Tag Archives: scenic drive

Covered bridges, UFO’s and more

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Driving around the White Mountains I came across covered bridges time and again. It seems like they were everywhere.

 For some reason I usually think of Vermont when it comes to covered bridges and maple syrup but I was finding plenty of both here in New Hampshire.

Some observations or musings about covered bridges come to mind.

  • They provide shelter from New England weather which can certainly be harsh in the winter and hot in the summer.
  • Historically bridges were covered to protect the floorboards from exposure to the weather as the floorboards were the most expensive part of the bridge.
  • Sometime covered bridges are affectionately called “Kissing bridges”. That’s easy enough to understand. 🙂
  • At one time more than 10,000 covered bridges existed in the US.  Today only about 750 remain and are carefully protected and maintained . Over 50 of these exist in New Hampshire.
  • Some say that wagon teams are calmer being driven over a covered bridge than over an open bridge where the team can see the rushing waters below. What they can’t see can’t hurt them or so they think, like putting on blinders.

There are driving tours to visit the various bridges and these are very popular during the fall foliage season when covered bridges are especially picturesque.

Speaking of picturesque, The Mount Washington Hotel is gorgeous in brilliant white and red against the blue and green of the mountains behind it.

 Located in Bretton Woods at the base of Mount Washington, the Mount Washington Hotel was built during the era of the Grand Hotels and is one of the few remaining today. It opened in 1902 as one of the most luxurious, modern hotels of its time.

It is still operating today under the stewardship of the Omni Hotel Management. It has been featured on SYFI Channels Ghost Hunters when the TAPS team investigated it for paranormal activity.

In 1986 The Mount Washington Hotel, as one of the only Grand Hotels remaining in the White Mountains, was granted landmark status.

 An speaking of the paranormal, it’s just a short leap to discussing aliens and UFO’s. The White Mountains has some of that too . Maybe not an Area 51 but just as important to the UFO community is the alleged  abduction  of Betty and Barney Hill in 1961. Their story started the abduction phase in UFO investigations.

The Hill’s story has been told in books and movies but is certainly too long to post here in any detail. But This is the story in a nut shell.

The Hills were traveling home to Portsmouth on RT 3 around 10:30 pm.  Near Indian Head a UFO forced them to stop their car. They then reported a period of missing time.They reported the incident to the authorities and this has been widely investigated.

Today there is a State historical Marker near Indian Head  to identify the spot where the Hills were said to have been abducted. I will admit to getting chills when I saw the marker. I don’t know if they were abducted or not or if there’s anything such thing as aliens, but I do believe that something happened there that night that’s never been explained.

Back when I vacationed in South Dakota we found ourselves on a dirt road that I jokingly refer to as “the longest dirt road in the world”. As I chatted with the Moose Tour folks one of them told me I should use the short cut from Waterville Valley to Lincoln. He told me to take Triple E Rd and it would bring me out right near the Valley Inn where I was staying.

It wasn’t Triple E Rd it was Tripoli Rd and the sign said it was closed from November to May. Since this was July I wouldn’t have a problem, at least I hoped I wouldn’t. The first part of the road on either end, Lincoln or Waterville, was paved.

 It wasn’t in very good shape with many pot holes and crumbling  shoulders but it wasn’t long before that was past and I was on a dirt road through thick trees and forest. The dirt road was actually easier to drive on than the pavement.

It was well graded and maintained and packed enough that there wasn’t a great deal of dust. There were a few cars and some campsites along the way. I don’t think it saved me any time but it was shorter in distance and it soon became my favorite route between the two towns.

I saw a large rabbit and a big bird. I think the bird was an owl of some kind by the way it flew through the woods. I kept hoping that I’d see more wildlife but even though I didn’t, it was still a pretty drive.

My vacation is winding down. It won’t be long before I’ll be back to the “real world” but I still have a few more things to share with you including the pictures I intend to submit to the various photo contests. I have to check the web  site,  but if there’s a link for you to vote, I’ll post that too.

Kancamagus Scenic Highway

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When I got up this morning it was almost overwhelming the options I had open to me. Unlike most of my vacation trips I did not commit to any reservations or tours in advance so everyday will be like a blank canvas. What to put on each one???

After tea and a cinnamon roll I headed to the car to drive to the Cog Railway however I am easily side-tracked and today was no different. Before I got to the exit for Mount Washington I saw an exit for the Kancamagus Highway. You guessed it. I decided to get off there and follow that route. I wasn’t sure where  it came out. I thought somewhere near Conway or Bretton Woods but since the day was all mine it really didn’t make any difference where it stopped.

