Ep. 362: Vermont's Champlain Valley | RV travel camping kayaking RVlife

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Nothing defines New England bucolic splendor quite like Vermont's Champlain Valley. Lining the shoreline of 125 mile-long Lake Champlain, the valley is sandwiched between the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York to the west, and the tall spine of Vermont's Green Mountains to the east. While camping lakeside at Button Bay State Park, we'll explore the area's charming small towns and covered bridges, taste a bit of local history, and even get out onto the lake kayaking, so come along!
Filmed: May 23-26, 2024
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CHAPTERS
0:00 Intro
1:11 Vermont's Champlain Valley
3:01 Button Bay State Park
7:01 Visiting friends
7:36 Basin Harbor Resort
9:49 Arnold Bay
10:33 SPONSOR: etrailer.com
11:15 Small towns of Vermont's Champlain Valley
16:59 Covered bridges of Vermont's Champlain Valley
19:13 Kayaking Lake Champlain
25:06 Wrap-up and what's next
FOR MORE INFORMATION
* Our campsite maps.app.goo.gl/NgjkkEJdq4pWpKbz8
* Button Bay State Park www.vtstateparks.com/buttonbay.html
* Vermont Tourism vermontvacation.com/
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ABOUT US
Welcome to Grand Adventure, a RU-vid channel that focuses on RV-centric outdoor activities including not only of course camping, but also mountain biking, hiking, kayaking, skiing and more, always filmed in stunning 4K.
We're based in Salt Lake City, Utah during the winter months, and invite you to come along as we travel all around the U.S. My wife Patricia and I, and dog Zoe are avid boondockers, so while you'll occasionally find us in RV parks or even dry campgrounds, we're usually camped in some of the most remote and beautiful spots that you could ever pull a travel trailer into. We've now transitioned from "long-timing" for six months a year, to living and traveling in our RV full-time.
We'll provide beautiful travel videos, as well as some tips and insight on trip planning, and equipping and maintaining your RV to make your next adventure a grand one indeed! So, subscribe to make sure that you catch every episode, and remember...life is nothing but a Grand Adventure!
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#GrandAdventure #RV #travel #vermont #rvlife #rvliving #rvlifestyle #camping #lakechamplain #champlainvalley #buttonbay #coveredbridge #newengland

Опубликовано:

6 июн 2024

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Комментарии : 77

@e-square9976 Месяц назад

Unparalleled composition. The video, commentary and music perfectly in sync. Well done! That area is beautiful….spent time there about 22 years ago; which brought back fantastic memories. Always wanted to return and with your work here we will most certainly return. ❤

@GrandAdventure Месяц назад

Thank you so very much! We've admittedly been avoiding the Northeast with the RV for years - cost, congestion, etc. were all relevant factors. But this brief visit to Vermont rekindled my love for certain things about this area, for Vermont demonstrates some of the best things that New England has to offer.

@e-square9976 Месяц назад

@@GrandAdventure❤

@mortimermeanders8912 Месяц назад

Still my favorite History Teacher! Jon B

@GrandAdventure Месяц назад

Thank you Jon!!! But I'm just a fellow pupil.

@jimlee8785 Месяц назад

That area is so pretty and unique. Great work. Magnetic and magnificent.

@GrandAdventure Месяц назад

Thank you Jim! And thanks so much for watching.

@laughingram7287 3 дня назад

Love the nice green campgrounds with plenty of space. Cool little towns. Ram 👍🏼👍🏾

@GrandAdventure 3 дня назад

Thanks Ram!

@jesib7526 Месяц назад

Everything is beautiful!!

@GrandAdventure Месяц назад

Very much so, Jesi.

@vivianallen9772 27 дней назад

Gorgeous! I enjoyed the kayak trip, and got a laugh when you pointed out the paddle mistake. You always do a great job on your videos, Marc. Thank you!

@GrandAdventure 26 дней назад

Thank YOU, Vivian!!

@RV_with_Noni_and_Beard Месяц назад

When you mentioned Middlebury, I took note. I have some fond memories of that area. I immediately thought, "I hope they went to the Sheburne Museum," and of course you had. I tell people they should plan on spending two days there. Just too much to see. Sure, some of it gets repetitive, but then you come to a steamboat - MILES from the water! And to think, it all started with a few cigar store Indians. Also, I really appreciate how you plan for the ad breaks. Even if you don't say something, they're not located arbitrarily and you're not being interrupted mid-sentence. It helps make everything flow together.

@GrandAdventure Месяц назад

Thank you very much! I wish we had the time to devote to the museum, but with only two nights in Button Bay that wasn't a possibility.

