Kancamagus Highway

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A winding mountain road curves through a dense forest of vibrant autumn foliage, with red, orange, yellow, and green treetops stretching across rolling hills under a partly cloudy sky.

The Kancamagus Highway — A Fall Ride I’ll Never Forget A vintage maroon-and-white Honda Gold Wing motorcycle with a large Windjammer III fairing and hard saddlebags sits parked indoors on a concrete floor, showing detailed pinstriping and chrome engine components.

There are some roads you don’t just drive — you remember. For me, one of those is the Kancamagus Highway, winding through the White Mountains in full October color. Years ago, I rode it on a motorcycle, the air sharp enough to sting my cheeks and the leaves swirling behind me like confetti. It wasn’t just a scenic drive. It was freedom, pure and simple.

Riding the Kanc in Full Fall Color

A motorcycle with two riders leans into a curve on a forested road, motion blur showing their speed as they pass dense green foliage and a yellow road sign.The Kancamagus is made for motorcycles, especially in the fall. No straining to see the colors from inside a car — it’s all wide open. But dress warmly. Leathers are almost a necessity. October is cold anyway, but the mountains add their own bite, and the Kanc sits deep in northern New Hampshire. It’s 35 miles of highway through the White Mountain National Forest, running from Lincoln to Conway.

At its highest point, you reach an elevation of 2,855 feet. It may not tower like the Rockies, but it’s a good, steady rise. There’s a sign marking the summit, and it’s worth stopping for a picture — one of those “just so you can say you were there” moments.

You can drive straight through. It’ll take you two to three hours depending on traffic, and October is prime leaf‑peeping A narrow waterfall flows between tall moss‑covered rock walls in a shaded gorge, with a wooden footbridge above and green forest vegetation surrounding the scene. season. But it’s even better if you stop along the way. One of my favorite waterfalls is Sabbaday Falls. The trail is clearly marked, there’s parking, and a short hike takes you to a multi‑tiered waterfall. Easy enough for a family walk.

I’ve gone moose‑watching in the area and never seen any along the Kanc, but I’m told to beware — moose, deer, and black bear all use the highway, especially around dawn and dusk. It’s bad enough in a car, but you definitely don’t want to meet one of those animals on a motorcycle.

There’s more to see than just the fall colors: Rocky Gorge, Lower Falls, and all the little pull‑offs where the mountains open up in front of you. All in all, the Kanc is one of my favorite drives — a stretch of road that stays with you long after the ride is over.

Fast‑moving river water cascades over rocks, creating white rapids surrounded by smooth stone formations and a dense forest of evergreen and deciduous trees.

 

WMEO BREAKING NEWS – The Future is Here and it’s Flying Cars!

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Two cats sit behind a WMEO 9 news desk as playful “news anchors.” The orange tabby on the left wears a black bow tie, and the black cat on the right sits beside a small teddy bear and toy mouse. A tiny pumpkin and a microphone are on the desk. Behind them, a screen shows a futuristic Tesla car on a looping roadway with the headline “Flying Cars.”

⭐ WMEO BREAKING NEWS — Tesler Flying Roadster

BREAKING NEWS Good morning, Taunton. This is WMEO 9 with a breaking news Update. We Meow-You Listen

Banner: In breaking news, Elon Musk unveiled his prototype Flying Roadster! Yes, the billionaire says the time has come. Flying cars are here… or almost, anyway. Production begins in 2028.

Balboa: Musk hosted a demo at a SpaceX test facility in Texas and streamed it to the world. Was it real… or CGI?

Banner: During the demo, the car launched from a ramp that curled over so the vehicle flipped upside down, clung to the surface, then flew off the end and rolled 180 degrees midair before landing on its wheels.

Balboa: The Flying Roadster uses thrusters and rockets from 0–60 in under one second. That’s some serious G’s.

Banner: Pumpkin Spice, you watched the demo for WMEO. What are your thoughts?

Pumpkin Spice: “Wheeee! …and also never again.”

A gray Tesla Roadster flies above a futuristic city while an orange cat leans excitedly out the window. A black “PRESS” hat floats nearby, and a billboard in the background displays the Tesla logo.

Banner: WMEO crews pulled Pumpkin Spice out of the vehicle after he clung to the dashboard and yelled, “I DID NOT SIGN UP FOR THIS.”

Banner: Musk says he expects success, but he still needs to satisfy government safety and regulatory requirements.

Two cats sit behind a WMEO 9 news desk as if hosting a broadcast. The orange cat on the left wears a dark blue bow tie, while the black cat on the right sits beside a small gray mouse toy and a brown teddy bear. A sheet of paper with red markings lies on the desk. The front of the desk displays the text “WMEO 9” in large yellow letters and “Thank you for watching” in white. The blurred newsroom background features blue and red tones.

This has been a WMEO Breaking News Moment.

A Vacation of Firsts

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Red rock formations rise above the town of Sedona, Arizona, with layered sandstone cliffs, green trees, and scattered houses under a clear sky.

