We woke up early to tear down our site and say goodbye to the tranquility of Long Lake. We wanted to take advantage of some of the great hiking and headed to Castle Rock. As a teenager, Chad made the climb and promised the view would be worth the effort. The hike is relatively short, about a mile, but it’s a steady uphill with boulders at the top. Chad delivered on his promise. The summit is a flat rock about 30 feet across that gives a breathtaking view of Blue Mountain Lake and the surrounding forest. When we got to the top, nobody was there which gave us a few minutes to enjoy the view uninterrupted. Going back down was much faster, although it was a bit hard on the knees and feet (you could feel your toes pushing against the front of your shoes the whole way down).
The drive to Burlington continued on windy back roads, and eventually we crossed over Lake Champlain and into Vermont. We arrived in Burlington around dinner time and ran a quick errand for the bicycle tourist Harlan who we met yesterday (cyclists helping cyclists, it’s a powerful thing). We chose the North Beach campground, which seemed to have the perfect location. Our campsite and the beach are separated by just one thing - a bike path that runs along the Lake for 13 miles...perfect. After setting up, we headed into town for a late dinner on Church street, a walking street lined with restaurants and shops. Tonight’s temps are barely out of the 70s, so sleep may be difficult to come by...
