WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-Foliage Tour With The 251 Club-Washington County

It wasn't raining today, so we hit the foliage trail today, continuing our tour of Vermont with the 251 club, and today, we did it differently.

This morning, we met up with 251 club members Lynne and David Perrin at one of their favorite spots in Calais. This couple has not only visited all of the 251 towns in Vermont, they've canoed them.

David explains why this pond has two names.

"Tourists call it Mirror Lake, but this is really pond #10 for the #10 school district."

Foliage is just about peak here, with some of the ripest leaves falling into the water.

Away from the pavement, this is how they have connected with each and every part of the state. The 251 club has no specific rules on what constitutes visiting each town, so David and Lyn made their own rules. Their rule for lakes and ponds was to canoe completely around them.

"We've been canoeing all of our lives, and we just thought it might be fun to see how many towns we could canoe in. And once we started, we continued until we got 251."

But do all 251 towns all have water?

"Some of the towns have very little. We've canoed in farm ponds and town water supplies, all kinds of small oddball places. We also canoed some larger areas such as the full length of the CT River where it touches Vermont. "

The Perrins have canoed in early spring, right through November, but when I asked Lyn, what was her favorite season, she said "loon season"!

"Well the thing I love most about canoeing, is looking for loons. Loons are my very favorite creatures. We've been to some ponds when they were just coming in, and of course we were in Cabot one time, Marshfield Dam in the fall and this adult and younger one were just about ready to leave."

But we all agreed, you can't beat canoeing during peak foliage season, when you can glide through the oranges, yellows and reds of October.

"This is certainly one of our favorites, the #10 pond."

Another day and another pond. The Perrins may have completed their list for the 251 club, but they are still paddling.