Nomad Life - Day 297

Today was going to be my last full day working in Keene and I hoped to take advantage of several interesting opportunities for outdoor activity and beer tasting before it was over.  Fortunately, I was awake at 0515 and started teleworking immediately.  At 0800, I went to breakfast in the lobby of the Days Inn (Keene).  After returning to teleworking, I had a series of meetings - that made for a more interesting day at "the office" than I've seen recently...  I ate lunch (that I'd made myself) in my room at 1245.  I then kept working until my day was complete at 1500.  Fifteen minutes later, I departed from the Days Inn.  Outside, it was very sunny (partial eclipse was earlier in the day) and the temps were again in the low 80s.  Instead of doing my walking exercise first, I decided to take advantage of one more day with Tequila Sunrise.  To reach the paddling location, I took NH-9 to the west and crossed the Connecticut River.  In Vermont, I used US-5 and back roads into to Downtown Brattleboro - from there, it wasn't hard to find the Retreat Meadows Access (boat launch).  When I arrived at 1545, I found the parking lot to be VERY steep - somehow, I managed to park in a place where I could unload my kayak.  Nearby, an older lady (with red hair) was doing the same thing, although she was accompanied by a little dog who excitedly got into the kayak when she launched.  I got my boat in the water right behind her (1550) and started paddling east towards the mouth of the West River.  The large estuary where I was had so many kinds of vegetation chocking it and the water was very shallow.  As a result, I had to veer very far to the south (i.e., away from the river) to reach the exit.  Actually, the lady with her dog was very helpful in this scenario - I followed her and soon found the narrow channel that led to the Connecticut River.  When I reached the main channel, I immediately started paddling south (downriver).  As I'd seen during the previous two days, there were lots of motorboats (and jetskis) and people didn't seem to care how much of a wake they kicked up (this made for some tough paddling for me at times).  Also, it started to get much more windy as I continued and I started to wonder how hard it would be to get back to my car...  I hugged the Vermont shoreline initially (nice and shady) but eventually had to cross the river to the New Hampshire side because the river basically forked near an island on the south end of Brattleboro.  In this way, I reached Norm's Marina (NH) at 1640.  Since I'd been rushed before, I hadn't put on any sunscreen - as a result, I go out of the water here to apply it.  As I was getting ready to launch again, a little red boat (it looked like the one in the movie "The African Queen" and seemed to be steam powered) passed by and tooted its "train whistle" in greeting.  Taking his cue, I paddled due west (from NH to VT) for almost a mile until I was again hugging the Vermont shoreline.  In the shade again, I paddled back to the north.  When I passed the outflow of the West River, I didn't stop and, instead, made my way to the area near the NH-9 Bridge (where I'd been yesterday).  My turnaround point ended up being the opposite side of the river from the "Great Gulf" (just south of the bridge itself).  When I started my backtrack, I had to contend with lots of motor boats and wakes - ugh...  Otherwise, though, it was mostly smooth water.  I finally reached the opening for the estuary (West River) and paddled carefully through the shallow water and vegetation choked estuary.  My (probably) last paddling event of 2026 was finished at 1810.  Like it has been during the last few days, the mileage calculation was difficult.  Even though I only paddled (per my map) about two new miles of Connecticut River, I had all the extra paddling in the West River and the river crossings (twice) to get to the shoreline I wanted.  As a result, I think it is fair to say that I paddled for eight miles this afternoon.  What a great three days - 10 new miles of CT River and lots of good memories!  After leading up my kayak, I left Brattleboro (1825) and used a backtrack route (mostly NH-9) to reach Keene.  For the walking portion of my outdoor activity today, I parked at the trailhead for the Cheshire Rail Trail (North Section) on Whitcomb's Mill Road at 1845 and started walking east.  It was only then that I remembered that some rain had been forecasted and I quickly retrieved an umbrella from my car.  This turned out to be a great decision because the water started falling about five minutes later.  This made for a soggy slog through the wooded area west of town.  However, I still made it easily to my last turnaround (from Monday) on the trail (Pitcher Street, about 1.5 miles from my car) and then backtracked without incident.  Even though I'd walked three miles when I finished at 1745, this might have been the least eventful hike of my entire summer in New Hampshire...  To cap off my evening, I headed into town (following back roads to the north of NH-9) until I arrived at the Elm Street Brewery & Pub (on Island Street).  It ended up being inside of one of the old mill buildings (huge smokestacks) I'd seen on my first day of Cheshire Rail Trail hiking in Keene.  I sat down just after 2000 and ordered a light dinner of soup & salad, accompanied by a flight of four beers (including one called "Peachy Keene").  The bar was very busy so I wasn't able to sit there - the nice server I ended up with more than made up for the "rejection".  After getting done with my beer and food (2040), I drove back my hotel (arrived within 5 minutes).  For the rest of the evening, I did paperwork and planning for the next few days (including touring Toronto with Monte).  Even though I didn't watch any movies, I still didn't got to bed until 2315.  I've enjoyed my time in Keene - it is a nice city that deserves another visit!  Connecticut River Today = 2.0 miles / All Time CT River = 135.5 miles (125 continuous from Woodsville to NH-9 Bridge) 

