Nomad Life - Day 280

Like the night before, I didn't sleep all the way through the night.  Fortunately, though, my phone's white noise worked until the battery died (at 0630).  Figuring that was a hint for me to attend morning Mass, I quickly did some reading, puzzles and Duolingo.  After I got ready to depart, though, I realized that my car was boxed in between Mollie's and Katie's.  Fortunately, John had just gotten up and moved the obstacles.  During that short window in my morning, I believed I'd see my brother-in-law, sister and daughter again when we all met up at the Barnstable County Fair on Cape Cod...  After promising John that I'd stay in touch about the plans, I was then able to drive to St. Mary's Church for Mass (0730).  The service, as usual, was quick (although Father Chris wasn't there).  I arrived back at Katie & John's house by 0830.  By then, everyone else (except Mollie) was gone.  With the lull in activity, I started laundry and made reservations for my upcoming Nomad Life lodging.  Like all the other times I've tried to stay in New Hampshire this summer, I had trouble finding something affordable.  In the end, I settled for a Booking.com reservation (which, for some reason, was cheaper than using the Wyndham site) to stay in Manchester near the Airport and Mall of New Hampshire) during the coming week.  Mollie was awake at 0900 and we visited a bit.  At about that time, Katie and John started sending texts that revealed they planned to leave for Cape Cod at noon and stay for more than seven hours.  This would have created a much longer day for me than I wanted and, when I talked to Mollie about my concern, she said she'd understand if I left for New Hampshire (rather than go with her to the Cape).  Sadly, though, this meant that we had to say goodbye almost immediately.  It has been a great visit!  She got packed up and was getting ready to leave when Ella arrived.  What a surprise!  There was a short amount of time to visit before Mollie departed (0945).  Since my niece needed to work online, I left her alone took care of paper work, finished my laundry and packed up my car.  I also had some "brunch" (cereal and the last slice of Papa Gino's pizza).  By 1145, though, I departed Hanover ("South") and headed north.  The day was sunny again (temps 73 F).  As usual, I used MA-3 (lots of traffic), I-93 (busy through Quincy) and finally arrived at the Big Dig tunnel just after 1215.  There was the regular slow down but no traffic jam.  On the north side of Boston, I was able to drive quite quickly and made it to I-293 without incident.  Turning off the Interstate at NH-3A on the outskirts of Manchester, I found my hotel (Super 8 Manchester Airport) at 1310.  When I tried to check in (early), they asked me to wait for about 45 minutes.  No problem - I was just glad to be off the highway...  To pass the time, I drove north on NH-3A until I found a quiet place to park.  For about 30 minutes, I did some birding in Pine Grove Cemetery - I saw wild turkeys and lots of Canada Geese.  The weather in central New Hampshire had become partly cloudy, with temps in the low 80s.  By 1350, though, I was back at the hotel and they let me check into my room.  The building was dated, under reservation and seemed to have a rather sketchy clientele but I was happy to have a place to call my "home" for a full week.  Over the next few hours, I did some reading, took a nap and (with several trips) unpacked my car.  Along the way, I also checked out the internet for my work week (good) and convinced one of the cleaning staff to let me have an office chair for my room (it was initially missing one).  At 1800, I ate "dinner" (snacks) - for some reason, there was no microwave in my room so I asked the front desk staff if I could use the one in the lobby for future meals (they agreed).  I did some more reading and did some Duolingo exercises before watching some YouTube videos.  At 2010, I went walking near the hotel and was able to reach 5000 steps (2 miles) for the day.  When I finished (2035), I watched some more movies until bed time (2315).  Looking forward to exploring the biggest city of the Granite State!

