Good news - both shacks survived. The windows and doors are intact and the inside was dry. The siding and all the shingles survived; nary a piece was missing.
The State Police have established a check point. No one is permitted to travel on Dock Road unless you can prove that you own property there.
The insurance company representative was compassionate and helpful. He gave us the go-ahead to secure a dumpster so we can begin the clean up quickly. He suggested that we get a photo of everything we throw away. Family and friends have been most supportive. We are grateful.
Not So Good - Three of the four staircases have been washed away. Both utility rooms were destroyed. We will need new water tanks, water heaters, water filtration equipment, washers and dryers, plumbing and electrical work. All the tools and toys stored in the "basements" were destroyed. One of three trailerable boats sustained significant damage and all of the grandkids boats have vanished, even though they were strapped down. The docks, boardwalk, and gardens are gone too. The water was at least 4 feet above the ground level.
Wind speed at the height of the hurricane was recorded at 89 mph.
Clean up and repair might take a while. We started today but didn't get much accomplished. We'll need a dumpster for junk and a place to secure the stuff we can salvage.
It's bad but it could have been much worse!
I'll down load pics when I get a chance.
Sunshine almost always makes me high! (John Denver)
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
HURRICANE SANDY
The media build up began almost a week before the hurricane arrived. In the day's prior to its arrival, we secured everything in preparation for high water and hurricane force wind.
We evacuated on Sunday (10/28), going to Sandi's home in Medford.
On Monday (10/29), We watched hurricane reports on the news. The Governor declared a state of emergency and discouraged people from driving. Many roads were closed. The rain was torrential and neighboring towns reported max wind speeds of 88 & 89 mph. We made no effort to head back to check things out. The road floods routinely in spring tides, so there was no chance that it would not be flooded now.
On Tuesday, 10/30, we tried to get back to the shacks. The road was under 3 to 4 feet of water. We couldn't get within 1 1/2 miles of the houses (just past Tip's Hardware). A neighbor, wearing bib wadders, walked in at 0500 (low tide). We caught up with him at Tip's. He reported that the water was waste deep in front of the shacks at low tide. We expect that the things in the basements have been destroyed by salt water intrusion (water heaters, water tanks and filters, washer and dryer, refrigerator, tools, and lots of other stuff etc). Our boats are apparently still there. He did say the helmut blew off the motorboat motor and is gone. The houses are there but we don't know about their condition. If the roofs and windows are still intact, we should be okay.
We are fine and anxious to get started on the clean up. We'll try to get through tomorrow.
Hope to post pic's soon!
More to come.
Sent from my iPad
We evacuated on Sunday (10/28), going to Sandi's home in Medford.
On Monday (10/29), We watched hurricane reports on the news. The Governor declared a state of emergency and discouraged people from driving. Many roads were closed. The rain was torrential and neighboring towns reported max wind speeds of 88 & 89 mph. We made no effort to head back to check things out. The road floods routinely in spring tides, so there was no chance that it would not be flooded now.
On Tuesday, 10/30, we tried to get back to the shacks. The road was under 3 to 4 feet of water. We couldn't get within 1 1/2 miles of the houses (just past Tip's Hardware). A neighbor, wearing bib wadders, walked in at 0500 (low tide). We caught up with him at Tip's. He reported that the water was waste deep in front of the shacks at low tide. We expect that the things in the basements have been destroyed by salt water intrusion (water heaters, water tanks and filters, washer and dryer, refrigerator, tools, and lots of other stuff etc). Our boats are apparently still there. He did say the helmut blew off the motorboat motor and is gone. The houses are there but we don't know about their condition. If the roofs and windows are still intact, we should be okay.
We are fine and anxious to get started on the clean up. We'll try to get through tomorrow.
Hope to post pic's soon!
More to come.
Sent from my iPad
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Home!
We left the White Mountains yesterday morning. It was cold and raining... a good time to leave for sure. We planned to stop at Stokes State Forest in NJ for the night, hike up Sunrise Mountain in the morning and head home in the afternoon. Unfortunately it was raining pretty heavily when we awoke, so we skipped the hike and drove home. Spent the afternoon cleaning and prepping the 5er for storage until the next time.
Monday, October 8, 2012
Hiking the White Mountains
Friday, September 28, 2012 Happy Birthday, Rose!
