Mini Baby-Moon

For many couples the term "baby-moon" means a tropical getaway on the beach somewhere. For Brian and me it ultimately meant a small cabin in the woods with my cousins and our dogs. Yes, we'd thought about a more romantic destination but logic and timing got the better of us and we decided something closer to home was a more realistic option. Given Brian's seven day a week job and my lack of vacation time we knew it was a more mature decision to do a long weekend. (I have to say I'm proud of us! Our families will tell you we tend to do things without thinking them through completely!)

Around the time we were discussing our getaway I got a Groupon notification for a resort in Vermont. After looking through the pictures and finding out Berklee could join us I was hooked. It was exactly what I was thinking - relaxing, private and far enough away that it felt like a treat. We asked my cousins (Ryan and his wife, Alissa) to come along and bring their dog Camilla who just so happens to be Berklee's best buddy! We left on Friday mid-day and arrived at the Sterling Ridge Resort around 5pm.

Our Cabin - #6 very private

Living Room / Dining Room  

Bedroom #1

View from our Front Porch 

Upon finding out where we were heading, Ryan and Brian decided that they were going to be "mountain men" for the weekend - bringing along their Bear Grylls survival kits on the off chance we were lost in the woods or needed to build a fire. When we arrived at the resort the first thing they did was attempt to do the latter a la BG. They broke out their knives and flint and set to work. Alissa and I were both doubtful that they'd be successful but after only a few short moments they proved us wrong! It was at that moment they determined that no fire (fire pit or grill) would be lit that weekend with the use of a match! It was their challenge to themselves! Of course no camping trip would be complete without the customary s'mores so after a dinner of hot dogs, burgers, grilled corn and pasta salad we all indulged (a bit too much) in gooey marshmallows and melted chocolate! I'm pretty sure if my glucose test had been on Monday I would have failed miserably!

Mountain Men

Bear Grylls style 

SUCCESS!

The next morning we decided to go hiking with the pups. We had spoken with the women at the front desk who was shocked that at 6 months pregnant I was even remotely interested in climbing a mountain. Originally we had hoped to climb Mt. McKinley - that is until Alissa informed me Mt. McKinley is unfortunately in Alaska but that Mt. Mansfield was in Vermont! The woman at the desk told me Mt. Mansfield isn't for the faint of heart - that it's about a 6 hour round trip hike with quite a few treacherous places along the trails. She suggested that we take the scenic toll road (to the tune of $25) to the top and then "hike around" up there a bit. NO THANK YOU! We'd come to Vermont to hike and hike we will! As we drove in the direction of Mt. Mansfield, still debating on whether we'd make the attempt, we drove through Smuggler's Notch and decided to hike Sterling Pond Trail instead.

Sterling Pond Trail

The View from the Bottom                        "What did I get myself into?" 

Sterling Pond                                                   Going Down

Do we look as tired as we feel?  

Now, when we decided on this trail it wasn't based on any information that we had about it (difficulty, distance etc) it was solely because it looked pretty and we'd heard there was a pond at the top. By the time we reached the pond Alissa and I were exhausted! I really wasn't sure if I'd be able to make it back down - but obviously I had no choice in the matter! We spent about 30 minutes at the pond letting the dogs swim and play while we rested and snacked on avocados and peanuts! As with most hikes, going down is a more delicate process. Your body automatically wants to go faster than it should and the pressure on your knees/quads is much more intense than going up. I had to go far slower than I would have liked but am glad for it! We made the entire hike (including our rest) in just over 2 hours. We spent that evening by the fire laughing, eating s'mores and patting ourselves on the back for finishing the hike!

Sunday morning came far too quickly for all of us and as we packed up to leave we decided that we'd be back ... maybe not this summer (although hopefully) but definitely next summer and we'll stay longer! Maybe we can even convince Sarah to come with us and bring C!

It was really a wonderful weekend and just what Brian and I needed. We both returned to work on Monday feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the week. We have a crazy busy summer coming up and the 15 weeks remaining before the nugget arrives are going to fly so it was perfect timing for us to get away.

If you are in the area and are a "camper" of any sort or just enjoy the peace and quiet of Vermont I highly recommend Sterling Ridge Resorts as your next destination!