Hiking: Good for the Sole

Excuse the terrible pun; it does no justice to the passion I have developed for hiking since living in Vermont. Unfortunately, my passion for terrible puns still exists as well.

I have noticed that the more trails that I hike, the more they start to blend together. The purpose of this particular post is to note the details about each particular trail that I have trekked so that I can start to somehow create distinctions between them all. Most have been since this summer, most have been with Norm, and all have brought me closer to this wonderful state I call home.

This is off the Burlington Bike Path that goes along Lake Champlain in Burlington. Norm and I walked along this path multiple times each week this summer, especially since there are beaches and two dog parks that come off of it.  

City: Burlington

Length: 7.5 miles (though our route was about one mile each way)

Ethan Allen has his name on many different locations in and around Burlington, my very favorite of which is Ethan Allen Park located in the New North End of Burlington. It sits away from much of the city, so isn't as busy as the bike path, but has some awesome hills and elevation that make walking through it seem like a real hike. The trails are relatively short, but it's easy to spend at least an hour in here enjoying the trails and the scenery.
City: Burlington
Length: Unknown

Mt. Philo was one of our favorite hikes this summer. It is another relatively short hike, but for a novice hiker, it gave a great preview for what hiking in Vermont is all about. Known for its adirondack chairs that await hikers at the top, this was one of the few hikes that we spent almost as much time at the top as we did getting up to it. The fact that I was sitting in an adirondack chair gazing at the Adirondack mountains was not lost on me (but it may have been on Norm).

Distance: 3/4 miles to the summit

Location: Charlotte

Still our most difficult hike to date, Camel's Hump was the moment I really felt like I was a hiker. It was beautiful, scary, challenging, rewarding, slippery, steep, and I suppose all things you'd want when hiking your first 'real' mountain.
Distance: 3.1 miles to the summit via Burrows Trail
Location: Duxbury

Snake Mountain is, in my opinion, the perfect hike. It's an ideal distance, where it's not so far that you want to die, but far enough that you feel like you got a reasonable workout. At the summit, there is a cement foundation that offers a comfortable place for picnics and photo taking. I was able to go with my students this September, and had the best time.

Fun fact: It is called Snake Mountain because the man whose house was attached to the foundation wanted to scare away would-be hikers. Guess it didn't work too well.

Distance: 1.8 miles

Location: Addison

Eagle Mountain was an enjoyable climb, but left a little to be desired. It was a bit shorter than the other trails, and though like all of the others, it offered a great view of Lake Champlain, it just wasn't quite as impressive as the other hikes. It also had a very confusing trail head, and I thought I was going to be shot by a hunter before I even reached the trail.
Distance: Unknown, perhaps 1/2 mile?
Location: Milton

Norm enjoys any hike, even if I don't (this is him at the base of Eagle Mountain)

The Farm Trail at Shelburne Farms is a must-do for anyone in the fall. It offers a great view of Lake Champlain and some amazing sights in and around Shelburne Farms. To this day, this location is my very place to be in the fall.
Distance: 4.5 miles round trip, but completely flate
City: Shelburne
Disadvantages: No dogs. Sorry, Norm!

I had wanted to visit Shelburne Bay for quite sometime since I drive by it each time I drive to work at nearby Shelburne Farms. This is a great trail for just a nice short easy walk that just gets you outside. Plus, the access to the water was a big selling point for Norm.

Distance: Unknown, probably 1 mile round trip

Location: Shelburne

One of my biggest regrets this summer was not giving myself enough time to visit Smugglers' Notch, one of Vermont's most beloved resorts, filled to the brim with excellent trails. Norm and I were barely able to squeeze it in before it got too cold, but we were able to stumble upon Bingham Falls, yet another lovely sight to behold.
Distance: 1 mile round trip
Location: Stowe

Abbey Pond is another trail I would describe as perfect. The distance and elevation was again ideal, and the experience was just awesome. I went with a group of people at the beginning of November, so there was a nice solid layer of snow the closer we got to the top. It was also my first hike in my new hiking boots, so I felt especially connected to the trail.