Today is our youngest granddaughter's birthday. Since retiring several years ago, we have enjoyed many travels. We always get a little homesick when we miss special events in the lives of our children and grandchildren. The melancholy is palpable. To ease it, we have have a party of our own during which we make a corny video to send to the birthday celebrant. We hope that these will become digital keepsakes for them to watch as they grow older.
So what do hikers do in the rain. Most hike, but not us. It is too wet and too cold to hit the trails. Instead, we did laundry, visited the Weather Discovery Center to find out about Mt. Washington's unique weather. Among other things, we learned that it was 30 degrees at the summit this afternoon with a wind chill in the 20s. We also learned that the average wind speed at the summit is 37 mph.
In the evening, we went to the Conway Cafe, a dining establishment that has an attached small movie theater. "Belle Island" starring Morgan Freeman was the feature. Anna Marie and I both enjoyed it.
Saturday, September 29, 2012 The Russell Culbath House, the Rail and Trail Loop, and the Sabaday Falls Trail
The plan was to do visit the historic Culbath House then do two short, picturesque, easy trails (the Rail n' Trail Loop and the Sabaday Falls Trail), have a picnic lunch and finish the day with the more difficult, longer, Greely Ponds Trail.
We accomplished the first three items in good order and even had time to wander through the old cemetery at the historic site. The Culbath house was very interesting. The interpreter told several stories regarding its history, including a tale about Priscilla Culbath. It seems that one day after supper, her husband, Tom, told her that he was going into town (Conway) for supplies and that he'd be back. When he didn't return by nightfall, she put a kerosene lamp in the window. He still hadn't returned by the next morning and she began to worry. A search party was formed and after several days of searching, with nothing to show for their efforts, the members of the search party went back to their lives and work.
For the next 39 years, Priscilla placed a lit lamp in the window each night, never losing faith that Tom would return. Three years after her death, Tom returned. He had heard of her demise and returned to reclaim his property, only to find Pricilla's next of kin had sold the house. For a couple of weeks he was a celebrity of sorts. Everyone wanted to know where he went and what he had done. He never answered the questions directly, and to this day, no one knows why he left.
The Rail Trail was very easy and scenic too. Lumbering was a common wintertime endeavor and each small stream had a saw mill. Eventually they built tracks to connect the logging camps so a train could gather the logs and take them to the mill. There was an interesting display about the cutting and shipping of "mast" trees used for masts of sailing ships. In pre Revolutionary War times, huge white pines from the White Mountains were harvested for England's Navy.
Sabaday Falls Trail has some decent elevation gain as you walk up to the falls. It is very picturesque and even though it is uphill, the trail is easy. We got some nice pictures of Sabaday Brook, the falls and the Basalt vein that is between two granite ledges. The Basalt is softer lava rock that erodes faster than the granite.
Our attempt to do the Greely Ponds trail was foiled. We arrived at the trailhead to find the parking area filled to capacity! With no room to park, we chose to do the Church Creek Loop near the Pasaconway Campground. After a very short walk from the trailhead, we found that two bridges integral to the trail bridge were destroyed last year by Hurricane Irene. They haven't been rebuilt and apparently won't be.
By now we didn't have enough daylight left to star a longer trail, so we drove the Bear Notch Road, built by the CCC boys from The Blackberry Crossing Camp (our current campground). We drove to Bartlett, home of Attitash Mountain ( think skiing), found the Covered Bridge Gift Store actually built in an old Covered Bridge, and had a great dinner at the Cabin Fever Restaurant.
In the evening, we went to McDonald's for free coffee and an Internet connection.
Sunday, September 30, 2012 On the Move!
Today is moving day! We're leaving Blackberry Crossing CG and the Kancamagus Highway area, headed north on Highway 16 to spend a few days at Dolly Copp CG which is pretty much in the shadow of Mount Washington. We hoped to hike the highest mountain in New England, but the shorter days, cold temperatures, especially at the summit, are making us reconsider. For the next week, only Tuesday promises to have little or no rain. Other than that, the rest of the days have from 40% to 60% chance of showers. We are prepared and have the requisite equipment, but certainly don't want to take a chance with hypothermia. We'll see what happens later in the week.
It was cold ( high of 51) and rainy today. We broke camp in the rain and set up in the rain. Because of the weather, we explored the nearest town (Gorham) by car. It's a small town, but there are a couple of fast food restaurants and a WalMart. We also visited the Androscoggin Ranger Station and the Applachian Mountain Club's (AMC) facility in Pinkham Notch.
