Author: quinnjalan

Apparently the kids finally got the “we are on vacation memo” as I rolled over at 7:45! Mind you I did my fair share of walking up during the night as many things in woods go bump in the night. 

This am started cloudy and low 50’s. However instant oatmeal and coffee cured a few things. The weather said rain and mid 50’s all day so we decided to go in search of adventure in and around Montpelier VT. 

First was a short hike along the way.

Looking up in a stone structure at the end of the trail. Next was Cabot creamery. We sampled all manner of cheese including some 5 years old…..yum. According to out tour guide if you loose a bar of unopened cheese in you fridge and it’s way past its “Sell by date”!don’t toss it, just enjoy what is now more mature and sharper!

Dad! You are such a geek! JMan didn’t want to pose and GMan made a face, so that leaves me. Below is the visitors center and as you can a very gray day.

Next was Montpelier. We were hoping for a Bernie sighting but he was not around.

GMan and JMan pose in front of Bernies (White) house……for now. Yup, I’m part of the 98%.

Another State House photo.

No camping trip is complete without a dose of arcade.

Luster balls anyone! This is a first for me. Not sure what’s in the water around here but that black round circle is about 6″ and that’s where you place your balls…..

Best vanity plate so far on this trip.

In the interest of having some clean cloths we made a trip to the laundry. Last time I did this was at least 15 year ago. Can’t say I missed it. To get past the disappointment of sitting around we went to “The Snack Shack”. Not sure if it will ever end up on a best of list, but it was worth trying.

Sure is a new use for a double wide.

Later at camp the boys went exploring and fishing while I got in a quick bike ride. Again, nothing but bits and sightings but it’s a really pretty view. 
Back at our cabin we had a snack as all we did all day was graze, wash up and light out at 10pm. GMan wanted to go fishing “real” early in the am so I said sure “if you wake up that’s fine”. 

Photos when I get wifi!

No rest for the wary. The boys started stirring before 6am! Apparently they didn’t get the “I’m on vacation and anything before 8am is totally uncivilized memo”. So much for a lie in. Up and breakfast, eggs and bacon, dehydrated that is. As with the last three camping trips this in is also ice free. Mountain House dehydrated food, water, instead oatmeal, snacks and the occasional trip to a local diner for a meal on a real plate with silver wear is how the Quinn boys roll. Also, instant coffee from Starbucks get the over 21 group going.

The boys wanted to go fishing so after fixing JMan reel we heading out.

They lost a few more hook and sinkers and caught the bottom a few times. Both managed to get wet feet and even got his shorts wet. At this rate they will run out of clean cloths by tomorrow.

After fishing we hit the beach. No one around bar us. So far the best question was “dad, do you have conditioner?”. The answer after I picked myself off the ground was “nope, not that type of camping trip”.

After the beach we went up the Cross Vermont Trail. GMan and JMan on bikes and I ran. It was up hill all the way, but just a gradual climb. Mind you it was much easier on my bike last night! 5.8 miles and back to the Verizon Booster area (aka the main gate) for a quick call home.

Lunch, nap, coffee. Kids went fishing again.

No camp is complete without a camp fire.

Dinner from a bag. So far all varieties of Mountain House are really good. 

We settled in early and started listening to an audio book “following atticus” by Tom Ryan. Some of the language is questionable for JMan but given what pops out of my mouth on daily basis its probably refreshing for him to know I’m not the only potty mouth. We managed one chapter and called lights out just before 10pm. 

This year for our annual camping trip we are at Ricker Pond VT. It’s actually in Groton VT so we drove 3 hours north to end up in a town name like the one we live in! Like the last several years this is also a VT State Campgrounds, and like all others this one has all the necessities. 
New this year were opted for a cabin, very fancy indeed. Our cabin site sits on a hill and we can see the pond, but through the tree. The good news is we have absolutely no cell service, but the cabin has one light and an outlet. Jess and the boys got me a set of walkie talkies for Father’s Day and they work just fine out here in the woods. Apparently there is a Verizon buster at the check in office but that’s 1/2 mile away. However, it will do nicely for checking in on the home front. I’m writing this in notes and will upload as soon as I find wifi, which very well could be Friday on the way home.

GMan navigated all the way up with one of those old fashioned paper maps!

We stopped along the way a few times and found a cool car museum with this 3 wheeled car in the parking lot. I wonder could you lay it on side if you went around a corner fast enough. Just happened that JMan and I match the car color!

We also came across a really nice scenic area. Here’s JMan and GMan checking out how the water carved the rocks over all the years.

No camping trip is completed without a trip to Wallie World (Wallmart). JMan was not impressed but changed his tune when we hit the camping/sports area. This is were GMan showed off his skills on a Rip Stickwhile JMan chased him with a baseball bat. All good fun until a store worked said “we prefer you not ride that in the store”. This was well after I suggested an alternative, but we all know how well kids listen.

A while later we got to the campgrounds and proceeded to set up. I read somewhere that camping is where rich people spend a lot of money to live like bums in the woods for a few days. I don’t completely agree but I don’t completely disagree either. As we arrived on Sunday the place is fairly quite. We have some neighbors down by the pond but no one to the left or right. The sites are very clean and our cabin is very suitable for a few days in the woods. 

Here’s a photo of the beach. Well, really a photo of my bike on the beach.

Lights out at 10pm. We had a rolling thunder storm at some point and the noise of the rain reminded me of my great aunts thatched cottage in Ireland where the thatch was replaced years before with galvanized steel. That unmistakable clatter of rain on a tin roof.