The lower end wasn’t much. It was like a main street through what I think was Lincoln, NH but it wasn’t long before it began to climb.

I made a brief stop at the ranger station on the Pemigewasset River. This is the Lincoln Woods Trailhead.

I looked around a little but didn’t take the time to really hike. I wasn’t prepared but I did have to explore the  Pemigewasset Suspension Bridge where several of the trails start.

The bridge is pretty cool. You can feel it sway in the wind or when other hikers are crossing it. Since it looks very sturdy it’s a funny feeling.

 The water in the river was low but even so there were fishermen trying to tease out a trout or two.

The Ranger told me that there is a fee to park at each trailhead or you can get a day pass if you’re going to go to several different ones. Since it’s the National Forest my annual pass covered my parking. I just had to be sure to leave it on the dashboard so the rangers could see it when the made their rounds.

The last time I was on the Kancamagus it was on the back of a motorcycle and it was clear that the allure of this road to bikers was still there. At one of the scenic overlooks where the parking lot looked over one of the hairpin curves, I set up shop with the camera to try to catch a cycle coming around that curve. It didn’t take long.

Leaving that stop the road began to climb in earnest. The thermometer was hovering right around 100 even here in the mountains. Seriously HOT! That’s when I spotted the bicycles. Who would be out riding up a mountain in this heat! I had a case of water in the car. When I came to a small pull off I stopped to get more pictures and the first of the riders slowly peddled past.

I held out a warm but wet bottle of water. It earned me a smile but a shake of the head. The same with the ones following. Ok, at least I made the offer.

We leapfrogged a bit as I would drive by them then stop for pictures and they would pass me. Then I would pass them again and so on. Finally I reached the top of the Kancamagus Pass, elevation 2855. At least it would be downhill for those cyclists from this point on.

The next scenic overlook had a shelter and a large parking lot. As I pulled in I spotted the cyclists  again. They were gathered in the shelter having lunch. When they saw me they called me over and insisted on having a picture taken with me. As you can see, everyone was in good spirits.

 They said most people think they are nuts. But I just think it’s amazing. What dedication it took to get in good enough shape to make it up these mountains! And in this heat on top of it!

I left my new friends taking a well-earned break in the shade and headed back out to finish the downhill side of the Kancamagus.

I had forgotten about the waterfall I’d read about until I saw a sign for the Sabbaday Falls picnic area. It’s a National Forest site so I plopped my pass on the dashboard and locked up. I took just the camera, leaving the backpack in the car so the walk would be cooler. I now think that was a mistake. Without the backpack I didn’t have anyplace for a water bottle. Since the trail was only .5 miles I didn’t think I’d miss the water.

That was not true! I was sweating almost before I got up the first incline.

The trail was mostly uphill. It wasn’t long before I was drenched in sweat even though the trail is mostly shaded. I stopped a few times to get pictures before I reached the falls.

It was nice and cool near the waterfall. There were stone steps carved out of the rocks beside the falls that led up to a bridge that crossed the stream next to the falls. I had a blast taking pictures there. So much so I forgot how hot and thirsty I was. 🙂

Soon enough it was time to move on and return to the car. It was past lunch time too, even though I wasn’t feeling hungry I wasn’t sure how far it would be to the end and a restaurant or store.

When you start the Kancamagus a sign  says “no gas for 32 miles.” I wasn’t sure how far along I was. I wish I’d brought a cooler and packed a lunch. That would have been fun.

Back at the car I downed a whole bottle of water then it was time to head out. I didn’t stop at many more scenic pull outs due to the time but on the lower end I began to see cars lining the sides of the road. As I peered through the trees I could see another river and there were all the people…loads of them…all splashing and swimming and enjoying the cool river water. What a great way to beat the heat.

I was beginning to see signs of civilization and a sign said I was entering Conway, NH. Time to find someplace to eat.

So I’ll leave you right here where I’ll join you again after lunch.

Scout’s Tips~ Car rentals

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Scout

 

Hi Scout Here…

 As we know, Dusty ran into some issues with Payless Car rental when she went on her trip to Arizona. With that in mind we decided to do a little research to find out how widespread the practice is of charging your credit card for the full rental and then adding an additional security deposit charge.

 It seems that some variation of this theme is implemented by every car rental agency we researched and you really have to search.  We used one site that  compared the offers from various rental companies. When you clicked on your choice it calculated the amount you needed to have at the rental counter. It did not include any security fees or holds. I then went directly to the individual car rental web sites such as Payless, Enterprise, Avis, Hertz. There are many more but by this time I was finding a trend. None of the sites come right out and tell you there will be a “hold” or security deposit. If you search you can get lucky and find it.

