New Hampshire Adventures

A Canterbury (New Hampshire) Tale

2010-03-05T12:29:00.000-08:00

By Theresa Ludwick
Photos by Daniel Ludwig

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A minstrel there is, and he a durable man
Of seventy-five, but eighteen when he first began
A tenable life of music and poetry,
Candor, determination, and autonomy.
Full conscious was he of music’s prose,
And therefore did he call out to those,
By voice and fiddle, who would hear,
And would answer to the clarion clear.
In New England and beyond
Feet move, hands join, hearts dance to his song.

Like Geoffrey Chaucer, I have a pilgrimage to recount, though mine was to a barn dance rather than a shrine. Even so, devotees of Dudley Laufman, fiddler and traditional dance caller and Jacqueline Laufman, who together make up ‘Two Fiddles,’ reminded me of the “Knight,” the “Wife,” and the “Merchant” of Chaucer’s tales. The Laufmans, soon to celebrate 20 years as a twosome joined at the fiddle, invited me to a kitchen “junket” at Wind in the Timothy, their home.

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A Light at Dusk

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The Legend of Chocorua

2010-01-31T06:13:00.000-08:00

The White Mountains were first inhabited by humans about 12,000 years ago, after the last ice age. These first peoples had migrated from the west and were the forebears of those whom Columbus would mistakenly call Indians. The region was rich with wildlife, fish, and edible plants. Formal “Tribes” began to form about 3000-4000 BC.

There were two overlapping groups of Native Americans in this region: the Penacooks and the Penobscots, with the Penacooks being dominant as the Penobscots were located largely in what would later become the State of Maine.

Both were tribal branches within the regional Abenaki nation.

In the early 1600s the Penacook confederation had 17 tribes, all of whom spoke the Algonquin language. Because there was no written form of this language, much of what we now know of their life is derived from the records of European colonists. The tribes resided along the Pemigewasset and Merrimack watershed and near Great Bay.

The Pequawkets, Chocorua’s tribe, were originally part of the Penobscot tribal confederation, but became allied with the Penacooks after the Europeans began to settle the White Mountains.
Chocorua was a Sachem, or chief, who led his small band after most of the Pequawkets had moved north into Canada to avoid conflict with the white man.

Chocorua, a proud and courageous man, refused to go. He was unwilling to leave the land of his ancestors. He had raised his son Tuamba to believe that the land belonged to all of the great spirit’s creatures. He remained and made efforts to live in harmony with the new settlers, despite their differences.

He befriended settler Cornelius Campbell and his family. Setting in motion one of the great tragedies of Native American history.

Chocorua trusted the Campbells enough to put Tuamba in their care while he went north for a tribal pow-wow. According to the legend, while Chocorua was away, Tuamba ate some poison that was meant to kill marauding wolves and died.

Some time later, while Cornelius was away from the farm, Chocorua returned to find his son had died. Stricken with grief and anger. he killed Cornelius' wife and young son. Returning to his mountains heartsick at the loss of his beloved Tuamba, Chocorua must have known that this story was not over.

When Cornelius discovered that his family had been slain, he knew that Chocorua was responsible and set off to avenge his loved ones. Cornelius pursued Chocorua to the top of the highest mountain peak, the peak that now bears the name of Chocorua. Chocorua climbed atop the highest boulder on the summit and, knowing that death was at hand, raised his arms to the sky and is said to have shouted, "Evil spirits breathe death upon the cattle of the white man! Wind and fire destroy your dwellings! Panthers and wolves howl and grow fat on your bones. Chocorua goes now to the Great Spirit!" Chocorua then leapt off the mountain and fell to his death on the rocks below.

Two years later, the body of Cornelius was found dead, partially eaten by wolves. One hundred years to the day of his death a devastating plague killed all the cattle from Albany to Conway, New Hampshire. The cause of this plague has been explained by scientists, of course, but those of us inclined to the romance of the mountains still believe that the curse of Chocorua was involved.

Swans on Scamman Pond

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Arthur Walden & Chinook

2010-01-24T13:11:00.000-08:00

Legends & Lore
By Wayne D. King

The relationship between humans and dogs likely goes back to a time before we could even communicate with one another. It is, without doubt, the stuff of legend and lore.

New Hampshire can claim a special part in that long trail of legend and lore because of one very special dog and the man who loved, raised and trained him; and turned his remarkable traits into a unique breed of working dog.