@joannewinters9616 Месяц назад

❤ beautiful thank you❤

@GrandAdventure Месяц назад

You're most welcome Joanne, and thank you for watching.

@eprohoda Месяц назад

unreal traveler- godspeed-

@GrandAdventure Месяц назад

Thank you, and same to you!

@ShawnPatterson402 Месяц назад

Quite enjoyed this video. I am sure you enjoyed Montreal. Truly a world class city in my opinion, and so much to see and do. Spent 4 years of university there, and a couple of years of work and enjoyed it tremendously. Did not have the cash to necessarily enjoy it to its fullest... Perhaps that was a good thing. continued safe travels..I am looking forward to Montreal and beyond

@GrandAdventure Месяц назад

Thank you very much, Shawn! We're having a blast. Montreal is a world class city, you are correct. But the traffic is world class, too.

@brookeshaffer4377 Месяц назад

Great work Marc🌲

@GrandAdventure Месяц назад

Thanks as always, Brooke! And thanks as always for watching.

@myatlantictravel 29 дней назад

Another beautiful place. Thanks for the inspiration and for sharing. 👍🙂

@GrandAdventure 29 дней назад

You are most welcome, and thank you very much for watching.

@daviscrt Месяц назад

Great video of Vermont. What a cool camp site. Good to see you back in the water. Thanks Don

@GrandAdventure Месяц назад

Thank you Don! It felt GREAT to get back out on the water! I'm really looking forward to some time paddling salt water at our upcoming stops in the Canadian Maritimes. I had such a good time out on the lake that I even went so far this week to order an upgraded seat for that boat from a kayak shop in Maine that we won't even get to until August.

@geraldsouthard7092 29 дней назад

I learn so much from your video’s Marc. Thank you!

@GrandAdventure 29 дней назад

Thank YOU Gerald!

@ColemanDumas Месяц назад

Love the channel. Love the upcoming premiers!

@GrandAdventure Месяц назад

Thank you so very much! We are happy to have you along.

@johnbabyak8536 Месяц назад

Nice job, as always Marc! Spent last weekend in Burlington...this is a great time of year to enjoy Vermont.

@GrandAdventure Месяц назад

No doubt about it, John.

@legaleagleandpaws8198 Месяц назад

Can't wait until you get to the White Mountain region of New Hampshire:)

@GrandAdventure Месяц назад

We will be there in August. First, we're rolling through 4 Canadian provinces.

@barbarabladen8963 29 дней назад

Great video! Great music! Thanks

@GrandAdventure 29 дней назад

Thank you very much, Barbara, and thanks for watching!

@akgobears Месяц назад

Vermont looks like such a nice place...Would love to visit there someday...Thanks for showing the state park also...Great place to park the RV....Never really been much into travel in Canada but look forward to seeing what ya got....Just do it safely and all be well...

@GrandAdventure Месяц назад

Thanks! We're having a great time in Canada. Sure, it comes with its own limitations, but so does everything else.

@akgobears Месяц назад

@@GrandAdventure ENJOY !!!

@normgibson6565 Месяц назад

Looks nice good job

@GrandAdventure Месяц назад

Thank you Norm!

@timclosson7166 24 дня назад

I'm a native Vermonter, but haven't lived there since the late 60's. Politics and property taxes are some of the worst in the US.

@GrandAdventure 24 дня назад

Fortunately for us, as visitors for a couple of nights we are subject to neither.

@moretoliving2236 29 дней назад

Vermont is surely a beautiful place. I have never been but to me, it looks a lot like west virginia and maryland where I have been a lot (hiking and camping). I probably would pay it a visit in my lifetime. I have a trip planned for TBD date in the years ahead to sort of diagonally cross it en route to Maine and then horizontally en route back but given that I am confined to a cubicle farm... should have probably done that during covid. Hindsight 20/20.

@GrandAdventure 29 дней назад

You'll get that opportunity, MTL. Hopefully sooner than later.

@thomashendron4356 25 дней назад

Great to see so many bays to camp at in Champlain valley forwarded video link to friend who grew up in Vermont. Have you been to lake superior? Found a cool channel "Great Lakes Surfski" doing downwinds on a really big lake

@GrandAdventure 24 дня назад

Lake Superior is the prettiest of the Great Lakes, in my opinion. We especially loved the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in far northern Wisconsin.

@thomashendron4356 24 дня назад

@@GrandAdventure when visiting the Apostles go by kayak?

