The Great Mikegration

Photo: Near Littleton, VT

Day 11: 10/05/22

• Beautiful route today filled with all sorts of colors even if the route is a little convoluted. White River Junction, Killington, East Mountain Road, Calvin Coolidge Historic Site, Green Mountain Sugar House in Ludlow, Londonberry, Peru, Winhall, Jamaica, Wardsboro, Dover, Wilmington, Marlbora, Brattleboro, and back on I91 North to the Fairfield in White River Junction. All in all about 184 miles today.
• Beautiful drive today once we got up to Killington. We took East Mountain Road across the mountain (all good road this time cause I checked in advance!) and back to route 4 then took highway 100 south. The drive was gorgeous; lots of glowing yellow, orange and red leaves. Most vibrant drive so far.
• We continued onward and then taking highway 9 across from Wilmington to Brattlebro. Highway 9 is also called the Molly Stark Trail (and sometimes Marlboro Road) and let me tell you; it is a super scenic drive. We hit a couple patches of rain in here but again well worth the drive, traffic and road construction. We loved it so much we drove it again as we were leaving VT.
• Quick stop at the Green Mountain Sugar House in Ludlow (Nice!!) and then on to the Dutton Berry Farmstand in Brattlebro. Think they were having an off day at the Farmstand today. Be willing to give them another shot though.
• Back to the hotel for an early night and a sandwich for dinner.

Day 12: 10/06/22

• 187 miles today. Lots of driving but some wonderful scenery today.
• Fairfield Hotel and up Hwy 14 to Barre, VT where we visited the Vermont Granite Museum. Cool place if you like granite. They were the best (hardest) granite and the town was built off of the granite mines nearby. The Rock of Ages mine is the only one still active that is close by. The museum showed the entire process of mining/working, shaping, etc. It is mainly used for statues and tombstones.
• East from Barre on road 2 thru Danville and then Hwy 18 south thru Waterford, Littleton and down to Sugar Hill. Hwy 117 west thru Lisbon and then Hwy 10 south back to the hotel.
• We stopped at Maplefields in Plainview, VT for a sandwich lunch. There were some spectacular isolated spots of color today on the drive however it was overall in decline. What was there was glowing though. Great day of just driving around and having fun with the sights. PS> South of Sugar Hill it was greatly diminished.
• Back to the hotel and time to pack the vehicle to start the journey home tomorrow.

Day 13: 10/07/22

• Time to start the journey back towards home. Leaving the Farifield at White River Junction and headed to Ashtabula, OH. About 577 miles today. Long drive cutting across the bottom of the finger lakes.
• White River Junction down to Battleboro then Hwy 9 across to Bennington then I88 across to Ashtabula, OH.
• Beautiful if long drive today. Was pretty foggy when we started out however as it started clearing on Hwy 9 the leaves were beautiful. Really do like the Hwy 9 route! I88 across was VERY beautiful with many trees displaying their full glowing colors. Very happy that we came back this way.
• Spent the night at the Fairfield Austinburg.

Day 14: 10/08/22

• Ok. I know, I know. Not in Vermont so why is Day 14 under Vermont…. well… just cause I did… lol
• Fairfield Austinburg to the Courtyard by Marriot Traverse City, Michigan today. About 448 miles.
• Took Hwy 2 west then road 127 North to Grayling and then Road 131 west to Traverse City, MI.
• Overall a great drive today. The colors of the leaves continued to glow as we drove through Ohio and really got even better as we went north into Michigan.
• Seriously thinking of skipping VT next year and just going to Michigan instead!!!!!!!
• One fun stop today was in Clare, MI. when we stopped for gas at Cops, Coffee & Donuts…. yes, that is correct! and yes, they had a GREAT cake donut even at 2 in the afternoon leftovers…. It was very similar to a cruller but still a cake donut. Very tasty!! I loved the name and they were super friendly!