There is a good chance of showers tomorrow, but we have selected four shorter hikes (from 1to 4 miles) to do if we are able to dodge the rain.
Monday, October 1, 2012 Yikes - It's Cold Again!
Another cold, dreary day is upon us. We've had our fair share of rain lately. We find things to do, but do not enjoy hiking in the rain and mud, so our outdoor activities have been curtailed a bit.
Today, we took one of the scenic drives through the White Mountains. On our travels, we found a nice restaurant/gift shop call the Wagon Wheel in Jefferson, NH. We sampled their maple baked beans, broccoli soup and corn chowder, and we bought a couple of trinkets too.
We stopped at the Mount Washington Cog RR to check it out. We watched two trains start up the hill. They were quickly lost in the fog. Fifteen or so minutes later, a different train descended out of the fog, followed shortly by another. It wasn't too much later when the two we watched start up the hill returned. Now there were four trains at the base station. It seems there was a problem of some sort or another.
One person reported that there were hurricane force winds at the summit. The two trains we watched go up only went as far as the tree line before returning. The trains were canceled for the rest of the day.
Our next stop was Crawford Notch RR Station. The attendant told us that the Conway train stops there for about 1/2 hour. Passengers can disembark and shop in the gift store or walk to the AMC hut for a quick meal.
We made it back to the CG for dinner and then went off for shopping and a wifi connection at McDonalds. Along the way we were pulled over by the local Police. Apparently I was doing 49 in a 40 mph zone. The officer asked me to pay closer attention to the speed. This is the second time this week an officer has asked me to do that! Funny thing is that I almost never exceed the speed limit. I will have to pay closer attention!
Tuesday, October 2, 2012 The Great Gulf Trail!
The Great Gulf section of the White Mountains has been a protected area since 1964. We went deep into the woods of the Great Gulf today, our longest hike yet, five hours with one short snack break and a quick lunch break. The trail was easy with a mere 950' elevation gain.
The Gulf area has had many bear incidents in the last two years. Hikers and tenters have been harassed by bears when their food is not stowed properly. We learned that there is a $5,000 fine if you don't stow your food properly. Of course if the bear eats you, you won't much care about a fine! We kept a sharp eye out for bear the entire time we were in the Great Gulf.
The only thing we saw, besides a few birds, butterflies, insects and squirrels were three snakes. They blended in so well with their surroundings only their movement gave them away. I'll have to key them out later since I didn't recognize what kind of snakes they were.
When we reached the bluff, we had a great view of Mount Washington. It's the first time since we've been here that the summit was visible. We could clearly see vehicles traveling the Mount Washington Auto Road.
After dinner, we made our usual trek to the Loal McDonalds for a Wifi connection and coffee.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012 More Rain!
Even though the temperature reached the mid to upper 60s, more rain showers put a damper on our activities. That and the fact that I wasn't feeling up to snuff meant it was going to be a light duty day.
We got going at about 0900 so we could check out the conditions on the summit of the big hill. Visibility at the summit was 150 feet, not worth the trip up. We hope to go up when the visibility is clear.
There is a model RR museum in the neighborhood, so we thought we'd check it out. Along the way, we stopped in Jackson, a typically neat, New Hampshire ski town. We have been getting a kick out of "the Pumpkin People" who have returned to the area this week. Local business seem to take pride in displaying pumpkin headed, stuffed, mostly life sized characters in creative ways. Along the route today, we stopped to take a few pictures of the pumpkin people. Of the ones we photographed, our favorite was the Zombies in "Michael Jackson's Thriller." we didn't get a pic of the "Village Pumpkins" think the Village People)!
The model RR museum was disappointing even though they have a huge collection of rolling stock. There were several small layouts. They weren't anything to write home about. The Hobby Shop was very impressive. They have a huge stock of model RR stuff in all gauges. We can't imagine they would ever have enough customers to buy all that stuff.
After resting up back at the CG, we headed out later in the day to Conway and the Songwriters Open Mike Night at the Conway Cafe. The crowd was much smaller than last week and there weren't nearly as many singer/songwriter/performers. The host, Ed Gallagher, got to play more than last week. We like his material. Much of his stuff is humorous and works very well in this setting. He has a nice relaxed style and plays very well.
Thursday, October 4, 2012 The Hobo Train!