⭐ Sedona Firsts — A Walk Down Memory Lane (2008)

Red sandstone cliffs and buttes rise above the town of Sedona, Arizona, with green trees and scattered houses in the foreground under a partly cloudy sky.You all know about my great photo‑tagging project. I’m making good progress, but as if 10,000+ pictures weren’t enough, I discovered a whole stash of older photos that never made it into my media library.

I was searching for a specific shot I knew I took. It wasn’t in the library, so I went digging through my computer’s hard drive. Ta‑da — found it! But then… what are all these other folders? I clicked one at random.

Sedona 2008. Instant time warp.

None of these photos were ever imported, but there were a lot of them — and suddenly I was right back in that trip. 2008 was one of my earlier adventures, full of “firsts,” as you’d expect. So let’s take a walk down memory lane.

🌄 Sedona: Home of the Woo‑Woo

Sedona has a reputation — mystical energy vortexes, UFO sightings, crystal shops, tarot readers. If it’s outside the norm, you’ll probably find it here.

I didn’t partake in any meditations or energy‑raising ceremonies. For me, Sedona is a photographer’s dream:

Two tall red sandstone hoodoos known as the “Two Nuns” rise against a clear blue sky in Sedona, Arizona, with green hills and sparse desert vegetation at their base.

2 Nuns

  • Red rocks glowing at dawn and dusk
  • Oak Creek winding between canyon walls
  • Hawks floating overhead
  • A photography shop on the main street with local art so beautiful it made my heart hurt

That’s the Sedona I fell in love with.

🚂 First: The Grand Canyon Railway

I drove to Williams, Arizona, where I caught the train to the Grand Canyon. I know I’ve told you before — that first look at the canyon is beyond description.

My mind couldn’t get a grip on it. The canyon is so massive, so colorful, so unreal that I half expected to reach out and touch a mural instead of… nothingness. I don’t think I’ll ever recapture that moment again, and I’ll never forget it.

Expansive view of the Grand Canyon with layered red and orange cliffs, deep valleys, and rugged rock formations stretching toward the horizon under a partly cloudy sky.

🌬️ First: Meteor Crater

A wide view of Meteor Crater in Arizona, showing its steep rocky walls, flat crater floor, and desert terrain with a small observation structure along the rim.

Meteor Crater

Traveling east from Williams, I followed I‑40 until I reached Exit 233 — Meteor Crater.

  • 1 mile wide
  • 550 feet deep
  • 50,000 years old

There are four lookout points along the rim, each with telescopes for viewing the floor. The day I visited was windy, and the sound was incredible — like someone blowing across the top of a giant bottle. A deep, resonant WOOOOOOSH rolling across the crater’s rim.

 

There’s a small space museum, but honestly, the crater itself overwhelmed me so much that I barely went inside.

🐅 First: A Dirt Devil Up Close

Back in Sedona, I headed south toward Camp Verde to visit Out of Africa Wildlife Park. Who expects to find a safari A tall dust devil spirals upward from the desert floor, twisting across a flat, dry landscape with distant mountains under a clear blue sky. park in Arizona? But it was fun — until it became memorable.

I was in the bleachers watching the tigers swimming and playing when a trainer suddenly yelled, “Take cover!” We were outside… cover where?

A dirt devil was forming near the tiger enclosure.

I’d seen plenty of them while driving — harmless little twisters that never last long. Or so I thought.

This one hit the bleachers with force:

  • The wind nearly knocked me off my feet
  • Cat toys were flying
  • Dirt blasted into the air like sandpaper
  • Anything not covered stung

It only lasted a few minutes, and I wasn’t hurt, but wow — I learned how not harmless those “little” things can be.

A woman stands in front of a white sightseeing helicopter on a desert helipad, wearing sunglasses, a graphic T‑shirt, and jeans, with rocky hills and a clear blue sky in the background during her first helicopter ride.🚁 First: My First Helicopter Ride

Another big first: my first helicopter ride.

We flew over the landscape around Sedona in a small helicopter, and I had the perfect seat — window access and a camera in hand. I took photos the entire time and loved every second.

I’ve been on several helicopter rides since, but none were as satisfying. Bigger copters, center seats, someone’s head or arm always in the way. That first ride spoiled me forever.

Wide desert landscape with red rock mesas and buttes in Sedona, Arizona, surrounded by sparse vegetation and green shrubs under a clear blue sky.

❤️ Why I Returned

My first trip to Sedona was a huge success. No wonder I went back a couple of years later. And if time and money allowed, I’d go again.

Maybe next time I’d even see a UFO.

Red rock cliffs and buttes in Sedona, Arizona, rising above sparse desert vegetation under a clear blue sky.