Nomad Life - Day 279

Unfortunately, I was up in the middle of the night because of very bad reflux (from the lateness of eating Papa Gino's pizza).  Added to that, I was very warm in the guest room - I opened a window and it got better.  Somehow, I fell back to sleep...  Awake again (for good) at 0745, I did some reading, puzzles and Duolingo exercises.  Then I worked on my blog and set my iPhone on the window sill of the guest room so that my Merlin App could pick up the bird songs - there were a lot of species!  After that, I rested on the guest room bed and waited for everyone else to get up.  Mollie finally came downstairs at 0930, followed shortly after that by Katie and John, who made us breakfast (eggs, bacon, pancakes).  While the morning activities continued, I participated in a light hearted debate about whether to drive into Boston to visit the Boston Harbor Islands Visitor Center on the Rose Kennedy Greenway.  The alternative was for Mollie to (once again) miss a chance for a stamp in her National Park Service Passport Book.  Ultimately, everyone decided against going as far as Boston, opting instead for a visit to Quincy and the Adams National Historical Site.  Soon after this conversation, Katie and John departed for a funeral (it started at 1300).  Soon after that, I rode with Mollie (in her new car) into Quincy (we ate snacks on the way).  We parked in a garage behind the Visitor Center and learned that they validate for the whole day - nice!  We explored a bit nearby but, at 1400, started riding around on a National Park Service trolley (free).  We made a brief stop at the Adams Birthplace "Farm" and I found the the actual Deja Vu (from 1976) I'd felt at Peace Field (where I visited with Katie in June) was, instead, supposed to be connected with the Farm.  Mollie not impressed that the word "Farm" ("there aren't any animals, only two old houses").  Fortunately, I had already convinced her to stay on the (crowded) bus all the way to Peacefield.  She grumbled a bit on the way there but seemed OK by the time the bus made it's last stop (1430).  We got off the bus at the former home of two Presidents (#2 and #6) and toured the garden.  In contrast to my visit in June, there were totally different flowers in bloom.  Mollie liked seeing the rabbits that were hopping around nearby.  Within about 10 minutes, though, we started walking back towards the Visitor Center in the center of town, stopping to honor statues of the Founding Fathers.  At one point, I signed for John Hancock in a video that Mollie made.  Next, we checked out the Hancock-Adams Square and visited the United First Parish Church, where John Adams and John Quincy Adams are buried.  Beginning at 1455, we got a tour of the crypt - it was very interesting!  Katie and John started texting (about meeting up for a trip into Boston) at this point so Mollie and I decided to leave.  Before departing Quincy, though, we checked out more statues (e.g., a nice park honoring John Quincy Adams).  Back at Mollie's car, we departed (1530) and made our way back to Hanover (via the reverse route of earlier in the afternoon).  Upon arrival at Katie & John's, we ate late lunch (leftover pizza) and then got ready to depart for Boston.  During this window, Mollie and Katie kept trying to verify that there were/weren't stamps for the Boston Harbor Islands in the city (I maintained that there were).  At 1645, Mollie, Katie and John and I departed for Downtown Boston.  The traffic was, as usual, horrible and it took a long time to get there.  When we finally arrival in the South End, Katie found a parking spot near the Custom House and we quickly walked over to Coogan's Pub (arrived at 1735).  For the first time ever, our server to give us free drinks upon showing him our ID cards (Katie convinced him)!  Along with the drinks, we ordered snacks.  As I'd seen during previous visits (but had forgotten), it was a very loud venue!  Perhaps it has something to do with their $1 beers...  Even though Mollie's food never arrived, I ate my own dinner (to avoid the reflux recurrence).  Humorously, the two free beers arrived just as we were wanting to leave...  On top of that, the server messed up my bill (hope things turn out OK).  With our fun at Coogan's completed, Katie moved her car and we left the pub (1845).  Next, we walked to Faneuil Hall and, once inside the NPS Visitor Center, we found a Boston Harbor Islands National & State Park stamp.  Ha!  Mollie hadn't believed me and, since she hadn't brought her Passport, I had to buy her some stickers (to put the stamp on) for her National Park Passport Book.  We checked out Quincy Market (Mollie and my sister were looking for food) and stopped to watch a few street performers.  After that, we walked back to the South End waterfront and checked out the Boston Harbor Islands ferry launch area.  We saw M/V "Brant Point" (old Hy-Line ship that used to take us to Nantucket) in the harbor!  We also watched the Harbor Seals at the New England Aquarium (1925).  After we walked across nearby Columbus Park, we accidentally located buildings connected to the Prince Macaroni Company, where my grandmother (Virginia) worked in the 1920s and 1930s.  In the immediate area, we found "The Prince Building" (built in 1917 and located at 45-63 Atlantic Avenue & Commercial Street) and later went in search of (and found) the original Prince Street Storefront (at 92 Prince Street).  Along the way, we also explored several Italian neighborhoods.  As we walked deeper into the North End (2000), we paid our respects to Italy's famous son, Christopher Columbus, and visited St. Leonard's Parish (the earliest Italian Catholic Church in the city).  While looking for (and waiting at several) dinner venues (very difficult), we stumbled across the St. Joseph Feast, a neighborhood religious festival taking place along Hanover Street (near the Battery).  Starting at 2030, we enjoyed browsing the tents and stalls of several famous Italian eateries.  The event was put on by St. Joseph Society (located in the North End of Boston) and the members wore special blue shirts.  They apparently also carry the St. Joseph statue through the streets during the festival (we didn't see that, though).  My daughter and sister had lots of trouble getting food (big lines).  Eventually, though, Mollie settled for some kind of sausage wrap (very messy).  I learned later that it may have been called a "Panuozzo", described by Google AI as "a classic Italian sausage and peppers sandwich served on long, folded/crusted bread); it is a popular street food at Italian festivals, made with fresh sausage, melted cheese, and tomato sauce packed into a long, oven-baked bread fold."  (Mollie claimed, though, that it was called a "pizzone".)  Mollie and I sat in chairs near the state, where there was a rousing musical performance.  Eventually, John and Katie found us there and everyone finished up their dinner.  We left the festival at 2115 and had to walk back (through Columbus Park and over towards the Custom House) to where my sister had parked.  Once back inside Katie's car, drove back to Hanover (not as much traffic) and arrived there at 2215.  We found some fussy cats - they apparently hadn't been fed.  I spent a little time visiting with everyone but then retired to the guest room at 2245.  Before going to bed (2345), I spent some time reading and doing some Duolingo exercises.  What an amazing day of exploring, history, culture and family memories!

