Backtracking just a bit. We made our usual stop at the Guilford Welcome Center and by far it was the best yet!
The color was amazing behind the facility and the trees were glistening yellow all in a row. Lots of photographers! I was wondering why one photographer was behind this one tree so long and found out there was a bird in the tree loving having his photo taken. Another hawk I thought, but no, it was a huge, amazing peregrine falcon just sitting there forever! What a sight! I got up within ten feet of it and was able to get some nice shots. It was a bonus in the bird venue for me, seeing a bald eagle on the way up on 91 near Deerfield and having a loon experience in the NEK! 
Anyways, there was a full array for free food for the road travelers there! Couldn't believe the selection, you could have had lunch, breakfast or dinner there but we were holding out for our festival. What a nice thing to do to welcome VT visitors for sure.Coming through Brattleboro to pick up 30 was a breeze, no traffic at 10 a.m.. I always wonder why it is such a crazy way to meander through town just to pick up 30. The West River was way down, almost no water in parts and rocks showing everywhere. It was very sad. The drought must have been bad around here. The color was way early and the hills east of the river were green as green could be, with only a few patchy color spots coming in. This should pick up nicely next week and through next weekend. All the way up to Newfane was pretty early as well, at least on 30 North. I was surprised to see the country store in town had closed. There's hardly anything there now except the convenience store, but the gorgeous churches are the highlight of the town.
Got to the most wonderful, small town fair on the Townshend common. White tents circled the green with local crafts, food booths, pumpkin and gourd displays, local products from the goat, cheese and maple farms, wood carvings, the list goes on. I was tempted to try the moose stew but.....country music musicians in the gazebo, the whole scene was just perfect for a fall Vermont festival.
We took some nice back roads up to our horse show, East Hill, Deer Valley and Peaked Mountain Road. The latter is one I want to return to because they have a sweet goat farm there that is only open to visitors on Sundays. Color was off and on there but the back roads were beautiful!
The Friesian Horse facility is magnificent! We had to stop the car many times along the way to admire the gentle, human loving Friesians! Horse lovers come here! The show was outstanding with their two breeding stallions, Othello and Mathiajs! The crowd was wowed for sure. This is my second time here and the two are still unbelievable! We got to see the mares and babies in the barns and then went back to the arena for the rest of the show. Riding, in hand with Othello, mare and baby running at liberty in the rink, and the carriage ride were great. I hope you have a chance to come here next summer or fall as this was the last show day for the season. Friesians are gorgeous creatures!
Last but not least, I got to meet a new forum member, Markb from SE MA. Felt like I had known him for a long time as we had corresponded briefly on the forum. He sure got a lot of great shots of the show and facility and from his day trip in mid VT. Markb it was great to finally meet you in Townshend!
Long trip home but what a super nice day trip to VT indeed!
