Our requirements for our get-away weekend during this COVID-19 era were quite strict, and few places would match the criteria we had set.
Vermont has the lowest rate of COVID in the nation (when measured in several different ways). If we leave to go to an area with higher levels infections, we are to self-quarantine for fourteen days. That pretty much keeps us to Maine or New Hampshire, or possibly upstate New York.
We also are only going for two nights, and so we don’t want to go more than two or three hours away. This eliminated my first choice, which was Maine. We’ve been to upstate New York already this summer.
To further complicate things, the camper is 30 feet long. It won’t fit in many state parks—but they are all filled anyway.
After much looking, a friend offered his camp in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, in a small town called Island Pond. It has a large, flat yard, well off the road, and secluded in the trees. They are happy to let us park the camper there. It rivals—or exceeds—any campgrounds I’ve seen.
There is not a lot to do in Island Pond, and I have been concerned that this would not be a fun trip for the 21, 19 and 15 year-olds. I was—happily—wrong. We only really have one full day together. We have easily filled it without boring anyone. Simple things like eating together… fishing… sight-seeing around the lake… napping… sitting around the fire at night… these are the things that memories are made of.
Turns out that the COVID-19 limitations are a silver lining in limiting our travel time—and increasing our time together.
