Today's color, blood red. More on that later.
Woodstock's covered bridge
Today is our last day of the tour. Biking is done for the week, and we have a 2.5 mile walking hike up Mt. Tom before loading our belongings into the van and heading back to Hanover, VT, where our week began.
Our morning started at the hotel for one last over-the-top breakfast. Next we headed outside and down the block, heading over to the town square, through the covered bridge, and ambling past more clapboard homes with real wooden picket fences--none of those shiny vinyl varieties. We continue to be surrounded by history at every turn. Quaint red brick houses and gardens bursting with sunflowers, yellow and pink snap dragons, several magnificent mansions gracing the neighborhood, a church with Paul Revere's bell, and picturesque craggy stone walls lining walkways everywhere.
I was about to have personal interaction with one of those stone walls, totally unexpected!
Just call me "Crash!"
Yup. A little drama to end the trip. Annoying drama I might add. Hiking Hint: do not wear dark glasses in shaded areas. It makes it difficult to discern flat walkways and dips on the edge of the road. Tumbling into a craggy stone wall produces a lot of blood that freaks people out. A quick trip to the Urgent Care deemed me able to continue hiking--I had told them that!
I did not want to miss those vistas. Cedric, one of our leaders, waited while they wrapped me up, and then arranged to drive me part way up the mountain so I could finish the last part of the hike and see the view.
This view was the "cherry on top" for the whole week of riding.
Thank you Cedric and thanks to Pete for leading the rest of the group so they did not have to wait for me.
I need to take this trip one more time to really get my bearings about what I am looking at; where exactly we biked. While on the bikes we had to keep our eyes on the map. When we get an overview like this, it changes one's perspective.
A little boy standing nearby, looking out, observed how someone had cut down some of the trees to make a "window" for us to be able to look out and see. How true, and that had never occurred to me!
Seriously, beautiful. And grateful for Divine Protection. And so glad I got to see this.
Just a note about my recovery. By day's end the bandage was off and by weeks end all I had to show was a lovely purple black eye! Cute. A very sore nose that may have been broken, but they don't do anything for that anyway. I'm good to go. In fact I am scheduled for a 2 week camping/biking trip-- NOT van supported-- in about 3 weeks with my brother. Some of you have read his blogs of his bike trips. He is a veteran, I am a novice, but he has agreed to let me bike along on his next ride. So stay tuned...
As we walked up the mountain, Cedric asked me what was my favorite part of the week's trip. Interaction and prayer with local folks and our discussions of Vermont life were highlights, the beauty everywhere is beyond words, the unforgettable walks uphill pushing my bike while "looking for moose", those magnificent miles of downhills, the deep colors, VBT's attention to detail to create an illusion of ease and comfort for us as riders as the leaders did all the hard work, and being outside and living in the middle of history for a week, God's provision and protection for us all and the world He created for us to enjoy ... I could not pick one.
Thanks to all who read along. And commented. It's fun to share if someone reads.
Can't wait to do it again!