Hello Everyone. Wow, it has been six months since I last published This Week on the Road. I can’t describe how great it was just to type those words. I wish I had been able to leave this week and just keep going, but alas it was just for this week. My folks and I drove up to New Hampshire last Wednesday to visit my brother and his family. The fall colors are coming in beautifully in New England and we had a wonderful visit. We got out and did a lot, and I was very happy to be checking out new places and taking photos in unfamiliar surroundings. It was a wonderful week on the road in New Hampshire.
Our decision to go was not made lightly. We’ve been keeping close to home and keeping our interactions to a minimum, maintaining our distance and wearing our masks. My folks aren’t as young as they once were and with my diabetes we’re all at heightened risk, not to mention the fact that I’m spending my days with a child who I simply cannot get sick. While my brother and his girlfriend are doing what they’re supposed to do as well, seeing them would bring more people into our safety web. But with winter and a second wave coming, New Hampshire being a state with things relatively in control and the looming election we decided that if we wanted to see them this year, this was probably the time. The fall colors and the ability to take some photos of somewhere further from home helped to seal the deal. We packed a lunch and made it a direct journey in both directions, followed best practices while we were there and hopefully managed to keep everyone safe and healthy. I’m glad we went.
The trip did help me see how difficult it would be to continue my actual long-term journey at this point in time. Many things remain closed or on limited hours, and while people in New Hampshire seemed generally compliant with safety standards I know that’s not the case for much of the country. While this week definitely tugged at my heart strings and whispered go in my ear, many of the things I would want to see remain closed and the thought of getting really sick while on the road and far from home doesn’t seem like a great idea. So for now I will have to be content with my week away and settle in here in D.C. for the winter. The short days and cold nights of winter on the road are pretty brutal anyway, and without a warm safe pub to tuck into, it would probably be a bit much.
We left on Wednesday and made good time, arriving at my brother’s house at around 3:30 in the afternoon. He and his girlfriend, Errin, have a wonderful home on a windy back road with a nice chunk of land and some room to breathe. I know maintaining it takes a lot of hard work, but they’ve really made a nice home for themselves and their family. After the long ride, we were happy to just settle in, have a few cold beers and catch up a little bit. It feels like a long time since we were there in December, but it all seemed very familiar as well.
Thursday we went for a visit to Bedrock Gardens in Lee, New Hampshire. It is a beautiful 20 acre garden full of interesting sculptures and beautiful plants and flowers. It took quite a while to meander through the many paths that wound around the property. Bedrock Gardens was quite a unique and special place and is probably phenomenal in spring when all the flowers are starting to bloom. It was very cool.
On Friday, we loaded my brother’s boat onto the trailer and set off for Lake Winnipesaukee in the central part of the state. Lake Winnipesaukee is the largest lake in New Hampshire and is just over an hour north of my brother’s house. It took a while to get everything ready and loaded and up there, so we only ended up having a few hours on the lake but it sure was nice to be out there. When my brother and I were kids we used to drool over this one little boat at the Wisconsin State Fair every year when my dad took us north to visit his family. We always thought how cool it would be to have something like that and my dad always said “maybe someday”. I don’t know how similar this boat is to the one we used to dream about as a kid, but it sure looks pretty similar to me. Arriving at the lake, we took his boat from our put-in over to the quaint little town of Meredith where we disembarked for a little stroll around downtown and the wharf. It was a beautiful afternoon and the town was pretty busy so we didn’t stay there too long, but it seemed like a nice place. We headed back around the lake and got back right at dusk, loaded up and went home. It was a great experience to be back on a boat after a long time on dry land. I’m definitely looking forward to some scuba diving when this is all over.
Saturday we went to see some of the places I had researched and wanted to check out in their area. I really wanted to see some classically New England towns and covered bridges in the fall foliage, so we set out to do just that. We started the day with a wander through Amherst, the village closest to my brother’s house. It is really small, but very tidy and pretty and has some great historic buildings and churches around the main square. From there we headed on to Petersborough which was probably my favorite town of the day. It had a lot of colorful trees and a wonderful downtown area to wander around. We even stopped for ice cream which was the biggest portion I’ve ever seen in my life. From there we headed up to the Hancock-Greenfield covered bridge and then on through tiny Harrisville and Hancock to the college town of Keene. We finished the day with a stretch of covered bridges over the Ashuelot River. It was a magical day and one of the best I’ve had in a very long time. It was even better because I got to share it with my family.
The following morning we took off for the coast. We started out at Odiorne Point State Park which had a sweeping rock beach and some cool old World War II gun batteries. Then we headed north to Fort Stark State Historic Park to see some more WWII ruins. From there we continued on to Maine where we visited the Nubble Lighthouse. You guys know I’m a sucker for a good lighthouse, and this was definitely a good one. Set on a rock island close to shore, the only access is on a cable car which traverses the sound. I would have loved to have gone over on the cable, but sadly it’s only for the Coast Guard to use. It was great to see though and really put a big smile on my face. We continued north from there to Perkins Cove, a cute little artists’ colony just south of Ogunquit. Perkins Cove is home of one of the only manually operated drawbridges left in the country, and a cute little fishing harbor and some nice shops and restaurants. It’s also one end of the Marginal Way, a pleasant mile and a quarter waterfront path which offers great views of the beaches and towns below. I love and have missed the beach, and it was amazing to be back by the water, even if just for the day.
Stopping by Woods - Miles to Go Before I Sleep.
Monday we took it easy for most of the day as it was our last day there and my brother and Errin’s last days off from work. I wandered around their property in the morning taking pictures of their trees in the morning sun which was nice. In the afternoon we headed over to visit Robert Frost’s home and farm in Derry, New Hampshire. Frost had lived there from 1901-1911, working first as an apple and poultry farmer and then later as a schoolteacher while he struggled to be taken seriously as a poet. Many of his early poems were inspired by his time at the farm in Derry. While the buildings were closed, the grounds were open and there was a wonderful trail through the woods with signposts sharing his stories and poems. As I’m sure most of you know, the title to this blog is in tribute to Robert Frost and his wonderful poem Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening. It was amazing to walk through the woods that inspired that poem and so many others and the fact that it was a magnificent afternoon didn’t hurt. I felt truly inspired walking in his footsteps. It was a perfect little afternoon jaunt, and then we headed home for a lobster feast to wind up our stay before heading towards Washington in the morning.
It was a great week on the road, the first I’ve had in half a year. It was great to see my brother, Errin and my niece and nephew, to enjoy their wonderful property and to explore the beauty of southern New Hampshire (with a dash of Maine thrown in for good measure). Despite what was closed, we made the best of it, and it reminded me of why I want to continue traveling as soon as I can and go for as long as I can. I was really happy to be out there and grateful to my brother and Errin for their hospitality. It’s nice to be home, and I was really happy to see my old pal Mason this morning, but the road is where I belong. Sadly, that will have to wait for a while yet, but I’m glad to have at least had a taste of it this week. Next week will be back to D.C. Chronicles, but it was great to share This Week on the Road with you again. Thanks for reading, have a great week, and we’ll see you right back here next week.
-Mike