For the past several Summers, I plan a trip up to the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont to serve as an artist retreat. First, I started exploring Greensboro, and for a few years, stayed at The Highland Lodge.
Another time, I was in Danville (a roadside Americana motel, called Injun Joe's Motor Court, overlooking Joe's Pond) and Westmore (The historic Willoughvale Inn (overlooking picturesque Lake Willoughby) and another time in White River Junction (the historic Hotel Coolidge).
Two years ago, I went to Lake Winnepesaukee, to relive some childhood memories. But those were memories mixed with sadness. I kept visiting all of these places alone.
I always wished I could travel to visit these wonderful places with a companion who could see it through my previous experiences, and enjoy it for its simple, serene pleasures.
Last year I returned to the Highland Lodge, to stay at the Stegner Cottage, and hike Barr Hill (where Stegner's ashes were scattered).
This year, many places have already filled up in the Northeast Kingdom. No longer a secret, this is now a destination for people who want to get away from it all. As a consequence, tourists have come and filled most of the vacancies for that narrow three month period of Summer. So I decided to look for other nearby places to discover and become inspired by.
Areas to the East of Lake Willoughby are even more remote, and I found a charming region surrounding a small town called Brighton - once the only stop on a railroad that went from Montreal to Portland, Maine.
The station is still there, and some downtown buildings that seem too large for such a tiny town. The big attraction out here is the outdoors. Burke Mountain boasts skiing and mountain biking, snowmobile trails are everywhere, and numerous lakes, ponds, rivers and forests provide all kinds of activities. I've seen Moose, Bear, Bald Eagles and Osprey aplenty. The focal point of Brighton is a summer village called Island Pond.
Being a musician, it is enlightening to discover that renowned musician, singer and bandleader Rudy Vallee was born in Island Pond, and the house where he was raised remains. I recall some research I did about the Hotel Coolidge, and that revealed a movie filmed in town starring Lillian Gish (from a similar period of time as well).
So interesting to find the history that goes back 100 years, where entertainers seemed to co-define an area otherwise filled with loggers, hunters and railroad workers.
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