Retirement Micro-Adventures
Ahhh…retirement. Finally, it’s time to update your passport, grab your carry-on, and see the world. Many of my retired friends are jetting off to adventures across the seven continents. I wish them well, cheer them on, and enjoy their tales upon their return. I even worry about my women friends who are seasoned solo travelers. But, most likely, I won’t be among any of them. I prefer the retirement life of a micro-adventurer.
Micro-adventure is the term coined by British adventurer, Alastair Humphreys. Humphreys defines a micro-adventure as “an adventure that is short, simple, local, cheap – yet still fun, exciting, challenging, refreshing and rewarding.” I live in the perfect spot for micro-adventures. I’m in a small state, close to the Canadian border, that is home to lots of mountains, beautiful lakes, quaint villages, back roads, and plenty of rural farmland. No need to fly anywhere, I just hop in the car with my wonderful husband, some vague directions and a sketch of a plan, and off we go. As Humphreys says, “Adventure is only a state of mind.”
Humphreys further defines two types of travel fun:
Type-1 fun is a good description for anything in life that you do that is simply fun, like eating cheese, or drinking gin, or whatever you enjoy.
Type-2 fun is doing stuff that is miserable, painful, uncomfortable, horrible, and people who’ve done, say, long-distance hiking challenges or marathons will be familiar with this. You’re doing something painful purely in the hope that at some unknown point in an unknowable future this will somehow, retrospectively, make you happy. That’s type-2 fun.
Like Tracy Smyth from Travel Bug Tonic, I’m neither all Type 1 nor Type 2. Whereas she falls somewhere in the middle, I’d define my micro-adventure fun spirit as Type 3 fun: a good old-fashioned day trip. Yup, this retired traveller is a Day Tripper.
As noted, I live in the perfect spot for it: a small, gorgeous state, that is filled with the best nature has to offer along with some fantastic stops for food, sightseeing, and of course, independent bookstores! Fall is the perfect time for my husband and I to combine the best Vermont has to offer with some day trips. But, in case you thought I turned this topic into a bait-and-switch, let me tell you how we turn our ordinary “day trips” into bonafide micro-adventures. This fall, we set out on a north-central Vermont Fall Foliage and Gap and Orchard micro-adventure. Our plan was to drive over the rural Gaps to view the beautiful color, enjoy lunch at a restaurant, check out an orchard, and of course…find a bookstore! Just your everyday adventure in scenic Vermont.
Trip#1:
Lincoln Gap.This trip took us through Richmond, Jonesville, Duxbury, Waitsfield, and Warren. Then over the gap and back home. The stops: Tempest Bookstore, Lawson’s Finest Liquids for lunch, and the Warren Store for some fantastic bread to bring home.
Foliage: Hadn’t quite gotten started.
Trip #2:
Peck’s Orchard. Nestled in the rolling pastures and hills of East Montpelier, this orchard treated us to a picturesque “apple walk” through rows and rows of apple varieties. We sipped sparkling cider from wine glasses as we listened to the bluegrass stylings of Banjo Dan’s Bluegrass Pioneers. On our way home, we stopped for an early dinner at Sarducci’s in Montpelier, but were unfortunately too late for a trip to Bear Pond Books.
Foliage: Very summer-like fall day, and really was all about the apples and bluegrass.
Trip #3:
Willoughby Bound - North Jay Peak, Lake Willoughby, Burke, and Hazen’s Notch. This trip took us through North Jay, Troy, Coventry, Barton, and into Lake Willoughby. The lake is massive and beautiful, and the beach area was PACKED with tourists from all over Vermont, the country, and the world. From Westmore we headed to Burke, got our lunch at Northeast Kingdom Country Store, and ate outside.We travelled some scenic back roads to Lyndonville, then Orleans, Irasburg, and Lowell, where we headed over Hazen’s Notch into Montgomery. Montgomery is one of my favorite villages for a little micro-adventure, and we made plans to have dinner at these two restaurants in the near future: The INN and The Black Lantern Inn.
