Colchester Cemeteries Quest - Exploring History, Part 3

 

Both the fifth and sixth cemetery visits required longer rides. The smallest, Champlain Cemetery stands on a slight hill, tucked between woods, by far the quaintest of all. I immediately recognized the Vermont Old Cemetery Association's work on repaired headstones.

I liked this design with inscriptions: husband, Sherman "He rests from his labors & his works do follow him" and his wife, Lavinia "She hath done what she could".

I love the interesting old names: Rufus, Philura, Marilla, Hector, and Amelia. When wandering cemeteries, I notice some names are common today, while others have disappeared from our naming lexicon. 

Rufus Thompson was killed in the Battle of Gettysburg and was buried there. It must have been difficult for his parents, Philura and David - and for all parents of early war casualties to not have their loved ones' bodies brought home.

The Monty name, less commonly spelled "Montey," appears on several gravestones. I presume they are all related to the Monty's in the Munson Cemetery. 

Though I gravitate to the older stones for their creative descriptions, mostly absent from current gravestones (likely due to cost), each cemetery has its share of recent burials, too. 

The following day, the weather held and I visited the last cemetery on my list. From relatively tiny Champlain Cemetery, Fort Ethan Allen Cemetery is vastly different. The flat burial ground reminded me of a small-scale Arlington National Cemetery, primarily housing veterans and their families. The flag-adorned plots bordered a busy highway.

I can usually find something interesting: an epitaph, a unique headstone, but I was struck by the sheer number of simple headstones. This cemetery is also close to a former military fort, its namesake. Established as a cavalry post in 1894 and closed in 1944, Fort Ethan Allen was strategically located to protect the northern borders; its grounds are now a National Historic District. The brick buildings remain, refitted into housing and businesses.

This concludes my quest to visit 6 cemeteries maintained by my community of Colchester.

Colchester Cemeteries Quest - Exploring History, Part 2

 
Like the previous outing, I set out to visit two more local burial grounds. The largest of the Colchester Cemeteries, the Village Cemetery sits behind the Burnham Library. 

It's also worth noting there's strong historical interest within our community with an active Colchester Historical Society. We recently went to a talk about a regional railroad line.

Thus, I was intrigued to immediately spot the Burnham name. But the library wasn't named for Herbert, but rather Etta. Upon his retirement in Massachusetts, they moved back to where she grew up, both serving the Colchester community. After Herbert passed, Etta lived a few more years. She willed most of her estate to “build, furnish, and maintain a library.”

The Leggett headstone is a sad reminder that parents, especially during wartime, often outlive their children. Only 2 of 4 children lived to old age.

The Nourse name caught my eye because there's a region where Bay Road meets East Lakeshore Drive, with a pretty view of Malletts Bay - still marked as Nourse's Corner on Google Maps. It was a snack bar hot spot in the 50's, and I recall my parents mentioning the place. George Nourse started the snack bar, which specialized in toasted hot dogs, and it ran for 20 years, though it didn't survive his passing. 

Regionally, Michigan-style hot dogs, split lengthwise, grilled, then topped with meat sauce and mustard squiggles, served on a toasted bun, were popular when I was younger, and still found today at Beansie's Bus in Burlington's Battery Park. Once in a while, I stop for this irresistible treat. 

Moses headed the Colchester regiment in the War of 1812.

The Moses stone is unique because the raised lettering is still visible on the marble stone. It's customary to see debossed lettering, like the right-hand gravestone, that, in time, marble doesn't weather well, especially in a harsh New England climate. Sometime over the past 200 years, stones were replaced with harder granite. Because of the differences, it's easy to spot older graves in any cemetery.

The older stones have interesting inscriptions: for example, specifying days lived or age at death. So much character in the old headstones!

I found an excellent, comprehensive online Colchester history resource, something I'll surely reference time and again.

The second stop was at the Old Methodist Church Cemetery, tucked away behind a firehouse on Main Street, formerly the Old Methodist Church site. At first, the grounds seemed neglected, sandy and barren, scrubby grass trying to survive. While a nice iron gate bordered the cemetery, it lacked signage, so I hope the colorful official marker is in the works. 

