Foliage Friends

This past weekend I ventured away from my photographing boyfriend and snatched up my next best partner in crime, very good friend Caitlin, and brought her to a moe. concert in Wallingford, Connecticut. I know this is about Vermont Vibes, and this does fit! Caitlin and I rolled in there, managed to get front row center tickets, and had the head of the venue personally escort us in so we weren't hassled by security for bringing in our plastic guitars - we play guitar at moe. and air guitar just doesn't cut it for us. This is all Vermont Vibes worthy because we spread out Vermont Vibes with air love throughout the show and afterwards got to after party with some cats I vaguely know from Phantasy Tour and slept in their driveway in the VIBE!!!!

Phew - it was awesome. As the sun rose the next morning and woke us from our guitar playing dreams, we headed out on the true essence of a Vermont Vibes adventure! We sped up 91 to get out of Connecticut and Massachusetts as quickly as possible (but made sure we offered Wallingford some cash flow with a local diner breakfast). Once in Vermont we jetted off 91 onto Route 9 otherwise known as the Molly Stark Trail where we stopped for a good photo op. We cruised along with the sunroof down listening to Caitlin's eclectic and fun DJing skills. Our goal was to take winding and scenic Route 100 through the Green (turning to red, orange, and yellow) Mountains. But, as I love the Green Mountain National Forest, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to take Caitlin a bit past Wilmington, up Searsburg Road and through the heart of the matter. Searsburg Road (near those awesome Searsburg Windmills) winds directly through the forest on fantastic backroads. We stopped and took a walk along a swinging bridge and admired the best roadside rock sculpture I have yet to see in Vermont. We followed the winding road (with the help of the exceptional Vermont Road Atlas - see my Tips on How To Be a Vermonter post in the archives!) to West Jamaica Road with the best collection of riverside cottages I have ever seen. (Mitch and I are destined to live in Jamaica - so watch out Southern Vermonters!)

From there we poked back onto Route 100 and headed north! We had taken quite a bit of time enjoying the forest so we had less time for stopping along Route 100 than originally planned, but that's what Vermont Vibing is all about! We did stop in Weston for visits at both the Vermont Country Store and Weston Village Store (which I liked better). We cruised into Killington zone where I day dreamed of skiing until we hit a fantastic looking never-ending garage sale somewhere between Pittsfield and Stockbridge. Here we actually found cheap antiques and both managed to make some roadside Vermont purchases.

By this point we were hungry and I led us straight to another favorite village - this one being Rochester, Vermont where The Village Porch awaited. Right in the center of town, this bar and bistro is worth waiting for, driving to, and especially finding while Vermont Vibing! For anyone cruising along Route 100 - make your way to this fabulous town of positive vibrations (Progressive Congresswoman Sandy Haas lives and owns and B&B there) between Sugarbush ad Killington. They assured me they will soon have a website, but in the meantime visit The Village Porch owners' other website for their catering company - www.occasionsvt.com - and go try out these delicious and beautifully presented menu items at a cozy and living room style country bistro - yum!!!

Once dinner was over it was dark and the Vibing needed to come to a close. We boogied back to Burlington, fully energized from the positive vibrations of the weekend! Hooray!