@GrandAdventure 24 дня назад

@@thomashendron4356 you bet, Thomas, if you get the right window of weather and wave conditions as we did, kayaking the sea caves is a must-do: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE--i5JwaoT-F8.html However, the crossings between islands are a big undertaking and can be dangerous with quick weather changes and very cold water, especially when paddling solo. For that reason I stuck to the sea caves located on the mainland (yet still within the National Lakeshore), and didn't venture onto the islands themselves other than a ferry ride with the truck to Madeline Island. We were camped nearby in a municipally-operated campground in Washburn.

@thomashendron4356 24 дня назад

@GrandAdventure thanks for pointing me to Apostle Island episode. Another great place to park/camp/paddle/explore

@GrandAdventure 24 дня назад

@@thomashendron4356 our pleasure.

@bertkelly7650 Месяц назад

You seem to have a handle on that kayak. Doesn't it want to tip being so thin? Nice video!

@GrandAdventure Месяц назад

With a beam of only 22 in, yes it can be tippy if you want it to be, Bert. But it is not hard to control that at all.

@gorrdd Месяц назад

Thanks Marc, You did a great job of covering this area. Lots and lots of bucolic landscapes that makes me what to go back there again. It's been since 1972 for me. Incidentally, what were all those flakes coming down in that one scene you shared? I don't recall you commenting on it. So what ever happened to windsurfing/sailboarding? It was quite the rage and very approachable in the early 90's. I remember boardsailing off of Bird Key in Sarasota in 1990. I think what happened is that parasailing came along and attracted all the talent that was doing traditional windsurfing. The thing with parasailing is that the equipment cost became prohibitive for most people and the learning curve rather steep. In the midst of that, traditional windsurfing took a dive. But I really think that sport was far more approachable and affordable and should not have died so soon. It was like six years and then nothing. What's your take on that? Gord

@GrandAdventure Месяц назад

Thanks Gord! I didn''t comment on the flakes because I didn't know what kind of tree was producing them. But they were some sort of spring shed from that species of tree. And they gave the Basin Harbor staff a nearly endless cleanup job. Funny that you mention sailing at Bird Key in 1990, for that's precisely when and where I took my first windsurfing lesson. My ex-wife's mother had a place in Sarasota at the time, and we were visiting when I decided to give it a try. The early 1990s were the sport''s heyday, but you've already identified the two primary factors that led to its demise: the high cost of equipment, and the steep learning curve. For different wind conditions you needed different size boards, masts, sails and booms. My quiver eventually grew to two boards, two masts, two booms and four sails, but there were large gaps in coverage that could've been filled by even more equipment. I largely bought used but still had about $5,000-6,000 into it, at a time that I was just beginning my career and really couldn't afford a pot to piss in. I never did perfect my jibe, although tacking was no issue. The real fun began once I nailed my water start and began using a harness. Getting up onto a plane, raking back the sail to close the gap, and getting into the footstraps such that you could push your feet laterally to counteract the lift generated by the fin was a rush like few others. People eventually gravitated to kiting. I understand that it's somewhat easier to master than windsurfing, but that innovation took over after I had largely abandoned windsurfing already. Ironically, sailing conditions were better in the Northeast than in Florida, which we moved to in 1996. More wind from more consistent weather fronts passing through. Florida is dead calm for much of the year, with only light breezes insufficient for the relatively small sails of a windsurfing kit. We had also bought our first sailboat, a tiny used 20' O'Day that we kept at a marina on the Lake Champlain Islands, as an effort to get my new family involved in my sailing addiction, so time on the water was primarily spent on a boat instead of a board. We towed that boat to Florida when we moved to Anna Maria, but quickly realized that it was too small for Tampa Bay and even more so for the Gulf, so we upgraded to a used O'Day 25 and eventually a used Hunter 34 before our time sailing ended when we moved to landlocked Utah. By the time we got to Utah, though, my windsurfing skills had rusted and my equipment had become outdated, so it just sat hanging from the ceiling in my garage because I didn't have the heart to get rid of it until we downsized to go full time in the RV. I tried to give it away, even posted it online for free, but I didn't even get a spark of interest. It eventually took up space in the 30-yard dumpster that we filled.

