Sovenier From Vermont...

One thing we have noticed in Vermont is the abundance of Subarus {we fit right in}. The other thing we noticed is the plethora of canoes and kayaks atop of these Subarus {and other vehicles}.

On a whim, Daniel decided to check out local Craigslist postings. We have been considering buying a canoe for a while, but haven't found the right opportunity yet. Well, that opportunity presented itself on day #2 in Vermont. Initially we went back and forth because of having to haul it home, but on the plus side we can use it while we are here.

We found a great deal on a Mad River Canoe in LondonDerry, NH {just outside of Boston}. Daniel contacted the seller and left a message. We didn't hear back right away so we decided to go hiking. We were 30 minutes from our trailhead when we received the call that the canoe was available. Score.

We turned around and headed south. The canoe is 16-feet long {so it will accommodate Sophie}. It has only been used a few times and the paddles and a Yakima roof mounting system came with the boat. We are stoked to get it on the water.

Paddling the Flint River

Saturday we took advantage of the gorgeous weather and headed to Huntsville to paddle 7.5 miles on the Flint River.

This was not a "get thrown out of your boat" or a "we got shot at" kind of paddling trip. Nonetheless we had a lot of fun hanging out with our friends, enjoying the sunshine and being outside.

We opted to use NACK as our outfitter. I have to give this company props for providing great equipment. They were a bit pricey at $35 per person, but we really liked their Mad River Canoes – light and comfortable and definitely the nicest canoe we have ever rented. 

The water on Flint River was up, so what would normally be a 4-hour trip was around 2 hours. Two hours with a good current is much preferable to four hours of slow moving water.

Since we were off the river faster than anticipated, we decided to have a second lunch at Cantina Laredo, followed by dessert at Orange Tree Frozen Yogurt and finally a Dollar Movie at Carmike 10. Not too bad for a Saturday with friends.