Nomad Life - Day 278

It's been a great week but it's finally time to depart from New Hampshire's North Country.  I was sad about this until, last night, I had a hard time sleeping because of the Canadian Forest Fire smoke smell got overwhelming at 0330 (I guess the holes in the door jamb were no match for the ash...).  Somehow, i managed to fall back to sleep again and finally woke up to start my telework day at 0645.  Earlier in the week, I'd worked extra hours so didn't plan to stay online long.  At 0800, I went to breakfast in the lobby of the Rodeway Inn (Gorham).  Like many of the other mornings, it was very loud in the dining area and I couldn't wait to get back to my room.  After I resumed teleworking, I verified that Mollie was on the move (she was driving from Scranton towards the Boston area).  Armed with this information, I knew I had a green light for our meet up at Katie & John's house in Massachusetts and didn't need another hotel.  At 1050, I started packing up my car and (five minutes later) checked out of my room (just over three hours of telework completed).  Before leaving Gorham, I drove west on US-2 to fill up my gas tank at the Irving station (1100).  When I turned around and drove back to the east on US-2, I passed "Dozer" and "Fast Cash" (hitchhiking).  Unlike last night, I waved but didn't stop.  Instead, I took NH-16 towards the south.  The weather was nice again (70s and sunny) and there wasn't much traffic yet.  Earlier, I'd started texting with Mike N (a friend from High School), who had said he might be able to meet me for lunch just south of Conway.  However, by the time I reached that point in my drive, he said he was tied up with work.  Instead of stopping, therefore, I continued around the west side of Conway at 1145 (used back roads near Cathedral Ledge.).  Back on NH-16, I encountered lots of slow traffic.  While trying to get some entertainment (to pass the time), I discovered new features with the subscription of Spotify (Mollie had gifted it to me).  Still on NH-16, I drove almost all the way to Rochester (which I bypassed).  I was soon driving on US-202 and then used NH-126, NH-9, NH-125,  New Boston Road and NH-108 to reach the Massachusetts border.  When I reached I-495, I decided to drive east (wanted to get on I-95 because my map app showed lots of red on I-93).  I then got off at Macy Street and stopped for a break at an Irving in Amesbury (1400).  Back on the road again (within five minutes), I drove south on I-95.  Along the way, I skipped lunch but ate snacks in the car.  Meanwhile, the traffic starting to build up (I guess took too long on the "scenic route").  By 1500, I'd reached the northern edge of Boston and was then stuck in a traffic jam for over an hour, just to drive about 25 miles.  The temps had risen to 82 F and the sky was still sunny and clear.  For some reason, Apple Maps routed me around the I-93/US-3 merge in Braintree and I ended up on city streets through Quincy. At around this same time, I joined a work meeting (finished the rest of my telework hours).  After much frustration, I finally arrived at Katie's home in Hanover (1600).  I'll admit to some relief to see that Mollie was already there.  We spent time visiting with John until Katie got home (just after 1700).  My sister was, by then, sick of her own work day - she suggested that we get some food (to go) and eat it at Nantasket Beach in Hull.  No one argued with this plan and John put in a pizza order at the Norwell Papa Gino's (a take out staple from my youth on Cape Cod).  By 1800, we'd departed from Hanover and stopped at the Big Y in Norwell (1820) to get some drinks to go with our dinner.  After our food was ready (1830), Katie drove us to Nantasket Beach.  Starting at 1845, we enjoyed our evening on the beach, eating our pizza, drinking some "Fresh Pick" beer (from Fort Hill Brewery), enjoying a rousing performance by the "Satuit Band" in the Bernie King Pavilion (they started at 1920), visiting a fish market, taking a walk along the waterfront (including passing by the remnants of Paragon Park and the restored Paragon Carousel) and watching a beautiful sunset beyond Boston Harbor (at around 2000).  Mollie and I talked a good bit and noticed other items of interest: a partially devoured fish (big), several influencers braving the cold water for their videographers and lighthouses in the distance.  My daughter told me that she liked the South Shore much better than the Outer Banks of North Carolina (I agreed with her).  After a wonderful evening of family and fun, we all drove back to Katie & John's (arrived by 2130).  We visited a bit more (and watched the cats playing) before I retired to the guest room for the evening (2230).  Beyond that, I read, did Duolingo exercises and then went to bed (2315).  Glad to be seeing Mollie, Katie and John again!

Nomad Life - Day 277

For some reason, I woke up much earlier than I normally do (0530).  Feeling wide awake, I started teleworking immediately.  At 0705, I went to breakfast in the lobby of the Rodeway Inn (Gorham).  This was the earliest I'd been in the dining area and that made it a bit more relaxing.  However, the waffle iron wasn't hot yet and there was no orange juice.  Oh well!  Back in my room again, I continued teleworking.  Lunch was snacks in the room but then I stayed online (meetings, etc.) until 1630. \ With the work day completed, I cooked and ate dinner in my room and spent time texting with Mollie (she was making progress in her drive towards New England).  By 1700, though, I was ready to go kayaking on Maine.  It was 70 F and sunny when I left the hotel and drove (via US-2) into Maine.  My target was the little town of Gilead and, by 1725, I'd parked at their boat launch on the Androscoggin River (i.e., the Landing at Bridge Street).  As I was unloading "Tequila Sunrise", I realized this was the first day I've really smelled the smoke from the Canadian wildfires.  Within 10 minutes, I'd launched my kayak and was pleased that there were no other people nearby.  However, I soon realized that I was "stuck" in a three-quarter-mile pocket of calm, lower current water.  Put another way: if I tried to go anywhere beyond this "safe" area, the rough water and strong current threatened to ruin my day - paddling would definitely be more difficult (or impossible) during any return if I got sucked downstream.  As a result, I spent almost two hours paddling along the edges of the river inside the pocket.  At times, the water was very shallow and I got hung up on the gravel of the river bottom.  At others, I could get very close to the "rapids" and still maintain my position in the calm water.  For the whole time, I managed to avoid getting swept away.  However, I also wished I'd brought a length of rope...  There were fly fishermen in the distance and, later, I met up with two families (dads & sons) who were fishing along the edge of the section of river where I was.  Throughout, the weather was very nice (sunny, 75 F) and the bugs weren't a problem.  Each time I completed a circuit and returned to the upriver end of the "pocket", I tried to get as far upstream as I could - this turned out to be great exercise.  Along the way, I observed (and heard) several interesting bird species (this is the "Summer of the Red-Eyed Vireo", I think).  My paddling (five miles in two hours) was done at 1935 and I ended up in a pleasant conversation with some locals while restowing my kayak on the roof of my Subaru.  With that step of my paddling day completed, I assessed my options.  At first, I thought about driving into Bethel and/or trying to finish up the Maine portion of the Cross New Hampshire Adventure Trail (XNHAT).  Another alternative was to return to Gorham for a drink at Big Day.  In the end, I settled for crossing the river and driving west (via North Road) to the New Hampshire border.  Along the way, I passed an XNHAT rider.  For my part, I logged another 2.5 miles of XNHAT (from Bridge Street to the border).  Hoping to get a bit more birding, I stopped at the border (1955, 65 F) - there were (like earlier in my visit to the area) good observations.  Beyond that, I made my way back to the west (North Road to Meadows Road) and eventually got back on US-2.  Still in deep thought about what I wanted to do for the rest of the evening, I got jolted back into the present when I was passing by the Appalachian Trail parking lot (Rattle River), with the sun in my eyes, when I saw two hikers hitchhiking.  Even though my car was pretty full with Nomad Life stuff, I decided to stop; they were VERY happy.  While reorganizing the car, I realized that I recognized the two guys - it was "Dozer" and "Fast Cash" from our Hanover Trail Magic last Thursday!  We were all equally stunned at the "small world" scenario and it made for some fun conversations.  After they and their gear were securely inside my car and I was driving them into Gorham, I learned they wanted to go to Big Day Brewing.  Of course, I decided to join them!  They also told me they were going to meet up with a Trail Angel there, so they didn't need much more of my assistance.  After arriving at Big Day, we stayed at the Brewery (they ate dinner but I only had a beer) until the venue closed (2100).  There was some really good conversation and I learned they were both accomplished hikers (they had met on the Continental Divide Trail) and "Fast Cash" was trying to complete the Eastern Continental Trail.  It was great to meet up with them!  At 2115, I said goodbye to my friends and they met up with the Trail Angel they were seeking.  While driving back to my hotel, I called Brenna and we talked for a little while.  The wildfire smoke smell had gotten much worse by the time I parked and the parking lot was full of four wheelers.  In my room again (2130), I spent time packing up (for my departure in the morning), reading, watching YouTube videos (on my phone) and getting settled for sleep.  Unfortunately, there were problems with the Internet again and my phone was not really able to provide the correct bandwidth to continue.  (Actually, the constant requirement to log on, nearly every five minutes, has been frustrating since I arrived...)  Eventually, I gave up on the technology and went to bed (2245).  Very glad my afternoon was full of paddling, trail bagging and AT Hiker camaraderie!

