When it's going to be a hot, humid day, my body feels a magnetic pull toward water. Gurgling, splashing, rocky-bottom river water to be precise.
Being able to dunk my feet and stretch out on a some smooth rocks is the coolest way to cool off in my book. When a river cascades over rocks, it drowns out most human-generated noises and lets me "veg out" in the nicest of settings.
And if the water doesn't numb my legs first, I like to take a river walk, too. With my sandals on and careful placement of each step, it's fun to explore a rushing little river. Come July and August, I'll be plunking my entire body into the cold rivers to beat the heat!
Last weekend, the Skimeister and I spent a hot early summer day around the water in Stowe, Vermont.
West Branch of Little River: We enjoyed a picnic lunch here and played some cribbage until the shade moved away. We spread out on the rocky river bed that is across the river from the recreation path. We parked at the northernmost parking lot for the recreation path -- near the covered bridge.
Foster's swimming hole on Notchbrook: This is located on Notchbrook Road -- the road that is across from the Matterhorn bar. The water is always cold here, but we cooled ourselves off by walking in the water and lounging on a big rock in the shade.
Moss Glen Falls: This is a pretty and rather popular waterfall [<link http: www.flickr.com groups external-link-new-window>photos] that is near the northeastern edge of Stowe. We took a short nap on a big shady rock down river from the falls, while the water gurgled on by.
The day also included a creemee (soft-serve ice cream) nearby at The Shack on Route 100, north of town near Stagecoach Road.
