6/13/22
Today was a travel day, but a very relaxed one since the train ride took less than two hours. I spent a leisurely morning in Springfield, chatting with my host Ben and then heading out to enjoy Forest Park a bit more.
I also checked out a vegan restaurant in town, Garden of Eat’n, and then visited a natural-foods store called Bumpy’s, where I met the gregarious Bumpy himself! He even took a video on his phone of me with my bike.
On the way to the train station in the afternoon, I stopped at the Dr. Seuss sculpture garden, which my friend Judy (who hosted me early in my trip, in Corvallis, Oregon, with her partner Jeffrey) had brought to my attention yesterday. I had had no idea that Theodor Geisel was born in Springfield. The sculpture garden was whimsical and fun.
And the train ride was pleasant, although once again it was a bit of a challenge lugging the trailer on and off, and at one point, even down the narrow aisle of the coach car. Fortunately, a generous fellow passenger as well as a really cool conductor helped me with it all.
When I disembarked, my Warmshowers host Alice was waiting for me on the platform… with her Brompton! (It’s amazing how many Bromptons I have been encountering lately.) I wish I had thought to take a photo: hers is a bright pink and blue color scheme, which I had definitely never seen before!
Her household is recently vegan, and we enjoyed a delicious home-cooked meal of a fresh asparagus tart from locally grown asparagus. She and her husband and daughter were all interesting folks, although we didn’t have much time to talk. The daughter, Olivia, has just completed a German degree at Brown University, and my sister and her partner—whom I know will be reading this—will be tickled to know that she is heading to Freiburg for a couple of weeks this summer, to teach English in a summer program.
Small world.
Tomorrow afternoon I plan to board the same train northbound. Destination not certain yet; it will depend where I can find lodging, either in Montpelier, Waterbury, Essex Junction, or Burlington. (Know anyone??)
But first, I plan to explore Brattleboro, checking out the co-op (where Alice’s husband Greg works) and some local parks.
Vermont is beautiful so far!
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Ahhh Vermont! So beautiful, a part of the country I’ve never seen, once again, living vicariously through your adventures!
I have some news I’ll be texting you. Miss you Maren PS: love the Dr Seus garden pics!!
Yay, I love all this! 😊