Homeward Bound
Welcome to Vermont. I rode 5.5 miles through Pownal taking in the deep, green landscape as well as it’s short steep climbs before easing into Adams, Massachusetts feeling good about my route and choices I had made.
How quickly things can change as the climb out of Adams tested my mental and physical abilities. Almost immediately I found myself walking a steep hill and shortly after that, I was on another walk this time 1.5 miles and on a dirt road, wondering what the heck was I doing? Thankfully it was overcast so the sun was not beating down on me but I was fading quickly and was looking for that knight in shining armor to appear. An elderly gentleman saw my predicament and had me sit down at his farmstand. A few minutes later he came back out of his house with the biggest peach I have ever seen, picked from his own orchard, and it was the sweetest peach I ever had. That was the boost I needed to make it to my next stop, Shelburne Falls.
Shelburne Falls is a must stop for everybody no mater what your mode of transportation is. There’s a great inn to stay at, good food, and the Bridge of Flowers. You have to see this display to comprehend the beauty of it all. It is maintained by mostly volunteers and spans the entire Deerfield River.
The next day I changed my choices of roads and at the same time broke my promise to never ride on Route 2. I felt guilty but did not regret my decision. The shoulders were wide and I was able to climb the hills at my own pace. The only annoyance was the steady noise from all the traffic.
