take lunch along the boardwalk, or sunbathe in the commons. There's a bike path, so make sure you keep aware of what's in front and behind you. If you enjoy biking, there's a suggested bike path around Burlington, and bike rentals are all along the water. North Star Sports is probably the most popular. There's also a cool Naval memorial and the ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center through UVM. The Burlington Community Boathouse serves as the city's marina, and also has a restaurant, Splash, that serves food and drinks and has excellent views of the sunset over the lake.

Because we started our days around 9 AM, we never really ate in the towns we visited. We made food at our place and saved money that way. There are a lot of cute places to eat in Burlington, so if you'd prefer that route, it would be worth your time. Especially if you enjoy trying new restaurants. After we explored the Lakefront, we went back to Smuggler's Notch. The scenery is stunning, and I never quite got over the views. We didn't really push ourselves the whole time we were there, and we ended up coming back to Burlington on Wednesday. There's a never-ending selection of things to do.