Another day of rain showers and drizzle is keeping us off the trails. Instead of walking, we drove to Lincoln, about 60 miles distant, home of the Hobo Train.
It was a pleasant, scenic ride that lasted for almost an hour ant a half. We opted to have the Hobo lunch aboard. The turkey sandwich, chips and giant cookie were a bit overpriced at $10.00 per, but we enjoyed them all the same.
On the way back home, we got some interesting shots of "smoke in the mountains" in the Franconia Notch State Park.
After dinner, we hopped in the truck to make the 12 mile round trip to McDonalds for coffee and tea, and a Wifi connection. After updating computer software and checking e-mail, we made our way back to the CG where we took a late evening walk around our section of the CG.
Friday, October 5, 2012 The Mount Washington Auto Road and The Tuckerman Ravine Trail
The weather was parfect for a trip up Mount Washington. We arrived at the Auto Road, made reservations for a narrated tour and enjoyed a light breakfast in the Great Glen Lodge. From the window wall in the lodge ,the buildings on the summit of Mount Washington were clearly visible. There wasn't a cloud in the sky.
By the time we boarded our "stage coach," a cloud appeared and the summit disappeared from view. We had a most enjoyable ride to the summit. The vistas are breathtaking. The summit was another story. The cloud reduced visibility to perhaps 50 feet. We could hear the Cog train coming up the mountain but didn't see it until it reached the summit. Even then, it was like a faint shadow. Besides the cloud, the temperature was probably 20 degrees colder than at the base and the wind was howling, perhaps blowing in the mid to high 30s. It's a good thing we brought our winter jackets, wool hats, and gloves.
When we returned to the base, we enjoyed a picnic lunch, basking in the near 70 degree temperature and enjoying the fall colors and the views of the Presidentials.
After lunch, it was time for some exercise. We didn't have enough time to hike to the summit, but with luck, we might make it to Hermit Lake on the Tuckerman Ravine Trail. We walked the trail for about 1 3/4 hours. Just about 1600 hours, we ran out of time. We decided to turn around to make sure we had plently of time to get off the mountain before dark. We had not made it to the Lake, but we did achieve a milestone of sorts... We actually passed two hikers while we were on the way up!
In the evening, we went to the AMC facility to watch the movie, "48." it chronicles the adventures of people who hike the 48 four-thousand plus foot mountains it New Hampshire. We have no intention to try to do the 48, rather, our goal is to do one... The tallest at 6,288 feet, Mount Washington! We probably won't do it in the few days we have left here, but perhaps next summer...?
Saturday, October 6, 2012 The Flying Yankee!
One of the tourist maps we found had a cryptic notation about the "Flying Yankee." That notation was very close to a notation for the Hobo RR. While we were there the other day, I inquired as to the where abouts of the "Flying Yankee." the young lady behind the counter said they have it out in the yard. "They," I inquired? "Yes, they... The State of New Hampshire now owns the "Yankee," I was told. "They're having an open house on Saturday, " she added.
Given the forecast for rain again, we decided to visit the train. I last saw the Flying Yankee in static display at the Edaville RR in Massachusetts many, many years ago. Sometime in the 90s, as the Edaville RR was disbanding, a guy from NH decided it needed to be restored to running condition. He bought it, moved it to NH and put together a board to oversee the restoration. Before the restoration was completed, he sold it to the State.
The board continued to work on the restoration. They put a lot of effort and money into the restoration and there's still a long way to go. One of the Board members estimates the remaining work will cost about $2 million. The Flying Yankee cost the Boston and Maine RR $275,000 in 1935. During its 22 years of service, the Flying Yankee traveled in excess of 2.75 million miles. Its initial route was 750 miles per day between Portland and Bangor, Maine and Boston, Massachusetts. Its top speed was near 100 mph. It completely changed train travel. Prior to the Yankee, passengers would be covered by soot that came in thru the open windows. There was no air conditioning or heat for that matter. The ashes belched out of the smoke stack of the steam engine. The Flying Yankee was diesel-electric and provided heat or A/C for the comfort of the passengers. In fact, the windows didn't open. It's futuristic design and stainless steel skin made it look like something new and different.
The areas of the train that have been restored look great. It will be nice to see it back on the rails!
Sunday, October 7, 2012 The Lost Pond, the Wildcat Ridge, Glen Ellis Falls, the Glen Boulder, and Direttissima Trails!
