I may not have gotten the photo I had in mind when I drove to Jackson NH but all was not lost.
Over lunch at a local restaurant several people asked me if I’d been to the “Falls” yet. I told them no and asked where it was. Turns out, not far from the center of town at all.
So having chased the snowless sleighs around for a bit I decided to give that a rest and see if I could find Jackson Falls.
Just after making the turn by the Wentworth Inn ( I think that was the name) I drove up a hill. At the top was a place to pull over . There were quite a few cars there considering it was quite cold and beginning to spit some snow flurries. It turned out to be a wedding party getting their photos done. I didn’t want to intrude so decided to drive around some more and come back in a little bit.
I completed a circle that passed lots of scenic farms and finally brought me back to the covered bridge.
I figured that was enough time for the photo shoot to end because the bride had to be freezing but I was wrong. The bride and groom were still there. Most of the rest of the wedding party had left. Trying not to intrude I wandered downstream away from the photo shoot but when I turned to photograph the falls I couldn’t resist a shot with the bride and groom standing nearby.
This is one of my favorites from that day’s adventures.
Its hard to believe another Christmas has come and gone and the count down to the new year begins. One of my favorite parts of the holiday traditions is making my special Christmas Cards.
The photos I use are always from the year before. In other words, I will use a photo from this year for next year’s card and so on. I do this so I won’t feel too stressed out looking for a last minute holiday picture. Usually I have something in mind. Last year I planned a trip to Disney World with the sole intention of finding a picture for my card this year. The result was the train.
A few years ago I wanted to use one of the decorated homes in town.
One year I was trying to get a good candle picture for my cards.
So with a possible card theme in mind I took off to Jackson NH for a day trip. Now a drive to Jackson from Taunton is about 4 hours. I figured I’d have about two hours there to get the special picture and then I’d need to head back home.
What I had in mind was a sleigh ride drawn by a team of horses. “Dashing through the snow”…but when I arrived in Jackson, there was no snow! Oh Oh. Strike one.
Strike 2 was that to go on the Jingle Bell Chocolate Tour you had to be staying at one of the Inns. There was no room at any of the Inns, not that I really had time to stay overnight.
Strike 3 was no sleighs (since there was no snow) well, in a way there were sleighs. They were mounted on wagon frames.
To make a long story short, I didn’t get the photos I had visualized and at this point I don’t think they will make the cut for next year’s card but you never know. It all depends on what other shots I come up with. I had a good time and met some nice people and that’s what’s really important.
When is a Bridge more than a bridge? When it’s covered , of course.
Pennsylvania is supposed to have the most covered bridges. It is also supposed to have had the most covered bridges of any state throughout history. Estimates say there was at least 1500 during the height of bridge building. But don’t forget Vermont.
Vermont has the most covered bridges per square mile or at least it did have before the bad weather in recent years started taking them out and turning them into matchsticks. I’m not sure where the count stands now.
New Hampshire has bunch and I got to see some of them on my vacation to Waterville Valley.
The one I want to talk about here is the one in Rhode Island. Up until I started researching this bridge I thought it was the only one in Rhode Island. Most articles say Rhode Island has just the one but there’s a rumor that there’s a newer bridge in Lincoln Woods State Park. I may have to check that out.
But back to the bridge of the day, little Swamp Meadow Covered Bridge in Foster , RI. This little bridge was a real labor of love. A replica of an early 19th-century structure, it was built by volunteers back in 1994. The timber was logged from nearby forests and the 40-foot-long bridge straddles Hemlock Brook, north of the small town of Foster, just off Route 94. It uses the lattice-truss method of construction and was rebuilt in 1994.
It’s officially listed as part of the “leaf-peeper trail. A true treasure to see.
I saw a documentary on covered bridges on PBS and that show mentioned that the Swamp Meadow bridge had burned down. It was determined it was arson and the cuplrits, 3 village youths, eventually were identified and apprehended. But that wasn’t the end of the story. The community banded together to rebuild the bridge. The bridge burned on September 11, 1993 and was rededicated in November 1994 and stands to this day.
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In my alphabetical review of the states I’ve visited and the ones that remain we have reached New Hampshire. New Hampshire gets a resounding YES!
Since New Hampshire is our neighbor state to the north, I have made many day trips, from beer runs in my youth (Massachusetts had blue laws which have since been relaxed) to tax free shopping, to multiple visits to Canopy Lake Park (An amusement park), until I finally broke down and spent a week in the White Mountains.
Salem, NH is not only home to Canopy Lake park but a more mysterious location known as the American Stonehenge. I visited the American Stonehenge several times. I found it interesting but I didn’t get any “vibes”. Lately it’s been featured in several TV programs including America Unearthed. Maybe it’s time to plan another day trip.
Also on my list is a visit to Portsmouth, NH where I would take a boat trip to the picturesque and history-filled Isles of Shoals, six miles off the New Hampshire coast.
The 48-foot tower of Portsmouth Harbor Light, built in 1877, overlooks the entrance to Portsmouth Harbor from historic Fort Constitution and the U.S. Coast Guard Station in nearby New Castle. I haven’t got any pictures of New Hampshire Lighthouses so I need to include a trip there.
But those are things I still need to do. Let’s review things I’ve done so I can check the state off.
I remember spending a vacation in a rustic trailer in North Conway in October .. The only heat was a wood stove. My brother Jim had a beautiful Gold Wing Touring Bike and we rode the bike over the Kancamangus Highway, very scenic trip through the White Mountains. Since it was October we were treated to vibrant foliage and sparkling waterfalls. Riding this road on a motorcycle was an outstanding experience.
No car roof to interfere with the awesome views. It was cold but I’d do it again in a heartbeat. It was a terrific trip.
More recently I spent a week in Waterville Valley in mid summer. That was an activity packed vacation. I rode the tram to the top of Canon Mountain,
explored the Flume Gorge, went on a Moose Tour…and saw moose….in Lincoln, NH. I took a scenic train ride and rode the Famous 
Cog railway to the summit of Mt. Washington. I also drove the Kancamangus Highway again and met a group of bikers peddling the mountain roads.
For details on my adventure in the Flume Gorge you’ll want to read my post about it. It was a “Freshly Pressed” post and one of my most popular. https://aroundustyroads.com/?s=flume+gorge
I looked for Covered bridges.
There are said to be 54 in New Hampshire. Under one bridge I found an old fashioned rope swing with kids swinging out and jumping into the river. Boy did that take me back!
I almost forgot! I took a nature cruise on Squam lake to look for loons and Eagles. (We saw both) Squam Lake was the location where On Golden Pond was filmed. I highly recommend this lake. It was a beautiful ride and the lake has limited development so you aren’t staring at hotels and motels all along the shore.
Another New Hampshire experience was a photographic journey I took 2 years ago that the Massachusetts Railroad Enthusiasts puts on the first Saturday in January. It’s a train ride for photographers.
The train stops several places and lets the photographers off. Then it backs up and does a “run by” so we can take pictures. Then it’s all aboard until the next stop where we repeat the process. The train runs from North Conway to Notchland. It’s a long day starting about 5am for the drive up and getting home around 9pm but another great experience.
So what’s the tally now? 10 states visited, 19 still to go and the countdown continues…