Christmas Trip - Day 4

I woke up early (0600) and went to help John move things into his mother’s new home.  Meanwhile, Mollie slept late (she stayed at my sister's house with Ella).  Fr most of the morning, John, Katie, Johnny and I worked for several hours between locations in Marshfield and Kingston.  While I was driving with Johnny, he got pulled over by the police but only got a warning.  When we were finished (1130), we went back to Katie’s house and ate lunch.  Katie and her family had to leave for some errands so Mollie and I packed up our car.  We left Hanover (MA) at 1215 and used MA-3, I-93 (traffic in Boston), NH-3A and I-89 to get back into the Granite State.  While still in Massachusetts, we had some good conversations about our trip and shared family news.  During the second half of the trip, we listened to more stories from “The Moth” and talked about how we were disappointed the snow in New Hampshire had almost all melted.  We got home just after 1430 and unloaded the car.  Mollie said she had a great time - I'm really glad we were able to spend the Holiday with family!

Christmas Trip - Day 3

The kids woke up at around 0800 and we opened Christmas presents.  Mollie was glad with the stocking items I’d gotten and Katie made the experience very special with even more gifts.  Afterwards, Mollie and Ella cooked a Christmas breakfast and Katie read us the Christmas Story.  Later, we watched Christmas movies until it was time to make the big Christmas Dinner.  Mollie and Ella cooked a lot and had a great time making things tasty.  We ate with Katie and her family and had a fun time with Aria's dog (Storm) and the cats.  After gorging ourselves, we spent the afternoon relaxing (Mollie played card games with the family while I read).  As if they hadn't already made enough food (!), Mollie and Ella made sausage and cheese balls as a snack.  It was very rainy most of the day but I was able to take a walk at around 1600. Mollie made several calls to her mother and sisters.  Meanshile, the rest of the family ate some more food and went back in the hot tub (1800).  At around 1930, Mollie went with Johnny to fish for trout (in the dark!.  When they came back (almost two hours later), she said she’d had a great time.  The rest of the evening was spent with calls to my family (Dad, Carolyn) and planning for the next day.  I went to bed at 2200 but Mollie stayed up later again.

Christmas Trip - Day 2

I had to telework early in the morning but was also able to take a walk before most everyone else was awake.  I also went in the hot tub with snow all around me!  When Mollie woke up (1030), we all had a light breakfast and then she spent the morning watching “A Christmas Story” with my sister’s family.  I treated everyone to lunch from Bertucci’s at 1215 and later finished my telework day (1345).  A bit later, Mollie asked if we could drive down to Cape Cod to see my dad and Beth so I took her there (via MA-3 and US-6).  We stopped briefly so we could "visit" (from the car, with masks) and then headed east on MA-6A.  After reaching Yarmouth, we explored familiar areas near my childhood home and also stopped at my mom’s grave site in Brewster (1600).  We took a brief walk on Paine’s Creek Beach and then headed back toward my sister's house (US-6, MA-3).  We listened to more “The Moth” podcasts on the way and Mollie enjoyed these even more than she had the previous night.  We arrived in Hanover (MA) at 1730 and ate a light dinner (tuna fish sandwiches, Mollie’s request because it was “tradition”).  Mollie spent the rest of the evening with her cousins (cooking, hot tub, fire pit, movies).  I went to bed at 2200 but Mollie stayed up even later than the previous night - she is really glad to be here.

Christmas Trip - Day 1

My sister, Katie, invited us to spend time with her family over the Christmas Holiday so I was ready to go early this morning.  However, Mollie didn't wake up until almost 1000.  With the prospect of seeing her cousins, she helped me pack the rest of the items we planned to take with us.  Mollie suggested that we also bring the centerpiece we’d bought for my condo so we did.  Since I'd started teleworking while waiting for Mollie, I decided to finish my full day (rather than use leave).  We ended up leaving my condo at 1530 (after getting gas at Irving).  We took I-89 and stopped in Warner to get a gift card from Market Basket for my dad.  We also got dinner from McDonalds (1615) to take with us while we continued our drive.  We stayed on I-89 until it ended - from there, we took NH-3A to reach I-93.  We listened to our Johnny Mathis Christmas music CD on the way and also figured out how to play a “The Moth” podcast (Mollie liked it).  Despite some traffic after we reached Boston (switched to MA-3), we were still able to reach my sister’s house in Hanover (MA) by 1830.  Mollie spent the evening cooking with her cousins and indulging in sweet snacks (we all decorated gingerbread cookies).  Everyone had fun talking and visiting.  Some of the braver members of the family (not me) went in the hot tub!  Tired from my long day, I went to bed (2200) but Mollie stayed up much later. 

