Happy Labor Day to everyone. We will labor today in another way, and it will be more labor than we expected. But first, we crossed Lake Champlain from Ticonderoga on a cable ferry.
The first opportunity to by "pure Vermont maple syrup" was on the ferry.
Welcome to Vermont.
Apple orchards are everywhere along with opportunities to buy cider and lots of "pure Vermont maple syrup" (it's never called anything else except these four words).
Beautiful vistas from hilltops.
Middlebury VT: a quintessential New England village.
Soon after leaving East Middlebury, the real climbing began. At this point we thought our campsite was just 8 miles away, but it was just mid-afternoon.
We chose not to take a 3-mile gravel road to Moosalamoo Campground, instead putting our effort into 5 miles to the top of the pass called Middlebury Grade in the Breadloaf Wilderness. We climbed 1700 feet but it was very steep at times. I was very glad the 12% grade was going downhill and Texas Falls Campground was just 3 miles away.
Texas Falls CG was a bust, only primitive camping with no designated sites and no water. Unfortunately, this discovery was made after riding and walking UPhill for 2 miles on gravel. No problem, there's a private campground just 7 miles away. It's late in the afternoon now, but there's still time to get there. Again, we went off route and rode/walked UPhill for 2 miles to discover the campground has been closed for 2 years. Our maps and the addenda did not mention this. We stood in front of this quarry to discuss our options. It was now getting dark.
Across the street was a deep gravel road that curved to a mostly hidden area. We pitched the tent near a huge rock pile but discovered there were still plenty of rocks under our tent. Dick made dinner in the dark and we crawled into bed . . . completely exhausted.
Miles completed = 4126
The first opportunity to by "pure Vermont maple syrup" was on the ferry.
Welcome to Vermont.
Apple orchards are everywhere along with opportunities to buy cider and lots of "pure Vermont maple syrup" (it's never called anything else except these four words).
Beautiful vistas from hilltops.
Middlebury VT: a quintessential New England village.
Soon after leaving East Middlebury, the real climbing began. At this point we thought our campsite was just 8 miles away, but it was just mid-afternoon.
We chose not to take a 3-mile gravel road to Moosalamoo Campground, instead putting our effort into 5 miles to the top of the pass called Middlebury Grade in the Breadloaf Wilderness. We climbed 1700 feet but it was very steep at times. I was very glad the 12% grade was going downhill and Texas Falls Campground was just 3 miles away.
Texas Falls CG was a bust, only primitive camping with no designated sites and no water. Unfortunately, this discovery was made after riding and walking UPhill for 2 miles on gravel. No problem, there's a private campground just 7 miles away. It's late in the afternoon now, but there's still time to get there. Again, we went off route and rode/walked UPhill for 2 miles to discover the campground has been closed for 2 years. Our maps and the addenda did not mention this. We stood in front of this quarry to discuss our options. It was now getting dark. 
Across the street was a deep gravel road that curved to a mostly hidden area. We pitched the tent near a huge rock pile but discovered there were still plenty of rocks under our tent. Dick made dinner in the dark and we crawled into bed . . . completely exhausted.
Miles completed = 4126
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