Exploring New England: Massachusetts through New Hampshire

Wednesday, July 1, day 15

191 miles to travel

An early morning thunderstorm ended just before we were to pack up to leave our Rhode Island campground. It was cloudy and cool as we drove west thru RI and CT and then into Massachusetts (state # 45 of our travels in the truck camper). We had found that in New England, starting in NY and continuing in CT, RI, and MA, the interstate highway exit numbers are sequential but not matched to the mile markers, which is confusing compared to our driving in the rest of the country. For example, we got on I-90 at exit 10 which was at mile-marker 90 and off at exit 2 at mile-marker 11.

Allowed for safer highway speed travel

One feature that I did like was the frequent three lane construction layout that I often found in the hilly sections of the highways. This allowed for less congestion and faster travel on roads that have heavy truck traffic and passenger vehicle travel. I hate to say it, but I observed that most of the people who made up their own driving rules and demonstrated behavioral disregard for other users were from New York.

Private campground access road

 Daisy was doing a good job of navigating, and we eventually arrived at our destination camping resort in the Berkshire Mountains. We were lucky that it was midweek and we had a choice of camping spots.

Notice the ski runs in the background. Our unit on the left front.

Pool

Hot tub

Outdoor bar

Restaurant

They had received 3 inches of rain the night before and there was really only one non-muddy site to choose that would handle our weight. Dry weather was forecast, so we stayed and relaxed for 3 nights. One night there was a dance with a DJ at the clubhouse, and of course we enjoyed that.

Saturday, July 4, Day 18

245 miles to travel

Massachusetts countryside

Lots of flags adorned our route

It was sprinkling as we were packing up to leave for New Hampshire. The temperature was 56 degrees, so it was a chilly, wet start for Independence Day. 

We had made reservations for two nights at another campground due to the holiday traffic. We had a pleasant drive thru Vermont (state # 46).

Our interim destination was a historic 1800 landmark known as Wilson’s Castle in Proctor, VT. We arrived at the gate at 11:10 and it was closed. We had called the day before and were told they would be open…so back on the road we went. 

We crossed into NH (state # 47) and arrived at the Lantern Campground in Jefferson, NH at 4:07. It was 60 degrees. We were disappointed not to see the castle, but we had traveled only 22 miles farther than if we had come directly to the campground. 

Covered bridges just appear.

We saw some pretty VT countryside in the process. 

This is some barn.

We had a great spot in the campground that allowed us a view of fireworks in a nearby town from our dinette window.

The one thing I had not anticipated was that Jefferson, NH might be more than a pretty wide spot on the back country road.

A Christmas themed water play complex

Christmas shops and rides

The reason the campground was full was that it is a major kid mecca that celebrates Christmas season all year long. Its a good thing we had a reservation for the 4th of July!

Tuesday, July 5, Day 19

101 miles traveled this day

We had a great day of sightseeing in the White Mountain National Forest. It began with a rail trip up to the summit of Mount Washington. The last time I was there was the summer of 1968 and I hiked up to the summit and back. Then I was a trim 19-year-old forest technician for the Bartlett Experimental Forest. I remember this trip because I was helping to escort a youth outdoor group up to the trailhead and back. On the return, one of our charges badly sprained her ankle and I carried her piggy back style off the mountain.

It was a 40-minute drive to the cog rail station where we got our tickets, bought a magnet and post cards, and boarded the yellow and orange Pumpkin Special. 



 

Rail station and base visitor center

Our ride in front of the engine pusher is affectionately called the "orange pumpkin."

Train descending to the railway station

Notice center cog that a sprocket wheel on engine engages.

The cog railway, which first opened July 3, 1869, is listed as the world’s first mountain-climbing, rack and pinion system, narrow-gauge railway (see the picture above). 

These firs and spruces are growing vertically. The camera is at the train's angle!

The railway was completed in 1869 and now has two steam and four biodiesel trains. The railway is approximately 3 miles long and ascends Mount Washington’s western slope, beginning at an elevation of 2,700 feet and ending just short of the mountain’s summit of 6,288 feet.  The average grade is 25% and the maximum grade is 37%. 



The train ascends the mountain at 2.8 mph and descends at 4.6 mph. So, doing the math, it takes approximately 65 minutes to go up and 40 minutes to come down, with the 70 person passenger car in tow.

At the top, it is said that on a clear day, one can see four states, the province of Quebec, and the Atlantic Ocean. 

The rock cairns are used by Appalachian Trail hikers to find their way.

 
We had decent visibility until we got to within 200 feet of the top.  

Notice the wavering narrow train rails

 

Then it was fogged in, and we could barely see each other. We later found out that this foggy condition is true 300 days a year. The air temperature was 46 degrees with 35-40 mph winds. 

Signs and gauges in the visitor center at the summit

 

The intrepid modern explorers

  

We had brought medium weight jackets, of course, and were much better prepared than the many tourists in shorts and flip-flops.
We explored the exhibits and structures and purchased t-shirts and hats. 

The Tip-top House. The first hotel at the top. 

Luxury accommodations at their best

 

 




  


When I told Daisy the story of my multi-mile hike off the mountain with the young lady on my back, she imagined the girl felt like this with her rescuer.











 

We shared seafood chowder and a whoopee pie before boarding the return car to the base station.

 Conditions as we got ready to leave were not much better.

Yep, that's me waiting for a ride.

The ride

 On the way down...

Notice conductor and engineer can see the other for hand signals

Hand brakes to be used as needed

Cog biodiesel engineer

Our conductor/brakeman

 As we were leaving we noticed two earlier engines.

One of two steam engines from the early 1900s

One of the first steam engines from the late 1800s

I found one interesting tidbit about the workmen who built and maintained this railway...

In the early days of the railway, the workers wanted to minimize time when descending from the top, so they invented slide boards that fit over the cog rack and provided room for themselves and their tools. This board reminded me of a skate board and was approximately 35 inches long and 10 inches wide. They were made of wood and hand forged iron center slot with two long hardwood handles attached at the down mountain end. The average descent time using these board was about 15 minutes.  

The record was 2 minutes and 45 seconds. That's just above 62 mph and was set by a woman. The common name for these boards was the "devil's shingles." After several riders died in attempts to set speed records, they were banned in 1906.

After disembarking at the base, we drove to the Flume Gorge, a unique geological area in the Franconia Notch State Park. The flume is a 700 foot long gorge with granite walls 70-80 feet high. The walls of the gorge are over-arched with a tall forest canopy which covers a highly-diverse dense forest habitat. We took a 2-mile, self-guided nature walk that featured:

 fast cascading streams,

  elevated walking paths in narrow rocky gorges,

 high granite walls,

beautiful waterfalls,

 tall woody vegetation,

Old growth sugar maple

 and low vegetation,

 

 fierce forest critters,

 a pretty forest princess,

 a covered foot bridge, 

 

and an 1886 covered road bridge. Such bridges were often called “kissing bridges” because of the darkness and privacy they provided.We are going to look for a bunch of these and try them out.

It was late afternoon when we finished our hike, thirsty and hungry. We drove to nearby North Woodstock, NH and had dinner at the Woodstock Inn Station and Brewery. 















We sampled their craft brews and each selected one to go with the happy hour appetizer specials. We shared calamari, chicken wings, and a “loon dip” which consisted of spinach, garlic, jalapenos, roasted red pepper, and Gorgonzola cheese—no loons were harmed in the making of this meal. 

 


 


We were back in our campground by 7 pm for a quiet evening.  

The next day we would head for Maine.