We got a sweet deal on flights, because of our flight vouchers from the delay last spring, which is what factored into our decision to take an anniversary trip together this fall. Only cost us $26 per flight to red eye Delta to Boston. However, that means we got into Boston at 3:30 am our time, 5:30 Boston time, which was a very early start to our day. We rented a car and drove through crazy mazes of freeway roads through the city to the LDS Boston temple. We got there at 7:15 but they let us in to eat some breakfast from their vending machines and attend the 8:00 am session, which was awesome because the names we brought were people born in Maine and we were the only couple in the session! It was special and personal and a great start to the trip.
We drove to Salem and took a trolley tour around that city. The Boston accent of the guide was think and we had to calibrate our ears to it, but once we did it was fun. It was kind of cold and I was tired so sitting in a trolley for a while was nice. We stopped at a recommended eatery that was only so-so for all the hype the guide gave it, but it filled us up. We bought a ticket for a dramatization and historical was tour of a Salem Witch Dungeon and learned all about the witch trials. There was all kinds of history to be learned everywhere we went on this trip.
We drove to Portsmouth NH next which was beautiful because the leaves more north were more colorful, but learned the museum we wanted to see was closed that day, and the other historical tour was closing too soon to get through it, and the harbor tour online was closed for the season. So we sat on a city bench and rested together for a while, and let ourselves de-stress from regular life a little. We walked around the city and saw a huge drawbridge go up and down like an elevator to let a large boat pass under it.
We stayed in a little town called Cape Neddick, which was right on the coast, so we saw a sunset and sunrise at the Nubble lighthouse which was beautiful. We both were so tired we had to take a nap at the hotel for an hour. We struggled to find a place to eat dinner, really getting the clue that things shut down in this part of the country around the beginning of October, even the sun goes down at 5:45 pm, but finally found a hotel that served over priced clam chowder, but was good, and we sat in the hot tub and went to bed early.
Day 2
Got up early and at breakfast at the hotel and hit the road again. Drove 4 hours to Bar Harbor Maine so we could browse around Arcadia National Park. In hindsight traveling in the evening would be better so we could see more when the sun was up, even though the drives through deciduous forests in the fall was spectacular. We caught a Harbor boat tour of the port at Mount Desert Island which took us to Crandberry Island, which was fun to walk around and see some people Lobstering off the shore. We enjoyed driving up to Cadillac mountain and hiking around there. We saw the sunset from the top which was gorgeous. There were so many beautiful pull offs because of the hundreds of lakes and waterways from the ocean.
We had to try lobster while we were in Bar Harbor, and there were lots of options this time, but were all closing around 8 so we were in a bit of a rush to make a choice. We settled on the more touristy experience at Stewmans Lobster Pound, and both ordered the Lobster Dinner Special, which is the most money we have ever spent on just the two of us eating out. It was quite an experience busting into the lobster and eating muscles too, but we managed it.
I took a shot of the trees outside our hotel in Bar Harbor before leaving because it was beautiful, and we stopped at a white sand beach on our way to the trail. We stayed in Arcadia National Park for the morning because we wanted to hike the Beehive trail, which was worth adjusting the itinerary for! It was amazing, up steep cliffs climbing iron rails cemented into the mountain, and stunning views of the forest and ocean harbor. So exhilarating, and the best hike of the trip. Jared really faced his fear of heights on that one. We hiked down to the Bowl Lake on the way down which was also very beautiful. So many lakes in New England, almost enough for everyone to have their own private lake.
We drove through Arcadia and grabbed some nachos on the way out of town, which were amazing, and drove 4 more hours to White Mountain National Park. We got there just in time to drive up Mount Washington, the highest point in NH, which was about a 6000 foot elevation change, and also gave Jared a chance to face his fear of heights. That was a very narrow road! Built back in the carriage and horse buggy days with black powder blasts and sheer man power, that road was fun to learn about.The top was so windy it about knocked me over, and the views were amazing.
In traveling to Uncle Steve Smith's house afterwards, we saw a couple covered bridges that are every bit as beautiful as they seem in the pictures. They cover such beautiful rivers and gorges too. Unfortunately we didn't take a picture with Steve, but he was a great host, took us to an italian restaurant and offered us a lovely room to stay in. Aunt Judy was in CA doing business so we missed her.
Day 4
We got up and had some leftovers for breakfast and headed over to Lake Winnipesaukee to hike Mount Major and take a boat tour of the lake. Another beautiful hike, and this one a little longer so it was quite a work out. I was super glad I dragged my trekking poles all the way there so I could use them on this hike. It overlooked the entire lake and again, amazing views of water and colorful trees everywhere. There was no clear cut trail, only blue paint marks on the rocks going up, and orange paint marks on rocks coming down. I kept thinking as I constantly searched for my paint mark how like the scriptures they were, always leading us in the right direction even though we don't know where we are going.
We drove to a northern boat harbor and passed over to Governors Island, one of the many islands in lake W, and were very impressed by the million dollar real estate covering the coastline. We learned more about that on our boat tour all the way up and down lake W. Lots of wealthy people building houses on the coasts back east. While waiting for the boat to depart we stopped at the Kellerhaus, a 1906 Tudor style home turned into an ice cream/treat/gift shop. It was darling and I bought some souvenirs there. We got on a big boat and went directly to the "grill" they boasted of having on their flyer for lunch, but it ended up being the worst meal we had on our trip. The "lobster roll" was chewy lobster on toast, and we waited 30 minutes for the hamburger with freezer fries warmed in the toaster oven, ha ha. But the tour was awesome. We looked for Dr. Marvin's house but couldn't find it, maybe they really blew it up, but we did see a marina that looked just like the one Bob first sailed from. #WhatAboutBob
We drove down to Louden NH to see Meadowledge farm, which had like 50 acres of apple trees and 75 varieties of apples, and took an afternoon stroll through the orchard. So pretty! One of my bucket list items in life has been accomplished: walk through a fruit orchard hand in hand with my love in fall. Jared bought a dozen apple cider donuts, called cider bellies, and ate three. I smelled them, they were very delicious smelling.
We enjoyed staying at the smiths again, and this evening got to visit with Jared's cousin Lindsey and her husband Paul while eating Amercanized mexican food take out. It was really nice. Again sorry I failed to take pictures of the Smiths!
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