Day 45, Stowe, VT

Well mostly a very quiet spot being in farm country.  No rooster but cows.  In the middle of the night, there must have been a bull chasing a cow who did not care to be chased.  Rosemary slept through all the mooing.  Left coach at the Morse farm and headed to Cabot Creamery for a factory tour.  Sampled enough different cheeses (about 2 dozen) and other goodies to call it lunch.  Purchased about 4 cheeses and then on to Bragg Farm Sugarhouse for more maple syrup sampling and tour.  Bought more syrup and then back to pick up the coach and head to Gold Brook Campground in Stowe, VT.  Hooked up the coach and then off to more foodie heaven.  First stop Cold Hollow Cider Mill for free cider and a legendary cider donut.  Then wine tasting at Grandview Winery.  Then free chocolate at Lake Champlain Chocolates.  Then to the Ben & Jerry’s Factory Tour and a sample of ice cream.  Then to Green Mountain Coffee for coffee samples.  Approaching 6 pm, we unanimously agreed not to eat dinner out.  Back to the coach for eggs and half a bagel.  Great news received this evening as my nephew and his wife had their first child born this afternoon and named David after my dad.  My sister is now a grandma.  About time, since she’s the older sibling!

Day 44, Montpelier, VT

Departed Gorham and headed west.  On the way to Vermont, stopped in Littleton, NH, the “Glad Town”, home of author Eleanor Porter, to take Rosemary’s picture by the Pollyanna statue.  While there we walked to a Sunday farmers market and bought some goodies.  Arrived at Morse Farm Maple Sugarworks in Montpelier, VT, another host of Harvest Hosts, for a tour and an overnight stay.  Tour included a tasting of all 4 grades of maple syrup and other maple goodies.  Bought maple syrup and pancake mix.  Dinner at Royal Orchid Thai in downtown Montpelier.  Back to the farm for a Creemee for dessert.  That’s a maple soft served ice cream cone.  Fantastic!

Day 43, Gorham, NH, July 12, 2014

Left the coach at Walmart and headed to the Franconia Notch State Park. First stop was Cannon Mountain and the aerial tramway to the summit at 4400 feet.  Temp dropped from 74 at the base to 60 at the summit.  After taking in the views we ate lunch in the café on the summit at a table with a great window view.  Going down we had the best spot in the gondola at the front window.  Rosemary appears to have gotten a bit braver after the Mt. Washington experience and even looked out the window of the gondola.  A big step for her.  Next stop was a 2.2 mile loop hike along the Flume Gorge and Liberty Gorge.  Both spectacular with water falling everywhere.  After a brief stop at Fadden’s General Store & Maple Sugarhouse in North Woodstock (established in 1886) we finally found Grade B maple syrup and purchased a quart.  Onward to the Kancamagus Highway, a 34 mile road through the White Mountain National Forest with a stop at Sabbaday Falls.  Dinner in North Conway at Vito Marcello’s Italian Bistro with a birthday cannoli on the house.  A great meal and another great day as I hung one more year on the line.