Bennington, Vermont

Vermont has to be one of the prettiest places on Earth.

We're staying in a small, jewel of an RV park off the beaten path south of Bennington.

Half way up the side of a mountain, we are surrounded by pine trees.

The temperatures are far above normal (80's) and all the locals are apologizing.

Yesterday I came to an amazing understanding - we are in New England!

I was kind of stunned to realize it. No wonder this place is so beautiful. I had been thinking of Vermont as a maple syrup source and ski location, but there's a lot more here.

(Local farmers have signs stating they produce maple syrup, and I'm sure in season the stands are filled with shoppers much like the cherry orchards in Wolcott, New York. After gorging on cherries for a week I have sworn off the sugar-loaded little weight producers for life.)

This is the Battle of Bennington Monument.

In 1777 the Green Mountain Boys defeated the British, a battle that was considered pivotal in the Revolutionary War.

The battle didn't really happen here, but to the west in New York.

Let's not nit pick though; these people are mighty proud of their monument.

Built over 100 years after the battle in the 1890's, this is the tallest structure in Vermont at 306 feet.

This is the First Church, built in 1805.

The town of Bennington began in 1761.

Bennington is home to an enterprise venerated by gear heads all over America.

Nice gas station, huh?

It's full-service.

I didn't know they existed outside Oregon.

The sign over the gas pumps.

The facilities might give you a clue.It's Hemming's!

Hemming's Motor News is like the Bible to car restorers.

They have a museum filled with the Hemming's cars, all painted dark green trimmed in black.

They also have deisel at $4.09 a gallon, a reasonable price today.

Bennington County is home to 5 covered bridges.

Built starting in1835, they are all of the same lattice design.

I always wondered why the bridges were covered, and it's a simple answer.

It was to protect the wooden bridge from ageing.

Double click on the above photo to read the warning sign.

The view from the bridge.

Walt Disney couldn't make a nicer stream!

Wood carvings are so popular here.

Many homes have multiple carvings in their yard.

This dead tree was transformed in the side yard of a restaurant.

Bears are the most often carved, and black bears are seen here rather often.

A home video was on the news last night showing a bear wrecking a bird feeder.

Wild bears aren't the only wildlife around here, though.
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Now that's a sign you won't see just everywhere.

We did see a moose, too.

O K, that's not the kind they meant.

These moose are all over the place, and like the cows in Kansas City painted to reflect the wishes of the sponsor or the vision of the artist.

It's a motorcycle moose; with handlebars, headlight and a flamed-out sidecar filled with flowers.

Is this beautiful or what?

It's called the Green Mountain State for a good reason.

There are no billboards in Vermont; they were outlawed 40 years ago.

Everybody recycles.........everybody.

They've got it figured out.