Sunday, July 21, 2013

Vermont, Ferry Boat Ride & Otter Creek Brewery

As I mentioned in my blog yesterday, there was too much to write about for one day and I'm adding the second segment today

After the Ft Ticonderoga trip, we took the ferry boat across Lake Champlain to Vermont. It started out as a two fold trip with geocaching and having another state for Grant to add to his list.  We lucked out and the ferry was waiting for us and we boarded without difficulty.  Grant didn't know I had planned this and was pleasantly surprised to be going on his first ferry boat ride.  It was nice seeing the big smile on his face.  I thought the sign to his right was very appropriate and I don't mean the No Smoking sign.



It had been sprinkling on and off during the time spent at Ft Ticonderoga and rained a little harder as we crossed the lake on the ferry boat.  The engine tender was next to us and Gerry got this picture through the rain drops.


Shortly after we exited the ferry boat we stopped and searched for a geocache in Vermont.  

 
Plaque next to geocache


We had intended to just pick up a few geocaches, but changed that and drove to Middlebury, VT and checked it out.  What a beautiful small town with a thriving main street and a Middlebury College located there to boot.  We stopped for a late lunch at the Two Brothers bar & restaurant and had a great meal.  Well worth going back there for another meal when/if we are in the area.


I asked the waitress if she knew where the Otter Creek Brewering Co was located.  Sure she said, about 2 miles from us.  We took our grandson Ryan there way back in 1996 and stopped by the brewery then and took the tour.  They don't give tours anymore, but do serve a lunch menu and a number of fantastic brews.  We tried the 6 glass sampler and liked all of them and had a hard time picking one to buy.  Each sampler glass was 4 oz and with the 16 oz glass we had for lunch, it was almost too much for us.  We made it back safely, so I guess it was ok.

Grant at the bar.  Sorry Jane, the devil made me do it.
We bought a 64 oz growler of Mountain Ale to take back to the motorhome for later.  It is 7.4% beer and pack a punch, but is very smooth and tasty.  I wish they sold it down by the cabin.  Grant spoke up and asked if he could have the empty bottle and that was fine with us.

  

We had to beat a hasty return to take the ferry back to New York before they closed it down at 7pm.  If you miss the ferry, then it would be a ride of 75 miles out of your way.  We managed to pick up a few caches in Ticonderoga, NY after we got back.  Now I can add VT & NY as states we have found caches in.  Poco a Poco.

By the time we returned to the motorhome all of us were wiped out and didn't bother with dinner.  We did have a muffin as a dessert and then called it a night.  

We went on to Cooperstown, NY area on Sunday and will be touring there on Monday.  Should be fun.  We are staying at a KOA about 16 miles north of Cooperstown since the campground nearer have bad reviews.  The KOA is great and has a pool.  That is all Grant looks for in a campground.  Maybe a few cute girls, but he doesn't talk about that with his grandparents.

Tired out, but we did have a great day.  How was yours?

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