> [LLM context index](https://www.lambdalatitudinarians.org/llms.txt) ยท [Nathan Contino bio](https://www.lambdalatitudinarians.org/nathan-contino.md) # Late Summer VT Bikepacking: Part 2 (Greensboro to Stowe) [[md]](/blog/2026/08/28/late-summer-vt-bikepacking/index.md "view this page as markdown") > _August 28, 2026_ We awoke to a glittering kaleidoscope of dew, spiderwebs, and the intermittent crow of a rooster that simply did not understand the concept no time constraint of 'sunrise'. Camp teardown went smoothly, we enjoyed a quick cereal bar snack, brushed our teeth, refilled our water, and headed South towards our real breakfast destination: [Front Seat Coffee](https://www.frontseatcoffee.com/menu) in Hardwick. https://ridewithgps.com/embeds?type=trip&id=409284424&title=VT%2026%20-%20Greensboro%20to%20Stowe&sampleGraph=true&hidePOIs=true&privacyCode=tcE4TjvocBviKu7yjQQc77QHTmG7yHNh [![WAH (wet arse helmet)](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nathan-contino/images/main/thumbnails/images/2026_08_28/01.webp)](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nathan-contino/images/main/reasonable-images/2026_08_28/01.webp) _WAH (wet arse helmet)_ [![WAP (wet arse panniers)](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nathan-contino/images/main/thumbnails/images/2026_08_28/02.webp)](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nathan-contino/images/main/reasonable-images/2026_08_28/02.webp) _WAP (wet arse panniers)_ [![WAS (wet arse spider)](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nathan-contino/images/main/thumbnails/images/2026_08_28/03.webp)](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nathan-contino/images/main/reasonable-images/2026_08_28/03.webp) _WAS (wet arse spider)_ [![goodbye sweet cows](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nathan-contino/images/main/thumbnails/images/2026_08_28/04.webp)](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nathan-contino/images/main/reasonable-images/2026_08_28/04.webp) _goodbye sweet cows_ The morning commute was well in hand by the time we got on the road. But it wasn't long before we left town in our dust and turned onto a quiet dirt road. Mere seconds later, we couldn't help but notice the absolutely massive hill looming up above us. The kind of massive that makes you stop pedaling a little bit because you're not sure it's even possible to _walk_ up the hill; it just looks like a vertical wall. But as we got closer and closer, the grade became manageable, and a few minutes of hard work conquered the climb in no time. We even outpaced a particularly speedy unloaded gravel cyclist hot on our heels. I think there's some kind of parable about hard work and slow, steady, iterative effort in there, but it's probably better in your imagination than it'll be on the page, so I'll leave it to you. Anyway, the rest of the ride to Hardwick wound up being beautiful and mostly a gradual downhill. Sweeping views, perfect packed dirt, you know, the usual Vermont stuff. We fought our way past the current mess of construction at The Light at The Intersection, and enjoyed our well-earned spoils: breakfast sandwiches, a "corn latte" for meg (I thought it tasted a lot like steamed breakfast cereal milk, but not in a bad way), and a tiramisu bun that I originally mixed up with a cinnamon bun. [![front seat never disappoints](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nathan-contino/images/main/thumbnails/images/2026_08_28/05.webp)](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nathan-contino/images/main/reasonable-images/2026_08_28/05.webp) _front seat never disappoints_ At Front Seat, we settled our routing and plans for the day, enjoyed indoor plumbing, and relaxed with our hot beverages. Before long, we were on our way out of town on the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail (LVRT), where we've [enjoyed our fair share of adventures over the past few years](/blog/2023/05/07/lvrt-sneak-peek/). The skies may have been overcast, but the novelty gifts, sample cheeses, and jam pairings were excellent at the Hardwick Cabot Store. [![much cheeses for us meeses](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nathan-contino/images/main/thumbnails/images/2026_08_28/06.webp)](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nathan-contino/images/main/reasonable-images/2026_08_28/06.webp) _much cheeses for us meeses_ [![vape nation represent](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nathan-contino/images/main/thumbnails/images/2026_08_28/07.webp)](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nathan-contino/images/main/reasonable-images/2026_08_28/07.webp) _vape nation represent_ Compared to the previous day, the miles absolutely flew by, with nary a hill to be seen all the way to Morrisville. The cows basked. The wooly caterpillars wiggled. The ferns... ferned. And before you knew it, we were right in the center of Morrisville, amidst a surprising amount of new townhouses, locking our bikes up at Lost Nation for a cheeky lunch pint. [![revelling in the easy grades](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nathan-contino/images/main/thumbnails/images/2026_08_28/08.webp)](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nathan-contino/images/main/reasonable-images/2026_08_28/08.webp) _revelling in the easy grades_ [![woolies