Nomad Life - Day 276

Once again, I was awake early (0600) - for once, though, I didn't start teleworking immediately.  Instead, I read for a little (finished a book) before getting online for my job (0615).  At 0715, I took a short break for breakfast in the lobby of the Rodeway Inn (Gorham).  Like most of the other days this week, the dining area was crowded with families.  Very quickly, I was back to teleworking and had calls and meetings all morning.  I didn't take a lunch break (only ate snacks) and stayed online continuously until 1630. With my telework complete, I made food for my dinner in the hotel room and scarfed it down while getting ready for an afternoon walk.  During this time, I also got to talk to Mollie (about her plans to visit New England during the coming days) on the phone.  After verifying she would be in the Boston area by Friday, I made plans to drive to Massachusetts and to stay with Katie and her family for part of the upcoming weekend.  At 1700, I departed my hotel and drove west on US-2.  The weather, once again, was marvelous (sunny and 78 F).  From the Appalachia Trailhead Parking Lot, I started hiking west on my last (unfinished) section of the Presidential Rail Trail at 1720.  The distance was only about one mile outbound (and another back) but I easily finished the Eastern portion of the trail.  This was also the last section in New Hampshire that I hadn't traveled on the Cross New Hampshire Adventure Trail (XNHAT).  Along the way, I passed several Monarch butterflies (which I learned later were breeding in the area).  There were great views (at times) of the surrounding mountain terrain - being in the North Country of New Hampshire never gets old...  I also had some encounters with small rodents, which I believe were woodchucks.  They each made a funny squealing noise while trying to avoid me and I learned later that groundhogs/woodchucks are nicknamed "whistle pigs" in the local area (hence the name of the Whiskey Distillery ?).  In the middle of this walk, I did a bit more exploring near the Randolph Department of Public Works.  By the time I got back to my car (1820), I'd walked about 2.5 miles in one full hour and was ready to depart for town.  Uncertain about what to do, though, I looked on my map to see where some good paddling might be.  I gave some thought about going to Jericho Mountain SP but then figured out that it might be closed (and too far away).  In the end, I drove towards Berlin (US-2 and NH-16) and stopped at the Gorham Hydro Dam Picnic Area.  It wasn't easy, but I was able to launch my kayak from a grassy landing there.  Between 1840 and 1940, I paddled up the Androscoggin River (against the current) until I was close to the "Cascades".  There was good birding nearby but the sound of the traffic on NH-16 was quite distracting.  In the west, the clouds whirled around and made the weather appear to be much more ominous than it actually was.  I turned around after just over a mile of paddling and returned to the orange buoys that marked the warning area for the Dam warning.  While getting my kayak out of the water and stowed on my Subaru, I met a guy who told me he was walking from Gorham to Berlin.  He seemed nice enough but I was relieved to be on my way about 10 minutes later.  I reached my hotel at 2000 and spent the evening reading, Duolingo, blog, eBird and watching movies.  I turned the lights out at 2230.  Feeling good about finishing up my walk across New Hampshire and for getting a chance to paddle again!

Nomad Life - Day 275

This morning, I woke up at 0630 and found that my muscles were still sore.  Worse, though, the blister was still festering.  Wondering how many days it will be before I feel "normal" again...  In any case, I started teleworking.  At 0745, I went to breakfast in the lobby of the Rodeway Inn (Gorham) and, after about 15 minutes, went back to the room for more teleworking.  Later (1215), I ate lunch in my room (leftovers from the previous evening) and was about to resume my telework day when the hotel's WiFi failed.  At first, it seemed like a minor glitch but, when I checked with the Front Desk, they predicted a two to three hour outage.  I took advantage of the moment to ask for some replacement towels (first change I've had this week).  Since it was nearly impossible to use my iPhone as a hotspot (because of the poor signal in the room), I decided to leave the hotel to complete my daily walk before the forecasted rain arrived.  When I was getting in my car (1235), the temps were in mid 70s; the day was windy and overcast.  Just like yesterday, I used US-2 to reach the section of the Presidential Rail Trail - this time, though, I parked at the Castle Trailhead.  By 1250, I had started walking east.  This section of trail was also part of the Cross New Hampshire Adventure Trail (XNHAT) and, without mileage markers, I planned to try to minimize the distance I'd have left during the coming week.  At times, there were sprinkles of rain and the wind never let up.  Still, though, the walk was pretty easy and I managed to reach the Appalachia Trailhead Parking Lot (one that is usually completely full of cars).  After I began my backtrack, the weather got progressively worse and I worried that I'd get soaked.  Fortunately, though, I completed my (six mile) walk at 1445 without any rain developing.  Only about one mile to go on the XNHAT!  As quickly as I could, I departed the Castle Trailhead and drove back (via US-2) to my hotel.  When I arrived (1500), I was able to resume my telework day because the WiFi was working again.  To catch up on my working hours, I stayed online until 1830.  Strangely, I started hearing a lot of noise in the room next to me - the hotel was mostly empty but the Front Desk thought I'd like company, I guess!  I thought it might be a hiker but, when I saw the young man, I learned he was a local whose home had flooded.  Dang...  With work complete, I left my hotel and drove to Big Day Brewing (arrived at 1845).  This was the first time I'd been at the venue in several years but I had good memories of it as the place where I celebrated after finishing the New Hampshire portion of the Appalachian Trail.  Also, I'd once had lunch with my Finnish friend, Inka, at this restaurant (after I helped her retrieve her phone in 2023).  After sitting down at the bar, I ordered a flight of beers (they were all new ones since my last visit).  I passed the time talking with other patrons (mostly about local paddling activities and an upcoming 24 hour biking event at Great Glens) but then ordered some dinner (a large and tasty taco salad).  As my evening was winding down, I had an interesting conversation with a local tax accountant.  By 1930, I was ready to call it a night and headed back to my hotel (arrived at 1945), where spent the rest of the evening working on my blog, reading and doing more Thanksgiving planning.  Bed time was at 2230.  Despite all the warnings about rain and inclement weather, it never really got nasty (just some sprinkles).  Crossing my fingers that carries through the rest of the week!

