Last weekend I took my older son, Philip, to Mt. Ascutney State Park in VT for his first camping trip ever, my first camping trip in over a decade, and a little bit of wheeling in the bush. Read on for my trip report and a short review of our day trip with Vermont Overland.
This is the first time we’ve travelled just the 2 of us, and as I previously mentioned, it was also Philip’s first camping trip. He’d been counting down the days until we could leave and when Friday morning rolled around, my man was ready. He waited patiently as I spent the morning packing and prepping.
The drive down from Montreal was uneventful but scenic. The further south we went, the more beautiful it got. I don’t know if the residents of the area realize how lucky they are! We stopped across the border in New Hampshire for groceries, where I proceeded to buy far too much stuff for 2 guys on a weekend camping trip... I guess I was pretty excited about being there.
Our campsite was a lean-to, which offered a nice place to put the tent out of the wind while leaving plenty of room for kitchen and changing areas. We also had our own picnic table, which was a perfect place to play with my Caterham and Philip’s Bro-coma.
We could have slept in the open air, but with a forecast overnight temperature of only 3C (37 F) a tent just made sense. We had a super comfortable sleep in our mummy-style sleeping bags on top the 4” foam mattress I bought on the way down - never will I sleep on an inflatable mattress again!
Saturday was a day for adventure. I met up with the Vermont Overland crew and about 10 other trucks for the season opener day trip in Woodstock. We spent the day rolling around the area seeing the countryside and banging up my fuel tank skid plate.
Vermont Overland Day Trip Review
Vermont Overland is a company based in Woodstock, VT that puts on a number of events every year for 4x4 and bicycle adventurers of all levels. We met up with them on Saturday morning for a day trip in the Woodstock area where we would, hopefully, get the truck dirty and maybe even push a few limits.
The team was well organized, comprised of 4 guys in 3 trucks to help run the show and make sure that no-one got lost or left behind. The man behind the company, Peter Vollers, was there front and centre with a diesel Defender to lead the charge.
Picture courtesy of Vermont Overlanding
After a short drivers’ meeting I barely had time to grab a coffee and put up my CB antenna and the show was on the road, at 10am sharp. No messing around and no waiting for slackers! Next time, Philip and I will have to get dressed earlier so that we’re not late to the party.
Without going into too much detail, the trip was about 50km of class 3 and 4 roads in rural Vermont. Class 3 is essentially a dirt road that any car can travel on, while class 4 is basically a trail that may or may not have been passable by a regular motor vehicle at some time in the past. We drove past some beautiful farms and valleys, and Peter shared a number of interesting facts about the area: some of the more interesting land owners, some history, and stories about some of the places we visited. There was some excellent CB chatter about different gear and techniques.
Pictures courtesy of Vermont Overlanding
While there was a lot of soft-roading, there were also some great class 4 roads/trails that put the truck to work. I banged down a couple of times on some rocks, managed to dent my fuel tank skid, and even managed to get tipped onto 3 wheels dropping into a small gulch. There was a tough rockup uphill and a technical, muddy downhill that saw the truck at all angles. Peter and his crew did a great job guiding everyone through and making sure we were safe.
All in all, we covered close to 50km (31 miles) and it was an excellent experience. We had a great day and met some very nice people, and managed to put the truck to the test. Peter’s passions for Vermont and for overlanding are obvious and I’m sure that his efforts to show that 4x4s can be used responsibly will have a positive impact on the communities his trips visit. This type of paid trip might not be your cup of tea, but for anybody looking to get out and explore but not knowing where to start, VO offers a great opportunity to see the state of Vermont differently.
Picture courtesy of Vermont Overland
After our wheeling adventure and a tasty burger at the Worthy Kitchen, the VO crew and guests went their separate ways. Since Philip and I had no plans, and no-one waiting for us, we were free to explore some more. We stopped and took a look at the covered bridge and the Quechee Gorge, where you can take a short hike through the forest to the bottom of the gorge, where the rocks have an almost alien appearance. Philip spent half an hour throwing rocks in the water - what else would a 4 year-old boy want to do?!
After another comfortable night of camping and another morning of bad campfire coffee, it was time to pack up and head home. We took a quick run up to the top of Mt. Ascutney, but Philip was too tired to make the 0.7 mile hike to the summit, so we turned back down and hit the road. The drive back was mostly uneventful, with the exception of a downed biker in a Memorial Day weekend biker rally, and we made it home in time for afternoon snacks with the rest of the family.
What did I learn from this trip?
- Camping won’t kill me, probably.
- Spring camping, when there are fewer bugs and fewer people, is great.
- Preparation is key.
- My son is an awesome travel companion. Patient and quiet in the car, and also too young to ask, “Are we there yet?”
- My 4Runner could probably use a proper set of skid plates.
- I’m so ready for more 4x4 adventures.
Thanks for reading!