Once in a Blue Moon: Tuesday, July 2: Checking a Box: We Visit Vermont

Date: July 2, 2013

Day on the Cruise: 78

From: Kingston City Marina, Kingston, NY

To: Kingston City Marina, Kingston, NY

Statute Miles: 0.0 SM

Time: 0.0 Hrs

Cumulative Miles: 1,874.5 SM

On Board: Susan, Chuck, Maggie, Trooper, Peanut

One of the things were were going to do when we got to Albany on the original itinerary was rent a car and go to Vermont, which is just about 35 miles away. Neither Susan or I have ever been there, and it is the only state East of the Mississippi that I have not visited.

So, today we took the rental car and drove up to Bennington, VT and back. I got my state and checked the box!

We drove up to Albany, crossed the Hudson River at Troy, NY, then drove into Bennington. The Hudson was very high and was flowing swiftly.

The countryside became very hilly with small mountains as we drove East from the Hudson Valley. It is very rural with a lot of truck gardens and small farms. One of the towns we went through near the NY state line was Hoosick. A funny name!

Coming into Bennington, we saw an iconic stately white wooden church that is so representative of Vermont. The downtown area was quaint and old with much local flavor. We ate lunch downtown at a local place and it was very good. This place was not a tourist mecca at all. We really enjoyed seeing the town.

The iconic white church that reminds one of Vermont

Street scene in Bennington

We saw painted mermaids in Norfolk and painted picket fences in Oxford, MD. In Bennington, we saw painted "Catamounts" which are like mountain lions. This is a Chamber of Commerce deal where local artists paint fiberglas catamounts that are mounted around the City. Bennington is quite the art center, with many galleries and workshops.

Bears, Moose, and Catamounts are big in Bennington. This is a painted moose in a gift shop.

Read the sign on the bear carefully!

This is a really old house in Bennington

Old house in Bennington

Bennington was the site of an important battle during the American Revolutionary War. It was here that Americans pushed the British back and held the town. They have commemorated this victory in the Battle of Bennington by erecting some years ago, a big obelisk that looks like the Washington Monument. It was available to climb up in for a fee. The view from the battle field was stunning as looking to the East, there were mountains and beautiful hillsides.