Grantham, NH (USA)

This morning, I took a break from work and drove over to Grantham at about 0930 so I could take a cross country skiing lesson at the Eastman Cross Country Center.  Over the previous weekend, I'd bought a season pass and the weather seemed good to try out my new equipment.  At 1000, I met with my instructor, Maureen, and we quickly figured out that I had the wrong kind of poles - she let me borrow some from the pro shop.  Maureen then took me around on some trails near the Clubhouse - the Practice Loop and Pond Loop - and showed me how to recover from a fall and how to move by body properly while skiing.  Temps were in the 30s but I built up a sweat (I was overdressed).  It had been almost 30 years since I strapped on a pair of skis so I definitely felt rusty.  Most of the actions and muscle requirements were foreign to me but Maureen said I seemed like I was comfortable - that felt good!  She said she had been skiing at Eastman for 32 years and worked as an instructure for most of that time.  We spent an hour on my technique and comfort.  Just after 1100, we were done and I then drove over to South Cove Clubhouse to get my Season Pass.  Because I still had work to do at home, I left immediately after getting the card - I was home before noon and immediately ordered a set of ski poles online.  Looking forward to getting some good use out of the Pass!

Enfield, NH (USA)

I saw people climbing Whaleback Mountain yesterday, even though the resort didn’t appear to be open, and decided to see if I could join them!  After Mass in Lebanon, I drove over to Enfield and arrived by about 0900 - I was one of the first people in the parking lot.  I spoke with the other folks who were already there and figured out how to navigate the slopes.  Apparently, the place is operated by the Town and is used by locals even on days when the office isn't open and the chair lift isn't running.  Before I headed up the mountain, I also got some ski/snowshoe courtesy tips (“sharing the road”).  Everyone else was climbing the mountain on wide downhill skis with skins on the bottom but I opted for my snowshoes.  Temps started in the high teens but climbed into the 20s - I was plenty warm with the layers I had.  The climb wasn’t too difficult (in terms of footing) because there were a few worn tracks.  Where I strayed from those, however, I sank up to my waist in the snow.  I kept pace with the other climbers but felt like I hadn’t climbed a mountain in years.  The views on the way up - and especially at the top - were well worth the huffing and puffing.  Wow!  All the other people at the summit converted into “downhill mode” (helmets on, skins off) and skied away quickly.  I paused for a bit, enjoying being the only person left in the winter wonderland, and then followed after them.  This ultimately turned out to be a mistake: there were no pathways and the steepness made big slides very likely.  Needless to say, I planted myself face down and on my backside a few times.  After a tough slog with several falls, I made it to the bottom (done by 1130).  The parking lot was quite full and the resort staff were firing up the lifts.  After the morning snow adventures I’d already had, it seemed like a good idea to skedaddle.  If I get more days like this, the winter weather won’t get me down at all!

Grantham, NH (USA)

Mollie and I got on the road at 1130.  At our first stop, Mollie stayed in the car but I helped the Knights of Columbus during Wreaths Across America at Colburn Park.  Only three of us showed up due to the weather but we did our best to honor Lebanon’s heroes.  After about 45 minutes in the freezing cold, I was ready to get warm in the car!  Mollie and I drove over to Eastman Golf Links in Grantham because I was considering getting a season pass for the Cross Country ski trails.  We got out to look around near Clubhouse and met some nice people.  I signed up for a cross country skiing lesson for the next week and then Mollie and I drove to the South Cove area (to check out the lake and another clubhouse).  While there, we actually decided to take advantage of the improving weather and took a walk along the water.  Inside the clubhouse, I got some more information about on-site amenities.  Afterwards, we drove to West Lebanon so we could do some shopping for Christmas.  There were SO many people shopping (lines out the door at a couple of places) that we decided to postpone our shopping for a few more days.  Instead, we headed home, arriving at around 1430.  Good Recce trip!

Ascutney, VT (USA)

