Stowe, Wolcott, and Hardwick, Friday, August 1, 2025
We’ve finally hit a spell of real Vermont weather: highs in the low 70’s with bright blue skies! As a result the pool was overrun and Sue had to forgo her swim for the time being. We compensated by spending the morning being enormously frustrated with Paperless Post as we tried to put together the invitation for the birthday party coming up next month. We finally managed to arrange the invitation so as to highlight the artwork by the renowned author Ariel Kate Courage.
After a bit of lunch we headed west along Vermont 100 and then 15 to the little town of Wolcott, where we picked up the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail again. Wolcott is little more than a bump in the road but, like virtually every village in Vermont, it has a church and a town library.
The first miles of the trail lead right along the Lamoille River, with gorgeous views into the valley.
Although this 6+ mile section didn’t have the mountain views of our ride on Wednesday, it was generally wilder, with more time spent in the forest.
We had learned that it’s best to ride eastward on an out-and-back ride, since the river’s gradient generally flows from east to west, allowing us to spin more (or rather climb less) on the way back. The grades are never demanding, but they do wear on you!
Hardwick is a really nice little New England town, with some inviting pubs and restaurants and a really lovely bookstore. The staff shows exquisite taste: the staff recommendation table included Bad Nature!
You have to love the Vermonters. We saw lots of anti-Trump activity today, ranging townspeople by the side of the road with posters to this bumper sticker in the window of a restaurant in Hardwick.
When the proprietor saw me taking a picture, he popped out to give me a big thumb’s up!
After a quick stop to pick up some fish for dinner, we repaired to what has become our local: beer and wine on the lawn of the Alchemist. Today was a bit different, though: just after we sat down on the deck the live music began, with a 90’s rock cover band. Was there rock in the 90’s? If it all sounded like this, there shouldn’t have been!
We retreated to some extremely comfy Adirondack chairs on the lawn and watched the goings on for a good while.
Dinner was a great piece of salmon with some perfectly cooked sautéed potatoes; good work, Sue!