{Spring Break} The Maine Event

So, the "snow event" was basically just a dusting (Vermont-style), but I cut a few things out of our planned stops in Maine and took it easy this morning...

Our car still looked like this when we hit the road mid-morning...

and my South Carolinian children still looked like this...

 but don't worry, we DO have appropriate clothing and shoes...

So, rather than taking the northeastern state routes through the mountains, we kept to the interstates and headed south down to Manchester, NH...

and then, north up to Maine, our final destination for this trip...

From the welcome center, we pretty much booked it straight to Bangor, ME and visited the grave of Vice President Hannibal Hamlin...

Hannibal Hamlin served as the 15th Vice President of the United States during President Abraham Lincoln's first term. He was succeeded by Andrew Johnson, who went on to become president after Abraham Lincoln's assassination...

From Bangor, we turned around and headed back south, and it felt good to be starting the slow trek home!

Our next stop was in Augusta, ME to run up the state capitol building steps...

We grabbed dinner at local dive, Whipper's Pizza...

before continuing on to our hotel, just making one quick pit stop at the flagship L.L. Bean store and the BIG boot (like last time)!

Making our way into Boston, MA tomorrow!

{Spring Break} Keeping Our COOL in Vermont...

Wow... Vermont... I have such a LOVE/HATE Relationship with you right now...

We're just going to leave it at this...

COOL...

the kind & helpful folks at the welcome center...

UNCOOL...

the intense flooding the state is currently experiencing and several roads being closed due to being under water...

(I didn't dare stop to take photos of the rushing rivers we saw!)

COOL...

making it to visit President Calvin Coolidge (who also served as Vice President) despite being rerouted around the flooding and closed roads to get there, PLUS his historical site being closed for the season...

UNCOOL...

following my GPS directions back to the main road and getting (unknowingly at the time) routed into the Coolidge State Park (that is also still closed for the season)…

NOTE - It might've been kind of COOL until this, that was our view for an hour and a half while we waited on someone to come help us (supposedly, according to my GPS only a mile from the main road at this point)…

***NOTE - I did try to 1) Move the tree myself and 2) Back up the way I came in to try and turn around (but started to slip)… What isn't visible in the picture is the stream off the left side shoulder that I didn't want to slip into...

COOL...

the fact that my phone still worked (thank you dear LORD!) and that the wonderful people of Vermont State Parks answered and sent help!

UNCOOL...

the fact that even with the tree removed I couldn't get out that way straight ahead because there is a huge snow bank down there at the entrance/exit onto the main road (again, thankful for the good people from the Vermont State Parks there to advise me!)...

COOL...

The wonderful people that came to get us helped me get turned around further down past the tree where the road widens, AND they led me out...

UNCOOL...

I'm not going to be over this for awhile...

COOL...

We found a Dunkin' Donuts (it's the little things at this point) on our way back to the interstate...and just really the interstate in general at this point!

UNCOOL...

having to book it to Waterbury, VT to make the last factory tour of the day at Ben & Jerry's Waterbury Factory...

COOL...

We made it - bought our tickets at 5:01!!! 

{they don't look a bit worse for the wear or like they were stuck in a forest for an hour and a half today, now do they?}

The kids have been asking to come back here since our last visit in 2013!

 UNCOOL...

forecasted SNOW for tonight...yes, that's right...

COOL...

the capitol steps in Montpelier, VT and a nice dinner at J. Morgan's Steakhouse (that was NOT in a forest)...

UNCOOL...

Did I mention the forecasted SNOW???

They say it's just a dusting that won't really stick, but you know I'm from South Carolina and a dusting up here might be kind of different than what I'm thinking a dusting is...

So, we're just going to hunker down here for now because when it's all said and done...

COOL...

My 3 sweet babies and I are safe and warm and dry and together...

***And, UPDATE on 4/16/2019 - again, the amazing people from the Vermont State Parks...I can't say enough...  They called to check in on me Tuesday morning...just to make sure we were still okay...

Maybe I do actually LOVE you, Vermont.. I'm sorry I wasn't so sure about you yesterday!

{Road Trip} Day Eleven - From Maine to Montreal...

Today turned out to be a big travel day with the only "must-do" being a trip to Ben & Jerry's factory in Vermont...

The little ones did great in the car, and we ended up being able to make a quick stop at the early home of Franklin Pierce (the one we had to cut out from our original plan)...

 

before hitting our main destination for dinner...

After staging a few cheesy photos...

{it's the Flavor Graveyard ~ final resting place for retired flavors}

we took the factory tour and enjoyed a sample of Salted Caramel ice cream ~ yum ~ in the original test kitchen!

Lastly, we settled on our choices of flavors and enjoyed ice cream for dinner!

After all, it is National Ice Cream Day, you know, and believe it or not, I actually did not plan our stop to coincide so well!

Now, one of the things that I've always loved so much about Hubby is his sense of adventure.  I mean, who else could keep up with (and would put up with) this c-r-a-z-y road trip schedule that I planned???  Good thing that he likes to travel as much as I do, and good thing we are both up for almost anything (almost) when it comes to said travelling...

You now that song, "Our Kind of Love" by Lady Antebellum?

Yep, that about sums it up...

Sooo, on a whim we decided to change up the plan just a bit...  Think of it as this year's "Alamo" (the unplanned portion of our trip)...

Let's just say, "Have passports.  Will travel."

Stay tuned...

More {Road Trip} 2013 Fun

Day One - Pennsylvania

Day Two - Sesame Place

Day Three - Bridges, Lighthouses & Methods of Transportation...Oh My!

Day Four - Oyster Bay, Long Island, NY

Day Five - More Presidents & a New Baby Cousin

Day Six - Notable Lunch Spots

Day Seven - Cheers! to the Presidents from Boston

Day Eight - Yogurt on the Way to Kennebunkport

Day Nine - Beaches, Shops & Lobsters!

Day Ten - More Parks - State, National & International...

Day Twelve - Canadian Holiday

Day Thirteen - Niagara Falls & Making Our Way HOME

Day Fourteen - Home Sweet Home