Hyde Park to Canadian Border- Day 5

It was cool this morning as I set out from Hyde Park riding north to the Canadian border. The hellish dog days of August were here-hazy, hot, and humid, but the sun had not yet burned off the morning humidity, which was dense enough to be a visible mist, and it was like riding inside a giant evaporative cooler. It was easy to feel in the coolness the nearness to Canada. Did the snow on the Canadian side come right down to the border itself? I fancied that, and while my mind tried to dismiss the possibility, my body insisted it was true and I was eager to get there and see.

The roads were dirt, but broad and smooth and speeds were what they would have been on tar. Here they wound through a kind of country suburbia-not open farmland, but not close packed developments either. Hyde Park is suburbia to Stowe and marks not only the transition to more rural but also the transition from mountainous to hilly. The landscape of northern Vermont favors large farms. The valleys are much broader than in the rest of the state and the hills are smaller. The result is relatively flat land-good for pastures or crops. Plenty of sun, with nothing to block it and judging by the green everywhere, plenty of rain as well. The views here stretch on towards the limit of one's eyesight. This is rare in the lower two thirds of the state. Now having been there, it is easy for me to see why the Northeast of Vermont is regarded as a separate region, known as the 'northeast kingdom'.

After a section of the narrowest trail of the day, which was overgrown with grass and weeds to the point where I was wondering if I was still on it or just riding through a field that badly needed mowing, it emerged onto a new home construction site.
Since there was a convenient porta-potty right on the trailside, why not? How thoughtful! Here the trail turned into a dirt road and a stone throw away, surprise, the town common.


This is one of the great joys of trail riding. One minute you are on a woods trail, the next you pop out into the everyday world. Like being teleported between separate worlds. Having appeared out of nowhere, you have avoided all traffic and congestion, enjoyed the scenery every foot of the way, and been able to travel at your own pace, without another vehicle in sight.

Not just any town common, but the extraordinary common of Craftsbury Common.Crafts people and farmers were gathered there for the Farmers market held every saturday during the summer. See more about this quaint village at http://www.townofcraftsbury.com/

On the other side of the common, there is a really nice view.The route descended the hill into the large valley below and went from farm to farm for quite a distance.

One farm in particular had a terrific collection of old farm machinery quietly rusting away. What a goldmine for an antique tractor and stationary engine collector/restorer such as I hope to be someday.

In South Newport, the planned route was blocked by a gate even though it showed as a public way on the map. Again I had to improvise, and the area was confusing to say the least. The map showed alternate routes, but but for the first three, when I got there, no road or even visible trail. Eventually, thank God, I met a ATV rider who was familiar with the area and had his own map. It took us 5 or 10 minutes to figure out a good way for me to get back on route. After thanking him, and wishing him a good day, I was off and in a few minutes back on track.






A couple of covered bridges later (one had a family swimming under it, but I was too shy to ask them if it was OK to take their picture)

I met my wife in North Troy where we drove together to the Canadian border.





It was great to reach this point even if it was out of order. There would be several months and several days more riding before the pure water ride was complete.