Red Mill of Jericho

Everyone should have the opportunity to travel across country at least once. This is my second round trip – coming out in 1989 and then again this summer. I’ve traveled one-way twice before, but doing the round trip on different routes is special. This time was very interesting, after 16 years in the desert with very little water and green trees. We realized just how much we are New Englanders and small town folk. We really missed the small town America of New England – small main streets that are still viable, great architecture, loads of fields and lawns and grass and forests.

Jericho, Vermont is hometown to hubby’s family ancestors. The Brown family settled the area, thinking they were in the Stowe area – wrong side of the mountain. There’s the Browns River, Browns River Middle School, Browns Trace (a road), and so on. The mill on the left houses the genealogy of the family, as well as the repository of the work of William Bentley, otherwise know to the world as Snowflake Bentley. The Jericho Historical Society maintains the mill, the craft shop, and the small museum. They have been publishing reprints of Bentley’s snowflakes, which are absolutely beautiful. There are only two mills left on the Browns River, and this is designated a historical landmark.

This is a common photo, as you can see from Waterfalls of the Northeast. I do plan to print this out larger and get it framed as a reminder for me of this gorgeous area.

It was wonderful to see Lake Champlain again, even in the rain – which we don’t get that often in the desert. This is one of those pics when my telephoto actually worked really well – I didn’t expect to get the actual rocks under water.

Lake Champlain from the breakwater

Ferry service doesn’t seem to be running to Plattsburgh from Burlington, although it could be most of the service has moved to southern Vermont, since the bridge was destroyed. Now it’s mostly party boats.

Burlington Waterfront

We used to joke a few decades ago that Vermont had more cows than people. Not true anymore, but Vermonters do love their cows! Instead of the Painted Ponies out here in the desert, we have Painted Cows.

All About Cows

More Cows

It was gray and rainy when we started around Mallet’s Bay, in honor of hubby’s folks. Every time we take a Sunday ride, we call it “going around the bay,” even though there is no major water here for some 150 miles. But my in-laws would always do this, as would we, when we lived in Vermont. It’s prettier with sun, but it is still glorious to see all that water, remember sailing on the lake, ferry rides in the Islands (especially during the winter), and the many camps on the shores.

Mallet's Bay

The hot dog guy had left the bay area, so no Michigan’s, but- Al’s French Fries is still going strong…but not nearly as greasy adn good as we remembered, so I think Al’s has gone healthy…..

Al's French Fries

Lots more to come for a great trip east and back!