NY and Vermont

We took a quick trip the other weekend to the Adirondack area in New York – as well as – Killington, Vermont.

I know it was a quick trip but I fell in love with the area. If it didn’t get so dang cold, I think I could see myself living there. After visiting one of the restaurants, I told Marc: “I want to be a small town girl”. I’m an old soul and I love the quaint areas: the personal, down-home, welcoming feeling that goes with the slower pace of things…

Below are a few highlights from our trip, which will include restaurants along the way (but no pictures of those).

One of our first stops on the way up through was figuring out a place to eat for the evening. A quick Google search while driving through gave us options, and man did we hit the jackpot!! What a delicious find to share with you all. Check out Stoke: Stoke Coal Fire Pizza & Bar if you find yourself around the Easton Pennsylvania area. OH ME – OH MY!! Absolutely a thumbs up!! The town is cute, the food was delicious and the server we had was phenomenal. In fact, if he wouldn’t have recommended (and described) the wings the way he did – we would have passed on them. Would it be the end of the world if we had missed trying the wings? No. However, there’s just something about trying new things – especially when initially reading a description and thinking: meh…not sure about that. And then having the server describe it in a way that you start to drool before they were even served. THEN the item surpasses your understanding. The creativity that some have to put things together in the culinary world is a gift to embrace and appreciate! (and of course, the pizzas were DE-licious too!)

Lake George: We did not get to explore the Lake area directly but we do want to go back. We were staying near by and needed to at least drive to the Lake as Jordyn’s nickname is George (Marc’s late grandfather’s name).

Revolution Rail Co: NY – Hadley Run

Ok – this excursion was a fun find when planning our trip. It’s a neat way to get out in nature but nothing overexerting if one’s body is not up for it. They have multiple locations, so if you think it looks neat; I’d look into it to see if there’s one available on a road trip you are planning.

This particular one “crosses over the confluence of the Hudson and Sacandaga Rivers”. If you aren’t a fan of heights, you may not enjoy this particular location. However, I think it all depends on the severity of your fear of heights. I’m not a fan of different height situations but I was ok on this trip and took it all in. It was so beautiful looking out over and appreciating the view. I actually found myself a little bummed that it wasn’t a longer portion of our ride.

Oh – Breakfast: before our ride, we were looking for breakfast. I will NOTE: when in the mountains like this, you don’t get many options. However, I think that makes it pleasant in regards to picking a smaller place vs. a grab & go. It makes you a little more intentional about your time and taking time to sit together vs. on the go all the time.

• Breakfast near Hadley: We found 9 North Wood-Fired Pizza & Pub. I was driving and Marc did the Google search (what did we do before Google?!!? lol). He read it off and I thought – what…a pizza place…breakfast?!!? He was like – Yep. There isn’t a lot coming up and it says they serve breakfast. In which they did and another great find. It was neat off the beaten path because on our way back to it, we looked over and thought: I bet that’s the bridge we’ll be going across for our Rail Ride. Sure enough, it was! 🙂
• The breakfast was very yummy, and needless to say – they didn’t skimp on the servings. They brought it out and we were like: oh!!! (wide eyed)

This next picture is the railbikes themselves. You ride separately – not linked together like this. You pick between a double (2-person) railbike or a quad (4 person) railbike. You are then instructed to keep at least a school bus length between each railbike while pedaling.

Here is a view to help give you an idea. Our moving railbike and you can see the distance between us and the couple in front of us.

ANNNNDDDD….drum roll!!! The beautiful view of the Sacandaga River below us! The bridge you see with a car going over it, that’s the bridge we drove across to get to 9 North Wood-Fired Pizza & Pub. So we were driving across that, looking over (and up) toward the Railbiking bridge.

Moving on to Vermont.

We stopped at: VINS Nature Center. It was a neat place. We sat to listen to an educational program on Live Birds / Raptors. It was fascinating and had memorable takeaways that make you think a bit more than we typically do about things.

Our top pick from here is their: Forest Canopy Walk (as they have it worded on their website: “Elevate Your Perspective”). We’ve never done anything like this so this was the main reason for stopping here. The educational piece was a bonus.

• It is designed for all ages and ADA-accessible so that makes it ingenious too.
• The spider web was a favorite.
• To be that high in general added a lot of new perspectives. One, I say: we put a lot of trust in things. But from the bird’s eye perspective. Image being so high up and having vision so great you cannot only see movement on the ground but it’s your meal in which you need to be able to see ever so impressively AND be swift enough to catch it. If not, you’re hungry. So eyesight, timing, buckling down when it’s windy and inclement weather (not a lot of shelter that high up)…

Right around the corner from VIN (Vermont Institute of Natural Science) was a cute shopping center and this BEAUTIFUL Gorge. It’s crazy to think what lies around the corner.

• “Who knows what may lie around the next corner? There may be a window somewhere ahead. It may look out on a field of sunflowers.” – Joe Hill
• (or a beautiful Gorge)
• The pictures of the Gorge cannot do full justice. Being there and witnessing (sight and sound) of the powerful water – it is breathtaking.

At the Quechee Gorge Village Marc and I purchased Alpaca gloves from: Living the Dream Alpaca Farm. Our hands are always cold and getting worse as we age (did I say age – shhhh….).

Below is: Thundering Falls (Part of Thundering Brook Falls Trail). It is close to Killington Vermont Ski Resort. It’s very pretty and one that is only minutes from a parking lot with a ‘boardwalk’ for walking – which again – makes it accessible for those who want to experience the beauty of a waterfall but may not have the ability to do all the climbing that a lot consist of. It’s a quick added stop to get out and stretch your legs a bit and take in a miraculous scene. If there’s time – there is a trail but I cannot speak on if it’s a “good trail” or not.

Mad Hatter’s Scoops – Yummy ice cream stop. Not homemade by them but from Maine.

• The mountains behind the tree line would be the Killington Ski Resort. I’d call them death slopes buutttt….to each their own. lol

Souvenir shops were sprinkled along the road while driving but for nice Killington shirts, visit: Killington Shirt Co (2023A Killington Rd, Killington, VT 05751). It’s on the same road that takes you to the ski resort. There were also multiple restaurants along that road as well. Probably the biggest selection on one road than across many miles traveled while in the area. lol

• NOTE: Killington Shirt Co – It’s a smaller store but the quality of the shirts were probably the best we ran into. Great styles plus misc. small keepsake items.

And one of our last fun stops on the way home. The Big Moose Deli & Country Store (4956 NY-7, Hoosick, NY 12089). I mean come on…driving up and seeing this truck – how could you not stop! 🙂 Unfortunately the deli wasn’t open but the shop was cute and the gentleman working the front counter was great!!

• PS – we did not get to see a Moose on our trip but, next time my friends…next time!!!! 🙂
• To share a laugh: I may have THOUGHT I saw a Moose. I got all excited, turned around saying: I don’t know – I saw a dark something, maybe a butt of a Moose or bear OR…ready for it – – it was a horse behind a tree!!! (INSERT lots of laughter) I said: well, I wasn’t going to miss it in case it was a Moose. All I saw was something dark behind a tree and I was turning around!! 🙂 I think God likes to test us – maybe even a laugh for him! You’re welcome Jesus – – and in case you thought I was kidding – oh my family knows I was serious about finding a Moose! 🙂

• All pictures shared: Tammy Haines