Disney himself could not have created a more powerful story of love between a man and a dog and the achievements spawned by that affection. More

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"Airborne in a Butternut Mist"

Jewell of the Upper Valley - Hopkins Center

2010-01-22T06:28:00.000-08:00

New Hampshire has several performing arts centers, many affiliated with colleges and universities. Hopkins Center for the Arts at Dartmouth College is an exceptional one. Sign up for HOPmail (email) and when you find a performance or performer you really want to see, spend an evening in Spaulding Auditorium. More

The Hopkins Center is located in the heart of Hanover, adjacent to the Hanover Inn, 6241 Hinman, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755. For information, go to www.hop.dartmouth.edu or call 603-646-2422.

Winter Hiking in the White Mountains

2009-12-19T15:06:00.000-08:00

By Fred Shirley

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If you drive by a trailhead parking lot in the White Mountains in winter, you’ll see lots of cars. What gives? The answer: outdoor enthusiasts have discovered a fantastic winter playground!

The popularity of winter hiking has flourished in recent years. In part, it is because high-tech gear, such as current-design snowshoes, makes winter hiking easy.

But it is also the beauty of the season. The cold dry air creates a deep blue sky and long clear vistas. New snow on trees and landscape hides imperfections under a pristine cover. Low-slanting sunlight -- known to photographers as “sweet light” -- makes everything look its best.

And, then, there are the three reasons die-hard winter hikers have always known about: no bugs, no heat and no crowds! More

Livermore Landscape
Open Edition Prints

Randy Armstrong - No Regrets

2009-12-01T10:40:00.000-08:00

NH Gurus
Randy Armstrong’s world music has made him an international icon in the music world, but New Hampshire is still the place where he comes home.
By Patricia Savage

It is still, here on Beauty Hill Road in front of Randy Armstrong’s house. Stillness is not a word normally ascribed to Randy Armstrong whom I have known for nearly three decades. I hang back before knocking. The gray cape cod built in 1836 sits on a slight knoll, sideways to the road. Though it’s been twenty years since horses roamed the field, you can still smell them in the barn. The yard is tidy, groomed. A deciduous forest has dropped its leaves and branches to form the southern border. A mound of forsythia is about to erupt. Randy welcomes me from the deck while noting this sign of renewal. It is already clear how much he loves his new home.

Entering through a front door, the stillness is slowly replaced by the animated conversation I associate with Randy as he points me to his studio. The carpeted room is soft and silent. I can almost hear the phantom echoes of chords that had bounced off the angles of the slanted roof and exposed beams earlier in the day. Lining the floor and walls are dozens of his two hundred instruments from all over the world - an Indian sitar, West African drums, an Egyptian oud. Randy has recorded music in state-of-the-art studios, but he thinks this space is unparalleled for the both the resonance and intimacy it allows him to bring to his music.

Though new to this property, Randy has been living in rural New Hampshire since the early 1970s. He travels not only for performance but also to study with the Garifuna musicians of Central America or drummers in West Africa. The paradox of small town provincial New England as the nest for one of the most globally diverse musicians is not lost on either Randy or myself.
He came to New Hampshire on a music tour with his rock group from Ohio. Initially drawn in by the beauty of the White Mountains region of the state, he also became enamored of its lakes and the ocean. Despite the beauty of the landscape, creating music in rural New Hampshire means a minimum of distractions. Modern technology makes it so that the creation, recording and even the distribution of music can be done from Armstrong’s home. He travels the globe, fusing its people as he fuses the music with his own, making of this planet one great big neighborhood.

Born and bred in the Midwest, Randy credits his mom and dad with green lighting his music career. They may not have understood the music, but they both understood his passion. He studied both trumpet and guitar, learning classical and jazz fundamentals. He was particularly drawn to artists such as Miles Davis and the jazz-rock fusion music that was emerging as he left his adolescence and Ohio behind.

Soon after he came to New Hampshire with his wife Melinda, Randy joined forces with another musician, Ken Laroche from Marlow, NH, who held the same values. Their conviction to create a kind of world music was fueled by the Baha’i Faith, a religion dedicated to the oneness of humanity. They formed DO’AH, combining Randy’s stringed instruments with Ken’s flutes and started to use instruments from all over the world to form a unified sound. “DO’AH,” which means “to call to prayer,” became a successful group with a nationally produced recording label from Philo Records, cutting 5 albums during their 17 years together. The titles alone invoke peace and optimism: “Light Upon Light,” “Ancient Beauty,” and “World Dance.”