Distance: 4.2 miles round trip

Location: Middlebury

Paine Mountain, unfortunately, lived up to its name when trying to find it. Its trail head was one of the hardest to locate, so I was over a half hour late to meet the group I was joining. Luckily, the hike was a pleasant one, but unfortunately is the only hike during which I did not take a single picture. It afforded beautiful views and a great climb, but got kind of confusing with its different trail options. I personally prefer being given no choice but to follow a single trail; having options, when hiking, can be paralyzing, but with the friend who joined me we were able to share the pressure of choosing which route to take.
Distance: 3.5 miles round trip
Location: Northfield



Norm and I had a great time hiking Mud Pond Trail just a couple of weeks ago. There was a light dusting of snow on the ground, and though it was only in the 20s, the hike itself kept us quite warm. There was little to no elevation, so we were able to keep a nice clip as we went through. You can tell in the picture how excited Norm was to sport his new orange vest (his mama is a little paranoid of hunters, even when hunting isn't allowed).
Distance: 3.6 miles round trip
Location: Williston

Rhode Trip to Rhode Island

In case anyone out there has wondered, like I did, the best city to visit around Halloween, I would like to offer up the suggestion of Providence, Rhode Island. With credit card points burning a hole in my pocket, and no solid plans for Halloween, I decided to do some investigating. After weeding out the hayrack rides and pumpkin patching, I stumbled upon Providence's annual Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular. Each year, the Roger Williams Zoo decks out its paths with 5,000 intricately designed, magnificent jack-o-lanterns. This year's theme, "Jack-O-Lanterns from A-Z" was, as the name of the event implies, spectacular. Each letter was a different theme (C for Christmas, Q for Queen, etc...) and each theme had multiple pumpkins carved to fit. The music that played along the path changed with each theme, and that, along with the jaw-dropping designs, filled me with joy. I smiled the entire time I walked through, with the exception of the In Memorium section, which featured tributes to those lost this year (Robin Williams, Nelson Mandela, Maya Angelou). It was beautifully done. And I am so thrilled I was able to go. Hopefully these pictures can do any semblance of justice to what I saw there. Remember: these are carved, not painted.

 

Christmas on Halloween??

Norman Rockwell: my favorite

For Napoleon Dynamite fans

No...this is my favorite

"You're only given a little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it."

Robert Frost...no, this is my favorite.
Ugh, I give up!

All of those lights are little pumpkins

Tributes to Nelson Mandela and Maya Angelou

As is evident, it was impossible to say which carving moved me the most. It was absolutely breathtaking. If you ever find yourself in New England during the month of October (which you should do anyway), make your way over to the capital of our tiniest state. You will not be sorry you did.
*Side note: I went right when it opened at 6, so it was relatively uncrowded. The reviews I read beforehand warned of very deep crowds later in the night.

The rest of my trip to Rhode Island was quite enjoyable as well. I ate incredible food, went on yet ANOTHER haunted tour, and visited the exquisitely beautiful town of Newport just 40 minutes south of Providence. It rained the entire second day I was there, but with some warm coffee and a stop at a bookshop, my spirits could not be dampened (even if my shoes were).

The lobby of the gorgeous Biltmore Hotel

A haunted building on Brown's campus.
See any ghosts of Revolutionary War
soldiers? Apparently they make
an occasional appearance.

Brown during the day...far less creepy

When I told the bartender at AS220 that
it was my first time to Rhode Island, she
offered me this Narragansett on the house!

The bathroom at Julian's in the Federal
Hill district. The food was fantastic,
and the bathroom was the most
entertaining one I've ever seen.

Newport: Adorable, even in the rain

The famous Cliff Walk in Newport. I will
have to return when it's drier so I can actually
spent more time enjoying the view
instead of ducking for cover

One of many of Newport's mansions
along the coast

Storytelling: Not just for campfires

Looking back at pictures from this fall, I have noticed a recurring theme in how I spent much of my time: listening to stories. Storytelling has become my new favorite form of entertainment. From haunted tours, to storytelling events, to stories told through music, I have been captivated by a vast array of stories, ranging from the hilarious to the bone-chilling. As someone who happens to be an absolute debacler at storytelling (no it's not a word, but really, shouldn't it be?) I am easily engrossed in the stories told by others.

Pomerleau Real Estate Building

In mid-October, I was able to take a Haunted Ghost Tour of Burlington. I had no idea how many hauntings were happening just outside my own front door! Besides the various ghost sightings, I also found out that Burlington was once the home of America's first serial killer, H.H. Holmes, while he briefly attended medical school, and was a lengthy stop for Ted Bundy before he was arrested (interestingly, a young woman was murdered in her apartment during the duration of his stay, but her killer was never caught...). Some of the creepiest stories I heard from that night took place at this building, which I've passed many times. Between this and the multitude of haunted restaurants, I will definitely never look at/walk through/eat in Burlington the same way again.

Another far less creepy storytelling event took place the same weekend at Adam's Berry Farm in Charlotte, VT. A group of friends I know through my roommate host a storytelling event every few months. Inspired by the Moth, the format of these events basically entails delicious food followed by an evening of stories told my some of those in attendance. The stories at this event were hilarious, imaginative, inspiring, and just delightful. And the backdrop of this beautiful barn on this beautiful farm made the evening all the more magical.

