The more “e’s”, the merrier!

Vermont is definitely one of the prettiest states we’ve been to yet. Everywhere you look are these big, rolling mountains, all covered in green trees. It’s quiet, there aren’t a lot of people, and all the roads are clean. It’s like they don’t even litter here! Glenda told me it’s because the state really cares about the environment, which is why they banned billboards and large signs on buildings.

I told the family about Amy’s sister’s wedding ring, and they agreed that we should bring it to Burlington on Saturday. But that still gives us plenty of time to explore the rest of the state!

After breakfast at the hotel in Ludlow, we went to swim in Echo Lake. We were heading to a beach the front desk girl recommended when we passed this rope swing by the side of the road. There was a car parked nearby, with a few kids hanging out on the rocky shore.

“A rope swing!” Ray exclaimed. “Dad, can we stop, please?”

“Sure!” George said. “But it might be private land. We should ask.” He pulled up next to the teenagers and rolled down the window. “Hey there kids! Can anyone use that thing?”

They glanced at George, and at the hulking, rusted Falcon. There were three boys and one girl and they all looked about my age. The girl started to giggle as soon as she saw us.

“Oh my god,” I mumbled, slumping down into the seat as my face turned bright red.

“Yeah, it’s open to everyone!” one of the boys called out.

“Rad!” George pulled over and they all piled out of the RV. I was so mortified that I wouldn’t even get out of the car at first. But then I saw one of the boys handing the rope to George and everyone laughing as he swung out over the lake, dropping down into the water below. The three teenagers thought George was hilarious. And even I had to admit that the loud, girly scream he made right before he hit the water was kind of funny. So after a few minutes, I got out of the Falcon and jumped into the water too. It was just too hot to stay embarrassed!

After we swam, we drove into town for lunch at a café called Java Babbas, then went back to the hotel to pack up. On the way we passed a little Vermont store called Harlow’s Sugar House. They had a sign out front for Maple Creemees.

“What’s a Maple Creemee?” I asked.

“It appears to be ice cream,” Glenda replied.

Of course Ray immediately started shouting, “Ice cream, ice cream, ice cream!”

George pulled the Falcon over and we went inside. The shop was so cute! It was filled with tons of Vermont stuff, like real maple syrup, t-shirts with moose on them, local cheese, and the mysterious Maple Creemees. The woman running the shop told us that it was maple flavored soft-serve. We all decided to got one, even Gloria. I swear, it was the best thing I’ve ever eaten! The store clerk laughed as soon as she saw the expression on my face. “The more ‘e’s’ in a creemee, than the better it is!” she said.

Probably due to a sugar rush, Mom decided to buy out half of the store. “When will we have a chance to buy real Vermont maple syrup again?” she asked George as we loaded gallon after gallon into the back of the Falcon. “We can give it out as Christmas presents.” George grumbled, but he still helped us carry all that syrup. I think he was just as impressed with the creemees as the rest of us.

Soon it was time to hit the road, but we didn’t get far. Gloria insisted that we spend the night near the Calvin Coolidge homestead, which was only a few miles up the road in a town called Plymouth. We got there kind of late, but the homestead was next to a large state park and we decided to camp in the woods. That night we built a fire and told ghost stories and ate s’mores. It was a little cold at night, even though it was nearing fall, but through the gaps in the trees you could see like a million stars. I decided to sleep out in the open, but then Ray started talking about the bears in the woods and I chickened out and went back into the tent. I’m glad I did because you could hear coyotes howling all night long.

The next day we hiked through the woods for a little while, then went to the Coolidge site. Gloria was filled with facts about Calvin Coolidge. Apparently he was our thirtieth president, and was born and raised in Vermont. To be honest, I kind of tuned her out. Especially because the homestead was so much cooler than I thought it would be! There were all these old buildings, and old churches. There was even an old-fashioned general store. George bought me and Ray stick candy and rock candy and big sour pickles. By then it was late afternoon and time to hit the road again. Let’s hope we can make it to Burlington by Saturday – who knew there was so much to do in a small state like Vermont!