Nomad Life - Day 296

Somehow, I managed to wake up at 0605 (before my alarm) and start my telework day.  I ate breakfast in lobby of the Days Inn (Keene) at about 0745 and then went back to telework.  Once again, it was another slow day.  Somehow, I kept working until 1500.  I ordered lunch from Panera again (used the last of Brenna's gift card to me) but, this time, I just left the hotel and ate the food in the restaurant.  After that, I headed east on NH-9 so I could start my outdoor activities,  It was sunny and temps were in the low 80s today - what a great day!  After making my way through some roundabouts, I drove east to NH-101 and found the northern terminus for Cheshire Rail Trail South.  There really wasn't an official trailhead but I parked in a gravel area along the side of the busy highway at 1530.  Instead of walking south, though, I headed north and west towards the Center of Keene.  Initially, I walked on some city streets through quiet residential areas.  Before long, though, I reached a paved rail trail called the (Keene) Industrial Heritage Trail.  This took me all the way to the shopping areas near Main Street and I visited Railroad Square again (like yesterday).  Since there was no official trail, I started my backtrack via some different parking lot roads.  Along the way, I saw a wall mural that celebrated the movie "Jumanji", which was apparently filed in Keene.  After reaching the end of the Industrial Heritage Trail again, I noticed that there was major construction across the street - it turned out to be an extension of the trail (in the old railroad bed) that paralleled the city streets I'd used on the outbound leg.  Later, I met a lady who was walking her dog and children and she explained that the new section was supposed to open in the Fall - too bad I missed that!  When I reached my car again, I figured out that I'd completed the Cheshire Rail Trail "Central" section (see yesterday's notes about the trail organization).  My car was on the opposite side of NH-101 and, after I crossed the highway, I began walking the Cheshire Rail Trail Southern section.  This took me across one of the local examples (of several) of a stone arch bridge (Cheshire Railroad Stone Arch Bridge) - impressive!  I didn't walk very long and turned around again at Swanzey Factory Road.  I was back at my car by 1700 (after probably 0.3 on that rail trail).  My total of walking for the day had, by then, reached 3.5 total miles.  With paddling in mind again, I drove back through Keene (on NH-101 and NH-9) in the direction of West Chesterfield.  Along the way, I stopped briefly at the Chesterfield Gorge.  There were some trails but the "gorge" was not very impressive.  I talked to a family (visiting from another country?) but then got back in my car (1725).  Overall, I spent less than 10 minutes there.  Continuing west, I located the Chesterfield River Road Access boat launch (the same place I visited yesterday) by 1740.  This time, the lot was filled with SO many cars.  I tried all kinds of ways to park but finally had to leave my car almost in the bushes (to allow room for trailers to launch and not get hit).  At about the same time, another guy showed up (he had a huge boat trailer) so I felt lucky that I even had been able to park...  Tequila Sunrise was launched and I was paddling away from the landing by 1745 - this time, I headed south in the Connecticut River.  My initial goal was to paddle to the Old Ferry Boat Launch (VT) and I made my way in that direction (hugging the Vermont side of the river to stay in the shade).  Along the way, I passed an interesting formation of Canada Geese in a long line and got to see more of the swallows diving that had entertained me last night.  I arrived at the Old Ferry Boat Launch earlier than I expected and decided to keep going to the NH-9 bridge that I didn't think was much farther.  At around that time, I passed a small green clearing that had a literal container home - there was a guy living there and I started to get some ideas...  Eventually, I reached the bridge, which the map said was five miles from my starting point.  There were lots of tents under bridge and I saw people who were clearly living there.  I wasn't sure whether to believe the mileage claim but I made sure to turn around in the place on the map called the "Great Gulf" (a little creek just below the … bridge).  My backtrack upriver began at 1850.  Just as I crossed under the bridge again, I noticed that two motorboats waited on me (saving me from more wake disruption) - I happily waved to them.  As I made my way back to the car, I started to get tired - only then did I really start believing that I'd be logging a 10 mile day on the water!  As the evening cooled, I also got to enjoy some more glassy water surface - so pretty.  The sun probably officially set before I arrived at my car (2010) but I felt like I could get the boat stowed much quicker than I had the previous night,  Temps had dropped to 72 F (pleasant).  Like last night, I thought about going to a brewery but discovered that most were closed on Tuesdays.  Oh well!  I headed back to my hotel (via the reverse route of earlier in the afternoon) and arrived at 2030.  In my room again, I spent the rest of the evening catching up on my travel blog, watching movies and doing Duolingo exercises.  In the end, I stayed up MUCH later than I planned (0015).  Still, it was another good day of outdoor fun!  Connecticut River Today = 5.0 miles / All Time CT River = 133.5 miles (123 continuous from Woodsville to NH-9 Bridge) 

Nomad Life - Day 295

New Nomad Life "home", new work week!  This morning, I was up at 0515 and started teleworking.  At 0800, went to breakfast in the lobby of the Days Inn (Keene) and then went back to teleworking very quickly.  Sadly, I had another slow work day (these seem to be getting more and more common).  Despite the relative boredom, I didn't leave my computer until I finally decided to order some lunch from the Panera across the street from the hotel.  At 1455, I ordered some food (used my gift card from Brenna) and then walked to the restaurant.  In the end, I spent less than five minutes away from my desk!  Once I was back online I ate my food while I wrapped up my telework day (1530).  Almost immediately, I departed from the hotel and started exploring Downtown Keene.  The day was partly cloudy and the temps were in the mid 80s.  I'd done some research on the Cheshire Rail Trail and finally (after trying several side roads unsuccessfully) located it near the Keene State Campus.  However, I had a hard time finding a place where I could legally park without paying at the meter.  There lots of signs about towing...  Despite this, I stopped in a few places to check on signage, etc.  Finally (1600), I found a "two hour parking" spot near the city's Transportation Hub (near the corner of Gilbo & Main).  The Cheshire Rail Trail (albeit in sidewalk form) passed right by and I started walking east.  The information I'd seen was that the Cheshire Railroad used to travel between Walpole and Fitzwilliam (passing through Keene in the middle) in a continuous line of track.  However, the demise of the railroad led to several cuts in the right of way - this turned the trail into a Northern Section (northwest of Keene) and Southern Section (southeast of Keene).  Each section was about 21 miles but, until recently, could not be connected with "official" trail.  Now, however, there is a "Central" section (my term) that allows walkers and bikers to safely (and rather easily) finish a nearly 43 mile trail in one go.  Anyway, I was walking near almost the exact middle of the trail and I first checked out Railroad Square (near Gilbo & Main) before backtracking past my car and on sidewalks towards the west.  I soon reached the trail junction for the Ashuelot Trail, which I'd last walked in August 2025 (down near the border with Massachusetts).  This, then, was the northern terminus (20+ miles away from the southern terminus).  I followed the Ashuelot to the south until I reached the Keene State ball fields.  Backtracking from there, I got back on the Cheshire Trail and walked west on Emerald Street, then a bike trail and then Island Street.  At this latter road, I located the start of the Northern Section of Cheshire Rail Trail.  It was a nice tree-lined pathway that headed west and I used it to cross NH-9 until I reached Pitcher Street.  From there, I backtracked to my car (arrived at 1730).  With my walk completed, I felt an urgency to get my paddling workout before it got dark.  After quickly making may through town to NH-9, I drove west towards Vermont.  The speeds were good and there wasn't much traffic.  I exited the highway at got off at Brook Street in West Chesterfield (NH) and eventually found a boat launch (Google Maps didn't show it so I only could use my paper Connecticut River Map).  I was parked on the Chesterfield River Road Access lot by 1800.  While unloading my kayak  I ended up talking with a Navy guy who had just returned from kayaking in the Connecticut River (he had gone to the south).  By 1810, I had launched my own kayak and was headed north.  I initially started on the New Hampshire side of the river but, as the river snaked back and forth, I ended up in the shady area on the Vermont side.  Along the way, I watched tree and barn swallows dipping and splashing in the water.  There were lots of herons too.  I had to watch out for lots of water-skiers (wakes) but eventually had the river to myself.  After that, the water surface was like glass.  The paper map had said the distance was about three miles but it was hard to be sure - my pace was strong and, in the end, I believe the distance was correct.  I made it to Dummerston Landing (VT) at 1910 - this was where I last paddled the Connecticut in July 2025.  I talked to a nice fisherman and touched shore there before I started my backtrack.  The sun was going down but I dilly dallied in a few places to do some birding.  Deer came down to the water in a few places but got spooked by my splashing.  Just before I finished, I saw a C-130 fly overhead...  I was finished with my first Connecticut River of 2026 at 2010.  By then, it was nearly dark so restowing was much slower.  By 2030, though, I had Tequila Sunrise stowed safely in position on top of Nessie.  As I got ready to leave the boat launch, I thought about going to a brewery.  Sadly, most closed at 2100 or were too far west (and I didn't want to drive into Vermont).  Happy with my workout, I followed the back roads to NH-9 and returned to Keene (I arrived back at hotel at 2100).  In my room again, I spent time cleaning up, found more clothes for hiking & paddling and started looking at my trail mileage tracker.  Along the way, I found a mileage error from my last paddle on the Connecticut but balanced everything in the end.  I took care of some other paperwork, did some Duolingo exercises, watched a few YouTube videos and did some reading.  My dad and daughters liked my Franklin Pierce social media post from the day before.  Even more importantly, though, I heard about Johnny & Gabi's engagement - wow!  I finally went to bed at 2345.  Another interesting Nomad Life day of work, hiking and paddling - life is good!  Connecticut River Today = 3.0 miles / All Time CT River = 128.5 miles (118 continuous from Woodsville to Chesterfield) 

