Rambling in Vermont

Arrived in Vermont to check out the local healthy products and get in some exercise...

First we stopped at Cabot Cheese to learn how this Vermont dairy coop has been making and selling cheese for almost a hundred years ...and then samples, of course - good. 





Then on to Hill Farmstead Brewery where they make the #1 rated beer in the world.  Is that why we stood in line for almost 2 hours to place our order and get our official HF growler?  And, no, we didn't try the #1 beer, but did purchase some "Aaron",
$20 a half liter. 
Beer was especially good on this hot Fall day, after we had biked uphill to visit.
                                                                                                  

SHOULD THIS BE OUR NEXT RV ?

Next on to Waterbury for an overnight at Little River State Park {where some upgrades and tree trimming is required}.  On the following morning we headed to Green Mountain coffee and then the highlight of our Vermont product tour; Ben & Jerry's.  We learned all about how two guys from Long Island created the world's best ice cream, how they manufacture this creamy stuff, and then...again....a great sample of a special made flavor for our tour.  [Sworn to secrecy, so we can't divulge this new flavor.]


After all of this eating and drinking it was time to roll into Grand Isle State Park, north of Burlington, but first we made a stop at Ethan Allen's homestead where we learned that no one knows what Ethan looked like, what his homestead actually looked like, and even where he is really buried.  This made for an interesting tour. 

After setting up at our camp sight overlooking Lake Champlain, we made plans for our biking adventures. 

Biked a total of 38 miles on the Island Line Trail, to and from Burlington.  Followed the rail causeway, which included a short bike ferry across the 250 of open water where the rail bridge had been taken out in a 2011 hurricane.  Great biking on a beautiful day.

Next day we did a 22 mile ride around part of Grand Isle up to North Hero.  Our destination was Hero's Welcome General Store, advertised as the world's most unusual....well, it wasn't that unusual, but the peanut butter cookies were pretty good!

Now BIW is heading home for a month before our drive through the Appalachians to check out the Fall leaf extravaganza.