June 2, 2018 – Vermont – The town of Wilmington, Woodford State Park, and our second visit to the Creamery Covered Bridge

Today we visited many different places, while on our Adventure in Vermont. I will highlight our three main stops in my blog today.

The Town of Wilmington, Vermont

On our first stop we wandered around the charming downtown section of Wilmington, Vermont. Wilmington is located in the Deerfield Valley of the Green Mountains.

We enjoyed walking around the town, which appeared to have many unique shopping opportunities, and restaurants. In this area we found Reardon’s Crossing, a green pedestrian bridge, which crosses over the Deerfield River. We walked along the River, and wandered along some of the Hoot, Toot and Whistle trail, before turning back toward town. On our return route, Shadow was eager to find a path to the River to cool down. We finally found a little overgrown path down to the water. Shadow enjoyed walking around in the shallow river, sipping a drink, and even just lying in the water (adorable video below). Wilma enjoyed some digging, and really just seemed content taking in the moment. (Rating: 3)

After exploring the downtown area, local trails, and River, we drove to Harriman’s Reservoir to check out the view, and of course for another Shadow swim. This is a very picturesque Reservoir, which I believe is also referred to as Wilmington Lake. It was not easy to figure out how to access the Reservoir, but we were lucky to find this boat launch to snap a couple shots. (Rating: 3)

Woodford State Park

Our second stop was Woodford State Park in Woodford, Vermont. This park is a 398 acre park, located at 2400 feet elevation. It is on a mountain plateau surrounding the Adams Reservoir. The park has camping sites, cabins, and lean-tos. One of their cabins is even dog friendly, and while I definitely contemplated that option, but decided to just make it a day of adventures.

Initially my plan was to hike the loop trail around the Adams Reservoir, however, we arrived later than expected, and it was quite humid. In addition the trail was very overgrown at spots, and quite buggy, which likely swayed my decision to complete the full loop. Instead we walked part of the trail, taking a loop that headed closer to the Reservoir. The Reservoir was beautiful, and scenic, and the water quite inviting. As you might guess Shadow enjoyed swimming, and rolling in the grass. Wilma enjoyed scouting out the new trail, and greeting guests. After our little walk, we wandered around the “day use” area, enjoyed some more swimming, and sat for a bit near the Reservoir. There were several people fishing nearby, and many young families on the sandy beach. There seemed to be some biting flies, which shortened our stay, but yet really a truly beautiful Reservoir. (Rating: 3)

Creamery Covered Bridge – Brattleboro

Our last stop of the day was at the Creamery Covered Bridge in Brattleboro. This was the second time we visited this bridge, as Shadow, Buster, and I also visited this spot in July of 2016. It fills my heart remembering our adventures with Buster, and knowing that I can still include these memories in my blog.

The Creamery Covered Bridge was built in 1879 and is now closed to traffic. It is a lattice truss bridge, which is approximately 80 feet long. It crosses the Whetstone Brook, and is located right next to Route 9.

We parked near the bridge, and wandered over, sauntering back and forth through the beautiful lattice. Shadow and Wilma were quite tired, (being our last stop of a busy day), providing me a good opportunity to catch a side-by-side pose! Definitely not an easy task with an energetic puppy. It was fun finding a bridge with no cars rushing through, allowing us time to relax and enjoy (Rating: 3).

July 2016

Brattleboro covered bridge

Today

Throwback Adventure – Neddick “Nubble” Lighthouse, Maine – September 2013 and February 2018

I will have sections of my blog that I will title “Flashback Adventure”, and will plan on posting them every Thursday. These are journeys we have taken before I started the blog, but are well worth sharing.

In September 2013, Shadow, Buster, my Mom, and I visited Neddick Lighthouse, and in February 2018, Shadow, Wilma, my Mom, and I visited Neddick Lighthouse. As many of you know Buster has passed away since, but he definitely enjoyed his share of adventures. He was an amazing boy, and will always be missed!

Cape Neddick “Nubble” Lighthouse is located in Cape Neddick, York, Maine. It is on Nubble Island off of Cape Neddick point. It was initially put into use in 1879, and continues to be a working lighthouse. The area is popular for visitors, and even has a small gift shop and restrooms (available in season).

We enjoyed our visits to this beautiful, scenic lighthouse. It is the perfect place to take photographs, sit on a bench and enjoy the breeze, lounge in the grass, or jump from rock to rock along the ocean shore. It really is a true New England landmark (Rating: 4).