@gorrdd Месяц назад

@@GrandAdventure Great account, Marc. How interesting, you got your start at the very same time and place as I did and learned from the same instructors. I believe there were two men and a woman and they owned a shop on Siesta Key. We must have crossed paths at some point. You also covered the third reason for the sports demise... not enough wind often enough. Only in the winter months did you get any kind of frequentcy. You saw it too! Driving over the bridge from downtown Sarasota over to Bird Key and seeing those aficionados skimming the crests of whitecaps along the intercoastal below. We were captivated! 😃 I got to the same skill level as you did. I didn't quite master the jibe. That took allot of practice and you had to be very dedicated to get out as often as you could. But then there was reality... how to do that on a regular basis and still work to earn a living... the fourth reason for the sports demise... not enough time. If you could get the jibe down, then the physical exhaustion of continual water starts was not nearly as much of a factor. But the exhilaration, as you detailed, was the real draw.... adrenaline junkies. My mother's father, my grandfather, owned a villa on Siesta Key at Gulf Haven. After my grandfather passed, my mother and her sisters inherited the villa. They kept it and eventually my Mom bought out her sisters. So I always had a place to stay during the Christmas and Easter holidays. Sorry to hear that you used your old rusted equipment as a covering for the big dumpster. You never really gave up on the dream... but time and accommodation with your new family gave way. How interesting that your interest in sailboarding eventually migrated into sailing that took you to those places ending at Ana Maria Island. And eventually skiing drew you to Utah. Gord

@GrandAdventure Месяц назад

@@gorrdd yep, it sounds like we were very much in the same place at the same time, both physically and in skill development. Skiing was always my true love, since early childhood. Everything else was secondary. Even living in Florida, freelancing as a ski journalist got me onto the hill ~30 days per year. Things like windsurfing were an off-season substitute. But it eventually got to the point where I was tired of flying to ski, or dealing with the emotional roller coaster of New England weather. So in January 2005 I packed up a U-Haul and pointed it west.

@gorrdd Месяц назад

@@GrandAdventure Indeed, Marc. Sounds like you made the right choice. But returning to New England and the Chaplain Valley was no doubt long overdue. I could see you really got into it, with all the beautiful scenery and landscape views and images that you shared. Right up my alley... The one thing with all the weather we have been having, is that everything is really green and well hydrated this year. Even the mountains around LA has a level of verdant growth this year, and not all dried out and tired looking. How is Montreal? I expect there has been allot of construction since the last time you were there. The last time I was there was in 1967, at the World's Fair. I was born in Montreal, lived in Dorval until I was 6, before moving to Cleveland, Ohio in 1956. Gord

@GrandAdventure Месяц назад

@@gorrdd Montreal has grown by a ridiculous amount, Gord, even in the past 25 years. It doesn't take long to escape, as we were surrounded by nothing but farmland 15 miles south of the city on the South Shore, but in the urban and suburban areas the traffic is absolutely insane. For some inexplicable reason (most likely cost) nearly all of the freeways are only two lanes in each direction, even the ones added relatively recently. Couple that with substantial construction to repair severely neglected asphalt, and you have a mess on your hands.

@tuckerg1975 Месяц назад

Are you planning on a meetup while you are here? We live in northern NH and would love to buy you a beer or something.

@GrandAdventure Месяц назад

You're much too kind, Tucker, thank you for your generous offer. We don't have anything formal scheduled. We're now in Canada but will be swinging through NH in August.

@tuckerg1975 Месяц назад

@@GrandAdventure I would love to hear about your ski patrol days in VT. I'm on patrol in NH at Cannon, and I'm sure we'd have some good stories to share.

@GrandAdventure Месяц назад

@@tuckerg1975 indeed we would. I've spent many good days (as well as many frigid and bulletproof days) at Cannon. I was patrolling at Jay Peak back during the 80s and 90s. In 2005, though, we relocated to Utah and I've been an Alta pass holder and regular ever since. Speaking of which, Alta's 2024-25 pass prices go up if I don't buy by June 12th. Just got the email. Dammit! 😁

@katehutto6004 Месяц назад

I notice you wear gloves while paddling. Is there a certain brand or kind that you would recommend?

@GrandAdventure Месяц назад

We're big fans of NRS, including their paddling gloves.

@LivinglifeRFKB Месяц назад

Love the videos, but can you explain why you always do upcoming on your videos? Kind of annoying having to wait like your having a premiere on your movie. Just play the video.

@GrandAdventure Месяц назад

We appreciate the feedback, but we have a number of reasons why we do Premieres: 1. An entire social community has sprung up around our Premieres. We typically have about 100-150 regulars attending each one, and they've all gotten to know one another very well through the chat room that plays alongside the video. They look forward to 9pm Eastern on Wednesdays the way that folks used to, say, gather for a new episode of M*A*S*H. We would never take that away from them, and they'd probably kill us if we did. They're our most loyal and regular viewers, and we do it for them. 2. Publishing regularly, at the same time on the same day of the week each and every week, gives some consistency that many viewers, and RU-vid's algorithm both seem to appreciate. 3. Premieres allow us to build anticipation for each episode. Remember that old Heinz ketchup commercial...