Nomad Life - Day 274

New work week!  This morning, I woke up at 0545 to more signs that I am aging - my whole body was sore and my blister was not looking good.  Oh well...  I immediately started teleworking but later (0730) took a break for breakfast in the lobby of the Rodeway Inn (Gorham).  The venue was very crowded so I was glad to get back to my room (birding on the way).  Outside, it was clear and sunny (temp 55 F).  I continued working until noon, when I took a break for lunch (snacks) and to work on the notes for the Notre Dame Alumni Magazine.  During this same window, I talked to Brenna on the phone.  By 1300, I was back to work and continued until 1330m, when I had a phone call with the Resort in Nashville where our family's Thanksgiving will be held.  Afterwards, I returned to work again and powered on through to 1715 before calling it a day.  After cooking and eating dinner in my room, I left my hotel (1720).  It was still sunny and clear (76 F).  I drove west on US-2 and south on NH-115 until I arrived at Israel River Road.  Next, I drove west to NH-115A and, after turning south, reached the eastern trailhead of the Presidential Rail Trail (West Section).  Back in 2025, I'd turned around at this location (after hiking there from Pondicherry Wildlife Refuge).  Using the map provided by the Cross New Hampshire Adventure Trail (XNHAT) team, I then started following the paved/gravel detour that avoided the railroad bed in that area (perhaps for private property reasons?) - this was basically a backtrack to NH-115 via the route I'd taken to get there.  Continuing across the blacktop, I ended up on Valley Road, which I used to drive all the way to Jefferson Notch Road.  Along the way, I passed, Muddy Paws Dogsledding, where I'd had a great day in the snow back in early 2025.  Upon reaching the western end of the Presidential Rail Trail (East Section), I found a place to park (1800) and then started walking east.  Once again, I had great weather and was treated to beautiful mountain views.  During the walk, I got lots of good bird sightings (and hits on the Merlin App).  I encountered some mountain bikers but the section was mostly deserted.  It was, however, very buggy.  When crossing over a small creek, I encountered a muskrat or beaver who didn't initially see me - when he did, he made a huge splash in trying to "escape" (that's two such incidents in a week!).  I reached the Castle Trailhead and then backtracked to the west - I arrived at my car by 1940 (after 4.6 miles).  Next, I drove east (via Valley Road again) until I was able to get back on US-2.  Arriving in Gorham (1955), I didn't immediately return to my hotel.  Instead, I checked out the end of Mechanic Street, hoping to find a place to launch my kayak.  Sadly, this didn't end up being a good option for that because the neighborhood there was located on a high bluff above the Androscoggin River.  Back in my room again (2000), I found lots of blood from my nasty blister and spent some time cleaning and soaking it.  Guess I'll continue to pay for the Mount Washington climb for a while.  Fortunately, my muscles appear to be gradually improving so I plan to continue trying to walk on the Presidential Rail Trail and XNHAT.  For the rest of the evening, I did some more Thanksgiving planning (emails) and blog catchup.  While drinking a bit more of the Allagash "Variety Pack" I'd bought weeks earlier, I skipped watching movies again but, instead, completed some late Duolingo exercises before heading to bed (2300).  Glad for the nice weather again today - hope it lasts a bit longer this week!

Nomad Life - Day 273

When I woke up this morning (0515) and immediately confronted the price I'd be paying for my hike up Mount Washington yesterday.  I was feeling sore and it was hard to move.  Initially, I spent some time reading, doing puzzles and Duolingo exercises.  At 0700, I went to breakfast in the lobby of the Rodeway Inn (Gorham) - fortunately, there was more substantial food than I'd seen the day before.  Back in my room again, I did some more reading before resuming my work on my travel blog (lots to catch up on).  This project kept me online through noon and then I did a bunch of cleanup (clothes) and organizing my items.  Along the way, I ate "lunch" (snacks) in room.  I continued working on my blog until 1345 and then departed the hotel for some outdoor activities.  I first drove west (via US-2 and NH-16) to the Appalachian Trail (Mahoosuc Trail) parking lot located next to the Androscoggin River.  By then, the weather was sunny and windy, with temperatures in the mid 60s.  After getting geared up, I departed from my car (1350) and started my walk across the river.  I initially used Power House Road but soon ran into a dead end at the power house itself.  Beyond that, I transitioned to a back road that took me onto a 4-wheeler trail to the north.  This was essentially the same track that might be considered the Presidential Rail / Recreational Trail on the east side of the river and I'd walked it the first time I was in the area (2021).  Once I crossed the northern end of the Androscoggin River Reservoir, I turned onto the Cross New Hampshire Adventure Trail (XNHAT) trail (through the woods) that connected to Hogan Road.  On that route, I continued east in search of the place I'd reached in my car (from the east) back in 2021.  Almost immediately, I encountered a young family with two German Shepherds - they jumped on me but were otherwise friendly.  After passing the power house (from the opposite side), I found the correct turnaround spot.  With the loop completed, I began my backtrack towards the car.  There was some good birding in this area!  When I reached my car again (1535), my pedometer said that I'd walked 4.5 miles - what a nice day!  In my car again, I returned to my hotel and changed clothing.  The blister on my foot was festering but I was able to clean it quickly,  Part of me wanted to wrap up my day at that point but I decided to stick with an earlier plan to attend church.  So, at 1730, I departed from the hotel again and drove (via US-2 and NH-16) to Berlin.  The weather looked great (sunny, clear and 72 F)!  My destination was St. Anne's Church, a beautiful structure where I've attended Mass before.  This evening's service began at 1800 and it was nice to see Father Kyle (who I'd met during hiking trips in the past) again.  Since my last visit, the whole sanctuary had been renovated and restored to it's glory.  The music was wonderful and I was very glad I'd come out for church after such a nice weekend.  Afterwards (1900), I drove a short way (on the one-way NH-16) in the Downtown area and parked.  From my car, I walked over to a place I'd noticed on the way into town: Hydro Tavern.  Hoping to try some local beer and have a nice dinner, I went inside to check out the venue.  After sitting down (1910), I ordered a Hydro Brew (house beer) and a "Big Smack" poutine (it was a LOT of food).  On the bar's TV, I watched results of the World Cup (Spain had just won the championship).  Afterwards (1945), walked around in PSNH Smith Hydro Park (behind the restaurant).  There was a HUGE tube for Androscoggin River water to fill the town's water tower (wow!) and some good birding as the sun was setting behind the mountains to the west (temps at 60 F).  With my walk completed, I headed back to Gorham (reverse route from earlier) and arrived at my hotel by 2010.  For the rest of the evening, I read and watched movies.  Bed time was at 2300.  What a great weekend!

