Since my back and feet were feeling better, I figured I should get out of town for a hiking trip! While I still had the rental car (unlimited miles), it seemed like a good idea to do some Recce on the logistical challenges of hiking remote areas. I watched the weather all week (sketchy), reviewed my new NatGeo maps for Maine (encouraging) and decided to make some (but not all) lodging reservations (almost everything sold out). It had been almost six years since I was hiking in the Pine Tree State so I was really excited to go back! I packed ALL of my hiking gear together in case I needed to camp or sleep in my car. As a warmup (and since I'd be working and driving most of the day), I took a morning walk near my house in search of the Boston Lot. Since moving to the Granite State, I’ve been wandering around on trails near the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, hoping I’d eventually stumble across a lake that is located inside of that area (somewhere to the south of my condo). Without a map, I’ve relied on word of mouth from neighbors and have been unsuccessful. Today, I used my lunch break to check out the Albert Schweitzer Trails on the west side of the Campus. Like the Indian Ridge Trail, this complex of paths headed in the correct direction but ended at a gravel road on the south side of the Campus. I was disappointed until I found a trailhead sign - and map - when I reached the road. I’ve got what I need to find the lake now and information about many other miles for walking near my home - stay tuned! Rain clouds were threatening, so I went back my condo and spent a few more hours teleworking. At about 1530, I left Hanover and headed towards the northeast. I used I-91 to reach Bradford, VT and then headed east (via back roads) to the Connecticut River. From there, I used NH-10 and NH-116 (and a few more back roads) to get to US-2. It was raining, off and on, throughout my drive, but the distance and time didn't seem too bad. I checked in with the kids, letting them know about my plans in case there wasn't a lot of cell service (they made me promise to keep my iPhone location active). Stopped for gas at Sunoco in Bethel, ME (1805) and was a bit surprised to see so many people NOT wearing a mask - with COVID-19 protocols everywhere else I've traveled, it seemed odd... Stopped for dinner at McDonalds in Rumford, ME (1830) and then drove a short distance to my (pre-paid) hotel, the Boardwalk Inn in Rumford, ME (1845). It was located along a pretty stream, north of town. Since the rain had almost completely stopped, I decided to drive back to town to visit the Rumford Falls. From the photos I'd seen, I was expecting a huge cascade. However, low water levels prevented that - sigh. Instead, I walked around to look at other sights in the area: Muskie Memorial, metal cutouts of native peoples along the stream and the "island" downtown area. Overall, the scenery wasn't too impressive but I liked the ambiance of the little Maine city. Went back to my room and spent the rest of the evening reading - bed by 2230. Excited for my mini-Maine adventure!
