NY Project on hold, head to VT and ME

September 10, 2017

NY Project on hold, head to VT and ME

After seeing what there was to see at Niagara Falls, buying out the souvenir shops and hearing the stories of how much snow there is in Buffalo; it was time to head out towards Olmstedville, NY to hook up with Lee Suitter who heads the church project for Hard Hats 4 Christ.

Called Lee prior to leaving and found out that the project was on hold, no worries, will hook up with Lee at another time.

We decided to point ourselves towards Lyndonville, VT to another dear couple that we knew from Fairbanks, AK. We had to drive from Buffalo straight to Lyndonville to be able to spend the Labor Day holiday with Dennis and Viola. Dennis was the youth Pastor at Bethel Church when we were still in Fairbanks and he started a ministry that lasted over 15 years that dealt with troubled youth at the local detention center. He was called to a similar ministry in Vermont.

A common sight on the roads of Vermont

Arrived later in the evening than planned due to really HEAVY rains, slow buggies and a slight mechanical glitch. Spent the next day leisurely taking a hike through their property and into the back roads of Vermont. We were offered a beautiful display of covered bridges, restored homes, old barns and rolling hills.

One of many homes restored to its original glory

Rolling hills

Typical country home and barn

After all that hiking, Viola prepared a lavish BBQ with homegrown vegetables on their deck. Bellies full, we attempted to right a leaning wood shed to no avail. We were then whisked off to the north side of the local lake to view the sunset. As we arrived, a huge cloud layer covered up the sun and left us with a breathtaking view of a calm and placid lake.

Dennis, Viola , Carol & I enjoying a backyard BBQ

What better way to end an amazing day than with a stop at the local Ice Cream Shop on the way home! Malted shakes and double scoops of creamy flavors for the weary makes heart jump for joy :-)

Next morning and after checking in with the local Freightliner Tech on the mechanical glitch experienced earlier, he gave us the thumbs up, cleared all the codes and we were off to another quick adventure in Portland, Maine. The scenic route was chosen in hopes of catching some fall colors.

If you blinked you would miss this welcome sign

A bitt too early for the full effect of fall

Apparently we were about three weeks too early to get the full fall color extravaganza that Maine is so famous for. We did get a small preview though and what little we saw gave us an understanding of how beautiful this event is. Since we missed this momentous happening, what else is Maine known for but luscious LOBSTERS !! We had to at least try the local fare and stroll the busy streets to taste what the craziness was all about.