wiggled](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nathan-contino/images/main/thumbnails/images/2026_08_28/09.webp)](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nathan-contino/images/main/reasonable-images/2026_08_28/09.webp) _woolies wiggled_ [![much easier when the bike is vertical and there isn't a crane in here](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nathan-contino/images/main/thumbnails/images/2026_08_28/10.webp)](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nathan-contino/images/main/reasonable-images/2026_08_28/10.webp) _much easier when the bike is vertical and there isn't a crane in here_ [![you can even appreciate the architecture](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nathan-contino/images/main/thumbnails/images/2026_08_28/11.webp)](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nathan-contino/images/main/reasonable-images/2026_08_28/11.webp) _you can even appreciate the architecture_ [![we sometimes remember to take a photo](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nathan-contino/images/main/thumbnails/images/2026_08_28/12.webp)](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nathan-contino/images/main/reasonable-images/2026_08_28/12.webp) _we sometimes remember to take a photo_ [![twice!](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nathan-contino/images/main/thumbnails/images/2026_08_28/13.webp)](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nathan-contino/images/main/reasonable-images/2026_08_28/13.webp) _twice!_ [![ok now back to lost nation](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nathan-contino/images/main/thumbnails/images/2026_08_28/14.webp)](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nathan-contino/images/main/reasonable-images/2026_08_28/14.webp) _ok now back to lost nation_ [![twice! (again)](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nathan-contino/images/main/thumbnails/images/2026_08_28/15.webp)](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nathan-contino/images/main/reasonable-images/2026_08_28/15.webp) _twice! (again)_ [![i said i locked them up](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nathan-contino/images/main/thumbnails/images/2026_08_28/16.webp)](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nathan-contino/images/main/reasonable-images/2026_08_28/16.webp) _i said i locked them up_ One Kale Caesar wrap, potato wedges, and a craft cider later, we headed towards Stowe past Cady Hill Falls. One very hot, briefly smelly, very sunny, very steep dirt road ride later, we rolled up to the Stowe Bike Path, where we promptly jumped into the nearest swimming hole. Chillier than Shadow Lake, but perfect in the sun. [![a familiar scene](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nathan-contino/images/main/thumbnails/images/2026_08_28/17.webp)](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nathan-contino/images/main/reasonable-images/2026_08_28/17.webp) _a familiar scene_ [![meg, not having seen the massive 18% grade upcoming hill](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nathan-contino/images/main/thumbnails/images/2026_08_28/18.webp)](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nathan-contino/images/main/reasonable-images/2026_08_28/18.webp) _meg, not having seen the massive 18% grade upcoming hill_ [![meg, post massive 18% grade hill](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nathan-contino/images/main/thumbnails/images/2026_08_28/19.webp)](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nathan-contino/images/main/reasonable-images/2026_08_28/19.webp) _meg, post massive 18% grade hill_ [![chillin](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nathan-contino/images/main/thumbnails/images/2026_08_28/20.webp)](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nathan-contino/images/main/reasonable-images/2026_08_28/20.webp) _chillin_ [![laying low in stowe](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nathan-contino/images/main/thumbnails/images/2026_08_28/21.webp)](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nathan-contino/images/main/reasonable-images/2026_08_28/21.webp) _laying low in stowe_ One beverage at Alchemist later (a very crisp american pilsner in a frosty mug) and a quick snack of our to-go Front Seat pastries, and we checked into our luxurious motel. A shower, a stop at Idlethyme for dinner, then a beer in the hot tub and pool under the stars, then a s'more. And finally, a walk around the motel campus to appreciate the dulcet tones of karaoke night right next door at Alfie's Wild Ride, the _actual_ dive bar in Stowe (we used to think it was Lower Bar). It didn't seem responsible to have another drink in the middle of a bike tour, but our bathroom window provided 90% of the karaoke experience at no additional cost. [![remembering to take a picture with the family in the back garden at idlethyme](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nathan-contino/images/main/thumbnails/images/2026_08_28/22.webp)](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nathan-contino/images/main/reasonable-images/2026_08_28/22.webp) _remembering to take a picture with the family in the back garden at idlethyme_ We settled down for a somewhat uncomfortable sleep on the world's worst pillow and mattress, and promptly forgot about staying up for the lunar eclipse.