Nomad Life - Day 294

My Manchester visit finally ended today after nearly two weeks - it was time to depart.  I got up at 0630 and spent time reading, doing Duolingo exercises and working on puzzles.  Before going to breakfast in the lobby of the Econolodge (Manchester), I cleaned my room and packed up everything.  After my meal was completed, I made plans for the coming week - I was able to get a relatively inexpensive room for three nights in Keene and then made a reward night reservation in the same hotel.  I hope that the staff will make it easy for me to transition between the two...  Along the way, I also got the ticket for Notre Dame Football game at Lambeau Field (in September) from my cousin, Tim.  After that, I spent time catching up on my travel blog and the trying to resolve the recent security breach issue.  At 1040, I was finally ready to leave the hotel.  Outside, it was sunny and 81 F.  Following up on another recommendation from the folks I met (Don & Peggy) at The Prodigal Brewing Company, I drove into Downtown Manchester and found a parking place near the City Hall. From there, I walked to the Red Arrow Diner, an iconic location on the campaign trails of candidates for the "First in the Nation" Primary for more than 30 years.  The little place was quite crowded but I found a seat at the counter (front row view of the kitchen stoves).  When I sat down at 1055, the first thing I noticed was a little plaque that said “Lindsay Graham sat here" - what an amazing thing to see when the Senator from South Carolina just died this year...  Even though this was my first visit, I skipped the infamous “de-virginizing” ceremony.  After reviewing the menu and finding several interesting combinations, I ordered their famous American Chop Suey for my early lunch.  When it arrived, the portion was very big and the food was delicious.  While eating, I surveyed the walls (lots of photos of famous people), signage (lots of crass comments) and swag (lots for sale) - it was an interesting venue!  Afterwards, I walked back to my car and left Manchester for the last time (1130).  It's hard to believe that I'd spent two full weeks in the area!  My goal for the day was to reach Hillsborough (to finish up a rail trail there) and then visit the Franklin Pierce Farm.  After crossing the Merrimack River, I made my way (via city streets) to NH-114A and drove towards the northwest.  This route took me through Goffstown and past the rail trail I'd walked several years ago.  Following Pleasant Street and, later, New Boston Road.  When I got on this latter avenue, I remembered there was a rail trail in New Boston and stopped to check the map.  The cell signal was very bad but I finally got my map app to work.  When it showed me the nearest trailhead for the New Boston Rail Trail, I realized I was only 0.2 miles away!  In fact, I was parked right at the turn for a bridge that would take me across the Piscataquog River.  I turned towards the trailhead and ended up encountering another driver (he was following me) on the way.  As I tried to find the rail trail parking lot (not far from the northern end of the trail), I stopped short and then noticed that the driver followed me into the parking lot.  For a few minutes, I was worried that I'd angered him.  When I got out of my car, I apologized for the driving.  However, the other guy, who I learned was named Eric, was very nice.  He said he knew I wasn't a local person (due to my license plate) and was just out for his daily walk.  As I got geared up, we figured out we were both Navy veterans and decided we should keep talking while we walked.  At 1155, I started out on the trail with Eric.  We walked south until we reached Lang Station (about two miles from our cars) and then backtracked all the way to the northern terminus (near NH-114), which was about 0.5 miles north of our cars.  We had a great conversation and Eric later told me he'd only planned to walk for about 40 minutes.  In the end, though, we logged almost five miles on the New Boston Rail Trail!  When we finished walking at 1355, we exchanged contact information and said our goodbyes.  Since the afternoon was progressing quickly and I wanted to visit Franklin Pierce's home, I departed the trailhead within 10 minutes.  I initially followed dirt road to NH-114 and then took side streets to NH-149.  After some more country roads, I reached NH-31 and located the Franklin Pierce Farm (State Historic Site) at 1440.  This was the first time I've visited but I have check this place out since I first learned about my family's supposed connection with the former President.  More background: when your older relatives tell you that your family is connected to two of the worst (in the opinion of historians) Presidents in history, it seems like it must be true.  After all, as Sean Connery’s character in “The Untouchables” opined, “Who would claim to be that, who was not?” I couldn’t let it rest there, though - in the years since I heard those stories I’ve done my own research and tried to make sense of the animosity that the family had towards President Franklin Pierce.  I was told that our Pierces were so upset by their relative’s reputation that they changed the spelling of their own surname.  This apparently did happen in historically documented cases of other Pierces.  Still, it’s hard to trust in a 150+ year old tale. Today's visit to the President’s boyhood home in Hillsborough, then, was intended to give me a better glimpse of the man behind the stories.  After an excellent tour provided by a passionate Gen Z guide, I came away with the impression that Franklin Pierce tried to be all things to all men and, in this, came away looking like he had no strong views of his own.  But he had the ability to be friendly with men of all the parties, North and South, and seemed to be a genuinely kind hearted soul who weathered horrible tragedies.  In the end, he could have been more of a victim of the difficult antebellum situation - one false move could lead to dissolution of the Union.  As the guide said, “Pierce may have been the Jimmy Carter of his day.”  I came away with a better feeling about the Fourteenth President than I had before my visit - maybe it’s not so bad to be related to him.  Now if there was only a way to “rehabilitate” the reputation of the other Presidential relative (Harding)...  I left the farm building at 1600 (when they closed) and had a call with Brenna and Jesse about my visit.  We wrapped up our talk at 1615 and I back on the road, enroute to my hotel.  I used NH-31 to get to NH-9 (it eventually became a four lane road).  When I reached Keene, the road abruptly ended at a "T" intersection.  However, it continued as a single lane road towards the west and my hotel was only about half a mile in that direction.  I checked into the Days Inn by Wyndham very easily and (fortunately) was able to combine my paid and reward nights into one stay.  After getting settled in my room (1700), I took a look at the map to decide whether to go out again.  When I checked the distance to the Connecticut River, I decided to forgo a paddle to save miles for the following day, when I felt like I'd me more enthusiastic.  Sadly, my seven day paddling streak ended as a result of this decision.  Instead, I rested in my room for several hours and verified my internet connections (for the coming work day).  Later, I did some reading and Duolingo exercises.  "Dinner" was snacks.  At 1845, Kerith called and we talked for over two hours (!).  It was great to catch up with her after our long summers.  Afterwards, I caught up on social media and then read until very late (2300).  What a great Sunday!

