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…
