A Stop Along the Way

Although we loved the city, we looked forward to our upcoming stay in Craftsbury, Vermont on the Wild Branch Valley Farm. Craftsbury is about a six hour dive from New York, eight with traffic, so we were very greatful to be able to camp on the Parker's land in Springfield, a good halfway point between the two.

As we turned off of our final exit on highway 91 North, two turns from our destination, I (Katy) had the bright idea of making our own way. "Hey that was Pleasant Valley Road right back there! Ya think we can just follow it all the way?" Is it appropriate to type "LOL" in a blog entry? Let's just say we learned to stick to the list of directions. After about seven u-turns two texts and one phone call, we eventually got back on track and, although a bit later than anticipated, arrived at our destination. Setting up the tent for the first time in the dark was surprisingly easy, and after the long drive, falling asleep was even easier.

The next day, Amber and I went for a walk and explored the land a bit before packing up to go. We drove to downtown Springfield, parked and walked around. The Springfield farmer's market happen to be going on so walked through to have a look. The popular items were maple syrup, blueberries, currants, and pottery. Amer and I really enjoyed our sample of currant juice with lime, slightly bitter, but bold and refreshing. From there, we drove up the road to the Springfield Co-Op to buy a few groceries (local sage cheddar, raspberries, bread, and a raspberry cream brownie...just in case). After one final stoop at Biben's hardware for a headlamp and propane, we were on our way to Craftsbury.

As we were heading north, a much appreciated tip from a friend (thanks Gil!) pointed us in the right direction of one of the coolest swimming holes ever near White River Junction. Although the water is only a couple feet deep, it rushes over the smooth stones and can knock you right over. Taking our time, we did a little creek stomping and enjoyed the beautiful vista that is Vermont. The swim was refreshing and the perfect last stop before the Wild Branch Valley Farm.

Pic: The middle is a shot of these awesome cascades in downtown Springfield. This used to be a shoe factory. Shoemaking, years ago, was one of Springfield's biggest industries.
The first is the Lower Bartonsville covered bridge bridge near the Parker's property.