Sunday, July 3, 2022: Mt. Equinox. It was the perfect summer day for this challenging hike. I led the way in my typical style: non-stop. There wasn’t many people on this particular path to the summit, but we passed all we came upon. It was a steep and steady hike to the top; even though my heart was beating hard and fast, I felt strong. At the summit there is a monastery and decks on the north and south sides with a placard identifying the mountains in the distance. After resting with snacks on the huge blocks of marble, we took pictures and started our descent. John and our friend were jogging, but I took it slower, per usual. Once I passed the really tricky stuff – rocks and roots – I also started trail running. I soon caught up and passed our friend and met up with John a minute after he arrived at a parking lot which was not our starting place; we both missed the trail that we needed to take.
A note on #Manchester Center, Vermont: super cute town; John and I could see ourselves living there at some point in the future. Our biggest issue with this place is that many of the restaurants closed by 8 PM on weeknights and by 4 PM on Sunday. After a hike when all you can think about is what your going to eat, it is heartbreaking when you can see on the web that there are so many interesting places to try but that there are not actually very many options because they are all closed. Luckily we found a place at #GringoJack’s.
Monday, July 4, 2022: Breadload and Wilson. We packed up our tent, said farewell to our friend and hit the road. Our destination was Bread Loaf and Wilson, two mountains in the center of Vermont. The Breadloaf Wilderness is beautiful. Skylight Pond trail is an easy trail that switches back and forth for a more gradual climb. I’m used to very efficient (i.e. steep) trails in the White Mountains of NH so switchbacks kind of drive me crazy (though, to be honest, I didn’t mind as much on this hike because this was the 4th and 5th mountains that we’d hiked in three days, and our legs were tired). Both summits are marked with small cairns that could be easily missed.
After the hike, we continued our drive to Burlington, Vermont, where we were staying at an Airbnb in the city for two nights. Our place was within a short walk to the downtown area; the Church Street Marketplace is really cool. I loved the lights in the trees and the colorful flags that are stringed overhead so that you know you are in the heart of the city. There are local shops and restaurants of almost any variety in this outdoor pedestrian mall. We each got burgers for dinner at The Farmhouse Tap and Grill; Mine was vegetarian, John’s was very much for a carnivore, both were delicious. We left the restaurant and walked to the water for our first real look at Lake Champlain.
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Adventuring with Mel and John 