Fourth of July in Vermont was the best I have ever had. The Dean of Admissions, Greg Buckles, took the student workers under his wing and showed us a classic Vermont 4th. It started bright and early at 8:15am. Almost all of us made it on time despite the fact that it was a little early for our day off. We piled into the back of Greg’s truck and headed off for Bristol. We chatted about how Greg got to Middlebury, his time as a wild Salmon guide in Alaska, and his kids.

We made it to Bristol just in time to catch the outhouse races. Outhouse races are exactly what they sound like. Various organizations and businesses in the area built outhouses, put them on wheels, and raced them down Main Street. It was definitely an experience to see, especially for Khalid, Philip, and Naila who are from actual big cities. After the races, we headed back to Lauren Waite’s house to watch the parade. Lauren, a Middlebury alumna, works in the office seasonal. It was like walking back in time. Bristol just celebrated their 250th birthday, and the town retains that same small, Americana charm that filled me with nostalgia. We made it to Lauren’s house and were immediately introduced to generations of Midd Kids, all married or dating other Midd Kids. We had a delicious brunch before we headed off through the mountains.

But the highlight of the day was Bristol Falls. Greg immediately popped in the water, and us summer interns followed tentatively behind. We slowly waded in the water, and watched as people took the 15-foot plunge from the falls. Greg asked who was going up. I said yes before I could convince myself not to. Greg showed me the spot to jump from, and then went himself. I knew that if I hesitated, I wouldn’t jump. So I stepped onto the rock and jumped. As soon as I was off the rock, I wanted to be back on the rock! The water got closer and closer and then BAM! I went under. It was so awesome. I jumped off Bristol Falls with the Dean of Admissions. I think that qualifies as a check on my bucket list.

After Bristol Falls, Khalid, Naila and I rode in the bed of the truck down the dirt path through Lincoln Gap. The scenery was stunning, pristine, and fresh. We made it back to Greg’s house, and he cooked up some delicious salmon:  “All you need is lemon pepper and butter.” The summer interns sat in the AC and were lulled into a coma from the sun and the salmon and the perfect day.

Bristol Firetruck in the Parade

Midd Kids past, present, and future

After Bristol Falls