In the Heart of the Valley

IMGP0914 — Vermont Skyline and New York Farmland (Photo credited to Robert H. Ivy)

Robert H. Ivy‘s “In the Heart of the Valley” is another current Champlain Area Trails Writing Contest entry. Throughout the essay Ivy takes the reader on a journey through the highlights of Willsboro and Essex.

Ivy writes about Noblewood Park, bike routes, and the Sportman’s Diner, but I have to say his mention of the Paine Memorial Library in Willsboro was a favorite of mine just because I love books so much. I haven’t actually been to this library since I was in high school (we had many girl scout meetings there), but in I remember fondly visiting it often in elementary school while Willsboro Central School was in the old building next the library. In my childhood the trek from the classroom to get to story time with former librarian Mrs. Janice Allen in the basement of the Paine Library always seemed like an adventure.

The following is an excerpt from Ivy’s essay. Please also read the other stories in the contest and don’t forget to vote for your favorite to win a $250 prize!

“After a bit of contemplation at the library, it’s time for a bike ride. The route I’m sending you on goes through the very heart of the prettiest part of the Champlain Valley. Begin by riding around the streets of the hamlet of Essex, a well-preserved boat-building town that is a living encyclopedia of 19th century building styles. Head south out of town on the Lakeshore Road, past the small houses on Bull Run and along Lake Champlain itself. Outside of town, the landscape opens up with rolling green hay fields. The road rises and falls gently along the lake, but when you get to Whallons Bay Road a couple of miles from town, prepare to start climbing. You’re now heading west, past several large estates, until you come to the top of a north-south running ridge. From there you can see the skyline of Vermont and, with a spin of 180 degrees, the seemingly impenetrable wall of the rugged Adirondacks to the west…” [Continue reading “In the Heart of the Valley.”]

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About Katie Shepard

Passionate about reading and writing stories, Katie Shepard enjoys discovering more about her home while writing and editing for Essex on Lake Champlain. Katie graduated from SUNY Plattsburgh in 2011 where she studied English literature, philosophy, and Asian studies. Her first book Essex, New York Architecture: A Doodler's Field Guide was published in 2015. Connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, or at Linked.in. Or email her at katie [@] essexeditions [dot] com.