Vermont

     The drive through the Green Mountains of Vermont reminded me of Germany, green rolling hills dotted with steepled churches and cottages. Again, the pictures don't do it justice, because there is something about being surrounded by it, the evergreen backdrop broken up by flaming autumn color, and the clouds swirling all around us as we ascended. The spruce smell is strong. The whole thing is intoxicating. I felt a little giddy.

Touching clouds

     We had planned to see a dairy and maple farm, but it was cold and rainy Tuesday, so we changed plans. I know Vermont cheese and maple syrup is a big deal, but we can easily get that stuff at shops near our homebase in NH.  New Hampshire's nickname is The Granite State, but Vermont has its fair share of granite as well, and there is a famous quarry near Barre, VT that is open to the public and offers tours for a nominal fee. When we got to Rock of Ages Quarry, we watched a short film that explained the history and the process of cutting the blocks of stone out of the earth, as well as the process the artists' use to sculpt and design beautiful monuments. Gravestones, crypts, mausoleums, and other tributes to life are the primary business of ROA. Plus there's some interesting stuff on the side like using the quarry to film a scene from the 2010 film Star Track.

     After the film, we went to the quarry itself. We got to watch the workers cut rock while the guide gave us a deeper explanation of how the quarry operates. Since it's beginnings, ROA has employed new technology that speeds up the process, but much has remained unchanged for a century. For example, they still rely on hand signals rather than cell phones or radio. They just found the hand signals more reliable. There are huge piles of discarded granite surrounding the site. Someone on the tour raised the question of waste. Our guide told us that if they continued digging at the current rate, they would not run out of rock in that quarry for 40,000 years. We wondered about the green water, too. We learned the quarry was dry four years ago; the water was deposited by hurricane Irene, which did a lot of damage to the area. The green tint was a result of algae growth and dust from the quarry.

 

 

     The manufacturing plant where the artists and sculptors work was my favorite part. We saw statues, ornately carved designs, and etchings. Some pieces take years to finish. It was interesting to watch the artists do their thing. I never thought about the work that goes into these amazing monuments.  I guess I thought machines made them. We certainly have a new appreciation for granite.

     We wrapped up our day with a tour of the Ben and Jerry's factory, which was just about 20 minutes away. Ben and Jerry's was founded in Vermont, and these guys are all about their community. It seems like a fun place to work.  There are silly safety posters and slogans everywhere. We learned how ice cream is made, watched a film on the history of the company, and even got a decent sized free scoop at the end. We also got to see the top 10 best selling flavors and visited the flavor graveyard, where old flavors are retired to pasture. Everyone we came across from ticket guy to tour guide was friendly and fun. Can't beat that for a fabulous day; even the rain couldn't put a damper on our fun!

     Next up, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts, not necessarily in that order. Only a week and a half left in New England before we drop down to eastern Pennsylvania to tour the Mid-Atlantic region.  I will miss NH. Hope NYC is ready for us!