Other artists who helped to flesh out their eclectic sound have names that are also recognized throughout the music world. Charlie Jennison on trumpet, Marty Quinn on drums, Volker Nahrmann and John Hunter on bass. Often heard on PBS Channel 11, “Entertainment Tonight” used “Wayo” a piece from their “World Dance” album. Because of the diversity of their sound, they shared the stage with musicians from Dizzie Gillespie to Richie Havens. The United Nations recognized their “Peace Tour” for efforts promoting the peaceful coexistence of all the world’s peoples. In 1992, Randy and Volker created a new group, UNO MUNDO (“one world” in Esperanto), continuing the unity through diversity theme.

Randy Armstrong has not slowed down a bit as he enters his fifth decade. Randy and Volker now play under the name The Randy Armstrong Trio with Jose Duque of Brazil. Randy is an Arts Councilor for the NH State Council on the Arts, and an adjunct faculty member at both Phillips Exeter Academy and Plymouth State University. Last year, he recorded and produced songs for the Tsunami Relief Project CD. A labor of love is his work with Genevieve Aichele, the story-teller. As part of the NH Theater Project, they have collaborated on such activities as a parent-run summer arts camp in Strafford which just sizzles.

What is a typical day in the life of Randy Armstrong? “Everyday, every week is different.” With so many things calling him out into the world, he still realizes that, “As an artist, what speaks is how well you play.” This means frequent practice, that daily solo time when you get intimate with your instrument.

Randy has raised three sons here. His oldest son, Kalim, who also plays the guitar, is a filmmaker in Brooklyn, NY. His West African photo is the cover for his Dad’s latest CD, “No Regrets.” Kalim’s roommate and brother, Day’yan, the first chair for bass in the Western Hemisphere in 2003, attends the New School, continuing his musical education as well as exploring the possibility of becoming the next Jacques Cousteau. Middle child, Julian, a baker in a Portsmouth fine dining restaurant, amazed local audiences as a teen directing and acting in plays in Seacoast theater groups. He and Day'yan performed music under Dad’s direction for the PBS series, “Dinner on the Diner.”

The boys have two-high energy and creative parents, both dedicated to developing the artists in their sons. Though Randy and Melinda are no longer married, they continue to nurture their adult sons and their ideals of peace. They all shared the last two Thanksgivings in Randy’s antique dining room. Recently, Randy brought his drumming to a peace conference in Durham that Melinda had organized.

“No Regrets,” the latest CD, is Randy Armstrong doing solo acoustic guitar. It was born from an appreciation of the richness that comes from life lessons. The CD came out under a DOMO label one week after his mother died. Six months later, his Dad passed away, and then his younger brother, and not long after, his former DO’AH partner, Ken Laroche. It is poignant that at this time of much inner shifting, the artist who has spent so much of his life building the world community should pause and gives us just himself, solo. “Time spent alone is where you get lost in the worlds you are living.” Randy is proud to say that in the day of digital editing, all of these songs were recorded, whole, without editing. Whether playing his own, “Song for Peace” or Miles Davis’ “Blue in Green,” the wholeness comes through.

New Hampshire can take some credit for nurturing this maker of world music. However, it is doubtful that what was drawn from this part of the world can ever measure up to what Randy has brought back to it.

NH Gurus is an ongoing series highlighting NH Citizens who have made a significant mark on the world and choose to remain here despite their National and International reputations.

White on Gold - Heron in Larch Bog -
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The Winnipesaukee River Trail

2009-11-08T00:55:00.000-08:00

Biking, Hiking, Canoeing & Kayaking

One of the most exciting new developments on the recreational scene in the Lakes Region is the opening of Phase I of the Winnipesaukee River Trail. This trail features opportunities for bicyclists, walkers, runners, and paddlers. In fact, we predict that this relatively unknown section of whitewater will become one of the most popular destinations for whitewater paddlers in New Hampshire in a very short period of time. Its proximity to major urban areas makes it the best whitewater within the shortest travel distance for paddlers looking to make the most of their time.