September 2013

Neddick 4

February 2013

May 27, 2018 – Rhode Island – Blackstone River State Park

Today we visited the Blackstone River State Park in Lincoln, RI. The Blackstone River Park is a riverfront park with bicycle trails, walking paths, canoeing, and even a museum. It is also popular for fishing. The Blackstone Canal was built to improve transportation of goods, and was opened in 1828. The River flows nearly 48 miles throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

We visited this park on a dark, cool New England day, a far cry from yesterday’s 80 degree heat. Although many will complain about today’s weather, I love a 50 degree, sweatshirt-type of New England day.

On our visit we explored the trails along the canal, and through the woods. We located a dam from afar, and noticed various bridges winding through the park. We appreciated new trails for some exercise, taking in the nice cool breeze. Shadow seemed to love rolling in the Rhode Island grass, while of course Wilma found some tasty sticks to gnaw. We chatting with several other visitors, and made some dog friends. No matter how simple the park, we ALWAYS enjoy our adventures! (Rating: 2)

May 26, 2018 – Massachusetts – Ashland State Park

Today we visited Ashland State Park, located in Ashland, Massachusetts. Ashland State Park is a 470 Acre Park with a 157 Acre Reservoir. The Park has a dam, a spillway, and several beaches for guests. The Park was initially created when the Reservoir was built in 1895. Ashland State Park has several fun facts, with a movie partly partially being filmed there in August 2014 (“Sea of Trees”), and even a helicopter crash in August 2016.

We spent almost four hours at this amazingly beautiful park, mostly traversing the trail around the Reservoir. We arrived bright and early, leading us to meet many, many other dog friends. I choose Ashland State Park today, as I knew it would be a hot day, and thought it was a perfect way for the dogs to cool down. Although Wilma is not a swimmer, she waded and sipped some water along the way. Shadow continually swam, and often enjoyed just sitting in the Reservoir. We enjoyed many stops for these water moments, and also spent some time at the dam, where Wilma even found a little turtle! We saw a beaver dam along the trail, crossed some unique bridges, found some good sticks for chewing, and some round rocks for climbing. This was really a great find, and as usual I took plenty of photographs along the way. Definitely a perfect location for a hot New England day (Rating: 5)

Throwback Adventure – Quechee Gorge , Vermont – October 2016

I will have sections of my blog that I will title “Throwback Adventure”, and will plan on posting them every Thursday. These are journeys we have taken before I started the blog, but are well worth sharing.

Shadow, Buster, and I journeyed to the Quechee Gorge in October 2016. We have been there other times, but this trip we thoroughly explored the Park. Sadly Buster has passed away since, but he definitely enjoyed his share of adventures. He was an amazing boy, and will always be missed!

The Quechee Gorge is located in the Quechee State Park in Quechee, Vermont. It is the deepest gorge in Vermont, plunging 165 feet. The Ottauquechee River flows through the bottom of the Gorge. The Gorge can be viewed from the bridge above, located directly on Route 4. This scenic view really cannot be missed as it is plastered with tourists peering over the bridge for a view, and snapping photographs. There are also trails along the Gorge, which allow for varied views of the River, and Gorge.

We choose a beautiful Fall day for this visit to the Gorge. We climbed to the bottom trail to view the Gorge, which revealed the bridge from afar. From there we hiked the opposite direction finding more trails, and even a little area for the dogs to swim. It was nice to get good some good exercise, and enjoy the colorful Fall foliage. The most beautiful spot really was the view of the Gorge directly off the bridge. The pictures I took really could not capture the beauty of this location. (Rating: 4)

Also, while in the area we stopped at the Quechee Covered Bridge, which spans the Ottauquechee River. The bridge was rebuilt after being severely damaged by flooding caused by Hurricane Irene in 2011. (Rating: 3)

The many adventures we had in October 2016 are especially precious in my heart as it was the last month of adventures we would have before losing Buster. We are so grateful that he was able to live life to the fullest.

May 20, 2018 – Massachusetts – Minuteman National Historic Park

Today we visited Minuteman National Historic Park, which we have visited before. This Park includes the towns of Lincoln, Concord, and Lexington. Minuteman National Park commemorates the opening battle in the American Revolutionary War. The park encompasses over 900 acres of land, and includes the North Bridge, “The Battle Road Trail”, and The Wayside Inn.

We strolled along the trails, over the North Bridge, stopping at various landmarks, along, and adjacent to the trail. It was a humid spring day, a good excuse for Shadow to enjoy a swim in the Concord River. Wilma herself enjoyed a good bark at the Daniel Chester French’s statue “Minute Man” (video below.) She must know history is really not my thing, a good reason to add a history stop to our adventures. (Rating: 3)

May 19, 2018 – Massachusetts – Bancroft Castle

Today we had our second adventure to Bancroft’s Castle in Groton. (I therefore will include pictures from our first visit too, just last November). Bancroft’s Castle was built in 1906 by General William Bancroft on Gibbet Hill in Groton, Massachusetts. Much of this Castle was destroyed in July 1932 during a fire. The Castle and trails are now part of Groton’s conservation land, so it can be enjoyed by all.

