Day 3. St Johnsbury to Bellows Falls Vermont

Thoreau in the 1860's made his Connecticut River Expedition and wrote a naturalist's book of the same name. This is a popular cyclist route, particularly in the fall. I am surprised when a colorful young bird pulls up behind this slow moving codger and engages a conversation. She's escaping her medic job in Newton Mass post marathon Massacre. "The first few days we went around saying very little, but it's getting back to normal," she says.

You climb, you coast. You have a mile or two level and you repeat it again. The low volume of traffic, litter and absence of billboards is very appealing. Commercial distractions are very limited. This Vermont effect creates a space for calm and peace as a cyclist.

I sometimes forget that I have a BOOMER MISSION. The Caladonian in ST. J. did a piece on Boomers. I gave the boomer Sports writer a book and he told me about his cycling in VT. A postmaster, a pizza maker a social worker and boomer retirees all told me What Makes Them Happy. It's health and wellness, recreation, grandchildren, the garden and being outdoors. Not one Boomer has told me of a single material thing that makes them happy.

In this time of terrorist massacres, good news and happiness is very welcome. I spent one more night in Wilder and headed out from Bellows Falls towards Brattleboro Vermont at the southern border.