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Travel Bloggers

Ali
Katie

Augusta, ME, The White Mountains, NH, and Montpelier, VT

Leaving the state of Maine was hard, knowing it would be a long time before we came back. It’s a TGTG motto that, if you have the money, go somewhere new and unexplored, but for as gorgeous as Maine is, I have a feeling both Ali and I will return someday . . . even if it’s just for the lobster!

After a hearty - and free - breakfast, we left the Econolodge in Augusta for the drive to and through the White Mountains in New Hampshire that would, in the end, take us into Vermont where we planned to stop at roadsides, eat a lot of food, and “pick up” some incredibly awesome and genius men - Ben and Jerry of course!! We took Route 202 west and plugged along through Auburn/Lewiston, Naples, Bridgton, and finally, gave our farewell to Maine at a little town called Fryeburg where we stopped at a fruit stand called Cider Hill and for $1.21, received two Macintosh apples and directions to the 112 highway, leading into the magnificent White Mountains.

From the first stop, I sensed an overwhelming urge to live in the mountains because it reminded me of a dream landscape; something one would go to sleep and then imagine they were there, living life as it should be lived. I have to thank Frommer, for it was their book where Ali and I got the idea to go through the White Mountains and it was an excellent recommendation for a half-day trip. Not that just driving it takes a half a day, but you’ll stop for pictures along the way and you’ll absolutely want to stop more than once. Although we didn’t stay at each spot for too long, we felt the minor $3 day pass would be well worth it. You can go on a hike, sit down on the rocks for a picnic or maybe swim, water temperature permitting. There are little self-pay boxes at almost each stop and if Ali and I weren’t both so antsy to get to Vermont (time schedule people!!), we would’ve stopped and taken in even more of the White Mountain beauty.

I have a list, a fantasy list, of old-fashioned or cutesy things I want to do and see while in New England. Ali has a list too. After comparing them, we discovered stopping at fruit and/or vegetable stands along the highway was one we shared. We’re not talking about giant commercial markets either, no, don’t you dare . . . Picture a stand not much bigger than your bathroom, and it’s advertising consists of a wooden, unprofessionally made sign where the paint dried dripping down the plywood into the other letters but you don’t care because you saw they were selling corn, green beans, fresh blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, pumpkins, or anything else they grew in their backyard garden and each item is cared for and being sold by an older man or woman who has the heart and spirit of someone half their age and you notice the entire stand is slightly slanted from an idea the exterior of the stand isn’t nearly as important as what’s sold within. There aren’t pre-made cakes or plastic bags of precisely accounted for fruit; there’s homemade pies cooling in the windowsills with hand-written tags displaying their worth, apples hang out of baskets, their shiny sides prompting the locals and tourists to give healthy, delicious eating a chance and you know - you literally feel - that paying a mere $4.50 for a pint of organic raspberries or $1 for a true working woman’s peanut butter cookie is worth so much more than the price you paid for it all. It was in Groton, Vermont at the Rustic Hill stand, along Route 302 where a fantasy became a reality. The Rustic Hill, run by a couple gems of women, is the epitome of fruit/veggie stands (they set the bar really high!!), and it didn’t take us long to fall in love with the “Green Mountain State”.

From there, we continued along through the town of Barre until we reached Montpelier where we both agreed to hang our road-worn hats. Surprisingly enough, the Capitol Plaza in the heart of town was reasonably priced, well accommodating (free Wifi, excellent customer service, lovely rooms) and steps away from several types of restaurants, shops, and bars. Ali and I chose to eat at the Rhapsody, an entirely vegan-friendly restaurant (except a few fish sushi rolls) where you load up a plate, set it on scale, and pay the man for your food (it’s about $7.95/lb. and no, they don’t count the plate as weight). Bellies full once again, we walked through downtown Montpelier totally blending in with the other Montpeliens. Except for maybe the camera flashing at a ‘Katie’s Jewel’ sign. Well, it did have my name on it! With that, I say goodnight. My eyes are about to close and like every night, I can’t wait to get up in the morning, opening them back again to a whole new day.