DAR 6/28-30/24

At the Vermont state park named "Daughters of the American Revolution" is an event held yearly by of the BMW Motorcycle Owners of Vermont. Last year I was still out west in Canada for this event. Unsure why I had not attended in 2022, but this would be my first time at both this event and the state park. Not my first time in this part of Vermont, most recently a leasure exploration with Anne last May on my way home from Florida.

Friday started with Anne and I going out for breakfast. She had other plans for the weekend. The weekend plan was for me to ride over Friday afternoon, possibly meeting up with Nate on route. That plan changed Thursday night when Nate informed me that his wife test positive for Covid a few days prior. Many well healed BMW riders are in the high risk age group. So Nate played it safe for our friends by staying home. I was fine with that choice, as it is harder to build new friendships when you're already hanging out with buddies. Far easier to insert into a small group or spend time with another loner when traveling by oneself. I had a lot of time in 2023 to prove that.

I enjoyed a leasurely unplanned ride through Vermont, mostly just following the GPS path. I stopped for a late lunch in Rochester, VT. Unfortunately just after Sandy's Books & Bakery had closed for the day. I confirmed it's closed state with the couple on their outside deck. They replied that it was closed, but that the owners said they could eat their lunch there. Adding that the gas station had decent sandwhiches. When I returned with my sandwich I discovered the pair to be hiking Vermont's Long Trail. They had met while through hiking the Appalachian Trail in 2023. She was a very nice 65yo lady who lived in Mass. He was older and wintered in Lincoln, NH where he ended his hike last year due to snow. We exchanged adventure stories. She noted that he and I preferred camping to motels, she held the opposite opinion. They headed out first, so they could walk to tonights motel lodging and do their laundry. Apperently she had selected todays final destination.

After leaving Rochester I traveled along scenic roads west. At one point, alone on the road, stopping to take a photo accross a large field to the distant mountain range. Before I could snap a shot and stash my phone I had to wave two cars past me. As soon as I started rolling away I noticed the "no stopping" signs. Oops. Perhaps I had not passed any of those signs prior to my stop... But more likely I did and just didn't take note of them.

Being hot out, I had no desire to do much cooking and opted for a cold dinner. Prior to reaching the DAR State Park I stopped for gas and a sub in Middlebury, VT. Even added some beer to be enjoyed around the fire.

The BMWMOV group had a reserved campsite area, so I only stopped at the gate to "check-in" and then continued into the campsites. It was late afternoon, so no site was entirely empty. I checked with a few guys at one shelter and then pitched my tent and setup my sleep nest inside. Then I was off to "spread my annoyance" accross a few campfire gatherings. However I seemed to stagnate at my first fire until most people had started down their personal paths of snoring. Sleeping weather was great, and the cooler temps dropped rain to muffle the snoring. Honestly Nate snores far louder than anyone, so sleeping seemed very quiet for a motorcyle trip.

Saturday morning threatened more rain, and more in Sunday's forecast. A high percentage of attendees didn't require a really good reason to head home a day early, and many became fair weather friends. By late morning the leanto I had placed my tent near had emptied out. As well as the one where I had deposited my Friday night campfire time (perhaps I drove them all off). The rain threat lured me to move into the better of the two, offering the potential of a dry tent to pack up on Sunday. Then I headed off to find myself breakfast and explore roads to ride in New York state.

The club had provided a selection of GPX track loops for this area. As I had spent more time on the VT side I chose to ride the NY loops. On route I passed a familiar gas and sub stop, the West Addison General Store. Triggering a plan to grab dinner and more campfire snacks later that day on my way back to the DAR campround and my remaining two beer. The provided NY GPX tracks revealed some nice roads. Even I like to eat brunch before noon, so eventually I stopped at a closed roadside business with a boat for sale in their parking lot. After a few minutes of google phone searchses a guy and his son drove up and asked if I was interested in the boat? No, just looking for a place to eat breakfast on my phone. After telling me he just purchased a similar boat and want to take a look at this one, he said solved my breakfast delema. He and his son had been on route to the Dogwood Bread Company (in Wadhams, NY) for breakfast before spying this boat. I saw them again while I was eating my breakfast, and after they had fully checked out that boat.

Blue sky helped select my direction after brunch, taking me further north. What goes up must come down. Unfortunately a lot of water had gone up and just was not happy staying there for my entire ride back to camp. It started raining on my ride south. Continued to rain during my food/snack stop and back to camp. The leanto that I had moved into in the morning now offered horrible company, because I was it's sole occupant. So I collected my dinner, snacks, flashlight, seat pad, knife and I headed to another leanto to spread joy. Just to be clear the knife was for cutting pepperoni not protection.

My evening with "fowl weather friends" followed. Nobody in their right mind would stay motorcycle camping in the rain. Saddly I've still never met any "normal" people. It's odd how the collective mind works, without organization we all brought various snacks of different types. Plus everything we necessary to prepare it. My knife slided up someone's summer sausage on their cutting board. Then he continued to slice up the pepperoni I brought, followed by slicing some cheese. A few cracker options also appeared. My cheese dip and corn chips gained a second type of chip to dip. An equally diverse set of drinks emerged to aid digestion and sooth the nerves. There was a lot of talk and good humorred ribbing. Not sure there is any way around ribbing when a collection of guys (and Lyne) amass. Especially when one is a retired lawyer, wanting $50 per freely spoken word! In the end, a very successful session of meeting new friends.

Sleeping in an open leanto could have been a bug nightmare. But I only recall a few swats at buzzing all night long. And I didn't have any new welts to prove I missed any. Morning coffee completed, I packed up the not yet fully-dry tent. Getting an early start for home, but first I seeking a slightly off route breakfast stop. A club member had suggested an authentic Mexican breakfast run out of a home kitchen. I had only a roed name and town. The road was short, but I found nothing that looked like an open for breakfast residence. Having no intention of appearing uninvited on someones porch asking for breakfast, I continued out of town.

In Middlebury, VT on Friday I had failed to find BBQ. But on my way through on Sunday, just around the corner from that failure was Otter Creek Bakery & Deli where I found breakfast and more coffee. Middlebury is a college town, and I felt at home. Even thinking this wouldn't be a bad place to live. In NH nearly all of the higher ed jobs now fell under the CIO that I did NOT enjoy the last few years of my career with. But this was Vermont. Then I realized it's possible they are just as messed up as UNH, and decided retirement has been awfully fun so far.

Contining my ride home, I arrived by 1500, ahead of the eventual rain. Closing out June with a smile, and a tent hung to dry in the garage.

Last year I was in Glacier National Park about this time, and seeking a way to avoid being in Yellowstone on July 4th. Certainly that is a first world problem for a very lucky man. This year I was problem free. Camping helps me to realize how little is necessary to enjoy life. I have an embarsement of riches, we all do if you can find enough time to stop and think about it.