Nomad Life - Day 293

"And now for something completely different..."  Even though it was a weekend day and I'd stayed up late, I was still awake by 0515.  I passed some time by reading, doing Duolingo exercises and puzzles.  There was also come time for cleanup (mostly clothing and paddling gear).  At 0800, I went to breakfast in the lobby of the Econolodge (Manchester) and found the same lack of care in the dining area (I didn't bother to check who was working at the front desk).  Like yesterday, though, I got lucky and arrived before the food/drink was gone.  Back in my room room, I did some more reading and got ready for a day away from Manchester.  At 1010, I left the hotel and drove south on back roads until I could access the Everett Turnpike south of the tollbooths.  After getting up to high speeds, I drove all the way to the outskirts of Nashua and exited the highway at NH-111.  To reach the center of town, where I hoped to walk on one of the two rail trails in the area, I had to follow a busy one way street with lots of lights.  Even after I arrived at the place I was searching for, I then had trouble finding free parking.  In the end, I just drive up and down a series of one-way side streets until I was able to find an open spot on Palm Street (next to the "The Arbor" restaurant).  By 1055, I was walking west on the paved surface of the Nashua Heritage Rail Trail.  The day was very sunny and warm (high 80s).  Even worse than some things I'd seen in Manchester, there was nasty graffiti everywhere and the historical/inspirational murals were almost all defaced (it was interesting to see that the ones championing black history had been left alone).  There were also a lot of  homeless on nearly every corner, in every park bench and even in the middle of streets with traffic passing.  About the only sign of civic pride was a well-maintained community garden that lined both sides of the western end of the trail.  When I reached the western terminus (Will Street near Simon Street), I started my backtrack into the center of Nashua.  I found the eastern terminus in just over a mile from where I'd turned around - some white bricks on the sidewalk near the City Clerk's office denoted where the old railroad bed used to cross Main Street.  By then, I wasn't very far from my car and I didn't tarry long.  My walk was finished by 1150 - I'd logged 2.4 miles at this first stop of my day.  Hoping to check out another rail trail, I made my way east, through the city, until I was able to park in a free spot on Temple Street (1200).  Google Maps said that a railroad (and pedestrian) bridge there was called the "Nashua River Rail Trail" but I later researched online and learned that it isn't connected to the main trail that bears that name.  Regardless, I was able to walk for another half mile (including the backtrack) from the south side of the Nashua River to a restaurant called Margaritas on the north side.  Finished with this little jaunt (1220), I decided to go in search of the longer Nashua River Rail Trail.  This required a bunch of driving on more busy city streets (and, later, to cross the Everett Turnpike on NH-111) but I managed to eventually located the trailhead for the northern terminus in Gilson Road.  By 1235, I was walking towards Massachusetts!  The rail trail passed through pretty neighborhoods and crossed several busy streets.  At times, the trail clearly deviated from the old railroad bed because there was a building in the way.  There were LOTS of bikers and, even, some friendly kids on motor bikes - the latter waved to me every time they broke the trail rules and raced by me.  I did like how shady the trail was at times.  At 1300, I arrived at the MA/NH border (Dunstable, MA) and paused to make some birding observations.  After a little while, I turned around and retraced my steps.  The walk back to my car was relatively uneventful and I was back at the New Hampshire trailhead by 1320.  Two more miles of walking and the Nashua River Rail Trail (New Hampshire section) completed.  I took a short break from racing around to each "lunch" (snacks) and try to coordinate a meet up with my local friends, Kevin B (he was out of town), and Fylisity (she said she'd meet me for a drink in the evening).  Next, I drove to nearby Mine Falls Park, which was located just north of the local YMCA.  There was very limited parking and I eventually decided to take my chances with an extra-long spot with the works "boaters only".  From a large kayak/canoe launch chute, I launched Tequila Sunrise into the Nashua River at 1350.  By then, it was overcast and windy.  With the dam to the east of me, my options for paddling were limited to heading upriver to the west.  Along the way, I talked with lots of fishermen.  The wind was definitely a factor, as was the shallowness of the river in some places.  After about 30 minutes, I felt like I'd gone as far as I dared and paddled back towards my car.  Before getting finished (1450), I checked out the barrier in the river near the dam - there was a strong current there.  I'd paddled another 2.5 miles in one hour and felt good about keeping up my kayak street.  During the next 10 minutes, I stowed my boat (difficult because of all the "illegally" parked trucks with boat trailers around me).  Just as I started up my car, I noticed that every one of the half dozen boats I'd passed while paddling had suddenly (and urgently?) raced to the boat launch in an attempt to get out of the water.  I didn't stay to see what caused this ruckus but guessed it might have to do with the rather ominous looking anvil clouds in the distance...  Next, I drove to St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Chuck in preparation for Mass.  I arrived in their parking lot at 1505, changed clothes and read for a little while.  It was still very hot (87 F) but I had found a good spot with shade in the huge parking lot.  At 1530, I went inside the church.  Due to some significant construction (I learned later it was a major renovation), the Parish was using their gymnasium for Mass.  The service began at 1600 and I enjoyed the experience of watching their Deacon in action (he was helping a guest priest).  Similar to last week, there were no kneelers and I was intrigued by the introduction that was read by the lector before all of the readings.  For a lot of the rest, though, I felt a bit left our because the Parish had some “inside baseball” traditions that no guest would expect.  Oh well - it was another chance to see how different churches run things and I liked seeing some more variety.  I was back in my car by 1650 and made my way back to the Everett Turnpike so I could head north to Merrimack.  After I exited on to the Daniel Webster Highway (US-3), I passed though the whole town without a venue in mind.  On the north side of the populated area, I stopped to search for a bar/restaurant on my Google Maps - I ended up seeing a place very close and was at the Tomahawk Butchery & Tavern by 1710.  While perusing their menu, I ordered the house IPA and then noticed the restaurant featured the specialty I'd heard about (from Don and Peggy) the day before.  My server said she didn't like the full belly fried clams special (it came with fries and cold slaw) but the bartender told me it was her favorite.  In the end, I tried to break the tie and ordered the local specialty.  Despite the rather steep price, I did think the food was good.  My server asked (as many seem to do) about my Nomad Life and we had a good conversation since the restaurant wasn't full of people yet.  Meanwhile, Fylisity never showed (I can't say I was surprised....)  After I paid for my meal and said goodbye to the nice staff (1840), I took some photos of the "Live Free or Die" billboard outside.  I left Merrimack at 1845 and followed US-3 back to the Everett Turnpike.  Reaching my hotel by 1900, I spent the rest of the evening cleaning up and watching movies.  Tonight, I was very ready for bed and had all the lights out by 2240.  What a great day in Nashua!

