Monday, October 4, 2010

Farewell New Hampshire, Hello Vermont Here We Come

Great fall reflections at Red Pond on the Kancamagus Hwy
New England weather can’t seem to make up its mind from day to day between rain or sunshine. There is definitely a nippy chill in the air now which is helping the fall colors on the trees along. It would be easy to spend more time in New Hampshire as there is lots to see and do especially with hundreds of hiking trails. We’ve covered just about everything imaginable in the White Mountains as far as roads, waterfalls, covered bridges, and grand hotel resorts.
Mt. Washington Resort... Just a little stop along the way
The Mt. Washington Resort in Bretton Woods had to indeed be the grand daddy of Eastern Great Hotels in terms of size. The White Mountains has several notable gaps otherwise known as “notches” between ridges. In the Franconia Notch we found Sugar Maple Hill having its Saturday Market with lots of handmade artisan crafts. Tapping trees for maple sap doesn’t occur until March.The government has stiff regulations and controls over who can do it, how the processing and sale of real maple syrup must occur from designated “sugar bushes”. Every farmhouse seems to have a pumpkin display of some sort in its front yard. Often there are some houses with large stands of pumpkins for sale along their country roadside. 

Lots of organics for sale at this farmhouse huh... Makes you wanna bake a pumpkin pie
Most of the covered bridges we’ve spotted have been around since the late 1700s and early 1800s. Several bridges were for foot traffic only, while others allowed for one way traffic by car. Two reasons for bridges to be covered were to keep the snow off and to keep horses from being spooked by the sound of rushing water. 
Swift River Bridge








One of 40 covered bridges in New Hampshire
 The Robert Frost Place nestled out in the country was thoroughly enjoyable. A ¼ mile trail into the woods nearby where Frost found inspiration for some of his poems actually had large wooden plagues on numerous trees with his poems posted. It was rather touching to come upon two well-known favorites “The Road Not Taken” and “Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening”. Fall foliage is breathing like a ferocious dragon as we cross into Vermont. 



Frost lived here in Franconia, NH between 1915-1920
 


Along the Trail at the Robert Frost Place many of his poems can be seen.





Autumn colors at Silver Cascade Falls, NH
                                 May the Great Pumpkin be with you dear family and friends.