Green Mountain State of Mind.
Burlington was my stop in Vermont and, lucky for me, Thatcher knew just the person I should stay with while there. Ali Frank, or "Frank" as we all know her, is easily one of my top five of the collective group that is Thatcher's friends. Bubbly, goofy, and awkwardly hilarious, the two of us have always gotten along and I was really excited to spend more than just a few hours with Frank. In fact, before I continue, I am going to give a quick shoutout to another Frank, not related, Brandon Frank, for being as awesome as I remember and hosting me in New York. Another honorable mention goes to Stephen, of course, for the couch and great beer during my stopover in Boston, Massachusetts. It's kind of fun being on the tour of Thatcher and staying with his friends scattered around the east coast. It's a true testament to how cool my brother really is and how great his friends are that I can text them day of, request a place to stay, and have them respond yes without hesitation. I knew I always liked them.
Anyway, back to Vermont.
Burlington is a great city. It's actually referred to as Vermont's city since it is the most populated in the Green Mountain state. Frank lived just outside of it in Winooski among more of the young professional crowd and central to their version of downtown. Small homes covered the hills of suburban streets and an abundance of pumpkins took over the neighborhood and the traffic circle. Church Street in Burlington actually reminds me a lot of Pearl Street in Boulder, Colorado, which makes sense since they were designed by the same urban planner. The main street through the city is open to foot traffic only, four blocks long, and lined with shops, breweries, and restaurants. One thing Vermont does not have a shortage of is breweries. Frank and I went to a few with her boyfriend Simon, some better than others, and tried the local fare of Vermont's other excessive item, cheese. The farmer's market was packed with free cheese samples and I stopped to try a few, turned around to talk to Frank, and found her in the middle of a group of people embracing and chit chatting. Oddly enough, she was not part of the conversation. Their humongous Great Dane had undoubtedly summoned her over and she was now awkwardly standing in the middle of goodbyes without a care in the world enjoying the company of the massive pet. I could not stop laughing. Burlington is definitely a dog city and I'm surprised we didn't spend the rest of the day stopping to pet all of them. I'm glad I visited then since it seemed like the perfect weekend to be there. I love when I get to visit places with good weather and on a weekend to boot, it lets me see what a place is really like not just on a sleepy weekday.
Since the city is seemingly central to ski mountains and some epic hikes, I spent my Friday hiking to the summit of Vermont's highest peak. The trail started in fall and ended in winter and was probably one of my favorites thus far. I went early since I wasn't sure how long it was going to take and immediately layered up. It felt like late fall that morning, the crisp air nipping at my cheeks and finger tips. I hiked with my gloves and beanie for a little while until the upward climb spiked my body temperature enough to warrant taking them off. I ascended up the nature made stairs and man made wooden bridges placed over small water runoffs, noting the already fallen leaves and red berries in their place. I came around a bend and paused when I noticed a few branches dusted with snow. I love snow and immediately turned into a kid on a snow day, giddy with excitement at the possibility of more. Frank told me ahead of time that the Sunset Ridge Trail opened along the mountain's ridge at one point and I figured I must be close since I was starting to see snow. I climbed over boulders of all sizes, sometimes having to throw my walking stick ahead of me, needing two hands and using everything around me to hoist myself up over sections. Finally, I had made it above the tree line. The view was incredible. In front of me and far, far down below were the leftover colors in what must have been a memorable display of autumn with small towns scattered here and there, maybe Burlington was one of them I'm not sure. To my right the view continued as such and as I kept turning, a sea of christmas trees with the trail cut out and onward lead my eye up the mountain to the cloud covered peak. Finishing out my 360 sweep of Mt. Mansfield, more snow covered pine trees decorated the mountain, draped across like a blanket, the looming cloud tucked among them. It sat there, hovering, a lifeless ball of mist slowly fitting itself into the mountain's folds. Amazed, I kept hiking along the ridge. The rocky trail wove in and out of tunnels of trees before it would open up again to a clearing where I stopped and admired the view from a new vantage. The higher I went, the colder it got. It was a completely new hike from the one I had started and with the wind chill it felt close to freezing. I was instantly relieved it had been so cold that morning or I wouldn't have brought my gloves or hat. I walked through trickles of water running down the trail while the cloud above me dispersed intermittently revealing the heat I was hoping for and melting the snow and ice around me. The smooth, rolling shelves of rock covered in mint green moss climbed higher and higher as I emerged from the trees, now fully above them. Into the cloud I went, blue sky peaking through, and I made it to just underneath the summit when the ice and snow became too much of a hinderance. The snow crystals gleamed in the sunlight and my hands were freezing. I decided the view was as epic as it would ever be and I carefully made my way back down the ridge, descending back into fall and the city life down below.
Fun fact, I'm writing this post from the comfort of my living room in Long Beach Island, New Jersey. That's right folks, I'm home! Cat by my side, mom bustling about in the kitchen, smile on my face, I woke up happily rested in my own bed for the first time in over nine months. At first, I debated telling you all this. I'm not sure why. It's by no means a secret and I suppose it's because I'm worried you won't continue to follow along when I only have a few more stories left.
That being said, I hope you finish out this journey with me since we've come this far.
Next stop in my blog - my last national park.
Next stop in real life - Philly.
- G.
The Photo:
A snowy Mt. Mansfield.
Burlington, Vermont.
10/27/17.