Nomad Life - Day 292

With the weekend approaching, I was eager to wrap up my work week.  With that in mind, I was awake at 0605 (before alarm) and started teleworking.  At 0745, I went to breakfast in the lobby of the Econolodge (Manchester).  Sadly, there had been absolutely no care taken in the management of the dining area and the demeanor of the front desk clerk completely explained the slim pickings for a morning meal...  Somehow, I got enough food to feel like I was ready to face the day and quickly returned to room to resume my teleworking.  At around noon time, my lunch was snack I'd brought in from the car.  After that, I did some more telework, staying online until 1600.  As soon as I logged my last hour of the work week, I started getting ready to leave my hotel.  Outside, it was 90 F and sunny - not the most pleasant day for outdoor activities but I was not going to turn down the chance to keep up my paddling and walking streaks...  At 1625, I crossed the Merrimack River and drove across Manchester (via familiar roads such as Queen City Avenue, Cilley Road, Mammoth Road, Candia Road).  I should note that I was mostly ignoring Google Maps), which seemed insistent that I should drive completely around the city (north or south), rather than straight through it.  In my efforts to reach a hiking and paddling spot, though, I was true to my normal strategy of minimizing mileage whenever possible (even if I have to pay with extra time).  Since I'd reached a point in the Rockingham Recreational Trail where the turnaround location was certain, I searched for a potential trailhead to the north of Massabesic Lake.  In this, Google Maps was actually helpful - by 1645, I'd arrived at a trail crossing (with a parking spot!) on Depot Road in Auburn.  Down the street, there was an even bigger lot for the Lake Massabesic Trail system but I eschewed that for the closer parking.  I started walking west on Rockingham Recreational Trail at 1650 and, rather quickly, connected up with the turnaround point from the previous day (on the edge of a large swamp directly north of Massabesic Lake).  Conditions were very hot and buggy.  At one point, I had to pass through a very low tunnel (not enough room for bikers but just barely enough for me on foot).  During my backtrack (east) to my parking spot, I passed some bikers and joggers.  All around me, there was lots of road noise from busy (four lane) NH-101.  After passing my car, I then walked east, all the way to the Chester Turnpike at a very fast pace.  This area was more remote (although noise from NH-101 was still audible).  At mile marker 6.3 (I only knew this from a map I found online), I backtracked to car and finished my walk at 1815.  By then, I'd logged just over four miles and had built a continuous section of the rail trail from the western terminus to today's turnaround point.  Intending to get in a longer paddle today, I next drove south until I could get on NH-121 in "downtown" Auburn.  From there, I drove to Clair's Landing, AKA Manchester Water Works Boat Launch.  As such, it had several special rules (even more than I'd seen at Front Park on the opposite side of the lake).  After parking (1825), I managed to launch Tequila Sunrise by 1835.  For the next 90 minutes, I did my best to paddle north to where I'd turned around the day before (northeast corner of Massabesic Lake).  Initially, I was kayaking in a little cove that was located just to the east of Currier Point.  It was actually more work than I'd planed to paddle around this narrow promontory.  When I cleared the last stones, I headed north along the far eastern side of Massabesic Lake.  The distance was much farther than I'd hoped and it took me about an hour to finally reach the intended target.  With daylight waning, I sprinted back towards my car as fast as I could - this was probably the hardest work I've done with a paddle this year!  I was accompanied by lots of loud car noises (drag racing?) and a few boats that kicked up bigger wakes than I really wanted to deal with.  The sunlight was nearly gone by the time I was back in the little cove and wrapped up my 4.5ish mile evening on the water (2005).  After stowing my kayak back on the roof of my car, I looked on my map app and found out that The Prodigal Brewery was only just over a mile away.  I made my way there in the dark and arrived to a place that looked like someone's home.  I went inside a little barn and met the owner (and, apparently, only employee).  I ordered a flight and one additional taster - this accounted for every one of their available drinks on tap.  A nearby couple, Don and Peggy, noticed my "AT" tattoos and told me they had a daughter who finished the AT in 2024 and was currently hiking the PCT.  We ended up having a good conversation and, by "last call", they had given me several suggestions for activities (including food) for the Manchester area - in other words, "things you should not miss"...  At one point, I had to laugh that they had a perception that "flatlanders come from below Franconia Notch" (they'd grown up in Lancaster).  In all my years of living in New Hampshire, I'd never heard such regional puffery...  Afterwards (2115), I drove back via a reverse route from earlier in the day (mostly without a map because Google Maps again wanted me to use the long route around Manchester).  After crossing the Merrimack River, I arrived at my hotel by 2130.  Since I'd recently become aware of a large series of website breaches (i.e., passwords compromised), I worked on rectifying this (long, manual process) and made updates to my blog.  Thankfully, there was a little time for some Thanksgiving planning and YouTube videos before bed time (2320).  I feel very good about getting another good hike/paddle combination day!

