Over the Gap

Today was a beautiful summer day. We couldn't help ourselves from dropping everything, tossing the canoe on the truck and driving west. We were off to Vergennes with plans to paddle down the Otter Creek and out to the main lake, a favorite adventure. However, pulling into Bristol village we made another quick last minute change, turning right on North Street to Monkton Road and taking the public access to Bristol Pond (Lake Winona). A quiet little body of water laid out at the base of the Hogback Mountains.

It was a very good choice.

We paddled in and out of Red-winged Blackbirds, King Fishers, Swallows, a rather shy beaver, lily pads filled with yellow and white, wild roses, and a lone GBH (great blue heron). While sunfish scattered about the boat the small mouth bass gave us a splashy show. But the most exciting episode of the day was sharing the pond with this bald eagle. See him perched on the branch of that dead tree? He wasn't about to let us get very close and my little point and shoot has a pretty limited zoom, but he's grand isn't he?

We have driven over the Appalachian Gap so many times and never stop to take in the the view, except today.

Isn't it fun to change your mind and direction, just because?