Foliage: Early peak colors — lots of oranges. Unfortunately, no bookstores on this trip.
Trip #4:
Appalachian Gap and Yates Family Orchard.
Another orchard destination was the bonus feature of this gap drive. First to Waterbury, then Waitsfield, where we travelled Route 17 west through the Appalachian Gap over Stark Mountain. Beautiful scenery as we drove up and down the gap into Buell’s Gore. Then we were off to Monkton Ridge, headed to the Yates Family Orchard in Hinesburg. There we were joined by lots of other orchard-goers, standing in line for the famous Apple Pie Dreamee. After a walk through the orchards, snacking on the complimentary apple (that’s a thing, right?), I opted for a cider creemee, and we picked up some fresh cider and still-warm cider donuts, too.
Foliage: Almost peak…beautiful orange and yellow fall colors, now including the emerging reds.
Trip #5:
Brandon Gap and Rochester Gap.
Our final gap drive of October took us through some brilliant peak foliage in the Champlain Valley. We headed south on Route 7. Our first stop before the Brandon Gap was The Bookstore in Brandon. What a great independent bookstore, full of so many great titles to expand your horizons. From there we went to have a delicious lunch at The River Pub and Grill. Then we were fully fueled to cross the Brandon Gap and take in the view from Goshen Mountain. We rode along to the very “Vermonty” village of Rochester, stopping at Sandy’s Books and Bakery to have a look around before getting a milkshake from the vintage soda fountain at the Rochester Cafe & Country Store. Next we headed over the Rochester Gap and Rochester Mountain. This was one of our best trips — two gaps and two bookstores! We wound down our adventure, continuing on to Montpelier via Route 12. We stopped at our favorite co-op, Hunger Mountain, to pick up a few groceries before heading home.
Foliage: Champlain Valley at its most gorgeous. Driving through Addison County was spectacular.
But the gorgeous October weather begged for one more day trip. This one was a true micro-adventure to the land of the fictional Three Pines from author Louise Penny’s Chief Inspector Gamache series, the newest of which arrived this week! We lunched at “Oliver’s Bistro,” a.k.a. Bistro Le Relais. We took a luxuriously slow browse at “Myrna’s Bookstore,” a.k.a. Brome Lake Books. We walked around the village, enjoying the sites and purchasing cheese and baguette (of course). Unfortunately, I didn’t plan well, so we will be heading back soon to Sutton to visit the fictional “Sarah’s Boulangerie,” which is modeled after La Rumuer Affamee. And finally, we'll need to stop at “Monsieur Beliveau’s General Store” (J.B. LeBaron General Store in North Hatley,) and there may be some backtracking is this “to be continued” micro-adventure.
There is, of course, a psychology to loving these micro-adventures during the retirement years. Psychologist, Mike Travers, explains in Forbes my penchant for day trips rather than world-travel in my retirement years. It turns out, it’s all about the highly desired phenomenon, especially as we age, to slow down time. “…random micro-adventures are a far more realistic way to spice up our daily lives. These seemingly insignificant acts also act as anchors in our memory, allowing us to recollect our days better.” Travers suggests, “Embracing micro-adventures can reconnect us with a childlike perspective, where the experience, not just the clock, shapes our sense of time,” and that “the mindset of finding extraordinary moments in an ordinary life can slow down our experience of time. By basking in simple pleasures, engaging in micro-adventures and appreciating the variety in everyday experiences, we not only “make” time but also make memories that enrich our lives with depth and meaning.” Isn’t that what most of us are hoping for, looking for in retirement? Enrichment, depth, and meaning. I am, and the micro-adventures of October 2024 haven’t disappointed. Peak foliage, peak experiences, and piqued curiosity is fueling my desire to grab my husband to set out on the micro-adventures of November.
I would be remiss if I did not give a HUGE shout out to Erin Torres. Her account on Instagram is filled with inspiration for Vermont micro-adventures. And if you don’t live in or near Vermont, her travel ideas might motivate you take some day trips of your own wherever you live. Check out her account @travelikealocalvt.
