More on Vermont

I couldn't get enough of Vermont, so I went back again this weekend.

Okay, I had to go for work. Not normally would I inflict on myself 3 1/2 hours of driving by myself without needing to. I spent most of my waking hours working. But nonetheless, it was a good trip.

Most of the week was spent in Burlington. My work last week was mostly canvassing, my work consisted of long walks amidst the gorgeous autumn trees. I made sure to get to American Flatbread to have some Zero Gravity beer. Still the best brewery I've encountered yet. Sadly they don't carry six-packs, but I did grab a case of Rock Art and Trout River.

We also got to stay at a friend's parents house in the Middle-of-Nowhere, Vermont. It was practically like staying at a retreat center. It was also the same place we camped out at after my friend's wedding party there. It was nice (and warm) to be inside too! Here's some pictures from the wedding to give you an idea of just how gorgeous it was . . .

Discovering Vermont

VT Weekend

Chris and I take Columbus Day Weekend off to discover Vermont. We find out - it's great! Click above for the photo tour. Warning: we took a lot of pictures of beer.

I'm on a BOAT!

I freaked out a bit when the GPS led us right to a ferry! We tried to steer around Lake Champlain and I finally got the GPS to take us over Bridge Road.

Well, turn out Bridge Road doesn't exist - its a ferry. Turns out the ferry is free and 'leaving right now.' We drive on and sail out. Chris is a bit skeptical at first.

But we ended up loving the ride. We were off in New York, back on the back-roads on to the next stop.

Beer and Driving

We've attempted to space apart our driving and beer as much as possible and take turns. Our first day of vacation was actually a lot of work - four hours of driving followed by 6 hours of volunteering. Chris spent most of it in the sun, lifting heavy kegs for the brewers. Comparatively my job was easy - filling tasting glasses with stacks of drink tickets and handing them to festival-goers. Not only did the hard labor earn us a free tickets to the last session of the festival, but we also got free pint glasses and a t-shirt.

The weather was beautiful for our session - crazy clouds, gorgeous sunset over the lake and mountains. Two rainbows appeared in the sky as we turned away from the Dieu du Ciel and everyone oohed at the same time. Somehow the beer tastes better when the sky is beautiful.

Unfortunately the weather turned on us. Just as I was about to trade in my last ticket for a beer, the show closed down as lightening shot across the skies. We ran back to the car just in time.

Vermont Brewers Festival

I'm volunteering at VT Brewers Fest - vacation starts!

The Month of Travel

I love travel. Everytime I step into a bus station, train depot or out of my car at a gas station in the middle of nowhere I get a thrill.

So I'm lucky that work not only makes me travel, but allows me to. This month I'm on the road for two weeks helping out in canvass offices -- Amherst, Cambridge and New Haven. No where super exciting, but pleasant breaks from the routine.

Tomorrow is when the excitement starts! Chris and my two week National Park (& Beer) road trip starts tomorrow.

First up - Burlington, Vermont for the VT Brewers Festival. We'll be volunteering during the morning shift to earn our free beer in the evening. Follow along at my beer tracking site to see what beers we drink here and along the whole way.

Next stop is somewhere in the middle of Ohio where we'll likely sleep in our car. But then comes Mammoth Caves and Nashville.

The whole itinerary is here. Perhaps I'll see you along the way?

View Nation Parks Summer Tour in a larger map

Newly in New England

I arrived in my new home of Boston yesterday and prompty left for Vermont. I'm here to help organize a conference with my new organization, the Toxics Action Center.

Vermont must be one of the most beautiful places in the country. I must have just missed New England's famous autumns since the trees are bare--but the ground everywhere is covered with bright leaves. The mountains here aren't quite the "Green Mountain" spectacle I remember camping in in childhood, but still gorgeous. Rolling mountains tug on my heart more than the jutting, rocky peaks of the West. Perhaps because of that childhood connection.

The sky is also grey and swirling. I remember when I moved to Miami how every day I would look up at the sky and marvel at it's beauty, wondering why I never really noticed it before. I thought myself a little silly for staring up with a silly grin a lot of the time when I was canvassing. I see now why--up North the sky only shows it's full glory a few months of the year and the rest of the year it peaks out occasionally.

But back to Vermont. It's adorable. Driving through the state reminded me a lot of driving the Romantic Road in Germany. As I sped by the exit signs I imagined them saying "Ausgang-Pfaffenwinkel" or "Ausgang-Creglingen." Each town was tucked into a mini-valley with just a few buildings, some barns and a tall church spire. Montpelier, the state capital is no more than a few roads, with yes a tall church spire, but also a gold-domed capitol building. Otherwise you'd have idea that the important business of the state goes on here.