Nomad Life - Day 291

Up and at 'em!  After waking up at 0615 this morning, I started my telework day.  At 0800, I went to breakfast in the lobby of the Econolodge (Manchester) and then returned to my room for more telework.  Following the pattern of the last few days, I skipped lunch but did have some snacks at around noon.  Other than that, I teleworked until 1600 - honestly, it was a relatively boring day "at the office"...  With my work day completed, I did some reading, worked on puzzles and caught up on blog entries.  Hoping to maintain my streak of paddling, I left the hotel at 1700 and drove through Manchester on surface streets (including Queen City Avenue to cross Merrimack River) so I could reach the Massabesic Lake area.  On the way, I decided to continue my pursuit of the New Hampshire Rail Trails Challenge.  Since I wasn't exactly sure where the sections of my 2026 and 2024 hikes on the Rockingham Recreational Trail connected, I decided to park near a trail crossing I passed on Candia Road (this was after I'd already explored some nearby neighborhoods in a futile attempt to get find a parking spot).  By 1725, I was walking west in the sun (temp 88 F).  The gravely path wasn't too wide and there was mud in places.  Before long, I started to get a very strong sense of Deja Vu.  This was especially true by the time I reached the I-93 crossing (about half a mile into the section) - it was then that I realized I'd definitely been there before (I later confirmed that I'd hiked the same section back in 2024).  Confident that I didn't need to go farther (while also kicking myself for re-hiking a section I'd already done), I turned around at Page Street and was back at my car again by 1755 (hiked 1.5 miles during this stop).  Since I knew I was very close to Front Park at Lake Massabesic (I'd parked there in 2024), I drove the rest of the way there and parked at 1800.  There were a lot of people parked there - I think they were all just enjoying the lakefront views.  Without much delay, I started walking east.  The tree covered (gravel) trail was very busy with walkers and bikers.  There were, as usual, a lot of bugs but I was grateful to be in the shade while the heat of the day still raged.  I wasn't sure of the exact place where I wanted to start my backtrack but I had a limit in my head of only 45 minutes before I needed to be done (so I could paddle before the park closed at 2000).  So, when I reached the far eastern end of a swamp area just over a mile from my car, I turned around and walked west.  My (second) hike was over at 1845 (2.5 more miles) and I quickly transitioned to paddling mode.  By this point, the signage and lack of other boaters had made me wonder whether I was allowed to put Tequila Sunrise in the water here.  Throwing caution to the wind, I practically ran to the water's edge, pushed off of the shore and was kayaking by 1850.  It was only then that I took stock of the last time I'd paddled in Massabesic Lake (also in 2024) and realized that I should head north and east to continue my attempt to paddle the entire edge of the huge lake.  This took me away from the crowds and other watercraft, most of which were sailboats.  In the west, I saw large thunderclouds and it even started to rain at times.  Undeterred, I kept paddling...  There were lots of birds, the water was mostly flat and I enjoyed having shade along the edge of the lake.  Overall, it was a pretty environment.  I made it all the way to the farthest northeast corner of the main lake before turning around.  The paddle back was much more urgent because the weather started to include lightning...  I reached Front Park at 1950 and, almost as quickly as I'd launched, I exited the water.  Despite this, some people were looking at me oddly (perhaps because of all the Watershed signs about not wading, etc.).  I managed to get my kayak on the car before the park closed and headed back towards Manchester.  With my active day complete, I turned my attention to having some fun.  Last night, I'd noticed that my Untapped App had a special badge called "Bar Crawler" and that I only had to try a beer at three establishments in order to earn it.  With this in mind, I made my first stop at the nearby Candia Road Brewing Company.  When I went inside, I found they were in the middle of a comedy night.  The bartender also told me that the venue didn't offer flights so I only ordered one of their selections (standing room only at the bar).  While tasting this new (to me) brew, I was struck by the absolutely raunchy and unfunny material being spewed by the comedians (both men and women).  It was a huge turnoff, actually, and I was eager to get out of the bar from nearly the moment I took my first sip.  Somehow, I skulked out without having to answer any questions about my quick in/out (2015).  One thing that perked me back up, though, was seeing that I was parked right next to a Wendy's.  Feeling a bit hungry, I headed over there to get dinner.  There were no customers so the order delivery was very fast (2020.  Taking my warm food along with me, I drove back to Downtown Manchester (via Candia Road and Hanover Street).  Hoping to find parking near a few more bars near the City Hall, I looked around on streets close to the Merrimack River and found a good spot near the Strange Brew Tavern (2045).  This venue was much more crowded and it took a lot of work to even order.  Fortunately, the Untapped App provided some ideas for my order because I couldn't hear a single thing the bartender lady told me.  As a result, I once again only had one beer..  On the plus side, though, the bar had very good music.  Along the way, I talked to some guys that had just run a 5K (that's why there were so many people in the bar).  The Red Sox game was on all the TVs and it was clear they were playing well (lots of back and forth scoring.  With my second drink complete, I walked to the Thirsty Moose Taproom.  When I entered (2100), the bar was mostly empty and I decided to stay for a while.  As I had during the previous visit, I decided to try more of the 100 taps they had.  The bartender told me that many of them had "kicked" - when I gave my four selections, though, I was four-for-four on my choices!  Since the evening had already been going for a little while, I asked the bartender to keep the cold water flowing; she graciously complied (and I kept hydrated).  Meanwhile, the Red Sox game seemed to get much more exciting by the minute...  Outside, I kept checking the weather and was relieved that it hadn't started pouring.  Even after my "Bar Crawler" badge was earned, I stayed in the bar until 2145.  Walking back to my car, I had to contend with light drizzle but managed to make it to my car without too much trouble.  In the distance, the sky spiderwebbed (more than once) with lightning...  Fortunately, it was a quick drive to my hotel (arrived at 2155) and I spent the rest of the evening reading and watching YouTube videos before going to bed at 2245.  What a great day/night in the Queen City!

