Oh my, it’s frustrating. I’m spoilt, I know. After decades exploring the West with and without dogs, I’m used to pulling off onto a dirt road, finding a lake or ocean beach, and just walking freely.

Since then, I’ve moved to Vermont and I’m having a hard time. It’s pretty. There are mountains, soft rounded not very tall mountains, and lots and lots of trees. Maple. Red. Syrup. Oak. Pine. Ash. Aspen. Birch. Beech. Blah blah blah…and an understory that would take years to decipher.
I drive around, explore, pull off and park. Then this:

Or this

Or this.

Or this.

It doesn’t stop. Or for me, it doesn’t start. There is no sense of open horizon, public land, or a freedom to just wander around. Private land. Limited access. No camping. No dogs. No swimming. Each place I find has its own rules and regulations.
Most land is privately owned, only the rich or the landed gentry can use this beach, enjoy this view or cross this meadow.

It’s driving me nuts. That’s all. I have no answers. I haven’t done the research on BLM, NF or any other kind of accessible places. I just needed to bitch.

I’m hemmed in. Vermont is pretty but…not for me.