Day 9, Vermont Ramblings

The first time we drove off the main roads up here (3 years ago) it was a little scary. We didn’t know that most side roads looked like what we would call driveways anywhere else. The fear was that the road would dead end and we would get lost in the boondocks or worse get caught up in a scene from Deliverance. Now we venture down the narrowest roads with no trepidation. It’s an adventure and not scary at all. Dead ends are clearly marked and sooner or later you break out onto a major road.

Many of these roads have places where there are 3 ft sticks standing up on either side of the road. They are there to mark the edge of the road after a snowfall in places where it would be dangerous to drive off the roadbed.

One gas station in Wilmington does not have credit card readers on the pumps. To offset that fact and to keep business good they sell their gas a few cents cheaper. They also provide full service, pumping the gas and washing the windows. The first time we pulled in there we were the only customer. All 3 attendants watched us drive up and all walked towards us as we approached. I didn’t know what was up. The service was good and now that is where we buy our gas. Their strategy worked with us.

Vermont has a 10% sales tax. It takes some getting used to.

I did a lot of driving and picture taking today. Penny was with me half the day but had to quit because of her ears. She insisted I go out alone so I did. I spent about 3 ½ hours driving around on dirt roads looking for nice scenery.

The foliage is so beautiful it is overwhelming. Every road, every turn is dressed in bright yellows, reds, oranges and greens. Add in the rolling mountains and areas where one can see for miles and it creates a situation where anywhere I stopped there were nice pictures to take. I couldn’t take them all, of course, but I found myself passing on pictures we would have been elated to have 3 years ago. It was just so much fun driving through what appeared to be bright beautiful tunnels of gold and red. There were no clouds today. The only down side was that Penny couldn’t enjoy it as much as I did.

We didn’t get a pumpkin pie today. The pie sale is tomorrow.

We stopped by the winery this morning with the intent of sending some wine to Kathy only to find that they currently can’t ship wine. Sorry Sis.

I bought a map today that covers only the 2 south counties in Vermont. It shows most of the little roads. I also have our GPS with us. I use it as a compass and map. It announces each upcoming road and shows the shape and direction of the road. The combination of the paper map and the GPS kept me from getting “lost”. More importantly I was able to venture forth more efficiently. Dead reckoning does not work well on those winding roads.

This is Columbus Day weekend and it is a big holiday up here. Rt 9 going into Wilmington was backed up for about a mile, packed with leaf peepers and trucks. We have not seen Debbie’s friends so maybe we will still have the cabin to ourselves.

Mother Nature is cooperating and providing sunny skies all weekend.

That’s my ramble for today. Tomorrow we go forth in quest of pumpkin pie.