I’ve recently vacated the premises of Philly and headed with my wife to New England. We rented a sage / puke colored Hyundai Sonata and cruised north to escape Fishtown, desktop computers, and work.
We started at Newport, Rhode Island, roaming around Thames Street and taking in the boat scene along the piers and hob-knobbing amid some antique stores, Asterisk restaurant, and a double dose of gelato.
Hanging on the docks…
It was the first time that I stayed at a Bed & Breakfast, and we lucked out with the Artful Lodger. They promised a stellar breakfast, and I have to admit it was a bit odd walking to the third floor conservatory room to suddenly share a feast with strangers that were in adjacent rooms, but they were all cool. Mike and Lieza dished up some tasty omelettes, pastries, and fattened us big time.
At The Artful Lodger
The Cliff Walk along the ocean made for a mixed experience of gazing at natural beauty and gawking at old mansions that nobody lives in anymore. The trail is kind’ve narrow, so you have to constantly get out of the way for people. We soon realized nobody gets out of the way for anybody and must always walk side-by-side. They love each other that much.
Satisfied Cliff Walker.
Next, we hit the road to Hampton Falls, New Hampshire for two days of tent camping at Wakeda Campground. We got hooked up with D60, one massive campsite next to Frog Pond. There was hardly anybody camping at all, aside from a few perma-RV older folks. While walking around, we were called upon by some old lady who was grilling chicken and didn’t have time for a stray Jack Russell terrier that had embraced her. So, we took Snoopy along with us. Luckily, the owner was able to u-turn back to camp and pick him up. But it was fun having a pet for an hour.
Melissa and Snoopy get to know each other.
We couldn’t get a fire going, as the bundle we bought was quite damp. So, we bagged it after a while and retreated to the tent to eat hot peppered chocolate and Hennepin Ommegang, which was a dumb idea as the caffeine kept me up all night mixed with paranoia from some odd creature that moaned a two syllable phrase.
Our new “sleeping bag for two” was warm and spacious. Crows guaranteed that we got up early with their cawing the next morning, and pushed us toward a day trip at Portsmouth, New Hampshire for breakfast at the eclectic The Friendly Toast, where you can stair up at pieces of carnival rides from the 60s. We then roamed around Prescott Park and took a mini-nap on the grass, hitting up The Juicery, eating cookies, and admiring the serene practically litter-free town.
Beautiful Portsmouth, NH
Get your juice on. PS: If you’re over six foot tall, you can’t walk in The Juicery without crouching.
Memorial Bridge to from Portsmouth, NH to Kittery, ME.
I got a slight burn on my face, but that didn’t stop us from checking out Hampton Beach to stick our feet in the ocean and fly our massive 50 foot long kite.
Melissa flies our kite on Hampton Beach, NH
Back at the campsite, we got the fire going with some new drier wood and cooked up a variety of veggie burgers and Jiffy Pop. We awoke to rain pelting the tent and packed the car back up to head to Mount Washington Valley.
At the Rockin’ Diner in Rochester, NH
There were cottages that we were to stay at in Bartlett, NH, but after we arrived, I didn’t like that they were practically on the highway, surrounded by ant traps, and had a lurking weird staff. I said, fuck it, and we headed to North Conway, NH in the hopes of finding a much better place.
We scored a great three night stay at Eastern Slope Inn & Resort. The historic inn had a great welcoming feel to it, the staff accommodating, and their were some great perks there. We made use of the hot tub, pool, attached Flatbread restaurant, and Frontside Grind coffee shop. North Conway wasn’t overly crowded, as it was in between the summer season and too early for the autumn leaf peeper crowd.
Eastern Slope Inn & Resort
Flatbread…. a damn fine establishment!
The Conway Scenic Railroad sunset ride was fun, but void of much scenery, including a view of the sunset. WTF? But, the railroad staff made it loose, including one young dude that was delighted to share every nugget of Hurricane Irene devastation he had to help clean up.
Hiking up to the pinnacle of Mt. Washington was out of the question, as I can barely jog for 30 minutes straight, so we did the ultra touristy Mt. Washington Auto Road. (Love their web site, btw.) We put the Hyundai Sonata to the fucking limit with this ascension, put it in low gear, and cruised on up the 7.6 miles.
They give you a free CD to listen to safety tips and history, but after 10 minutes the guy just irritates the hell out of ya and you just have to focus on the road. There are no guard rails or room for error, and you can easily fall off the side. I can’t imagine driving this in any condition other than bone dry.
Once you get to the top, you soon see that there are some magnificent views. We got lucky though. It can easily be a torrential downpour or Cloud City up there. Courageous hikers appear near where you park you car, making you feel like a spineless douche. Of course, the summit also has a gift shop, museum, and cafeteria.
Melissa is at one with the clouds.
Atop Mount Washington
Atop Mount Washington
Trains atop Mount Washington? Yeah, kind’ve odd.
Upon descension, we did some hiking on some Pinkham Notch trails, but many of them were badly battered from Hurricane Irene. Without the tree markers, we would have been lost easily.
Trying not to get lost…
Cruising the 34 miles of the Kancamagus Highway and stopping long the many outlooks, as well as some hiking was a true escape from the SEPTA fumes and “whaddup bitch?!” sounds of our beloved Memphis Street. Moat Mountain Brewing made for a nice end to the New Hampshire experience.
Melissa at Moat Mountain Brewing
Along a trail off the “Kanc”. We stumbled upon a fresh batch of bear shit, I believe, on the trail.
Hurricane Irene damage on the “Kanc”. Benches torn out of pathways.
Moat Mountain Brewing outdoor ash tray.
I’m dozing off here, but the last moments of our trip were enjoying the lush Green Mountains of Vermont, transfixion at a roadside Vermont Country Store, and realizing how bad the food is at The Recovery Sports Grill in Albany, NY.
And now, over to you, Melissa, for the 5-day forecast.
I recommend the Hyundai Sonata for road trips. No probs at all.