After a quick trip back to Portland, Maine to get Thomas the Cat's stitches out, I was heading to Bennington, Vermont to meet up with my parents. They had been watching Maggie, my pup, after she had surgery. They offered to meet me in Vermont so I didn’t have to go all the way back to Central New York.
It was nice seeing them, and we walked the dogs around the cute, little town and went out for lunch. They could only stay a few hours because they had a long drive home ahead of them. I was grateful to have Maggie back. It had seemed strange being without her. I know she needed to heal without the commotion of Sophie, my high energy puppy, but it was nice having all three animals back together.
I ended up staying in Bennington for a few days. I loved the cozy town with all its shops and little art peices placed about. The locals were very nice too; they would often yell out hellos and good mornings from their porches as I walked by with the dogs.
I took the pups to see the Bennington Battle Monument. This is where the Battle of Bennington occurred on August 16, 1777, which had been a big turning point in the Revolutionary War.
I loved looking at the statues and reading the plaques. Sophie was not a fan though, and barked aggressively at one of the statues, positive it was a threat.
Bennington was also the perfect place for travelers like me because it was an Appalachian Trail Community since its center is only 5 miles from that trail. Not only did they have a place where I could fill up my water jugs, but they also had a Community Center where anyone could shower for $2. I was grateful to get a warm shower, and excited to find a new book in the little free library they offered.
I had been wanting to disappear into the woods with my three animals. I loved camping, and with my lifestyle you’d think I would be able to find myself lost in the woods more often, but somehow I always seem busy, with other beautiful life things happening. Now that I had Maggie back and was in Vermont, my favorite camping state, I could do just that. Twenty minutes down the road was a free, familiar place to camp: Camp Kelly Campground.
I arrived in the pouring rain just as the sun was setting. For some reason, it always seemed to rain while I was there, but I loved it nonetheless. I drove down the dirt road peering through what seemed like a wall of water, trying to find a spot. I realized they were all taken, except one, a tiny, muddy, rough looking spot. I figured it would have to do, but when I pulled in, I realized I was parked at a terrible slant, and I could barely stand with the angle. I decided to back out and find somewhere else to sleep.
As I attempted to back out, one of my back tires sank deep into the mud. I did everything I could, but I was clearly not getting anywhere. I got out to look, and I was buried deep. Not only that, but my bus was even more angled than before. I have an AAA roadside assistance card, but at this point I was over it, and didn’t want to be out in the rain, let alone make some poor tow truck driver work in the rain. I decided to stay there in my slanted house for the night, and deal with it in the morning. Despite all this, I was in good spirits.
I attempted to cook, but my pan slid off the stove from the slope of the bus, almost landing on poor Thomas on the way down. I finished cooking, holding the pan in place the entire time, and got ready for bed. I laid my extra pillow against the wall and slept crammed against the wall in a pile of animals.
The next morning I called Triple A, and they sent over a driver with a winch. He attached it to the back of my bus and started pulling as I stepped on the gas. He moved my bus out of that hole, but into a different deeper one, damaging the side of my bus in the process. The metal bent up, crumpling like an accordion. He was going to try to keep pulling, which made no sense to me, and I suggested he try pulling it out from the front.
He hooked up, and this time there was success! My bus moved out of those deep ruts. The driver apologized up and down for damaging my bus. I brushed it off saying it was no big deal because I was relieved he got me out. Even though I was upset, what was done was done, and making him feel bad wouldn’t have made me feel any better.
Most of the campsites were empty now; the on and off rain must have scared everyone away. I went to the very back spot, which was a small field at the top of a steep hill. There was a turn-around right before this site so no vehicles came out this far. It was the perfect spot for my animals to run free. Thomas was thrilled to be able to go back outside again whenever he wanted.
I spent a few days in the woods with no cell service, one of my favorite things about this spot. It’s nice to escape technology, out where no one can reach me. With the rain, I mostly stayed in my bus, painting, reading, writing, and spending time with my animals as they came and went.
My favorite was the mornings. It was a tad chilly so I lit candles to help warm the bus. I had a small diesel heater, but it didn’t seem cold enough to start it, plus I didn’t have it set up yet. I snuggled up on the couch with my book and all three animals cuddled up with me, avoiding the rain. It all felt so simple, yet so perfect, and it made me unbelievably happy.
I also had the task of continuously cleaning my bus because Sophie loved the mud puddles. During the day I left the door open for them to roam freely, and she would run into the bus, prancing all around before I had the chance to stop her, spreading mud everywhere. She looked so cute doing it that I didn’t mind, and she didn’t know she was doing anything wrong.
Right by my campsite there was a little hiking trail. One day the sun came out long enough for us to be able to explore it. The trees were beautiful as they were just starting to get hints of red. We came to a lovely river along the hike, and with all the times I’ve camped here, I hadn’t known it existed. It seems there is always something new to discover, even in familiar places.
Diesel and animals are expensive, if you would like to help me along my trip
my PayPal is:
my cash app is:
$TeaganDavis47
My Vemo is:
@TeaganDavis47
If you would like to subscribe to my blog there is a section where you can on my homepage. You can unsubscribe anytime and will only get emails when I post a new blog.
At least yall's ok