Before leaving Stowe, we headed off to check out the Trapp Family Lodge...for those of you who watched the Sound of Music, this should look familiar to you..... (neither Chris nor I have seen it and on the way to it, Chris pointed out that he will not be forced into viewing it just because we came here....however, I see that Carrie Underwood is going to be in it early Dec on tv...I just might have to check it out.....) It now operates as a resort/lodge full time.....
In the meantime, Chris and Rayne were busy working on where to go next....
They picked to check out Vermont Liberty Tea Company...but it was closed...luckily this worked out because it was right next to where we were getting gas (a task that takes a long time and is very frequent on this trip!!!) so Chris was not unhappy with a wasted trip!!!
Now we were off to celebrate Rayne's 11th birthday (Thanks, grandma for reminding us....sometimes we are bad parents....) and what else would we do for a birthday in our house??? We go for ice cream...So off we went to Ben & Jerry's!!! Not only is this great ice cream (which is my favorite) but it is also a land filled with cows (another of my favorites!!!) Yet another job opportunity for me...I think I could live here and be a tour guide....they get 3 pints of ice cream free per day of work....Ok, I could be 300 pounds but I think I could handle it.....
heaven....
they even have a van to travel the country in....(I could drive this!!)
euphoria....
Did you know that Ben & Jerry learned how to make ice cream by taking a $5.00 course at the Penn State Creamery??? And that they loved their dog who is in all of there photos here??? I think there is a message in this for me....
taste tested, Chris approved!!!
They didn't have doggie ice cream :( so this was as close as we could get to celebrate Rayne's Birthday!!!
Happy 11th Birthday Rayne!!!
Now it was time to travel to Burlington, VT, down scenic route 100--ok, just part of the way, Chris is much more partial to the highway.... and just as we were leaving, here came the sun......
Once we arrived, we checked out the University of Vermont...now we didn't get to check it out completely...instead Chris gave us the back end tour....with the RV through some parking lots behind some buildings...we were short on time so I couldn't get great photos but it is a very nice campus...(we scared quite a few of them coming down those alleys with the RV...)
And headed down to Waterfront Park to walk the dogs and check out Lake Champlain....
yep...it's cold out there!!!
lake champlain
the dogs have a new friend....
it's my birthday...I get to do whatever I want to!!!!
nope, still not going up those steps to the rv.....
Then we headed down to the Church Street Marketplace...
for some music.....
chocolate...
and fun!!!
All of this frolocking made us hungry so it was off to Al's famous french fries......
We didn't have time to stay, so between the fighting over the fries and the seat... (yep...I'm always the one on the floor...)
It was time to head out for Woodstock......
we saw a lot of dead bodies along the way, too....
the birthday boy is tuckered out....
we wanted to check out a corn maze...even drove "out of the way"....but you guessed it....closed......
we finally made it to Woodstock, VT--the prettiest small town in the USA....
Next on the list was a hike up Mt. Tom to view the town from the top...little did I know that we could have actually parked at the park, and instead I had us park a "bit" far away adding more distance and time to the hike....just imagine what Chris must have been thinking.... (and saying...)
Mom, this is a lot harder than you told dad it was going to be.....
yeah, this is getting ridiculous....
Ok, so sometimes I have some big thoughts....this turned out to be a hike straight up a mountain (the rocky path was switchbacks, but we were racing the sun again so we did not follow the path and headed straight up....up....up......losing a glove and most of my breath....)
But, it sure was beautiful up there......
The hike down the mountain proved to be a bit longer (we had to follow the path this time) and DARKER...ok, I have to learn to only bite off what I can chew....and not kill the dogs....we did reach the bottom and were colder and .....exhausted.....we checked out what the town crier had reported...
Then caught an awesome dinner at the Prince and The Pauper....
YUMMY!!!!!
Before heading of to......WALMART....for the coldest night of the month (Chris had to leave the water --you know the water we are trying to conserve--dripping with cabinets open just to help keep the pipes from freezing...) yes, all they talk about on the weather is how it is the coldest night......
Wish I had a glove ..... It's freezing out here!!!!!!
Two days left.....
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