No ICE in Vermont 🐮 ☃️ 🏕️

That’s what the protest sign said over the Bennington Bypass Interchange as I drove up to camp before the steep hill and hair pins. I certainly would not want to drive that road when it was really icy out.

Good morning, Happy Saturday from up here in Vermont. Okay, maybe more like barely Vermont, I’m less then 10 miles from New York State border and less then 40 miles from home. 🏕️ Nearly as close to home as Rensselearville State Forest, where I might head up to next weekend depending on the weather. Didn’t want to do a big trip as it’s only two nights in my creaking old truck.

Wasn’t a bad drive out to Vermont, Waze is very good at getting you around Friday night rush hour traffic. 🚙 This campsite is close enough to the valley where the Molly Stark Byway runs so it’s not exactly quiet from road noise and the occasional grunt of ATVs from the ATV trail system down the way, but it is close to home and very centrally located to the trails I want to hike plus excellent cell service.🏍️No remote work this weekend but I wanted to be able to stream tunes, podcasts and books from up at camp.

I haven’t decided fully where I will hike or ride today 🤷. I am thinking potentially a quick mountain hike up Prospect Mountain here in Vermont and then maybe later I’ll ride then hike back from Congdon Camp to Harmon Hill. Got to be careful though as the sun sets earlier and earlier. 🌇 Plus I want some down time at camp to just read 📖 and relax. Been listening to Bill Gates Autobiography since last night 🔊.

Not as much color as I though there would be in Vermont but it’s good things are still fairly green noting how dry it’s been. 🍂No burn ban but the Forest Service is actively discouraging people from having fires outside of developed campgrounds. 🌲 I had a fire last night for a while but I kept it out, smothered the coals before bed and peed over the fire. I also brought extra water – six gallons for two nights – to ensure I could really drown the fire, plus I have a shovel for burying the coals. 🔥 But I mostly burned just burnables plus smaller sticks so it wasn’t quite as much of a worry. Been enjoying some incense and other things maybe to cover up the smell of the other things burnt, lol. 👃

Well I want to get hiking as days are short this time of year. 🚶 Got tidy up camp and lock things up and then I’ll be on my way. Not the nicest day ever – kind of cloudy but more sun ☀️ is expected later. Tomorrow I will probably head home relatively early. Mom and Dad are going to be out tomorrow so no Sunday dinner – but I have some things to do before the coming work week when I get home, 🧼not the least to do some cleaning and potentially run to the laundromat and grocery store for food for the coming week. 

Have a good one!! Giggle a bit and note it won’t be long before ICE is in Vermont and the roads are only passable by snow machine. 🤭