Nomad Life - Day 290

Time to move again...  Even though I'm making the most of hotel rewards this week, it still makes for some unsettled Nomad Life!  This morning, I was awake at 0545 (after another restless sleep) and started teleworking immediately.  At 0745, I went to breakfast in the lobby of the Garner Hotel (Londonderry) and then went back to work.  Later in the morning, I made a reservation at another hotel in Manchester so I'd have somewhere to go when the time on this reward stay ended.  Along the way, I  skipped lunch (but ate some snacks).  Meanwhile, outside, it was partly sunny, with temperatures in the low 80s.  Morning was very productive and I stayed online until the time of my late checkout arrived (1200).  Taking a break from my work day, I then left the hotel and drove back to the Depot Road Trailhead in Windham (where I'd walked the day before).  After parking there (1220), I was walking within five minutes.  During the next 75 minutes, I logged about 3.8 miles on the Windham Rail Trail.  The main reason I was there was to make sure I completed this trail on the New Hampshire Rail Trails Challenge - I'd been frustrated to learn last night that I still had one mile left after I "marooned" it yesterday...  After re-hiking the same mm 0.25 to mm 1 (paved) section again, I was able to walk on the subsequent mile - in this way, I reached the turnaround point (mm 2) I'd last visited in 2021.  During some of the walk, I listened to a work telcon (for situational awareness only).  There were fewer people out (due to the heat and being the middle of the day) and I only had to contend with a few bugs.  Overall, the walk wasn't too strenuous but I had the satisfaction of tying together some legs of the Granite State Rail Trail - I've now walked all the way from Salem to the middle of Manchester!  Back at my car again (1335), I drove north (via back roads) towards my new hotel.  Along the way, I noticed a gas station with the cheapest gas prices I'd ever seen in the area.  Not surprisingly, I stopped to fill up my tank at the Irving in Derry (1350).  After taking a look at my outdoor options, I decided to go to Backyard Brewery for a late lunch.  Starting at 1415, I ordered a chicken sandwich (side of broccoli) and also sampled four beers (taster sizes).  The bar was quieter and I had a nice conversation with the bartender.  At 1500, I departed and continued driving north on NH-28.  This choice took me through the area where the Mall of New Hampshire was located (very busy).  My goal was to reach Precourt Park and, hopefully, to paddle in Nutt Pond.  After arriving at 1515, I examined my options) - after determining they had a boat ramp, I launched Tequila Sunrise into the waters of the definitely urban body of water.  A few days before, I'd walked along the South Manchester Rail Trail on the opposite edge of the pond - it seemed bigger than it actually was.  As a result, I had to do multiple laps (3.5) just to make some real distance.  Along the way, I talked to several people (fishermen mostly) and got friendly waves from more kids.  One of the youngsters actually asked me to help him get his fishing line out towards the middle of the lake because he said he'd seen a huge pike jumping there.  Happy to oblige, I towed his line and lure out as far as it would run and then watched while the boy tried his luck (nothing caught).  The wind was calm, the sun wasn't too unbearable and (best of all) no one hassled my car.  By 1625, I'd finished my one hour (2 miles) paddle and, after loading up my kayak, I continued on NH-28 until I was able to get on Queen City Avenue.  Soon after that, I crossed the Merrimack River (close to the Elliot Medical Center).  At 1700, I arrived at my hotel, the Econolodge (Manchester).  It didn't take long for me to check into my room and I quickly resumed teleworking.  Because of my late lunch, I skipped dinner and didn't get off my work computer until just after 1930.  For the rest of the evening, I worked on genealogy research and watched movies.  Bed time at 2315.  Glad to be settled in my new Nomad Life lodging for at least four more days!