Upon closer inspection, I noticed the old stones were cleaned, and fragments pieced back together. There is a statewide Old Cemetery Association that helps communities preserve historical markers, with the help of volunteers.

 

Celebrating the life of Charlotte Johnson at 101 years old - amazing longevity for that time period. She outlived her husband by 40 years!

While headstones remain, trees and, eventually, stumps morph into headstones. 

Two more cemeteries to go!

Coffeeneuring 2025 - Exploring Scenery Painting with Gouache

This is my 14th Coffeeneuring Challenge! For the 3rd year, my theme has been to explore gouache painting, specifically scenery in 2025.

There are lovely beaches and riverbanks to explore.

Of all the 7 paintings, I like the fluidity of this one.

The fall colors were spectacular this year.

And, the finale: the coffeeneuring quilt, viewing all the paintings together. 

5 Years after The Pandemic - the Beauty of Exploring

The Trek Marlin 7 continues to provide comfortable meandering on nearby wooded trails. It's a perfect vehicle
for discovering flowers.

Since 2020, I've learned to take nothing for granted, a feeling that still resonates: not our health, our 2020 move to a beautiful location, the ability to travel, or the natural world that continues to provide peace and connection. I have so much to be thankful for. 

Riding with my adventure buddy on the Colchester Causeway; our home and backyard view.

I love to travel by bike, whether driving to ride rail trails or carrying gear for multiday excursions. 

Brewery in North Hampton, NH. Tacos at a food truck in Fort Collins. Real maple creemees only 3 miles from home.

Stops for food and beer are destinations themselves.

Visiting our son in Fort Collins, Colorado, and riding Soapstone Prairie's trails. Riding Pine Creek Trail with my husband in Pennsylvania.

Riding with family is always an opportunity to connect and explore.

After work or on weekends, rides rejuvenate me, whether pedaling along Lake Champlain during daylight or at sunset, even year-round. I frequently visit an icefall to watch its spring-fed metamorphosis. We discovered a local sugar house this spring!

Amtrak fuels adventure opportunities. Take the train to a new locale or use the service one-way and pedal back.

When our axis shifts and world events spiral faster than seems possible, I try not to feel hopeless. In some respects, we've been here before, 5 years ago. Instead, I remind myself, how truly lucky I am.

Riding Packed, Plowed Rail Trails

Last week's 16.5" dump on top of several packed inches plus drifts meant the snowblower had to clear one narrow corridor by shooting snow through the fence onto rail tracks.

It's been a wild one this winter, with regular snowfall and normal below-freezing temperatures. For the past 5 years, I've gotten used to frequent rides on a nearby, plowed rail trail. Until this year, trail coverage was thin or even clear pavement at times during typical globally warmed Vermont winters. This meant easy access with or without a studded tire bike. I could get used to this!

My tires are all over the place in thicker, trodden snow.

It's been tricky even with 1.75" studded tires this year. If the paths aren't cleared close to the surface, my rear tire, especially, fishtails, losing traction. I often need to put a foot down, which is all the more reason I ride a step-through bike. Bike handling is tough: hands loose on the bar, spin in low gears usually gains traction. It takes a toll on my body though. A 10-mile ride is plenty in these conditions and I rest between outings, sometimes for 3 days.

But watching the sunset over Lake Champlain; stars appearing in the sky; and solitude, keep me coming back for more.

The left, ice-lined area had the best traction. Note the ski tracks on the right. Burlington plows half the path in winter to allow other snow sports.

Yesterday's climb into the 30'sF created soft paths. Oddly, I sought out ice-filled lanes! The top layer had just enough grip, but smoother going overall. Go figure.

Often, the bridge connecting Burlington to my Colchester community loses its snow first. I think it's the lack of tree coverage. Note the ski tracks continuing across the bridge.

The Colchester side had the smoothest surface, cropped close to asphalt. There are few riders compared with walkers, so often snow is pockmarked and frozen - terrible to ride!

Is all this worth it? For an avid rider, yes. I like the challenge. The important thing is I'm safe and know my limits.