Having
never been to Vermont before, the idea of a 4-day adventure walking 8-10 miles
per day between Bed & Breakfast Inns (B&Bs) sounded intriguing. This was scheduled to coincide with the
changing of Fall colors, and as some may know, timing that is a bit like trying
to time the stock market…sometimes you win, but sometimes not. In our case I think we were total
winners! The balance between having
great weather and timing the “peak” (as the locals and weathercasters seem to
refer to it) was just perfect, and over the course of the time we were there,
the colors became increasingly varied and vibrant, all the while the weather
was sunny with afternoon temperatures in the high 60s and low-to-mid 70s.
First
a bit about the logistics and how this was structured… Several B&Bs partnered together to
provide a combination of hospitality (what they’re typically known for),
transportation (of luggage mostly, but occasionally people), and route
planning. Each B&B provided dinner,
breakfast, snacks for the hike, and a detailed map with directions (sometimes
with street names, sometimes with physical descriptions of navigational
markers. The hikes themselves were on
dirt backroads for the most part, with occasional short jaunts on the shoulders
of paved highways into and out of towns (I think the largest town we visited
had a population approaching 3000). Once
you headed off in the morning, the innkeepers took your luggage to the next inn
where it would be waiting for you that afternoon when you check in there.
Each
day, and each B&B provides a uniquely different experience, all of which
were extremely positive and wonderful.
Unlike chain hotels where everything is identical and predictable (and
for the most part devoid of personality), these B&Bs were structures with
varied pasts, dramatically different stylings and esthetics, and a different
culinary experience very personal to the innkeepers and their interests. All innkeepers were husband-wife teams, and
each presented different strengths and priorities when it came to their
hospitality experience—some were more food-oriented, others more
amenity-oriented, and others more homey/hospitality-oriented. All of the food we had was excellent. One of the innkeepers was from Japan, with a
lineage of chefs in her family going back to when they cooked for the Emperor
of Japan. Our dinner was traditional
Japanese faire, cooked to order, and easily the most authentic and surprisingly
unique meal we had. Another innkeeper
had a brother who owned his own bakery…you can guess what sorts of things were
available for desert and breakfast!
Enough
about the comforts of home and the exquisite cuisine…what about the
walking? That too was a surprisingly
pleasant and enjoyable experience. The
terrain was varied with uphill and downhills, but for the most part was simple
walking through the backroads of rural Vermont.
The landscape varied from thick forests to open meadows, numerous
streams and ponds, and the occasional country home. These homes were occasionally modest, but more
often than not they were spectacular structures with ornate and detailed
craftsmanship. Most of the homes looked
timeless, but there were also some very modern and impressively designed
buildings. Each day’s hike took 4-5
hours and provided extended opportunities for quiet conversation,
contemplation, and restful departures from the normal routines back home. This was all about slowing down, taking
notice, and drinking in the beauty of what around us. Anyone with normal fitness could easily
manage this walking tour.
One
quick story about the homes… we were nearing the end of one of our walks, we
past a home with a fairly long driveway and an open front yard area. An elderly man yelled out that we only had a
short distance to go. He then asked where
we were all from. Not being able to hear
the yelling back and forth, he started up the driveway towards us, and we
started down the driveway from the road toward him. We met in the middle and sat on his rock wall
and chatted for a while. He had a beer
in his hand and offered us cold beers too, and he really meant it! We chatted with him for a while and concluded
that one of his past-times must be to stand out in front of his home about this
same time each day in order to engage with the walking-tour participants that
go by his property. It was a great
experience and indicative of the friendliness of everyone we encountered during
our trip.
Separate
from, and in addition to the walking tour, we had time to drive around and see
some of the sites in the area as we traveled to and from the airports (we flew
into Vermont, but flew home out of New Hampshire). New England is known for, among other things,
covered bridges, and we saw a number of them.
In fact these are numbered and there are people who have made a point of
seeing every one of them much like some people try to visit every state in the
union. These bridges were each unique in
their own way, and quite interesting to stop and look at--especially for someone
from Southern California that doesn’t get to experience these historic
treasures on a regular basis. Similarly,
old barns and structures along the way also provided great opportunities to
create photographs…the older and crustier the better!
Another
wonderful aspect of this trip was visiting the small towns…VERY small in some
cases. It was almost as if these quaint
environments were created as part of some Hollywood-themed amusement, but what
made each town so great was their authenticity and the historic provenance each
had. Again, for someone from the
Southern California metropolis, this experience was at the other end of the
spectrum—and very much appreciated for being so.
I’ve
tried to give you my best sense of this extraordinary experience condensed down
into a brief synopsis. If you’ve been to
New England, particularly in the Fall, then you know all too well the magic
that is there—and which I think explains why so many people live there and
tolerate the harsh winters. But if you
haven’t visited, like I hadn’t, it’s really a place you must see and enjoy on a
personal level yourself.
If
you’d like to see my photographs full-screen and/or order print enlargements,
visit my website gallery—
I
always appreciate comments and feedback so feel free to share.
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