 In the web site for Payless, Dusty’s Nemesis this  past trip, you can find the information by typing “deposit” into the search box. What you will find is that their charges are ” Total Lease + deposit”. Deposit varies by location.

 Enterprise Car rental was a little more upfront but you still had to search. They charge the rental + 20% when the renter uses a credit card to pay. If you use cash or debit card then the security is an additional $100- $300 again depending on location or , in some cases, the type of car.

A year ago when Dusty went to Florida she rented from Enterprise. They charged her card a security deposit of $150.oo when she made the reservation. Then when she picked up the car they removed that charge or maybe changed it to the total rental. It’s possible they made an error but we verified on her charge slips that there was never a charge and a hold at the same time.

Even the premier car rental service of Hertz has a similar policy. Dusty has never rented from Hertz because they are just too expensive.  To find out exactly how much you will be charged to rent a car, you need to actually call the car rental agency and ask. Be sure to get the name or ID of the representative you speak to and make a note of it on your rental documents.

 In our review of all the fine print we found a number of ways car rental companies hope to put their hands in your pockets.  They range from refueling charges to insurance to sur charges on frequent flyer credits. Of course they all charge about $10.00/ day for a 2nd driver.

 We found a really good article about Car rentals at www.netTrav.com/travelplace.  

When you pull up the home page you’ll see the tool bar. Hover your mouse cursor over the car tab and you will see a drop down. Select Tips and Advice and you will see a lot of eye-opening information.

 I don’t know if this was just  a new policy or if it’s more noticeable because Dusty tries not to use credit cards now and keeps really low limits. I know a lot of her friends have also stopped using credit cards so something like this “hidden” charge can really throw a monkey wrench in your travel plans.

Another thing to be aware of is the return policy. Return the car late and they will get you for another day’s rental. But did you know that if you return it early they may also charge you for the early return? There’s no financial benefit to returning it early.

When Dusty returned her car at Payless they told her she was early and would get a credit. Of course no credit was ever processed and they point to the fact that they didn’t charge her for an early return. What a racket!

 So bottom line…Traveler/ car renter beware.  Call your car rental agency and confirm how much you will need at the counter and what form of payment they accept, unless of course you aren’t on a tight budget and don’t mind having and extra $250- $300 tied up while you’re on vacation. Do your due diligence!

 Oh yes, one more thing….Happy Traveling! 🙂

 

Last Night, Sedona

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As we left Flagstaff on 89 A we were following a couple of motorcycles and I was contemplating how it would be to take a bike on those hairpin curves coming up. It was at that moment that I saw one of the bikers point to the left. I was confused as I thought it was a hand signal but there was no turn off there. Concentrating on what the motorcycles were doing I almost missed it! Sandy yelled “Deer”. I glanced around but didn’t see it so I reply with a loud..”WHERE!” Of course her reply was “There!”. (Who’s on first?) Anyway I finally spotted a doe bouncing off through the pine forest. It was definitely a mule deer. It ran with its tail down ( a white tail deer has a tail like flag when it runs) and it bounced more than bounded. It made me think of a cartoon animal bouncing with springs on its feet.  Yea! Wildlife!

It’s my last trip down the winding Oak Creek Canyon for this trip. And as if the sunset gods knew it was my last chance the sky lit up in reds and golds over the red rocks of the area. Afraid I wouldn’t get to the bottom in time to get “my sunset picture” I pulled off to a wide spot on the shoulder. I grabbed my camera and bolted outside to see what I could capture.

Unfortunately there was no iconic rock formation for the foreground (like Snoopy Rock or Bell Rock) but I won’t complain. Who knows when I will have another chance like this.

Parked as I was in a precarious place on a winding road, I didn’t dare stay too long or wait out the setting sun. I grabbed what I could and returned to the car to finish the drive down the canyon.

It seems like Sedona was putting the finishing touches on our trip, a nice sunset, a bouncing mule deer. Too bad we didn’t see any javalina’s while we were here.

It was time to think about packing up, clean out the fridge and getting ready to leave in the morning.

Back at the Time Share, we stopped at the reception area to print out our boarding passes and complete the check in process online. I dropped off a couple of boxes of clothes that I was shipping home and then it was time to go back to the unit and finish packing. It was nice to be able to drop off the “if it fits it ships” boxes. The Time Share charged my card for incidentals for the postage and then they gave the boxes to the postman on Saturday. If I had to go to the post office in the morning I wouldn’t have had time before we left for Phoenix.

