To Rutland

August 1, 2021

The weather changed quickly after yesterday’s ideal conditions. The forecast for today was for showers beginning about eight with thunderstorms by early afternoon when we reviewed it last night. We’ve still got credit coming for another taxi ride, Rachael suggests. We don’t want that of course, so when I go to bed I say my prayers to the weather gods.

Prayers are answered, and matters look different this morning. Showers aren’t due to arrive until about two, which leaves us plenty of time for our short spin south to Rutland. Still, we don’t want to tempt fate so we show up at the restaurant for breakfast first thing when it opens at 7:30.

Our breakfast nook at Swift House Inn, one of the prettier places we’ve taken a meal lately. The photo is from yesterday, btw. Today it’s much greyer.

We’re packed and ready to go at 8. Rachael is done a few minutes before me so she heads out to the garage to retrieve the bikes while I finish up. When I step out onto the porch she calls out a warning to me. Skunk! One just dashed through a hole under the deck and peaked back out again just seconds earlier. There’s no further sign of him, which is too bad - I’d love to get a photo of a skunk peeking out of his hides hole, taken with the zoom camera from a safe distance of course.

Today’s short ride south breaks neatly into two parts. The first half, the least interesting one, follows U.S. Route 7 (the Ethan Allen Highway) for 16 miles until reaching Brandon. Although it’s an interstate highway that runs north/south from the Canadian border to the Atlantic coast in Connecticut, Route 7 feels more like a rural two lane road and has a broad shoulder that makes it perfectly safe for biking. Still, you don’t see as much on roads like this and they aren’t as relaxing - the traffic is reasonably light but its sound drowns out the more natural sounds you’d rather hear.

We don’t mind though - it’s safe and efficient, and we’re dry.

Leaving Middlebury, southbound on Route 7. The sky is much changed from yesterday and this is the chilliest morning of the tour so far.

There really are some spectacular old homes in this state.

The view west, to what must be the Adirondacks in the next state over.

An epic matchup - King Kong vs the Superbeetle.

At Brandon we finally leave Route 7 for a much quieter alternative. For the rest of the way to Rutland we follow a delightful route, a series of empty roads that parallel Route 7 but on the opposite side of Otter Creek. It’s a route just made for cycling, and we encounter a few others. Once as we’re stopped to look at Otter Creek as we’re crossing it a guy pulls up and stops to chat. As soon as he here’s we’re bound for Rome he starts telling us about the latest Italian medal winners at the Olympics.

Later, as we approach the only significant climb of the day, we’re disappointed to find the pavement suddenly end. Who wants to execute a Category 4 climb on a washboard gravel road? Not I, Rocky quickly announces. Almost immediately though another couple cycles up. We flag them down and ask how long the gravel continues, and are relieved to hear its only about a quarter mile and ends right at the start of the climb.

Beautiful countryside, as you’d expect. We’re in Vermont!

Crossing Otter Creek. It’s a pretty significant waterway - in much of the country I think it would be regarded as a river.

Didn’t we just see a view like this? Oh well.

The brownish line cutting across the meadow is the course of Otter Creek.

Remarkable. I don’t recall seeing another structure quite like this.

Oh, wait. Here’s another, directly across the street from the first.

Another view, just because I love that olive green cupola so much.

Entering Rutland. Amazing. This just has to be haunted.

Video sound track: Fill Me Up, by Shawn Colvin

This morning I called our motel to request an early check in but was emphatically told that wouldn’t be possible. They’re slammed feom a large party that is taking their time leaving, so at best we won’t be able to check in before 3.

We arrive in Rutland about one, happy to be in dry. We head straight to the hotel, thinking we’ll try to leave the bikes there and then go get lunch somewhere. I go up to the desk to ask if we can leave the bikes somewhere, and the receptionist asks my name and then flashes a smile. Your room is ready, she says almost excitedly.

Since we don’t need to kill time anywhere we decide to just snack in our room, loaf through the afternoon, and then go out to the steakhouse that is just around the corner.

At five, we look out the window and see that it’s still dry out. It never did rain. We decide to head out for dinner before the rains start, but Rachael heads to the bathroom first to check her makeup and insure that every hair is in place. Almost immediately a thunderclap sounds nearby and it starts raining raining. By the time she’s out it’s really pouring and we’re wondering what to do. I look at the map and see that we only have about A hundred yards of exposure if we leave the motel by the back entrance and cut across the parking lot.

Five minutes later the ran backs off a bit, and we make our move.

The GBO’s eye grows wide when he gets his first look at Vermont. Are you sure you want to go out for dinner right now, he asks? He doesn’t know Rachael that well or he wouldn’t have asked. Weather be damned, there’s a food crisis going on!

Heart

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Ride stats today: 37 miles, 1,800’; for the tour: 2,369 miles, 73,600’

Today's ride: 37 miles (60 km)
Total: 2,369 miles (3,813 km)

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Comment on this entry	Comment	9

Kathleen JonesAre you going to Manchester? Lived there for a couple of years in the late 70s.
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3 years ago

Scott AndersonTo Kathleen JonesYou did get around, didn’t you? Yup, tomorrow.
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3 years ago

Graham FinchWhere's the moonlight photo?
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3 years ago

Scott AndersonTo Graham FinchI should have thought of that on our clear day! I don’t know that we’ll see much sky in the next few days but I’ll hold that thought.
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3 years ago

Gregory Garceau" . . . but Rachael heads to the bathroom first to check her makeup and insure that every hair is in place. "

Um, somehow that just doesn't sound like Rocky.
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3 years ago

Bruce LellmanSometimes I think Rachael should start her own journal so she can get back at you, Scott. But, actually it seems the readership can see right through you.
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3 years ago

Scott AndersonTo Bruce LellmanShe doesn’t need a journal to get back at me. She has other means at her disposal.
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3 years ago

Rachael AndersonTo Gregory GarceauYou’re right about that!
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3 years ago

Scott AndersonTo Graham FinchFinally it all came together. Two months late and two days short, but still: https://www.cycleblaze.com/journals/europe2021/to-villach/
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3 years ago