Trails, fording a stream, scenic waterfalls and even a tunnel made up today's hike. After parking in the AMC Pinkham Notch lot, we crossed Route 16 to the head of the Lost Pond Trail. We hiked through aromatic forests, over rocks, boulders, and plank bridges to the very picturesque Lost Pond. If it really was lost, I can tell you it isn't any more.
There were lots of people on the trail today. In fact, there have been lots of people all weekend. People flock to the White Mountains on Columbus weekend. Most are leaf peepers who stay in their cars and drive around, but there was a significant increase in traffic on the trails too. The AMC Lodges are all full. Even the back country huts are packed with hikers!
At Lost Pond, a hiker told us that the trail led to a dead end about 100 yards from where we met him. Our topo map indicated that the trail continued, eventually intersecting with the Wildcat Ridge Trail (part of the Appalachian Trail). We forged on, found the trail and after scrambling up and over some boulders, we made it to the Wildcat Trail. This section of the Wildcat Ridge Trail connects to the Glen Ellis Falls Trail. Unbeknownst to us, we had to cross the swollen and swift Ellis River. After some consideration, we found a suitable route across. Now on the Glen Ellis Falls Trail, we walked to the falls. Not content with the view from above, we walked down to the base of the 64 foot waterfall, took a few photos, and ran back up! OK, we didn't run, but we walked briskly.
We followed the trail to the Glen Boulder Trail. It led us through a tunnel under Route 16! Almost immediately, the new trail started a long, rocky climb up the side of a mountain. We continued to climb and even scramble up for almost 1/2 mile before finding the intersection with the Direttissima Trail. It too continued up for a short time eventually making our descent back to street level. Some of the descent was steep. Scrambling down the boulders was fun!
We intended to do two short hikes, but that changed when Anna Marie expressed reluctance to go back across the Ellis River. That's when we added the last two trails to the hike, but it also changed our plan, which was to find a sports bar where we could watch some of the Eagles game. We got to the place in time to see Pittsburg kick a field goal in the last second to beat the Eagles by two points.
Back at the CG, we planned tomorrow's activity, took a walk around the CG and generally chilled out before hitting the sack.
Today is our youngest granddaughter's birthday. Since retiring several years ago, we have enjoyed many travels. We always get a little homesick when we miss special events in the lives of our children and grandchildren. The melancholy is palpable. To ease it, we have have a party of our own during which we make a corny video to send to the birthday celebrant. We hope that these will become digital keepsakes for them to watch as they grow older.
So what do hikers do in the rain. Most hike, but not us. It is too wet and too cold to hit the trails. Instead, we did laundry, visited the Weather Discovery Center to find out about Mt. Washington's unique weather. Among other things, we learned that it was 30 degrees at the summit this afternoon with a wind chill in the 20s. We also learned that the average wind speed at the summit is 37 mph.
In the evening, we went to the Conway Cafe, a dining establishment that has an attached small movie theater. "Belle Island" starring Morgan Freeman was the feature. Anna Marie and I both enjoyed it.
Saturday, September 29, 2012 The Russell Culbath House, the Rail and Trail Loop, and the Sabaday Falls Trail
The plan was to do visit the historic Culbath House then do two short, picturesque, easy trails (the Rail n' Trail Loop and the Sabaday Falls Trail), have a picnic lunch and finish the day with the more difficult, longer, Greely Ponds Trail.
We accomplished the first three items in good order and even had time to wander through the old cemetery at the historic site. The Culbath house was very interesting. The interpreter told several stories regarding its history, including a tale about Priscilla Culbath. It seems that one day after supper, her husband, Tom, told her that he was going into town (Conway) for supplies and that he'd be back. When he didn't return by nightfall, she put a kerosene lamp in the window. He still hadn't returned by the next morning and she began to worry. A search party was formed and after several days of searching, with nothing to show for their efforts, the members of the search party went back to their lives and work.
For the next 39 years, Priscilla placed a lit lamp in the window each night, never losing faith that Tom would return. Three years after her death, Tom returned. He had heard of her demise and returned to reclaim his property, only to find Pricilla's next of kin had sold the house. For a couple of weeks he was a celebrity of sorts. Everyone wanted to know where he went and what he had done. He never answered the questions directly, and to this day, no one knows why he left.
