DAY 42 - THE KINGDOM

AUGUST 11 – THE KINGDOM

Haven’t been doing much this past week.  Started off with what I thought were allergies, cough, PND, soon lost my voice but then Dave came down with it so figured it must be a cold.  So sad.  I hadn’t been sick for eighteen months; even survived the “epidemic” of sinus infections and URI’s at Cascade Lake last summer but it finally caught up with me; or us …. Nothing like sitting around in a 35’ MH coughing at each other!

We did manage to get away for the day, before Dave caught “the cold”.  Drove up to St Johnsbury in an area known as the “Northeast Kingdom” or just “The Kingdom”.   This is the most northeast part of Vermont.    In 2006, the National Geographic Society named the Northeast Kingdom as the most desirable place to visit in the country and the ninth most desirable place to visit in the world!   

I’d live here if only to say, “I live in the Kingdom!”  We were looking for Trout River Brewery and found it …. but alas it was closed so we weren’t able to get our brewery stamp for our little book.  (Gotta have a goal!)

We drove up Rte 5 along the Connecticut River and it was beautiful.  Drove through Thetford and then country, country, country … lots of farmland and beautiful lakes.  North of Hanover we saw many “skull” boats out rowing.  Figured it might be the Dartmouth Crewing Team.  They have a perfect waterway to practice their skills.

CONNECTICUT RIVER

Since I grew up on the Connecticut River in Windsor, Connecticut, I took it for granted, except in the Spring when it flooded along with the Farmington River which was next to our property.  Never thought much about where the Connecticut River began or ended.

The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in NE starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire forming the border between Vermont and New Hampshire, flows through Springfield Massachusetts, Hartford Connecticut and down to the Long Island Sound at Old Saybrook and Old Lyme, CT.    It is tidal up to Windsor Locks which was just north of where I lived in Windsor being 60 miles from the mouth. 

The River is also known as the American Heritage River and the area of Western Massachusetts and Springfield is known as the fertile Pioneer Valley.  Remember this area is part of the original Thirteen Colonies . 

Silt is carried from Quebec to the Sound forming a large sandbar near the mouth of Long Island Sound providing an obstacle to navigation which I’m sure is the joy of my boater-brethren!  The river is difficult to navigate with gorges and waterfalls as it flows from NH to the Sound, so no major seaport at the mouth … just quaint New England towns we’ll be visiting later in the fall.

Looking at this picture from Mt Ascutney, it could almost look like the ocean swells.   Maybe that's why I feel such a kinship to the mountains, they are solid but yet flow just like the swells in the ocean!  Ahhhhh!

THIS AND THAT....

The rest of this week was uneventful as we were trying to come out from under our maladies!  I sprung for the strongest Mucinex D I could buy, having to show my driver’s license and then sign my life away to obtain it.  Don’t think it was any better than the Mucinex found on the shelf!  

It’s been hot and muggy with rain in the afternoon….which is a good thing as it is so dry up here.  Last night we had fifteen campers from France set up in the site across from us.  They were very quiet and headed out this morning for parts unknown.  Heard a lot of French spoken so didn’t know if they knew much English.  They were in several vans chartered out of Quebec.  I guess August is their time off in Europe so lots of traveling done during the month. 

I love the bicyclists here.  They are all garbed out with their road bikes, come riding in from miles away dripping with sweat, throw me their “wet” dollars for the privilege of riding up Mt Ascutney’s 12-19% grade, four mile trip and back down, around the mountain to wherever their cars are parked. ….and they are smiling as they are doing it!   

The Mt Washington race is next weekend so everyone who is thinking about entering is out practicing on Mt Ascutney to gauge their abilities.

Cycling is really BIG here.  The bikes probably cost as much as a small car!  They are enjoying themselves, even in the heat and humidity.   

I suppose if you live here, the summer is welcomed after a brutal winter.  Coming from sunny Florida I crave a cool summer to match my perfect Florida winters!  Ain’t life great!

Vegetables are coming in, tomatoes ripening on the vine and Mark and Lucy's carrots are doing great.  Mark's trying to decide whether to plant spinach or lettuce??  Spinach or lettuce??  Hum.........

FARMERS AND FARMING

Reading the local paper this morning I came across an interesting article about “FARM LIVING IN NORWICH” which is located across the bridge from Hanover and Dartmouth College.  

A young couple, in their late twenties, Dartmouth graduates, were able to purchase an 87-acre farm from the Vermont Land Trust, selected from among seventeen buyers.  It is part of the Hogwash Farm, love the name, the land gifted by the owner with perpetual conservation easement so that it will forever remain in farm use.  

The new owners purchased it at agricultural value about one-third of what it would have fetched on the open market without restrictions.  

The new owners became interested in farming (although one is a scientist working for an engineering lab in Hanover and will continue while the farm works to make a profit) through the Dartmouth Outing Club and organic farm which is a student-run, hands-on working laboratory.  The Dartmouth Outing Club was established in 1909 to stimulate interest in outdoor winter sports.  Today is boasts 1500 student members (25% of the student population)  as well as non-student members.   Along with outdoor leader education and maintaining the  Appalachian National Scenic Trail, it plays an active role in stewardship of the environment.     

So, while some Dartmouth grads go on to Wall Street, some make other choices.  There is a huge organic and the buy local movement , CSA’s are very popular up here where people buy shares in a farm’s produce.  However it works, it seems to work well in this state.  

Vermont has done some very interesting things with farm to table initiatives. This is one of things I love about Vermont.  There is a feeling of shared commitment to sustainability and environmentally sound practices.  

Go VERMONT!

Rained all afternoon but cleared off a little in the evening. We did our sweep of the mountain to be sure there weren't any stragglers still up there and halfway up we were in the clouds.  It was tough going to the top, and fortunately no one was up there so we just slid our way back down.    Continuing to rain little drips, maybe we'll have mushrooms soon!!!

DAY IS DONE ON THE MOUNTAIN!