From Umbagog Lake I headed south to Gorham, NH. True to the forecast it had begun to rain and was very chilly! The clouds were high enough that I could make out Mt. Washington and decided to take a 50-ish mile detour down NH-16 to US302! It wasn't the best day for a scenic drive but the clouds and rain made a different type of scenic atmosphere!
I then cut across VT on an combination of US2 and the interstate. I stopped at the Bragg Family Farm for Maple Syrup. We'd visited them a few years ago, also on a dark and stormy day! That day there'd been a thunderstorm and the power was out! We had to sample syrup by flashlight! This time, in addition to stocking up on the good syrup I tried their "cremee". Cremee is a Vermont treat - its maple soft serve! I'm pretty sure we tried it last time we were here - I can't imagine Dad and I not sampling a local treat involving ice cream, but I don't think we were fans. This Cremee however, was terrific! Smooth and just enough maple! I think it's my new favorite Vermont ice cream! Forget Ben & Jerry's!
My next stop was the Cabot store in Waterbury. This was more on route than the factory and I knew parking would be easier. It was still raining so the cheese store and the Lake Champlain Chocolate store next door were packed! I was able to get my chocolates and supply of cheeses that I can't buy at Wegmans and continued on my way.
My next stop was my friend Mary's house in North Hero! This was an area of Vermont I hadn't explored, the Lake Champlain Islands! What a neat area! Lake Champlain is huge and the islands have amazing views of the Green Mountains to the east and the Adirondacks to the west. At least when it's not cloudy and rainy. I had to visualize the views as there weren't any today. It's definitely an area I'd like to visit again.
Mary has a lovely house right on the water! It was a tight fit getting the RV into the spot in her driveway! It's the old road bed, but it's very narrow and not level, but I fit! I had a lovely evening with Mary, her daughter, her 3 grandkids and 2 Golden Retrievers! The next morning I pulled out early, I was thinking it might be hard to get out of the spot I was in, but it wasn't!
Mary's house is only a few miles from the Grand Isle to Plattsburgh ferry! This is the shorter route across Lake Champlain so it was less expensive! I pulled into the ferry terminal and was on the next ferry across! This my first time taking Roxy on a ferry! I'd taken a ferry in WA, but that was a rental RV. Once again it was cloudy and rainy and I couldn't really see the mountains or anything!
Now I was in NY! I was only about 2 hours from the campground I was heading to, so I decided to take my time and check stuff out. I stopped at Ausable Point - a campground & beach area right on Lake Champlain. Nice place but nothing to do there on a rainy day. Then I checked out Ausable Chasm. Looked neat but cost $30 to go in and walk around. Tourist trap. I headed into Lake Placid. I was almost to Lake Placid when I saw a trail head for The Flume Trails. There was room to park so I pulled in. I took a nice 1.5 ish mile walk through the woods and by the river. Then I found a nice pull out for lunch. I drove through Lake Placid and Saranc Lake but didn't park to explore. On my way from Lake Placid to Rollins Pond I stopped at Donnelly's Soft Ice Cream! Its kind of out in the middle of nowhere, but it was yummy! They have one flavor and it's always twisted with vanilla. Today was red raspberry. It was very creamy soft serve! Tomorrow is chocolate and I may have to venture out of the campground to get some!
I arrived at Rollins Pond around 2:30 and got settled into my site! This is a great campground! Very big and most sites are right on the water! It had stopped raining but it was still cloudy, damp and cool.
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