 

WMEO 9 Morning Briefing- Dead Men Tell No Tales

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Two cats sit behind the WMEO 9 news desk. An orange long‑haired cat wearing a black bow tie sits on the left beside a small pumpkin and a microphone. A black cat sits on the right beside a teddy bear and a gray cap. Behind them, the studio screen displays a star‑filled sky with a large full moon and the headline “WMEO Morning Brief.”

WMEO 9 Morning Briefing

Your trusted source for news, chaos, and questionable fact‑checking.

Good morning, everyone! This is your WMEO 9 update — We Meow, You Listen.

Banner: “Today we have news about—”

Balboa (bursting in): “Banner! Banner! I just heard there’s a dead man on the moon!”

Banner: “What!? Balboa, how could there be a dead man on the moon?”

Balboa: “There is! I read it on the internet, and if it’s on the internet, it has to be true. The internet is basically the Library of Truth.”

Banner: “Pumpkin Spice, have you heard anything about this?”

Pumpkin Spice, an orange cat dressed in a white astronaut suit, holds a gold‑visored helmet under one arm and a WMEO microphone in the other. He wears a black WMEO press hat with an orange leaf, standing against a starry outer‑space background.Pumpkin Spice: “I’m already packed. I’m heading to SpaceX. If I stand near the rocket and look cute, they’ll let me on.”

Banner: “Pumpkin—wait. I think I know the answer. Dr. Eugene Shoemaker died in 1997, and to honor his contributions to the space program, some of his ashes were sent to the moon. So technically… yes. There is a dead man on the moon.”

Balboa: “I knew it! The internet never lies.”

Banner: “Well folks, that’s all the time we have today. Please return to your regularly scheduled scrolling.”

WMEO — bringing you breaking news… sort of.

Two cats sit behind a WMEO 9 news desk as if hosting a broadcast. The orange cat on the left wears a dark blue bow tie, while the black cat on the right sits beside a small gray mouse toy and a brown teddy bear. A sheet of paper with red markings lies on the desk. The front of the desk displays the text “WMEO 9” in large yellow letters and “Thank you for watching” in white. The blurred newsroom background features blue and red tones.

 

Fall in New England Means One Thing: Apple Season

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A New England apple orchard with rows of trees full of ripe red apples, green grass between the rows, and a soft, partly cloudy sky overhead.

Welcome to Peak Apple Season in New England

A wooden bin filled with freshly picked red apples, with green orchard trees in the background.You gotta love Fall in New England. The gardens may be past their prime — no more tomatoes, cucumbers, or carrots — but the squash and zucchini are still hanging in there. And now the other seasonal stars have moved in to take over. I’m talking about cranberries and apples.

Apple orchards are everywhere in New England, so crisp fresh apples are in abundance, whether you’re picking your own, stopping at a farm stand, or just walking into your local grocery store. With that in mind, I thought this would be the perfect time to revisit one of my favorite fall recipes.

I learned this one last year. Before that, I made it in a regular old pie pan, but being the cast‑iron fanatic that I am, when I found a skillet version I had to try it — and oh my, what a success. So back by popular demand is my Easy Skillet Apple Pie. Yes, I cheated and used refrigerated pie dough, and yes, it still came out amazing.

Easy Skillet Apple Pie

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs. Granny Smith applesA golden‑brown apple pie baked in a cast iron skillet, with slits in the top crust and bubbling filling around the edges.
  • 2 lbs. Braeburn apples (I used McIntosh)
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup butter
  • 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1 (14 oz) package refrigerated pie crust (2 crusts)
  • 1 egg white
  • 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
  • Ice cream or sharp cheddar cheese (optional)

A golden‑brown apple pie in a round baking dish with a slice removed, showing the warm fruit filling inside.Directions

Step 1: Prepare the Apples Preheat oven to 350°F. Peel apples and cut into ½‑inch wedges. Toss with cinnamon and ¾ cup granulated sugar. Set aside.

Step 2: Prepare the Crust Melt butter in a 10‑inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add brown sugar and stir constantly for 1–2 minutes until dissolved. Remove from heat and place one pie crust over the brown sugar mixture.

Step 3: Add the Filling Spoon apple mixture evenly over the crust.

Step 4: Add the Top Crust Top with the second pie crust. Whisk egg white until foamy and brush over the top. Sprinkle with 2 Tbsp granulated sugar. Cut 4–5 slits in the top to allow steam to escape.

Step 5: Bake Bake at 350°F for 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly. Shield with foil during the last 10 minutes if needed to prevent over‑browning. Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes before serving.

Serve with ice cream or a slice of sharp cheddar cheese.

A slice of fruit pie with a golden, flaky crust on a blue plate, showing the warm, juicy filling inside.

Notes & Tips

  • Use a drip pan or line the bottom of your oven with foil — this pie will bubble over, and cleanup without protection is no fun.
  • Surprisingly, the tougher refrigerated crust holds up beautifully against the gooey filling.

Now I’m stuck with a delicious 10‑inch apple pie. Guess I’ll just have to take one for the team. I’m going to enjoy every bite — and I hope you do too.