a special place this Vermont!

Leaving the campground before heading to Grand Isle and Burlington, a man and his family ask me, "what in Oregon are you from/", I say Gaston, he is from Dilley, well Gaston's population is 620 folks, and Dilley, is just 5 miles away maybe 150 people live there. Small World, second person from Dilley on this trip, the other in Zion, Utal. Those Dilleytonians get around. Small World!

Grand Isle on Lake Champlain, camping for three days here, so I have the time to discover what Vermont and Burlington are about, this island is home to many white-tailed deer, a variety of migratory waterfowl, fish in abundance, as well as turtles nesting in the beaches, please do not disturb the turtles! The Upper NE is a canoe and kayaking paradise.
It’s Saturday off to downtown Burlington, first the Farmers Market, lots of produce from organic farms, this area supports local, there were candle makers, maple syrup, yarn, like Oregon, grass fed beef, pork and lamb, all organic, available here and cheese, this cows, help produce some fine cheese and ice cream, too. Ben & Jerry’s is home here, starting in a small gas station building, with a vision for community and product, their new product, out soon is American Apple Pieice cream, soon please! The farmer's market was just the right size, with friendly folks and music all around, this downtown is well set-up, with a main street blocked to traffic, the shops, restaurants, coffee houses and bookstores are easy to get to, you can eat outside, everyone seems to give each other space for be themselves, the city even employs four social workers to work with folks living a different lifestyle here, on the street. And fancy food places, lots like Smokejack, I had a great meal of appetizers here, Mac & Cheese with Bacon, BBQ Pork ribs and a Beef-Cilantro Cigar with a Sweet Tomato Sauce. Yum!!!
, there’s RiRa, Irish food, Leunig’s Bistro, a fine Heirloom Tomato Salad here, the Church Street Tavern and Adrianas with a Lobster Roll to die for with Tarragon Mayo, Bibb Lettuce on Grilled Bread and Hand cut Fries, there are lots of small eateries just outside the main part of downtown, a block away, a funky coffee shop, the Radio Bean, fun bars all around town, with lots of music here too, the Red Square even has a film night, on 1st Friday’s, you can do the Art Walk, they have a fine performance venue, the Flynn with Classical Music, folk music, with the likes of Gordon Lightfoot, Rosanne Cash coming, Ballet, Dance, Plays, a happening place right in the downtown area. There is also a great waterfront, with views of the Adirondack Mountains in the distance, they are calling my name, I keep going back downtown, Saturday had lots of folks everywhere, on Sunday and Monday it's a lot less crowded, but still the same feeling, everyone belongs.
This area supports Eat Local, and buy local, they support Organic farms, even have a space called Intervale, where small farms and Community Gardens are located, a wonderful place to grow your own or to sell, with a wide range of vegetables, fruits, dairy products, meats, eggs, grains and legumes are grown and harvested by many fantastic farmers.
The Vermont Cheese Trail started in the early 1800’s, the earliest commercial cheese makers were Winfield and Nellie Crowly in 1842, a home-based operation in the little hamlet of Healdville, this state produces about 70 million pounds of cheese a year, to name a few: Crawford Farm with raw milk from cows, then cave aged “Ayr”, Cobb Hill “Ascutney Mountain” raw milk cheese similar to Gruyere from Jersey cow’s milk, Green Mountain Blue Cheese “Brother Laurent”, a wash rind French style cheese, Shelburne Farms “Clothbound”, an award winning Cheddar from Brown Swiss cows, just to name a few.
Then, The Beer, 15 small breweries: The Alchemist Pub & Brewery in Waterford, American Flatbread in Burlington, Harpoon from Windsor, great beer, one of my Favs, Magic Hat, a fun local, kinda light for me, Otter Creek in Middlebury, Trout River from Lyndonville and Vermont Pub & Brewery in Downtown Burlington, just a few, craft brewing has taken this region by storm from Maine to Vermont, there is plenty of good beer to be had and drank, quickly, before the Bears beat you to it!
Ciders and Wineries too, Although the wine I tasted was light in flavor and body, but for Cider, go to the Cold Cider Mill for great juice from McIntosh apples, Cider Jelly, Maple Cider Mustard, Jams and Vermont Maple Butter and Syrups, too!
Did I mention Chocolate from Lake Champlain Chocolates, Truffles, Caramel & Nut Clusters, my fav, Dipped Fruit and Hot Chocolate for those cold Vermont night I was told about, they say the lake freezes over, and stories of ice fishing and a occasional truck falling though the ice.
The music is everywhere, went to see a Kerrville performer Anias Mitchell, see could not make it, it would have been nice to have been told earlier, but I did meet a wonderful man Wil, he was at Kerrville as well, and lived in Austin, a new friend, we are everywhere, we chatted and checked out some NY City players, two out of three need to find some other way of entertaining folks, but
Julz A with his Squeeze rock accordion was fun. The next night at a place called Higher Ground, the Duhks from Winnipeg played, a must see and hear, Fiddle, Banjo, Guitar, Vocal and Tribal Drum sounds, folk, celtic, funk, a rich full sound and fun, lots, we all danced around & around all night.

History, me, yes:
Ethan Allen (1738-1789)
The folk hero of Vermont was an unusually flamboyant farmer turned statesman.
For all the legends, though, we know little about this man. We can only guess why he acted as he did. We don’t know what he looked like. We don’t even know where his grave is.
The founder of Vermont, was he: a drunkard, a heretic, a hero, a traitor, a rough and ready frontiers man, a furniture maker?
Ethan Allen is one of the biggest mysteries in American history, during his lifetime, he was awash in controversy. He wrote about himself, and others wrote about him, too.
Few accounts agree on what kind of man he really was.
After his death, stories were told and retold. Each generation subtly altered them to fit its own idea of patriotism, liberty and heroism.
His own version of the 1775 taking of Fort Ticonderoga. The fort’s commander demanded to know what authority Allen had to order surrender.
His response was: “In the name of the Great Jehovah and the Continental Congress.”
Then moments later,” Come out of there, you damned old rat.”
I like this guy!
Wielding the pen as well as the sword, he was the sagacious and intrepid defender of the New Hampshire Grants, which Vermont’s territory was under and the master spirit in the arduous struggle which resulted in the Independence of this state.
“There is an original something about him that commands admiration.”
General George Washington
Off to New York, a special place this place called Vermont.
59.4 mpg/207.9 miles traveled around Burlington and the Isles
July 28th-31st, 2006