We left the hotel around 9:45 this morning and, naturally, our first stop was Dunkin’ for some coffee. ☕ Then we hit the road for another day of exploring, eventually making our way toward New Hampshire.
Our first real stop of the day was Golden Dog Farm in Jeffersonville, Vermont. And yes, there were Golden Retrievers involved, I was so happy because this was a place that Mark really wanted to see and meet some Golden's but we didn't set up a Golden experience! 🐾 They brought one of their Goldens up for us to meet, 10-year-old Uncle Lenny, a beautiful English Cream. There was lots of loving given to Lenny—and lots of shopping done in the farm store! Dont' be shocked there are a lot of pics to share.
Golden Dog Farm produces its own organic Vermont maple syrup from the trees on the farm. Their syrup is single-sourced from their own sugar woods, made in small batches and wood-fired. Even more impressive, it was ranked the #1 Maple Syrup Producer in the World in a Food & Beverage News research report. We tasted the Amber and Very Dark maple syrups, and both were delicious. Their honey was pretty wonderful too. Needless to say, a few things may have followed us out of the store. 🍁🐝
From there we headed to Stowe, where we stopped to see the Trapp Family Lodge, home of the von Trapp family of The Sound of Music fame. After fleeing Austria, the family eventually settled in Vermont, and today their alpine-style resort sits among the beautiful Vermont mountains.
It was absolutely beautiful, although I have to admit I looked around and thought, “Why would I want to stay here?” I know, I know—I may be the only person who goes to the Trapp Family Lodge and thinks that! 😂
Next up—lunch!
We ate at Idletyme Brewing Company in Stowe. Their sign has a bear on it, and I’m beginning to think that may be the only bear I see on this entire trip. 🐻😂
After lunch, what did the Crazy 8 need?
Ice cream, of course! 🍦
We stopped at Red Barn Ice Cream before continuing our travels around Stowe.
Our next stop was the Gold Brook Covered Bridge, also known as Emily’s Bridge. Built in 1844, it is the oldest Howe Truss bridge in Vermont and the only surviving 19th-century covered bridge in Stowe. It is also famous for the local legend that the bridge is haunted by a young woman named Emily.
Haunted or not, we drove right through it! Another Vermont covered bridge checked off our list.
Then it was time for a little more adventure at Moss Glen Falls.
Out of the cars we went to hike to the falls. Mark and Susan were gone and out of sight almost immediately. 😂 I was leading the rest of us for a while until I realized David needed to get around me because, well, I am not exactly setting any land-speed records on a trail!
Michael, Freida and I continued on, but when we reached the point just before the big climb, I knew I wasn't going to be able to do it. Freida very kindly offered to stay with me while Michael continued on and joined the others.
I was so thankful that Michael was able to make it all the way up to the falls—and even more thankful that he brought back a video for me. I just love the sound of waterfalls. ❤️
We are also starting to see a little bit of color appearing in the leaves. Not a lot yet, but enough to remind us that fall is on its way. 🍁
After Moss Glen Falls, we got back on the road and continued toward our home for the night,
On our way toward North Conway, we found ourselves driving through yet another covered bridge—the Saco River Covered Bridge in Conway, built in 1890. And this one has quite a history! An earlier bridge at this same location was actually destroyed in 1869 when another covered bridge was swept down the river and crashed into it. Now that is a covered bridge story! 😂 The present bridge was built in 1890 and still carries traffic across the Saco River today.
Merrill Farm Inn in North Conway, New Hampshire. Of course, I had to learn a little about where we were staying! The Merrill family's history on this property dates all the way back to 1771, when Thomas Merrill gave the farm to his son Amos. It remained in the family for generations, and after the Civil War, Ormond Merrill—a Union Army officer—used his mustering-out pay to remodel the family farm. By the 1880s he was welcoming summer guests to what became known as the Merrill House. Parts of that original family home are still part of the Inn today.
I love that we aren't just spending the night in New Hampshire—we are staying in a place that has been part of this area for more than 250 years!
And with our arrival in New Hampshire, we added another state to our Crazy 8 journey:
Virginia → Maryland → Pennsylvania → New York → Vermont → New Hampshire
Six states and counting!
Once we got settled in, Mark, Susan, Michael and I had dinner right here at the Inn at The Barn, their restaurant. Dinner was great and the service was excellent—a very nice way to finish a long day of sightseeing and traveling.
A Burger for Mark
Now we are settled in for the night. Our room is several stairways up, and whew! 😂 Getting everything up here was practically our second hike of the day. Tomorrow morning we get to take it all back DOWN again!
But for now, Day 4 is in the books! We’re waking up this Sunday morning in New Hampshire, and Day 5 is already looking like another adventure. The rain is coming down, but the Crazy 8 will soon be back on the road—and Maine is getting closer! ☔😂 Stay tuned!
1 comment:
North Conway is a lovely area. Vermont has lots of charm and characters. Fun fact and not just family lore, my aunt sold her big ram sheep to the Von Trapps over 60 years ago.
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