Nomad Life - Day 272

When I woke up this morning, I wasn't entirely sure that I wanted to attempt to clime Mount Washington but had decided to give it a try.  It was, after all, "Seek the Peak" Day and I've been wanting to complete the full project (raise some money, hike in the Whites and attend the Outdoor Expo) since I'd first heard about the fundraising event (in support of the Mount Washington Observatory, MWOBS) a few years before.  Up until now, my two (plus) hour drive had prevented a big hike day but I had no such excuse this year. Weather conditions were the main factor but my (only recently healed) heel bursitis and other physical considerations were weighing heavily on my mind.  Almost immediately, I caught a break when I woke up at 0545 (before alarm) - feeling rested went in the "yes" column...  However, when I went to breakfast in the lobby of the Rodeway Inn (Gorham) at 0625, I discovered that they hadn't opened yet - fortunately, I found some yogurt and bananas (and washed it down with juice).  That's not the most encouraging start, in terms of caloric intake, that I could have had but I knew I had plenty of leftover Trail Magic snacks to make up the deficit.  I departed the hotel at 0640 and used US-2 and NH-16 to drove towards Pinkham Notch.  At that point, the weather conditions were misty and overcast, with temps in the mid 50s.  MWOBS had forecasted good hiking conditions in the morning and I was intend on verifying this with their representatives when I arrived at the Notch.  A bigger problem presented itself before this, however - I was VERY lucky to find one of the last parking spots at Pinkham (0700).  With a list I'd made the night before, I finished packing up my daypack bag.  After that, I doused myself in sunscreen and bug spray, took one more bathroom break, checked the weather (with some MWOBS reps at the National Forest Visitor Center) and made the final "Go" decision.  By the time I started hiking up the Tuckerman Ravine Trail (recommended by my hiking guide as the best way to "Peak Bag" Washington) at 0720, there weren't many other people standing or walking nearby.  In the back of my mind, I started wondering if I was very late or very early...  Strangely, I couldn't remember ever climbing this mountain from "the bottom"; to set up for my Appalachian Trail hikes across the Presidential Traverse, I used other means (Cog Railway & Shuttle).  As a result, my route up the Tuckerman Ravine was a spectacular experience.  On one hand, the trail was just like many others that I'd followed in the White Mountains - VERY rocky.  The grade wasn't too bad at first but I knew that I'd pay for this eventually.  You see, I had about 4,300 feet of elevation to gain in just over four miles and every bit that was shallow meant that another part was going to be nearly vertical.  At times, I caught up to hiking groups (most much younger than me) but I was also passed by super fast hikers.  Humorously, though, I often caught back up to those who passed me because they seemed to like stopping for talking breaks.  I, on the other hand, tried to just keep moving.  Later, I figured out that I was walking about one mile per hour - not my best pace but, all things considered, a wise decision.  During the course of the day, I figured out that there were hundreds of other people hiking on the many trails that lead to the summit of Mount Washington.  Almost everywhere I looked, I saw them (up close or very far away) crawling on rocks and passing through gaps in the foliage.  Within my "personal space", I encountered a tremendous number of young Quebecois men, whose French was too thick for me to comprehend.  At one point, though, one of them ("Alex") stopped to talked to me and we hiked together for a little while.  He didn't appear to have done a lot of research on the Mountain so was eager to find out what I knew.  Between deep breaths, I did my best to inform him.  There were several route opportunities as I reached the end of the western traverse of the Tuckerman Ravine but I stayed on the main trail all the way to the Hermit Lake Shelters.  I took a break on the deck of the Caretaker Cabin there and ate some food and hydrated before tackling the major task at hand.  In a 270 view around me, I saw the high ridges of the Tuckerman "Headwall" - it was very daunting...  At that point, it occurred to me that I'd only had a few bird sightings (or Merlin App hits) because I was so focused on my hike and, more importantly, hadn't wanted to drain my battery.  With my pack on my back again (0905), I continued west and the grade got REALLY steep in the ravine as I climbed up a nearly sheer face of rock.  To my left, there was a beautiful waterfall - this reduced the temperatures of the still-sunny day and I started wondering when/if I should put on some layers.  I passed a few little shelters (first aid stations) that were clearly set up for winter activities in the Ravine and there were warnings about avalanches.  At times, I walked through puddles or rivulets of water and several times had to watch my step to avoid falling down the steep embankment.  I passed a few folks (and some passed me) but I was mostly settled between a group of shirtless young men (sporting "NIKA" tattoos on their chests) and a father & son duo who were right behind me.  Mostly, I just focused on making slow and steady progress - I was assisted in this by some yellow arrows that were pained on rocks at various intervals.  Eventually, I reached the top of the "Headwall" and found myself within visual range of the (top of the) large antenna on the summit of Mount Washington.  To get to my destination, though, I had to turn towards the north and then walk across a HUGE boulder field.  Unlike my experience on the AT, there didn't appear to be much in the way of trail design (e.g., stairs).  The wind was much stronger in this area and I finally put on a sweatshirt.  Only then did I recall that I hadn't added gloves or a winter hat to my gear (dang).  Fortunately, though, it never really got very cold.  At times in this part of the hike, I'll admit, I wanted to stop.  Fortunately, the "shared misery" among all of us who were climbing kept everyone moving upward.  Meanwhile, everyone coming down said "you are almost there!"  Actually, only one guy really made me believe it and that was when I'd reached the point of most despair.  Following some cairns and the mass of other hikers, I carefully threaded my way through uncertain and (frankly) treacherous rocks.  In the end, reaching the top of Mount Washington required more psychological stamina than physical.  Despite not having been exercised at this level of effort for several years, my body didn’t feel to bad when I reached the 6288’ summit.  That was kind of a surprise...  In order to truly claim I'd hiked to the top, though, I still had to climb set of wooden stairs (!!!!) to reach the summit area - I was at the "Tip Top" house by 1130.  