I'm sorry...Are you kidding?

Did National Geographic and Ski Magazine really bother to visit Saint Johnsbury, VT before declaring it "The #1 small town for adventure" and "one of Vermont's coolest little downtowns", respectively?

If you call trying to understand the redneckian dialect and actually getting the right order at the local Dunkin Donuts an adventure, St. Jay (as it is known locally) is the place for you. If you think gun racks, welfare scrounges, and delapidated housing riddled with bed bugs is cool, come on up.

I find St. Jay one of the most depressing towns I have ever visited in my life. If someone normal looking walks by in St. Jay, you notice, and assume he or she must be another out of state visitor hoodwinked by clever advertising into coming here.

The truth of the matter is, there are a few very rich families who have lived for generations in St. Johnsbury; but the area is poor. Most of the downtown architecture is grand, but it loses something when establishments like "The Dawg House" tavern move in. I wish I was removed enough from the poverty so I could view St. Jay as a cool adventure town. Affording enough heating oil is a struggle, not an adventure. Unemployed pregnant mothers of four on the street corner smoking are certainly not cool.

Tomorrow I look on the bright side. http://www.discoverstjvt.com/top_ten.php