Nomad Life - Day 289

Despite the lateness of my falling asleep, I still somehow woke up at 0645 and started teleworking.  Due to the rareness of the restless sleep (despite the quiet hotel), I'm starting to wonder if the temperature control panel (and strange instances of hot air coming out of the wall unit) might be to blame.  At 0745, I went to breakfast in the lobby of the Garner Hotel (Londonderry) - it was amazing to see how great the spread was!  Afterwards, I went to the Fitness Center and logged 20 minutes (4 miles) on the stationary bike (spinning machine).  By 0845, I was back online for more telework.  Strangely, though, all meetings suddenly got canceled.  Meanwhile, outside, it was a very sunny day (temps were at 82 F).  I ate "lunch" (snacks) in my room and continued working (on small projects) until 1600.  After that, I worked on my travel blog and did some planning for next few days in hotel.  Trying to assemble points for the most number of nights, I got very creative and was ultimately successful in generating enough for four rewards!  At 1730, I decided to leave my hotel and try to find some outdoor activities.  By then, it was 85 F (one of the hottest days I've had this summer) so I decided to start small with a visit to the Robert Frost Farm Historic Site in Derry.  When I arrived, the visitor center had already closed but there were walking trails, pretty views and historical signs.  In one area, I passed through a huge swarm of dragonflies - interesting!  Once I'd had my fill of the history, I made my way to the Depot Trailhead (corner of Frost Road and Windham Depot Road) for the Windham Rail Trail - I arrived there at 1800.  Nearby, there was a lot of old railroad stuff but I didn't tarry long.  Instead, I walked west to the Derry Town Line, where I'd been a few days ago (southern terminus of the Derry Rail Trail).  After turning around, I made my way east towards the place where I'd turned around in 2021.  Sadly, I hadn't researched my own notes in this regard so I just walked until I saw the 1.0 mile marker - I figured I had a lot longer to walk on the Windham Rail Trail and there was no need to overdo it today (famous last words...).  Along the way, I passed a farm field full of cows and had to dodge lots of bikers and fast walkers.  By the time I reached my car again, I figured out that I'd walked about two miles on foot.  Only later did I figure out that I could have finished the entire trail if I'd simply walked to the 2.0 mile marker - dang...  Oh well - on to the next adventure!  After driving a few miles north from the rail trail, I arrived at the closest paddling venue I could find: yes, it was Beaver Lake again.  I hurried through the launching process because I had less time than I thought I needed.  Along the way, I saw a young man getting his jetski ready for launch.  Trying to be helpful, I pointed out the sign that prohibited them in the body of water.  He ignored me and I went on with my planned kayak session.  By 1905, I was paddling (clockwise) around the lake again.  There were some special treats today, in the birding department, and I ended up seeing one of the resident eagles.  Some of the friendly residents who were working in their yards or tidying up their boats, told me proudly about a new eaglet that had been born recently.  They also explained how much they liked living in Derry and on Beaver Lake.  I had to agree that the neighborhood was wonderful!  I kept paddling, even though there was a lot more boating activity (and, subsequently, wakes).  On this topic, the jetski rider (with his girlfriend sitting behind him) seemed to get the brunt of an angry man who used all sorts of strong language to register his displeasure at their presence.  I should note, though, that I saw several similar watercraft docked in various places around the lake...  As the sun set in the distance (clear sky tonight), I managed to make it back to the boat launch.  At around that time, I ended up talking to a few young kids who (like many I've seen in the Manchester area) waved to me as I passed.  I was done paddling at 1905 and quickly packed up my kayak after dodging a motor b oat that had just been towed out of the water.  To get back to my hotel, I used the same route as previous night.  I was in my room by 2020 and spent the evening working on Duolingo exercises, completing lecture related to a second Hillsdale College course I've started during the Nomad Life and watching YouTube videos.  I ultimately went to bed at 2345 but was not feeling good about the upcoming evening (restless again).  Hopefully, the fatigue of another very active day will help me sleep!

Nomad Life - Day 288

With a new work week starting and another hotel move on the agenda, I was pleasantly surprised to wake up this morning at 0530 (long before my alarm).  Of course, I started teleworking immediately.  Meanwhile, it was pouring rain outside, just as the forecast had predicted.  At 0715, I went to breakfast in the lobby of the Best Western Plus Executive Court Inn & Conference Center (Manchester).  Unlike the Super 8 (from the previous week), the dining area had a very good selection and wasn't too busy yet.  After getting done with my meal, I went to the Fitness Center and rode on the stationary bike (spinning machine) for 20 minutes (4.5 miles).  Next (0755), I raced to my room and changed into my swimsuit so I could do some laps (30 minutes, half a mile) in the indoor pool.  The lights were off in the pool area but a sign said it was open (and my key worked).  By 0830, I had finished my half mile swimming workout and quickly returned to my room for a meeting that I had scheduled at 0845.  For the rest of the morning, I worked online, counting on the late checkout (noon) I'd requested.  For some reason, the cleaning staff missed the memo but I was able to convince them to let me stay.  After packing up my car, I checked out of my room (1155) - fortunately, it had stopped raining briefly.  Hoping to wrap up my telework day before going out for some kind of adventure, I went back into the hotel and set up my computers in the breakfast dining area for almost three hours.  Meanwhile, it started raining again.  At 1450, I left the Best Western and drove to my next hotel.  During the mad shuffle, I ate "lunch" (snacks).  I arrived at the Garner Hotel by IHG in Londonderry at 1455.  This was the first time I've used this brand of IHG and it was all the sweeter because I had enough points for two reward nights!  I was in my room by 1505 and resumed teleworking - I stayed online until I reached my full working hours (1600).  Since it was still raining outside, I did some more Nomad Life research and worked on some Thanksgiving stuff.  Even better, though, I had some good communications with my daughters, especially after I bought school supplies for Mollie's classroom (it was her first day back at work).  At around the same time, I took care of some finances.  Suddenly, I noticed that the sun was shining brightly outside - after that, the urgency to get some outdoor exercise kicked in quickly!  I ate a few more snacks ("dinner") and departed the hotel at 1845.  This time, I was headed for nearby Beaver Lake in Derry - this was another place that the staff at the Manchester Distillery recommended.  I found the boat launch easily and, from 1905 to 2005, I paddled a full counterclockwise circuit around the entire lake (2.5 miles in one hour).  Along the way, I passed lots of pretty vacation homes.  No one else out on the water for most of the paddle (I did see one boat at the end).  About halfway through the paddle, the wind picked up a lot and the water got rough.  Fortunately, my kayaking arms are getting more conditioned...  After getting my boat out of the water (2010), I learned that my friend, Ed, had just lost his sister to cancer.  We talked on the phone for a little while and this seemed to confirm that I should stay in New Hampshire (and, especially, the Keene area) during the coming week.  While driving home, Google Maps suggested I take a longer route but, being sensitive to mileage on my car, I ignored the App and used the reverse route from the afternoon).  I talked to Mollie on the way and after I arrived at the hotel (2025).  For my "dinner" tonight, I had several cookies that were available in the lobby of the Garner Hotel.  Back in my room again, I caught up on my travel blog and did some Duolingo exercises.  I capped off the evening by doing some reading and watching movies.  During this time, I became quite frustrated with the air conditioning system - it had the habit of resetting the temperature repeatedly and blowing hot air out of the wall unit.  This could have impacted what happened next but, when I tried to go to sleep at 2345, I felt much more restless than I normally do.  I ended up watching YouTube videos until about 0100, hoping to get more tired.  We'll see if it works!