The Rail Trail was very easy and scenic too. Lumbering was a common wintertime endeavor and each small stream had a saw mill. Eventually they built tracks to connect the logging camps so a train could gather the logs and take them to the mill. There was an interesting display about the cutting and shipping of "mast" trees used for masts of sailing ships. In pre Revolutionary War times, huge white pines from the White Mountains were harvested for England's Navy.
Sabaday Falls Trail has some decent elevation gain as you walk up to the falls. It is very picturesque and even though it is uphill, the trail is easy. We got some nice pictures of Sabaday Brook, the falls and the Basalt vein that is between two granite ledges. The Basalt is softer lava rock that erodes faster than the granite.
Our attempt to do the Greely Ponds trail was foiled. We arrived at the trailhead to find the parking area filled to capacity! With no room to park, we chose to do the Church Creek Loop near the Pasaconway Campground. After a very short walk from the trailhead, we found that two bridges integral to the trail bridge were destroyed last year by Hurricane Irene. They haven't been rebuilt and apparently won't be.
By now we didn't have enough daylight left to star a longer trail, so we drove the Bear Notch Road, built by the CCC boys from The Blackberry Crossing Camp (our current campground). We drove to Bartlett, home of Attitash Mountain ( think skiing), found the Covered Bridge Gift Store actually built in an old Covered Bridge, and had a great dinner at the Cabin Fever Restaurant.
In the evening, we went to McDonald's for free coffee and an Internet connection.
Sunday, September 30, 2012 On the Move!
Today is moving day! We're leaving Blackberry Crossing CG and the Kancamagus Highway area, headed north on Highway 16 to spend a few days at Dolly Copp CG which is pretty much in the shadow of Mount Washington. We hoped to hike the highest mountain in New England, but the shorter days, cold temperatures, especially at the summit, are making us reconsider. For the next week, only Tuesday promises to have little or no rain. Other than that, the rest of the days have from 40% to 60% chance of showers. We are prepared and have the requisite equipment, but certainly don't want to take a chance with hypothermia. We'll see what happens later in the week.
It was cold ( high of 51) and rainy today. We broke camp in the rain and set up in the rain. Because of the weather, we explored the nearest town (Gorham) by car. It's a small town, but there are a couple of fast food restaurants and a WalMart. We also visited the Androscoggin Ranger Station and the Applachian Mountain Club's (AMC) facility in Pinkham Notch.
There is a good chance of showers tomorrow, but we have selected four shorter hikes (from 1to 4 miles) to do if we are able to dodge the rain.
Monday, October 1, 2012 Yikes - It's Cold Again!
Another cold, dreary day is upon us. We've had our fair share of rain lately. We find things to do, but do not enjoy hiking in the rain and mud, so our outdoor activities have been curtailed a bit.
Today, we took one of the scenic drives through the White Mountains. On our travels, we found a nice restaurant/gift shop call the Wagon Wheel in Jefferson, NH. We sampled their maple baked beans, broccoli soup and corn chowder, and we bought a couple of trinkets too.
We stopped at the Mount Washington Cog RR to check it out. We watched two trains start up the hill. They were quickly lost in the fog. Fifteen or so minutes later, a different train descended out of the fog, followed shortly by another. It wasn't too much later when the two we watched start up the hill returned. Now there were four trains at the base station. It seems there was a problem of some sort or another.
One person reported that there were hurricane force winds at the summit. The two trains we watched go up only went as far as the tree line before returning. The trains were canceled for the rest of the day.
Our next stop was Crawford Notch RR Station. The attendant told us that the Conway train stops there for about 1/2 hour. Passengers can disembark and shop in the gift store or walk to the AMC hut for a quick meal.
We made it back to the CG for dinner and then went off for shopping and a wifi connection at McDonalds. Along the way we were pulled over by the local Police. Apparently I was doing 49 in a 40 mph zone. The officer asked me to pay closer attention to the speed. This is the second time this week an officer has asked me to do that! Funny thing is that I almost never exceed the speed limit. I will have to pay closer attention!
Tuesday, October 2, 2012 The Great Gulf Trail!
The Great Gulf section of the White Mountains has been a protected area since 1964. We went deep into the woods of the Great Gulf today, our longest hike yet, five hours with one short snack break and a quick lunch break. The trail was easy with a mere 950' elevation gain.
