Day 31: At Ease in the Rain

• Friends House off Duxbury Road (182.9)
• 0 ft ascent, 0 ft descent 
• Bonus Miles: 0

It is pouring today. Before The Historian’s accident, we had planned to take refuge from the rain today with our friends. With the accident, we have asked much more from them. They sheltered us for days after The Historian’s fall. They loaned us a car to retrieve Rock Rabbit. They altered their schedules to make us feel welcomed. They listened to our hopes and fears and they offered solace and wisdom. We are reoriented with their help. Today we feel less discombobulated.

Barre Granite Festival

Part of our transition was taking a iff yesterday day to learn about the history of our friend’s hometown, Barre, Vermont.

The same gray granite that challenges us on the Long Trail made Barre the granite capital of the world. In its heyday, myriad of granite carving “sheds” dotted the community. 

In the early 1900s, skilled stone carver immigrants csmr from Scotland, Spain, and Italy. The shed owners attempted create places to work out of the rain.  They built roofs and eventually walls around the sheds. This made the risks of silicosis devastating for the workers. There were even health facilities where ailing stonecutters went to be told how many months they had to live.

One large section of the Hope Cemetery is filled with the workers’ graves.  Their headstones were carved by their fellow stoneworkers.

The workers organized and Barre was a thriving center of workers rights. Eventually, modern machinery was added to filter the workers’ air and the incidence of silicosis dropped off. Today, few sheds remain but artisans still continue the carving traditions. 

Here are photos from the Hope Cemetery and the Granite Museum.

Entrance to Hope Cemetery

Headstones honoring stonecutters who died of silicosis, which were carved by their fellow stone masons

Making Music

Our friend who was traveling to Lebanon did so as a church musician. Before picking up our rental car, The Historian and I accompanied him to his church. We very much enjoyed hearing his brilliant playing and the music his choir sang. 

The church is a stately New England antique. It was wonderful to see the original architectural features of the building. 

We were treated to two pieces by Dietrich Buxtehude (1637-1707.) Buxtedude was a founding father of the German school that influenced many musicians, including Johann Sebastian Bach.

Buxtehude rose to prominence with his musical series Abendmusiken, which was likely attended by the younger J.S. Bach. You can enjoy some of his music here. 

Sleeping In

Rock Rabbit was exhausted by his fast trip over Camels Hump and all the attendant drama of The Historan’s accident. We all encouraged him to sleep in and take some time to relax. 

Rock Rabbit had time to visit with our friends. They spent time catching up after not having seen each other for 30 years. They also spoke of the future, processing some of the grief and hope associated with the unexpected twists and turns of our Long Trail hike. 

Easy Rest

The afternoon meandered on, sung inside of their beautifully restored antique house. When they purchased the house, it had no heating, plumbing or electricity in more than half of it. 

With loving care and attention to the original building, our friends restored and brought it forward. Their gardens are so popular, people stop by just to see them. One day, they found a painted rock tucked into the flowers that said thank you. 

Growing Out Again

We blossomed liked the garden under the watchful eyes of our friends. Tomorrow we will return to The Long Trail with our new plan.