Unfortunately, there were LOTS of people there, with the Auto Road bringing up a steady stream of cars and the Cog Railway dropping off trainloads of passengers.  From the opposite side of the mountain from where I'd come, I encountered some AT Thru Hikers - they looked just as shocked as I was about the Mass of Humanity.  I took a short bathroom break and then tried to get photo of the summit sign without waiting in the huge line.  In this last task, I wasn't extremely successful but, since I'd stood there in the past, I decided to start back down again (1140).  It was pleasant on the summit but I had a real desire to get out of the Alpine Zone because MWOBS had forecasted a major (rain, hail, high winds) storm for the 1300 timeframe.  I carefully made my way back down through the boulder field, using muscles I hadn't used for years.  There were some times when I thought I was about to faceplant but my core kept me balanced in each case.  By 1200, I'd reached the junction for the Lion Head Trail.  The sign just pointed east and I had to ask a nearby group if I was heading in the correct direction.  I got lucky in this question, though, because they were a formal hiking group, with guides contracted by the organizers of the "Seek the Peak" event.  They weren't ready to leave for Pinkham Notch but I knew I'd see them again.  Continuing on, solo, I had to navigate an even larger boulder (think "glacial erratic") field to an area where the trail was easier to follow.  The whole experience reminded me of my descent out of Mount Madison...  It hadn't started raining yet but some of these granite rocks were already wet.  The difficulty in "walking" while the terrain was mostly dry punctuated the need for me to hurry below the tree line...  For most of the hike along the Lion Head Trail, I encountered very few people - however, I could hear a large crowd coming down behind me.  Once in the scrub brush, I had an easier time for a while and finally reached the Lion Head formation/boulders (1255).  By that point, my muscles had started hurting a lot more and I became aware of at least one large blister on my heel.  Still, I kept walking (weather still on my mind).  I started to meet people coming uphill and did my best to try to warn them about the incoming weather.  They continued anyway...  It might have been my delivery, though, because the formal hiking group caught me (I joined them) and the two guides put much more fear in the minds of the people we passed.  Some turned around, based on the advice they got.  As we continued descending, I ended up talking with the folks who had also tagged along with the group.  This included Emanual (a young man from Ohio who had left the trailhead at 0430), Todd (a man who was about my age who had left at 0630) and Kelvyn (one of the leaders of the guided group that had left at 0800).  I mostly held my own with them but the last mile of the Lion Head sucked (lots of up, down, rock scramble, mud, etc.).  After so many hours on my feet, the condition of the trail was very disheartening.  But it ended up getting worse after we rejoined the Tuckerman Ravine Trail.  I was still 2.3 miles from the road when it really started raining and, after that, the trail conditions degraded significantly.  Trying not to think about the foot pain (blisters, sore), I just plodded along.  I ended up passing several older men who were struggling with their knee pain and I realized how lucky I had been on that score.  Actually, a larger surprise involved the lack of a specific pain in my own foot - after years of questioning whether my heel bursitis would ever go away, I’ve got my answer (it's gone!).  After hours of slogging, I finally arrived at Pinkham Notch at 1520.  My guide said I'd walked 8.5ish miles but two of my pedometers showed 10 miles (the third showed 2.5 miles)...  I'd been on the hiker for about eight hours and all I could do was lay/sit on a bench (covered) at the White Mountain Visitor Center.  It seemed wise to start eating snacks and drinking water (trying to get back to normal).  Todd, who I'd left behind a few miles before, arrived about 15 minutes after me and we spent some time talking about Peak Bagging and other White Mountain experiences we'd had.  Meanwhile, the rain continued, making me doubt whether the Outdoor Expo was still going to take place.  Not wanting to miss out on the full "Seek the Peak" experience, I departed for Wildcat Mountain at 1550 and arrived at the celebration event about 10 minutes later.  This was the first year "Seek the Peak" was being held at Wildcat and that was very good because it was still misty and rainy.  Most of the events were inside but there were hiking/outdoor outfitter booths outside.  Before looking around, I got a lot of swag for my fundraising: a "Ragged" beanie, two food coupons, four lottery tickets, two lift tickets for Wildcat D (although the lift closed for maintenance), sports/hiking socks, an EMS "Seek the Peak" Sector 35(L) backpack, etc.  Carrying this with me, I walked around to see everything (and picked up my socks) and entered the raffle.  Along the way, I got snacks (cookies, banana).  At 1630, I figured out that dinner was a buffet with lots of Gluten Free options and a few meat options.  Hoping to continue hydrating (and avoid buying some beer), I looked for water.  However, I initially only found pink lemonade (later, I found a water fountain).  I ended up sitting at a table with some MWOBS staff and a Navy Vet.  We had a good conversation.  When they departed, I ended up being joined by a family group (of 22!) who were wearing matching shirts in memory of their relative "Mike".  Over the course of the next hour, I learned that the young man had hiked Mount Washington the year before but then had passed away unexpectedly.  Their stories about him, along with photos they'd carried during their hikes on Mount Washington (from the west side of the ridge) provided a very moving tribute of their friend.  Later (1800), I went upstairs with all of the folks who'd entered the raffle and we were treated to a long session of awards (the winners got to talk as long as they wanted).  It wasn't until 1830 that the lottery began but this delay had a silver lining: many people got wonderful gifts and some got more than one.  The whole thing reminded me of a White Elephant Gift Exchange.  I didn't win anything (but didn't need anything).  The festivities were done at 1905 and I drove back to Gorham, arriving at my hotel by 1930.  It took some time to unload all of my gear and almost all of it was very wet.  My muscles and bones had started to ache and I took a much-needed bath.  Beyond that, I started working on my blog and social media - I watched movies until bed time (2300).  What a day - I'm still stunned that I managed to climb the Granddaddy of all the White Mountains this morning!