The Gulf area has had many bear incidents in the last two years. Hikers and tenters have been harassed by bears when their food is not stowed properly. We learned that there is a $5,000 fine if you don't stow your food properly. Of course if the bear eats you, you won't much care about a fine! We kept a sharp eye out for bear the entire time we were in the Great Gulf.
The only thing we saw, besides a few birds, butterflies, insects and squirrels were three snakes. They blended in so well with their surroundings only their movement gave them away. I'll have to key them out later since I didn't recognize what kind of snakes they were.
When we reached the bluff, we had a great view of Mount Washington. It's the first time since we've been here that the summit was visible. We could clearly see vehicles traveling the Mount Washington Auto Road.
After dinner, we made our usual trek to the Loal McDonalds for a Wifi connection and coffee.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012 More Rain!
Even though the temperature reached the mid to upper 60s, more rain showers put a damper on our activities. That and the fact that I wasn't feeling up to snuff meant it was going to be a light duty day.
We got going at about 0900 so we could check out the conditions on the summit of the big hill. Visibility at the summit was 150 feet, not worth the trip up. We hope to go up when the visibility is clear.
There is a model RR museum in the neighborhood, so we thought we'd check it out. Along the way, we stopped in Jackson, a typically neat, New Hampshire ski town. We have been getting a kick out of "the Pumpkin People" who have returned to the area this week. Local business seem to take pride in displaying pumpkin headed, stuffed, mostly life sized characters in creative ways. Along the route today, we stopped to take a few pictures of the pumpkin people. Of the ones we photographed, our favorite was the Zombies in "Michael Jackson's Thriller." we didn't get a pic of the "Village Pumpkins" think the Village People)!
The model RR museum was disappointing even though they have a huge collection of rolling stock. There were several small layouts. They weren't anything to write home about. The Hobby Shop was very impressive. They have a huge stock of model RR stuff in all gauges. We can't imagine they would ever have enough customers to buy all that stuff.
After resting up back at the CG, we headed out later in the day to Conway and the Songwriters Open Mike Night at the Conway Cafe. The crowd was much smaller than last week and there weren't nearly as many singer/songwriter/performers. The host, Ed Gallagher, got to play more than last week. We like his material. Much of his stuff is humorous and works very well in this setting. He has a nice relaxed style and plays very well.
Thursday, October 4, 2012 The Hobo Train!
Another day of rain showers and drizzle is keeping us off the trails. Instead of walking, we drove to Lincoln, about 60 miles distant, home of the Hobo Train.
It was a pleasant, scenic ride that lasted for almost an hour ant a half. We opted to have the Hobo lunch aboard. The turkey sandwich, chips and giant cookie were a bit overpriced at $10.00 per, but we enjoyed them all the same.
On the way back home, we got some interesting shots of "smoke in the mountains" in the Franconia Notch State Park.
After dinner, we hopped in the truck to make the 12 mile round trip to McDonalds for coffee and tea, and a Wifi connection. After updating computer software and checking e-mail, we made our way back to the CG where we took a late evening walk around our section of the CG.
Friday, October 5, 2012 The Mount Washington Auto Road and The Tuckerman Ravine Trail
The weather was parfect for a trip up Mount Washington. We arrived at the Auto Road, made reservations for a narrated tour and enjoyed a light breakfast in the Great Glen Lodge. From the window wall in the lodge ,the buildings on the summit of Mount Washington were clearly visible. There wasn't a cloud in the sky.
By the time we boarded our "stage coach," a cloud appeared and the summit disappeared from view. We had a most enjoyable ride to the summit. The vistas are breathtaking. The summit was another story. The cloud reduced visibility to perhaps 50 feet. We could hear the Cog train coming up the mountain but didn't see it until it reached the summit. Even then, it was like a faint shadow. Besides the cloud, the temperature was probably 20 degrees colder than at the base and the wind was howling, perhaps blowing in the mid to high 30s. It's a good thing we brought our winter jackets, wool hats, and gloves.
When we returned to the base, we enjoyed a picnic lunch, basking in the near 70 degree temperature and enjoying the fall colors and the views of the Presidentials.
After lunch, it was time for some exercise. We didn't have enough time to hike to the summit, but with luck, we might make it to Hermit Lake on the Tuckerman Ravine Trail. We walked the trail for about 1 3/4 hours. Just about 1600 hours, we ran out of time. We decided to turn around to make sure we had plently of time to get off the mountain before dark. We had not made it to the Lake, but we did achieve a milestone of sorts... We actually passed two hikers while we were on the way up!
