BEAUTIFUL AUTUMN DAYS IN VERMONT

DEATH OF A DEATH MARCH

Like a switch, the days have turned to autumn.  No hint of hot and muggy.  Beautiful days of blue, blue skies , soft winds and temperatures in the low-60’s. The colors are starting to come out with Columbus Day being peak color up here.  

My kind of weather!

We decided it was a perfect day to take an afternoon hike so drove up to the top of Mt Ascutney to prowl around the summit.  We set off on the Slab Trail to find Brownsville Rock.  Last time we were on Brownsville Rock was the night of July 3^rd to watch the fireworks.

We hiked up to where the Slot and Slab trails met and took what we remembered as a shortcut over to Brownsville trail. It was dusk the first time we were up here and I was spending so much time gasping and grasping I didn’t notice my surroundings.

 Before we knew it (and after a phone call down the mountain for a little guidance since we didn’t bring any hiking maps with us) we were on Brownsville Rock.  I was absolutely amazed  when we came upon it,  because, the first time we came up here, that evening of July 3^rd, I was convinced that Mark and Lucy had set us out on a death march!  I remember it being so challenging and if I were to go back to my log on that date, I’m sure I described it as “hand over hand”! 

What a difference a summer and temperature drop can make.  We enjoyed the views looking out over the Valley.  It was so clear we could see the New Hampshire mountain ranges and I think barely make out Mt Washington.  

We enjoyed our stay, Billy sniffed out every leave and branch up there and then headed back down opting for the Slot Trail for our descent.

All in all, I would say the event was more of a vigorous walk or an easy hike with some parts a little challenging.  It has certainly fallen from the ranks of a DEATH MARCH!

FLIPPIN’ STORY

BEFORE THE WRECK!

Day two of the sports car hill climb dawned sunny and cool.  I had mundane things to accomplish like laundry and grocery shopping after a two week “vacation” to Maine so positioned the car down at the bottom of the hill between races so that I could get through.

After lunch I walked down the hill to drive to the store when I passed our campsite neighbor standing beside his car.  He had been here the week of the BMW Hill Climb to work the mountain in preparation for this race and we had a good conversation about racing and the organization.  He was all alone as the rest of the cars had already gone up the mountain.  He was pacing around his car. 

As I approached he said to me, “Want to see what happened to my pretty car?”  I walked over and saw it dented on the driver’s side; he took me around the front and it got more dented until we got to the passenger side where it was a mess.  Then I noticed the windshield was duct taped on the passenger side. Apparently as he approached a turn in the road, he went off the road and flipped the car, with its landing on its wheels.  A camera was mounted on the top of the car and it was untouched.

So, we talked through what we thought had happened analyzing the scrapes and dents and agreed when he flipped, he went airborne, thereby not crushing his camera.  He said he hadn’t had the courage to look at the clip; I told him he needed to put it on UTUBE! 

We talked about how lucky he was not to have gotten hurt.  We talked about the possibilities that he could have tumbled down an embankment on the sides of the road.  We talked some more about the cars and racing.

Since this was a points race, he needed to finish a run and he found that the car was still drivable.  He wasn’t sure how the suspension was going to react but was still going to give it a try to be counted in the point series.  Any time is better than a DNF!

As we talked, the cars were streaming down the mountain.  I wished him luck as he got in line ready for his run up the mountain. 

Later on that afternoon when I was coming back from shopping, I passed his campsite where his car was being loaded into the trailer.  I yelled, “How’d you do?”  He yelled back “Made it up two runs; you were my good luck charm!”  THUMBS UP.

It was a good day!

SAGA OF THE RODENTS

Now that we are back, so are the critters!  I guess because of the warm and dry summer, the mice abound and everyone is having issues with these little rodents.  No more issues, however, than Billy who doesn’t know whether to stand his ground or hide behind the bed in the MH!

While on the trip to Maine, we discovered handfuls of Billy’s little Milkbone biscuits under the sink.  Then when Dave used a sewer hose he hadn’t used all summer, the hose was full of these little biscuits!  Guess we’d been feeding the rodents quite well.

By the time we got to Bar Harbor we lost the last one.  In the middle of the night I heard a trap spring and after that there were no more signs of mice.  Guess he was the last hold out!  I’m sure we lost the others on the Class B road into Dolly Copp!

Now that we’re back in our spot at Mt Ascutney and the nights are down in the low 40’s, the mice are making their way back.  Dave was sitting in his seat when he set the IPAD down and said, “Shit”.  He saw a little head pop out from under the dashboard.   He took one of the sticky traps glopped with peanut butter and slid it under the dashboard.

Last night there were all kinds of noises.  Squirrels running the length of the roof and up the screen tormenting Billy and then odd sounds under the dash.  When I went into bed to read, Billy followed me in there and hid against the wall and the bed.  I lifted him up onto the bed and he melded himself to me as he does on the couch when I’m watching TV. 

Eventually he went back to the couch to sleep for the night.  However, around 6AM he started barking in the front of the MH.  When Dave came out a couple hours later there were two mice in the sticky trap.  Earlier in the evening one had gotten caught and pulled the trip with him up into the dashboard. Sometime in the night a second mouse going for the peanut butter got himself stuck in the same trap and between them moved the trip out from under the dash and down in front of the front seat.  That must have been what Billy was barking about.  Those mice were not having a very good day!

So, now we all go on alert when there are sounds around the MH.  As the nights get colder, I’m sure we’ll have more visitors.  We went over to Tractor Supply and bought more traps including spring traps.  Dave set them up under the stove, under the sink and under the dashboard.  Within a few hours the trap under the stove was sprung.  Got another one! 

This could be exhausting by the time we leave!