Mollie seemed energized by our mountain climb yesterday and said she wanted to try something more strenuous - I then recommended that we sneak across the Connecticut River (“Westbound & down...”) for some outdoor fun.  I was able to rouse her by 0900 this morning and we were on our way about an hour later.  We first picked up some sandwiches (to go) at Dan and Whit’s General Store in Norwich and then took I-91 south to Ascutney.  We checked out the State Park visitor center and auto road (both closed) and then backtracked towards the town of Weathersfield (via VT-131).  Several times this summer, I’d passed a sign that said there was a parking lot for trails up the south side of Mount Ascutney - we successfully found it at around 1100.  There were only a few cars in the lot and this pleased us because we were seeking solitude.  We ate part of our lunch in the car and then started our walk into the woods (Weathersfield Trail).  Temps were in the low 40s, it was foggy and there was ice & snow in many places.  Because of this, we planned to only climb the first third of the route to the summit (mainly to see two sets of waterfalls). This turned out to be a wise decision because the trail conditions were challenging.  We took a lot of extra time to cautiously transit slippery areas and marveled at the ice formations.  The trail was very well marked (white blazes) and wasn’t too steep.  Mollie really liked the waterfalls!  We actually had to walk across one on stones (no bridges).  After reaching the second area of cascades, we climbed farther up the mountain until we found a bypass trail (blue blazes) - this made our route sort of lariat shaped.  During our backtrack, we were treated to amazing vistas to the southwest (the sun finally came out and most of the fog moved out).  I was quite impressed by the ghostly image of Okemo Mountain Resort - the mountain was almost completely covered in snow.  We talked a bit with other hikers we passed, including one backpacker who was headed up to Gus’ Lookout for an overnight stay.  The temps had climbed up to almost 50 so it made a bit more sense than it might have during the previous few days...  Our descent took almost as long as the climb because of the slippery footing.  We reached our car after about an hour and a half on the mountain - we could barely get our car out of the parking lot by then because so many people had arrived after us!  We ate some snacks and looked at our map for places that might sell Maple Creamees (Mollie said she wanted to try one).  After checking out a place located a bit to the southwest of the Weathersfield trailhead, we learned that almost everyone had stopped selling them for the season.  Disappointed, we backtracked into New Hampshire on VT-131 and then took NH-12A to the north.  On the way to West Lebanon, I had an idea - maybe we could find other kinds of maple products that Mollie would like!  With this in mind, I took her down (muddy) River Road and we stopped at Mac’s Maple Farm.  When we went inside, we decided that the maple creamee search wasn’t a total bust - they actually had some in pints!  They also had lots of other good farm to table groceries - we shipped some of them to Brenna and Erin (1345).  Mollie commented on how the owners and other shoppers were really nice - Plainfield continues to shine!  After reaching civilization again, we did some shopping at Walmart (picked up groceries and Christmas gifts) and arrived home by 1530.  What a great escape - I can’t wait to return to climb all the way to the Ascutney Summit in the Spring!

Lyme, NH (USA)

Mollie had told me she was open to doing something outside today so I tried to wake her up at 0830.  However, she seemed to have changed her mind and I thought it meant we wouldn’t end up going anywhere.  However, she eventually (1000) got ready.  The forecast said we had about six hours of daylight for outdoor activity (before rain arrived) and I wasn't sure what we should do.  Initially, I drove Mollie around to see some of the places I’d enjoyed this summer: Etna, Goose Pond and Dartmouth Skiway (closed).  From my condo, we’ve recently been able to see snowy ridges to the east - the drive confirmed there had been a lot more winter weather in those places than we’ve had in Hanover!  After reaching Lyme, we crossed the Connecticut River to get some lunch at Huggett's Irving in East Thetford, Vermont (1055).  After eating, we drove back to New Hampshire and then north on River Road, looking for the Lyme Hill Conservation Area.  During all of our exploring, we got good views of Moose Mountain, Smarts Mountain, Cube Mountain and a hint of Moosilauke - I was itching for some climbing on those higher peaks but knew I’d never be able to convince my daughter to have such “fun”.  We reached Orford without finding the Conservation Area - the cell signal was very spotty and I had to drive back to Lyme to get any reception.  I used Google Maps and it pointed us to the south on NH-10 - we just had to drive a short distance out of the village to find it.  We parked at the Trailhead on NH-10 (1130) and headed into the woods.  Temps were in the mid 30s but we shed our coats during the steep climb up Lyme Hill (Mollie didn't enjoy it) - whew!  We had a nice vista to the northeast from the summit (could see the southern end of the White Mountains) and there was bench which allowed us to catch our breath.  We made quick tracks downhill and, an hour after starting our hike, reached the car (1230), We then drove south to the Dartmouth campus and I showed Mollie several places I’ve discovered since moving north.  We reached my condo just as raindrops fell on our car.  Glad we squeezed in another day outside before the really cold weather arrives...

