192 VERMONT: Ice Cream in Green Mountains

Join me as I visit beautiful Vermont for another instalment of my New England road trip adventure. In this episode, I meet yet another guy named Ben, hike the gorgeous Mount Washington, and sink my teeth into all the ice cream at the Ben & Jerry's factory. Lick your lips for what's to come.

 

192 VERMONT: Ice Cream in Green Mountains

 

Hello from Vermont, USA

After wrapping up my adventures in Maine and saying farewell to my Couchsurfing friend, Blueberry Ben, I jumped back in my hired car and proceeded to head west. It was a drive of 243 miles that took me back through New Hampshire and just across the state line, where I eventually arrived at the last of the six states in New England — Vermont. 

Leaving Blueberry Ben back in his forest in Maine, I was on the lookout for another Ben: this time, the Ben from Ben & Jerry's. 

Spoiler: I didn't. But I met someone who has met the real Ben & Jerry. He is from Vermont, and funny enough, his name is also Ben. How weird is that? We'll call him Vermont Ben. 

VERMONT BEN

While editing this episode from Panamá, I met Vermont Ben during a pool tournament hosted by the hostel I am staying at. How randomly serendipitous to meet a guy called Ben from Vermont that just happens to be the episode I was editing at the time. It's like the universal laws of attraction are working overtime, bringing me together with people from the podcast episodes I edit on the road! Next time, I think I'll edit an episode about tall Swedish models who have a preference for bald Danish travel podcasters…#hereshoping

"I'm 19 years old and I have been living in Vermont my entire life. It is a really beautiful place, with amazing people. There are a million things to do: it's a very outdoorsy place, it is extremely clean and environmentally safe and friendly. I ski, mountain bike, and do all activities you can do on a lake as I live on the lake. Most people from Vermont appreciate the outdoors and are very active, and the Vermont lifestyle is very attractive. It's a really amazing place to live and raise a family, indicated by the number of people who move there each year".

As a self-titled 'proud Vermonter', I decided to test Vermont Ben on his knowledge about his home state. He passed with flying colours. Here are a few facts about Vermont that Vermont Ben already knew...

FACTS ABOUT VERMONT

• Vermont's name comes from the French phrase "vert mont," meaning "green mountain." Nickname: The Green Mountain State.
• Vermont is the largest producer of maple syrup in the US, producing over half a million gallons a year (almost 2 million litres).
• With a population of just 7,787 in 2012, Montpelier is the smallest state capital in the US. 
• There aren't many people in Vermont: only about 645,000. The only state with a smaller population in Wyoming.
• Some people joke that Vermont has more dairy cows than people. Not true! It has one cow for every 3.8 people, which is still the nation's highest cow ratio to people.
• Montpelier is the only US state capital without a McDonald's. And no billboards on the side of the roads. Very non-American if you ask me!

HIKING MOUNT WASHINGTON

The lovely Airbnb I stayed at in Vermont is situated within walking distance to the border of New Hampshire, so each time I went to the grocery store down the road, I essentially crossed the state line. 

The day after I arrived, I decided to delve deeper back into New Hampshire to go for a hike on Mount Washing