In the evening, we went to the AMC facility to watch the movie, "48." it chronicles the adventures of people who hike the 48 four-thousand plus foot mountains it New Hampshire. We have no intention to try to do the 48, rather, our goal is to do one... The tallest at 6,288 feet, Mount Washington! We probably won't do it in the few days we have left here, but perhaps next summer...?
Saturday, October 6, 2012 The Flying Yankee!
One of the tourist maps we found had a cryptic notation about the "Flying Yankee." That notation was very close to a notation for the Hobo RR. While we were there the other day, I inquired as to the where abouts of the "Flying Yankee." the young lady behind the counter said they have it out in the yard. "They," I inquired? "Yes, they... The State of New Hampshire now owns the "Yankee," I was told. "They're having an open house on Saturday, " she added.
Given the forecast for rain again, we decided to visit the train. I last saw the Flying Yankee in static display at the Edaville RR in Massachusetts many, many years ago. Sometime in the 90s, as the Edaville RR was disbanding, a guy from NH decided it needed to be restored to running condition. He bought it, moved it to NH and put together a board to oversee the restoration. Before the restoration was completed, he sold it to the State.
The board continued to work on the restoration. They put a lot of effort and money into the restoration and there's still a long way to go. One of the Board members estimates the remaining work will cost about $2 million. The Flying Yankee cost the Boston and Maine RR $275,000 in 1935. During its 22 years of service, the Flying Yankee traveled in excess of 2.75 million miles. Its initial route was 750 miles per day between Portland and Bangor, Maine and Boston, Massachusetts. Its top speed was near 100 mph. It completely changed train travel. Prior to the Yankee, passengers would be covered by soot that came in thru the open windows. There was no air conditioning or heat for that matter. The ashes belched out of the smoke stack of the steam engine. The Flying Yankee was diesel-electric and provided heat or A/C for the comfort of the passengers. In fact, the windows didn't open. It's futuristic design and stainless steel skin made it look like something new and different.
The areas of the train that have been restored look great. It will be nice to see it back on the rails!
Sunday, October 7, 2012 The Lost Pond, the Wildcat Ridge, Glen Ellis Falls, the Glen Boulder, and Direttissima Trails!
Trails, fording a stream, scenic waterfalls and even a tunnel made up today's hike. After parking in the AMC Pinkham Notch lot, we crossed Route 16 to the head of the Lost Pond Trail. We hiked through aromatic forests, over rocks, boulders, and plank bridges to the very picturesque Lost Pond. If it really was lost, I can tell you it isn't any more.
There were lots of people on the trail today. In fact, there have been lots of people all weekend. People flock to the White Mountains on Columbus weekend. Most are leaf peepers who stay in their cars and drive around, but there was a significant increase in traffic on the trails too. The AMC Lodges are all full. Even the back country huts are packed with hikers!
At Lost Pond, a hiker told us that the trail led to a dead end about 100 yards from where we met him. Our topo map indicated that the trail continued, eventually intersecting with the Wildcat Ridge Trail (part of the Appalachian Trail). We forged on, found the trail and after scrambling up and over some boulders, we made it to the Wildcat Trail. This section of the Wildcat Ridge Trail connects to the Glen Ellis Falls Trail. Unbeknownst to us, we had to cross the swollen and swift Ellis River. After some consideration, we found a suitable route across. Now on the Glen Ellis Falls Trail, we walked to the falls. Not content with the view from above, we walked down to the base of the 64 foot waterfall, took a few photos, and ran back up! OK, we didn't run, but we walked briskly.
We followed the trail to the Glen Boulder Trail. It led us through a tunnel under Route 16! Almost immediately, the new trail started a long, rocky climb up the side of a mountain. We continued to climb and even scramble up for almost 1/2 mile before finding the intersection with the Direttissima Trail. It too continued up for a short time eventually making our descent back to street level. Some of the descent was steep. Scrambling down the boulders was fun!
We intended to do two short hikes, but that changed when Anna Marie expressed reluctance to go back across the Ellis River. That's when we added the last two trails to the hike, but it also changed our plan, which was to find a sports bar where we could watch some of the Eagles game. We got to the place in time to see Pittsburg kick a field goal in the last second to beat the Eagles by two points.
Back at the CG, we planned tomorrow's activity, took a walk around the CG and generally chilled out before hitting the sack.
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