A nice perk of the time share is an apartment sized washer and dryer. We’d used it mid-week and tossed in a last wash now so that we could take home clean clothes. It’s nice to get home and not be faced with a pile of dirty laundry. On the other hand, if the TSA is going to paw through my suitcases giving them dirty underwear might be a deterent..maybe? I’m still miffed over the loss of that $50.00 camera battery but what can you do???

I will wrap this up now as we did absolutely nothing special that last night so I won’t waste your time with useless drivel. 🙂 I mainly wrote this post to tell you about that final beautiful sunset. As always I have to say that the pictures don’t even come close to doing it justice.

Oak Creek Canyon

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It’s the last full day in Arizona. Tomorrow we have to be up early to drive to Phoenix and board a plane back to reality, in this case reality is Albany Airport. So what to do today? We can take a drive…Monument Valley, Sunset Crater, Cameron Trading Post, Meteor Crater, Petrified Forest, Painted Desert…or a spa day…no more tours. I’m “toured out”.

We’ve been kicking this around all week. About the only thing we know for sure is that we’re going to do our souvenir shopping this morning then the day is ours!

Turns out the souvenir shopping didn’t take us long. Sandy knew exactly what she wanted to get and for whom. I stopped by the camera shop and Sandy actually found the last item on her list there so we were done in record time. We decided to take one last run up to the Native American stands on 89 A  for a last look at the jewelry and dream catchers.

After we made the last of our purchases there I asked Sandy if she wanted to stop at Slide Rock Park and she said no she wasn’t in the mood for hiking and it was still too cold for swimming in my book so we drove on up the winding canyon road of  89 A for the last time.

 At the top of the canyon where the road begins to straighten and flatten there is a sign for Oak Creek Overlook. I have never stopped here but figured why not. I don’t know when or if I’ll get back so let’s take 5 minutes and see what it’s all about.

Rand-McNally, that premier publisher of road maps, named this section of 89 A that winds through Oak Creek Canyon a “most beautiful drive” . The designation made it the first scenic drive in Arizona. A breathtaking series of switchbacks and hairpin curves makes maneuvering this highway a challenge unless you obey the speed limits…then it’s not too bad. I can now say I’ve driven this road at least a dozen times and I know what the road is about but as I mentioned in my post about the Bottom of The Canyon I had never looked into the canyon before. As the driver it is far better to keep your eyes and attention on the road.

Now as I parked my car at the top I wasn’t sure what awaited me at the overlook. We could see a lot of people. Far more than either of us expected but as we got closer we realized it was because the Native Americans had set up tables to display their crafts similar to the ones we had left just south of Slide Rock. I wandered through the tables but didn’t see anything more than what I had already purchased. I mainly wanted to see the canyon and it didn’t disappoint.

The walkway along the canyon rim follows a curving path giving you breathtaking  views into the depths of the canyon. Trees rise up and tower along the slopes. I had no idea the canyon was so deep or huge! Now I understand why  Oak Creek Canyon is sometimes referred to as a smaller cousin of the Grand Canyon.

The views reminded me of Joe’s (guide for Native American Journey’s) explanation that Oak Creek Canyon was formed along a fault line and that the fault had shifted twice to create this massive rift. Oak Creek, a tributary of the Verde River, flows along the bottom of the canyon and is credited with carving out much of what is today the existing Canyon. Oak Creek is one of the few perennial streams in this high desert region of Arizona.

As I continued on along the rim I spotted a red tail hawk floating on the thermals. To my surprise I was actually above the hawk when I first spotted him. The sun rays caught his back and feathers and turned him into a golden raptor and then he was circling higher and soon above me. It truly took my breath away to realize that the canyon was so deep that I could stand on the rim and watch a hawk start his upward spiral from below me. I would have expected that at the Grand Canyon but it was a surprise to me here.

As the moment passed I moved onto the last section of the lookout and there was the shot I have wanted since I first drove Oak Creek Canyon in 2008. There were the switchbacks and hairpin turns all laid out before me. Three big loops of highway and if you looked closely way down at the bottom the last bit of highway peaked through.

I am so very happy we stopped here. Even though the stop was short compared to some of the other things we had done, it was a real high point for me in this trip.

We had decided to drive on toward Winslow and the Petrified Forest. That’s quite a long drive so we wrapped up our visit and headed back to the car. I think I was still walking on air!