 

Living in Vermont has inspired many 'first's for me: first quinoa, first hike up a mountain, first apple picking. But one of the most memorable firsts took place this Halloween season when Martine and I, along with one of her friends visiting from NY, went to a burlesque show called Ghouls and Dolls. The costumes were creative, the music was entertaining, and the show itself was completely and utterly spectacular. The women were all shapes and sizes, and their stories they told through the music and their dance was just as captivating as one telling a story with words. The most memorable one by far took place right after this picture was taken: a story told to the tune of Lana Del Rey's version of Once Upon a Dream. It was totally haunting.

Roomies/Partners in Crime

A photo of the Emcee before the show

The final storytelling event of the season (so far!) was the monthly Moth storytelling that takes place here in Burlington.  The theme changes every month, and this month's theme, Rivals, inspired stories with topics that ranged from deranged squirrels, to political cutthroating, to post offices. The stories were terrific and the setting, the Skinny Pancake, was unbeatable. I can't believe it took so long to go, and can't wait to turn this event into a monthly tradition.

One last look at summer

I think I finally feel ready to say goodbye to summer. At least that's what I'm telling myself. And honestly, this summer was so beautiful and eventful that my wanting it to be longer feels sort of greedy, like asking for a third scoop of ice cream when you know you should stop at two (but if you're already having two, what really is the point of stopping?). So of course it's natural to scroll through photos of the summer, reliving all of its wonderful moments. And though it was filled with classes and moving (twice), I feel like I was still able to make the most of what Vermont had to offer. I can basically summarize my summer with three words: 'work', hiking, and water.

'Work':

As I've alluded to on Facebook and on my previous blog post, I feel dishonest about calling my job 'work'. I was able to meet students from all over the world and take them to the Ben and Jerry's factory, two festivals in downtown Burlington, the theater to see 'Guardians of the Galaxy,' on a dance cruise on Lake Champlain, and on day trips to Montreal and Boston. It was the perfect summer job that wasn't really a job. 

Yes, Montreal is exactly as adorable as you'd imagine

A hike up Mount Royal (Montreal's name sake)
was totally worth it

The highlight of my trip to Boston was seeing
this great girl, a dear friend I met in Belgium

Teaching students the moves to the Cupid Shuffle. Still my
very favorite memory from this silly job

The top of Mt. Philo in Charlotte. This
hike would give me the harmful
over-confidence to hike Camel's Hump,
Vermont's third highest mountain

Hiking:

This summer I learned something about myself: I am a hiker. I think it's always something I knew deep down, but this summer, probably mostly because of Norm, I've been especially motivated to explore and to and to truly challenge myself physically. It also can't go without saying that Vermont's reputation for beauty and mountains and foliage is not one that was earned unjustifiably. From our relatively flat hikes through the forest, to the absurd 3.1 mile hike up a mountain, this summer definitely became one filled with walking shoes and unbeatable views.

The view from Mt. Philo

The beautiful Niquette Bay, my favorite spot
of the summer

The view from Ethan Allen Park

A girl and her dog. Somehow we made it to the top of
Camel's Hump, 4000 feet in elevation

It was much easier to appreciate the beauty of the mountain
on the walk down...

Swimming hole in Richmond, my personal
favorite swimming spot of the summer. It may
have been Norm's, too.

Water:

There is no question that, despite my love of all things maple and leafy and cheesy and mountainy, my undisputed favorite thing about Vermont is being near water. Any water at all. It might have something to do with growing up surrounded by vast farmland, devoid of significant (non-manmade) bodies of water. But being near water here never ceases to be anything but calming. So naturally I was there every chance I had. Having a dog that is more addicted water than I am certainly didn't hurt either. In addition to Lake Champlain, Burlington is close to countless swimming holes and other lakes that made our swimming opportunities seemingly endless.

A little sunset sail

Bristol Falls swimming hole

We had to travel out of state for this, but Lake George in
New York is absolutely stunning

It took a few tries, but we finally found the perfect beach to
enjoy the Lake George in Ticonderoga

One of dozens Norm swimming in the lake pictures

Why we go to the lake, in a nutshell

So with all of these amazing things that I was able to do this summer (and this is not including seeing my very favorite senator Elizabeth Warren speak, moving into a new beautiful apartment with a new beautiful roommate, seeing one of my very favorite bands Nickel Creek, plus traveling to Maryland, Pennsylvania and North Carolina to see family), I really feel greedy asking for more. It's time to switch out the maple creemees for apple crisp and pumpkin beer. I'm ready for you, fall.