Covered bridges, selfies, and ice cream...oh my!

On Tuesday we headed north to our next camping destination. Stopping at the Woodward Reservior (I think?) to take some selfies in the morning fog.

Views along scenic byway 100. The colors were really popping by then!

Just north of Granville we came upon another must see in Vermont; Moss Glen Falls. The falls are right along highway 100.

Selfie by the falls.

Lincoln Gap bridge in Warren.

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Village Bridge in Waitsfield. 

Mill Brook

Matthew walking through the Village bridge.

We found 3 covered bridges before arriving into camp. This was the third, Pine Brook Bridge east of Waitsfield.

 

We made a pit stop before setting up camp to visit THE Ben&Jerry's Ice Cream Factory!  The Ben&Jerry's ice cream truck outside the factory.

 

Matt entering the "Flavor Graveyard", a graveyard of all the past tasty flavors that have been retired. While on tour of the factory, we were able to sample one of the most popular of B&J's flavors, Strawberry Cheesecake.  YUM!

A former flavor, White Russian.

Crème Brulee... how can this one be retired?  :(

 

More flavors of ice cream past.

Vermonty Pithon!

Tennessee Mud

The big "silos" of sugar, cream, and milk!

 

Arrival into Stowe! This was our favorite town. A beautiful church among the awesome foliage colors.

A small covered walking bridge in Stowe.

Stowe.

Another selfie in front of Stowe.

Mountain views at our campsite at Smuggler's Notch State Park!

Our campsite (No. 3) at Smuggler's Notch.

Matt thought he had to snap a photo of me outside of the restroom.

Smugglers Notch State Park enterance.

Emily's bridge, also known as Gold Brook Bridge. This one is supposedly haunted!  Legend has it that this bridge is haunted by a ghost named Emily. The story goes that Emily was supposed to elope with her lover, and they were to meet at this bridge.  When he never showed up, a distraught Emily hung herself in the rafters of the bridge.  

Many reportings of paranormal activity have occurred here, including banging on vehicles, scratches on either the cars or themselves, the sound of footsteps or tightening of rope, or a girl screaming. 

A very vivid blue house near Emily's bridge. 

Matthew trying to "communicate" with Emily.

Do you believe in ghosts?

Smuggler's Notch drive entrance. Some 200 years ago smugglers used this narrow passage through the mountain to transport illegal or embargoed goods across the Canadian border.

The Notch drive was a very beautiful and windy stretch of road through the mountain.

Besides smuggling illegal goods into Canada and a place for slaves to hide while fleeing into Canada, the caves of Smuggler's Notch were also used to smuggle and store alcohol during the prohibition years over 100 years ago.

Montgomery/Potter Bridge in Waterville, Vt.

Lamoille River

Jaynes Bridge, otherwise known as the Kissing Bridge (hence the sign)!  Also near Waterville.

After searching for more bridges, we drove through the Smuggler's Notch. We loved how different the scenery changed along here, depending on the lighting and time of day, and weather as well.  

On Wednesday, in honor of "Hump Day!", we went hiking around Camel's Hump Mountain.  We took this short one-mile loop that gives great vies of the Camel's summit, but due to the cloudy and foggy morning, we were unable to see anything at all. :(

View along the loop trail.  After editing these, I noticed a blurred out part of this photo near the upper right hand side. Though I used a tripod, this showed up.  Knowing the history of the area (following next photo) and my superstitions, I somewhat believe this might be a ghost in the photo?! 

A memorial at the trail heads of Camel's Hump.  On October 16, 1944 a Liberator Bomber crashed 100 feet below the summit of Camel's Hump, killing 9 soldiers.

We took the Monroe trail that led halfway up to Camel's Hump summit.  The trail was named after Will Monroe, who developed the trail.  Along with his wife and many dogs, he is buried near the trail head. 

Their dog Scottie, buried between the husband and wife.

The names and births/deaths of all their dogs.

Part of the Monroe trail lined with leaves. In the upper middle of the photograph, there is another "mysterious" blur, although I used my tripod.

The third "mysterious" blurred photo taken along the Monroe trail; this time in the lower left corner.

The end of the Monroe trail where it intersects with the Long Trail (also known to be haunted), the Dean Trail, and the summit to Camel's Hump.

Right about now I was trying to convince Matthew for us to continue to the summit...

It would appear that Matthew doesn't like hiking as much as I do!  He didn't want to go to the summit. Ha ha ha :)

Long exposures of small streams along part of Dean Trail and Monroe Trail.

While I was shooting photos of water, Matthew was "playing" in the streams with his hiking stick.

Shortly after this shot, the hiking stick saved Matthew from falling face first into the stream after slipping on some wet leaves on the rocks. Rather a broken stick than a broken face!

Driving back towards Stowe, a great scene like this one had to be photographed.

Back into Stowe; Top Notch Racquet Club.  

 A broken wagon lies in the pasture next to the Racquet Club.

Brookdale covered bridge between  Smuggler's Notch State Park and Stowe.

Waterbury River

With some help with the exposure settings and filter adjustments, I helped Matthew take his very first slow exposure of the Waterbury River.

Another long exposure of the riverbed.

A resort along the river; chairs along the river with views of the mountains in the distance.

More colorful shots of the river.

Back through Smuggler's Notch.  We just missed the sunset over the mountain; another try for the following day!

Low lying clouds hanging in the mountains.