A steep, but short walk up a hill brings you to this small Castle, neighboring a local pasture. The Castle itself is towering in height, but yet small in area. I took many photos as we walked throughout the ruins of the Castle. Wilma enjoyed jumping throughout the hideouts, while Shadow was eager to pose for photos, my treat driven boy. After enjoying this unique spot, we wandered the nearby trails. This area gives quite the view of the town of Groton and surrounding areas. The Castle is quite the hidden gem. (Rating: 4)

May 19, 2018

November 4, 2017

Throwback Adventure – Jordan Pond, Maine – August 2015

In August 2015 My Mom, Shadow, Buster, and I journeyed to Jordan Pond in Acadia National Park, Maine. Sadly Buster has passed away since, but he definitely enjoyed his share of adventures. He had an amazing zest for life, led by his joyous howl, and happy tail. We made many memories on adventures, that we fondly treasure. He will always be missed!!

Jordan Pond was formed by the Wisconsin Ice Sheet during the last glacial period. It has mountains to the west and northeast. The loop trail around the pond is less than four miles long, and is mostly flat. On arrival I found the area to be quite touristy, but as we began to traverse the trail around the pond we were surrounded by nature, and stunning beauty. The perfect shaped rocks, gorgeous water, and the mountains, combined to provide a picturesque landscape. The day of this journey it was a bit foggy, which added a mystical feature to the photos. As per usual I took numerous photos of the boys on our adventure, and the stunning landscape. This was definitely a trip I will always treasure. It was one of the most gorgeous spots we have visited on our many years of adventures (Rating: 5)

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May 13, 2018 – Massachusetts – Acton Arboretum

Today, I wanted to add a little tribute to my Mother on this Mother’s Day. I planned the adventure to the Arboretum with my amazing Mother in mind. I am so lucky, and grateful to have such a wonderful Mother, who has always provided me love, encouragement, and support. As a young child we spent a lot of time enjoying the great outdoors, camping, walking in the woods, and learning about creation. Little did I know I would eventually be blogging my outdoor adventures. In my blog today I want to give my Mom a shout out, and say “Thank you for EVERYTHING you are, and have done for me. I am so grateful”. We are happy to have my parents join us on the adventure today.

Today we visited the Acton Arboretum, which is situated on some of the 65 acres of conservation land in Acton. It has a short trail system, and provides numerous gardens to explore. The Arboretum offers self-guided tours, available for download. It is often difficult to find garden locations that are dog friendly, so I was quite pleased to find this location.

We enjoyed our time at the Arboretum on another beautiful Spring Day. It is early in the garden season, but we still found beautiful landscapes and floral color to photograph. The trails included some bridges, and boardwalks, and lots of little benches to sit, and relax. Shadow enjoyed a swim in a little pond, and Wilma excitedly greeted anyone in her sight. It was a simple park, but so nice to stroll around with my parents, and to enjoy the beginning of spring. (Rating: 3, although the company was perfect!)

Throwback Adventure – Lonesome Lake – July 2017

In July 2017 me and Shadow journeyed to Lonesome Lake in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. (Wilma had not yet joined our world). Lonesome Lake had been on my “must explore” adventure list, and we found a perfect day to venture on this hike. Lonesome Lake is a body of water that is located in Franconia Notch in the White Mountains, just south of Cannon Mountain. You can only reach this Lake by a hike, which creates a magical journey. There was some reconstruction on the trail, so we were directed toward an alternative route. The trail was a tough trail for me, but it seemed to be quite effortless for Shadow. He was nine at the time (now ten) and did not miss a beat. Upon arrival we hiked around the Lake, and Shadow enjoyed cooling down with numerous dips in the Lake. It was very crowded at the Lake, but yet there was little traffic on the trail around the lake. There was an AMC hut located at the Lake which provided snacks, bathroom breaks, and even lodging. This hut was not dog friendly, but we were able to wander around and check out the area. Heading back from the Lake, was of course a breeze. My only disappointment in this hike was I imagined a more accessible beachfront where you could relax and enjoy sitting by the Lake. However, it was very crowded, no sandy shores, and hard to find little outlets to the Lake. Luckily this was not a barrier for Shadow who was able to sneak in many swims. I absolutely love a hike that leads to a landmark that cannot be reached otherwise. Definitely a memorable day of hiking, and adventures. (Rating: 5)