Here are a few things I’ve learned so far from this trip:
- Subaru is still in business because of the states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. They’re everywhere
- The nature-based parts of my trips are always the best
- Vermont may be the prettiest state in the union
- Route 1 and I-95 have followed me everywhere I go
- Because of parking and toll fees, my budget for this trip is totally shot
- I can’t drive with my wallet in my back pocket – it’s too damn thick
- My car can handle anything. Anything, that is, except Mount Washington
After leaving Mary Ann and Mike’s place, I hit a new road – US Route 2 – across the heart of Maine heading west. No ocean views this time, but Maine of course has a rustic beauty, much like northern Michigan. In fact, Maine resembles Michigan more than any state I’ve seen so far this trip.
Just before I reached New Hampshire’s border, I could feel the landscape change. Maine had modest mountains and rolling highways, but New Hampshire was a beast all its own. The modest shot up right on the border, and I knew I was in for something new.
I stopped into a visitor’s center to grab a few maps and brochures, and the older couple running the shop were bantering about the Old Man falling off the mountain, which to New Hampshire residents is like telling Dakota residents Mount Rushmore just erupted and Roosevelt’s mug now looks like a coked-out Whitney Houston.
I decided to give Mount Washington, the Terror of the East, a try – if not to drive, than at least to see. I have a love affair with mountains, but this one…
It was an imposing force of nature. I couldn’t even see the top because of the clouds, but I knew my Suzuki didn’t need one of those “My car climbed Mt. Washington” bumper stickers. It also didn’t need to fall off some high-born cliff. No, this was not a rental, and there was no need for abuse. I respected the mountain enough not to claim it as a notch on my bedpost, and drove away knowing that (a) I was safe and (b) I could get along on the trip faster without digging my car out of some granite boulder’s maw.
On the way out, I saw a section of the Appalachian Trail, which I’d like to put on my list of 100 things to do before I die. The path looked daunting and intimidating, but one can dream.
Plenty of mountains to see along northern New Hampshire, but they turned truly spectacular in Vermont.
Vermont is where God goes on weekends in the country. It’s a beautiful state – almost dream-like, because every hill and mountain has at least a green pasture, a picturesque forest, a red barn, a herd of cows, or some combination of those. Every hill. It’s like the Irish Hills back home, only multiplied by a million.
Vermont has some of the best driving, too, because of its winding mountain roads, and by the time I pulled into Montpelier I had developed quite a hunger. Montpelier is Vermont’s capital town, but it’s not like other capitals. It’s modest and quaint, like the state itself. The Supreme Court building is no bigger than our office back at work. And the governor works in an office building that looks pretty drab from the outside. Only the actual capital building put on a show:
I grabbed a bite to eat at Julio’s, a Mexican joint along the main drag on State Street, and hit Ben & Jerry’s (of course) for dessert. From there I found my way to I-89 heading north to Fairfax, where some truly stunning displays of earth-meets-skies gave the drive a dream-like quality.
As luck would have it, and since it was raining, a rainbow greeted me when I drove off the exit to the B&B. On the way I saw tons of cow farms and rocky rivers and covered bridges. The road leading to the B&B had a few characters:
And here’s where I settled in for the night. I just can’t believe it’s Thursday (as you’re reading this, it’s Friday) already. Friday I’m heading to Saratoga National Park in New York to catch the last of my Revolutionary War sites (which I’ve neglected since Boston) and then head on home. I should make it back by late Saturday or early Sunday, but if I get a chance I’ll post updates as I go.
See you soon!
Tags: ben & jerry's, cow, maine, montpelier, mt. washington, new hampshire, vermont