Nomad Life - Day 271

Today was my last planned day in the Upper Valley for a while.  Since I arrived nearly two weeks before, it's been a great visit!  Starting with an early wakeup (0515), I initiated my telework day in order to get a head started on my hours.  I took a break at 0645 to have breakfast in the lobby of the Quality Inn (Lebanon) but then got back to telework.  Meanwhile, outside, the weather was beautiful (sunny, clear, 60s).  Somehow, I stayed online (with only one short break to print things at the hotel Business Center) until 1050.  After that, I packed up my car and checked out of the hotel (1100).  Anticipating a lunch meet up with my friend, Joe C, I drove across NH-120 to The Fort (diner).  Only then did I realized we'd planned to get together about 30 minutes later.  After texting with my friend to confirm we were definitely on track, I ordered lunch.  Joe arrived by 1130 and we had a nice time visiting while enjoying some good food.  The last time we'd seen each other was on the Seacoast back in August 2025 and a lot has happened since then!  We finished up our visit at 1230 and said goodbye.  Next, I drove east on Heater Road (delays due to major construction) so I could add things to my storage unit.  When I finished with that quick task, I backtracked to NH-120 (despite more delays for construction) and drove to Greensboro Ridge Natural Area.  As I'd done back on June 28, I wanted to do some Trail Monitoring (Volunteering) for the Hanover Conservancy.  Before arriving, though, I joined a work telcon (in "listen only" mode) and that continued for a majority of the next hour while I was walking on all of the trails in the Natural Area (1305 to 1345).  Along the way, I found some blowdowns (fallen trees) and later reported them to the Hanover Conservancy Office.  During my pleasant walk, which reminded me of so many times I'd visited Greensboro Ridge while living in Hanover, I was blessed with very nice weather (temps stable in the 70s).  Finished with both the telcon and the hike (1405), I got in my car and started my drive to Coos County.  At about that time, I noticed that my Subaru Outback ("Nessie") had just reached 100,000 miles - wow!  My route, which used to be so familiar to me while I was hiking the Appalachian Trail (through 2023), consisted of using NH-10 to reach River Road, a drive through Lyme along the Connecticut River, crossing over the Edgell Cover Bridge (open again after repairs) and rejoining NH-10 in Orford.  Beyond that, I continued all the way to Woodsville and then joined US-302.  From there, I drove through Littleton (lots of traffic) and continued north until I reached Whitefield.  After turning briefly on to US-3, I used NH-116 (less traffic) to reach US-2 in Jefferson.  The only thing I had to do after that was drive east to Gorham.  The route came back to me easily and I didn't use my Google Maps at all during the drive.  As I approached my hotel in Gorham, I started to encounter lots more traffic again (weekend rush, I guess).  By 1615, I'd checked into my hotel, the Rodeway Inn (a place I used many times while hiking the Appalachian Trail), and had (quickly) unpacked as much as I could in order to get ready for the next day of hiking in the Whites.  Only then did I resume teleworking.  Fortunately, due to my morning work period, I only had to stay online for one hour and, by 1730, I'd finished up my work week.  I used the next hour to get more organized and then ate some "dinner" (leftover snacks from the Trail Magic Day).  Along the way, I also had time to research for my potential climb of Mount Washington in the morning and packing up my daypack (first time in a while).  With a hope of getting in some more exercise, I departed the hotel at 1845 and drove east on US-2.  Almost immediately, I started passing AT hikers who were walking towards Gorham.  After about 25 minutes on the road, I stopped at the pull-off for Reflection Pond (Shelburne), a place I used to stop at (for a break) during many AT Hiking Trips.  By 1910, I'd launched "Tequila Sunrise" and started a counterclockwise loop in my kayak.  Over the course of an hour (under beautiful conditions), I got lots of good views of the surrounding mountains (reflected, as advertised, on the calm surface of the water), enjoyed some good birding (first Alder Flycatcher) and watched a funny beaver (he'd somehow gotten out of the water but was so desperate to return, despite my closeness, that he practically "swan dived" to escape me).  I was finished with my much-delayed (due to other commitments) paddle at 2010 (after 2.5ish miles).  Hoping to complete the farthest eastern section of the Cross New Hampshire Adventure Trail (XNHAT), drove east on US-2 and then followed North Road all the way to the Maine Border.  Somehow, I'd missed this section of the trail during many previous hikes and drives so it was nice to be done.  The border itself, which I found at 2030, was marked only with a blank standing stone.  I got out of the car on the Maine side of the border and did some birding (62 F) before turning around and heading west on North Road.  During this time, I got to talk with Mollie and watch a very pink sunset.  Eventually, I turned south on Meadows Road and made my way back to Gorham via US-2.  In my hotel room again (2100), I continued planning for my upcoming hiking day.  Unusual for me: I didn't watch any movies - instead, I just kept sorting, cleaning and packing until bed time (2300).  I'm glad to be back in the New Hampshire North Country!