West Lebanon, NH (USA)

I woke Mollie up at 0900 because she'd asked to could come with me to West Lebanon for some errands.  We shopped at several places for supplies and groceries and were going to head home.  On the way, though, I pointed out the Powerhouse Mall to Mollie.  It usually doesn't have a lot of activity near it but today the parking lot was full (until now, I’d thought it was closed for COVID-19).  Mollie suggested that we look inside and I must say "Wow - what a place!"  We explored the Eastern Mountain Sports and LL Bean (both were huge) and several other boutique stores.  Our favorite place was Lemon Tree Gifts - they were selling hand made pillows with State, City and College themes.  We found one for Cape Cod!  The place reminded us of Union Station. We both agreed that we should definitely return.  As we were leaving, I commented on how the weather so clear and sunny - I asked Mollie if she was open to exploring some trails that appeared to be connected to the Mascoma River Greenway (she said she was).  Driving a short distance to the Skatepark, we parked and continued our search for the elusive western terminus of the old WRJ-Boston railroad route.  We found what appeared to be the track bed near the Skatepark - a well-worn gravel path paralleled it, so we took a pleasant stroll to the west.  The woods trail followed the Mascoma River (some good rapids!) and took us (by foot) back at the Powerhouse Mall.  While backtracking to the car, I decided to follow a different route - it was much more reminiscent of a "railroad berm," so I thought it was the Northern Railroad route.  However, when we reached the Skatepark again, it became clear that the main railroad track crossed the road and river nearby at a height that was too high to meet the walking trail.  Mollie decided that she wasn’t interested in bushwhacking (she got back in the car) but I kept going.  After some effort (steep climb up the high embankment), I managed to get up on top of the high berm and found tracks on ties.  I quickly figured out that the eastbound track was inactive because the trestle was overgrown with trees.  Following the old tracks, I was able to cross the river and retrace my steps to the bridge I’d found a few months ago (when I walked into the woods from the Mascoma River Greenway).  For some reason, the rail trail hasn’t been finished - but it appears that it could be someday.  Now I’m even more intrigued - I didn’t see any “no trespassing” signs so maybe I can follow the tracks across the Connecticut River (...remembering how we used to do that on the Bass River trestle...) someday.  Glad I got a break from work and that I could spend some more time outside with Mollie!

Plainfield, NH (USA)

Following advice from locals we met since Mollie arrived, we made plans to go to Plainfield this evening to search for Christmas lights.  After some errands in Lebanon, we drove south on NH-120, taking our time as the sun set.  We noticed that the area had a lot more snow; the more we drove south, the deeper it got!  We first drove around in Meriden - they had some displays but they didn't seem to be as enthusiastic in the set-ups as they'd been for the Pumpkin People.  We got to go through an old covered bridge (Mollie liked that) and then drove west on back roads.  On the way to Plainfield Village, we kept our eyes open for moose in the woods (no luck).  We then headed towards home (via NH-12A) - we stopped to get dinner at KFC/Taco Bell.  At Mollie's recommendation (she'd researched online), we stopped to see the Lights Show at the Kilton Public Library in West Lebanon - it was pretty good!  Overall, not the most exciting evening, but Mollie seemed pleased that we made the effort.

Enfield, NH (USA)

Took a break from work today and visited a friend who works at the La Salette Shrine in Enfield.  After we were done (1100), I took a walk on a “marooned” section of the Northern Rail Trail (west from Mascoma Lakeside Park towards US-4).  It was clear and cool - the distance was perfect for getting some exercise before going back to my computer.

Grafton, NH (USA)

Bad weather cleared out at around noon today and left behind sun with 55ish temps!  I took a break from work and left the condo (1300) so I could take Mollie for some more miles on the Northern Rail Trail.  We used US-4 and parked at the old (closed) General Store in Grafton and headed towards Boston (1330).  It was another beautiful day for outside activity!  The trail in this area was mostly straight and flat but the recent rain had swollen the nearby creeks to overflowing - we got a little nervous watching the effects on the low ground below the track levee... We got good views of the mountains to the north (including Cardigan).  And there were lots of pretty farms and covered bridges to see.  Highlight of the day, though, was spotting a river otter!  He chattered at us a few times but kept ducking underwater - neither of us could get him on film. We walked to the town line (Grafton-Danbury) and then backtracked to the car (arrived at 1445).  We managed to log just under four miles on a beautiful December afternoon - what a nice surprise!  After we were done walking, I took Mollie on some gravel roads to the southwest and we made our way over to NH-4A.  Mollie was intent on looking for moose - she’s a woman on a mission: if you see one, let her know!  We drove all the way to to Springfield but were unsuccessful.  We then headed back towards Enfield (still nothing).  When we arrived back in Hanover, I decided to stop at Jesse’s so Mollie could try dinner there.  We sampled several of the entrees and appetizers and we had a lot in our “to go box” by the end.  Mollie told me she really enjoyed the restaurant and food.  We were back at the house by 1730 - very happy we got another nice day on the trail!