82 to go...

My wandering around the state continues. In my quest to visit all 251 cities and towns in Vermont (and become a real 251 Club Member), I've now visited 169 of the places on the prescribed list, leaving 82 to go.

As I drive to and fro, I ponder whether I'm really such a simple person. Why does visiting some small burg fill me with such anticipation and joy? Does it take so little to entertain me and make me happy? Don't get me wrong. I love traveling abroad to visit new lands and make new friends in foreign countries. But now I've dedicated myself to seeing every acre of the Green Mountain State and it seems to easily satisfy my wanderlust.

Then there's the incredible people you meet along the way. On a recent trip to Coventry, I noticed a wonderful barn wedged between two homes. I parked the car and walked back to snap a photo. I didn't go unnoticed. A dog began barking at me and a woman sitting on the porch took notice of my presence. She asked me why the barn interested me. I was feeling a little awkward, but there was no need. In no time the woman, Jeanie Desrochers, was showing me the remnants of a grist mill in her backyard, Coventry's lower falls (where the salmon run in the spring) and giving me directions to other Coventry hot spots (the upper falls, Fred Webster's place and the site of the Phish concert).

Another neat thing that has happened since my last 251 blog post is that I received an encouraging e-mail from VPR listener Sara Spoor of Springfield who gave me a tip on finding the elusive town of Lewis, Vermont. Apparently, this place is the bane of 251 Club members.

So it's onward I go with renewed vigor in search of 82 more Vermont towns.