The Winnipesaukee River Trail officially opened 3.1 miles of trail on June 25, 2005. This non-motorized multi-use trail parallels the Winnipesaukee River and connects Franklin and Northfield, New Hampshire. This is the first phase of a project that eventually will extend approximately 20 miles through the Lakes Region all the way to Meredith. The National Park Service Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance program helped the Winnipesaukee River Trail Association, a volunteer trail organization, with fundraising, organizational support, and trailhead park design. The trail opening culminates more than five years of work for the Winnipesaukee River Trail volunteers who gathered landowner permissions, secured funds, held trail clean-up days, designed a trailhead park in Franklin, and designed a paddlers take-out.

Remains of the mills that once dotted the landscape along the river are a sign of Franklin's proud place among the great industrial cities of the Northeast during the days of the Industrial era.

The trail offers opportunities for many different levels of outdoor adventure. The trail itself is easy enough for novice level bicycling, but has some side terrain to challenge the more experienced. For upper level whitewater canoeists and for Kayakers of intermediate and advanced levels the river offers easily accessed and challenging water dropping 80 feet over the course of the 3.1 mile stretch.

For those who simply want a quiet walk with historic and natural sights to keep you coming back the trail is filled with wonder.

Biking and Hiking:
Novice level hiking and biking along a well kept and packed dirt path gives bicyclists of all levels the opportunity to peddle a quiet stretch of land along the course of the river.

For more experienced bikers there are both man-made and natural obstacles to provide a degree of challenge along the way as well.

Paddling
Runable year round in a Kayak and in all but the dryest part of the summer in an open boat, this stretch of river provides the most challenging whitewater within an easy drive of Northeastern metropolitan areas. To find more challenging water one would need to venture into the region north of Berlin in the later part of the summer season.

History
The city of Franklin has a long history tied directly to the power of the Winnipesaukee River. During the heady days of the Industrial Revolution dams and mills dotted the landscape along this stretch of river. Travelers along the Winnipesaukee River Trail will find many signs of old manufacturing facilities and dams. You'll also see the quite well preserved remains of the Sulfite Bridge also popularly known as the "Upside Down Covered Bridge" Believed to be the last remaining bridge of its kind in the US. The bridge was burned by arsonists but its skeleton remains. The train ran across the top and the covering, destroyed by the fire, was to protect the wooden structual struts beneath it.

Natural Wonders

During the past year a nesting pair of bald eagles has returned to the region and fortunate visitors may see them fishing the river. Other species of animals are evidenced by footprints and droppings and an early moring or late afternoon trip may provide you with anopportunity to see one of these as well.

Also along the trail is an abundance of native and non native plants and trees to explore. A late summer visit recently allowed us to witness an abundance of Spotted Touch-Me-Not and a few Cardinal Flowers in their final days, a rare sight these days with over picking by folks enamoured of the bright red flower.

Location of Trail

The southern end of the trail begins on Central Street (the Main Street) in Franklin directly across from Trestle View Park next to Grevior Furniture. The trail intersects Cross Mill Road, and proceeds from there into Northfield. The trail passes some active farms and several ponds, before crossing Johnson Road and Williams Brook. Phase I ends just off Park Street near the railroad terminal. The Park itself is open and parking is available. with toilet facilities and a changing room also available.

A Child's Dream of Lupine
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Mountain Biking in NH's White Mountains

2009-11-07T09:32:00.000-08:00

Mountain Biking Trails in the Pemigewasset Ranger District from GORP.com

Beebe River Road

Blueberry Mountain Trail

Bog Pond Route

Brown Ash Swamp Route

Chandler Hill Road

Chickenboro Brook Route

Dickey Notch Trail Route

East Pond Route (from Tripoli Road)

East Pond Route (from Kancamagus Highway)

East Rumney-Campton Bog Road

Flat Mountain Pond Route

Forest Service Road 113

Gordon Pond Trail

Greeley Ponds Route

Jeep Road Route

Little East Pond Route

Livermore Road

Loon Mountain and Waterville Valley Permit Areas

Meader (Wachipauka) Pond

Peaked Hill Pond Trail

Sandwich Notch Road

Smarts Brook - Tri Town Route

Thornton Gore Route

Timber Camp Trail

Tripoli Road

Tunnel Brook Trail and North South Road

Warren-East Haverhill RR Grade

West Branch-Forest Service Road 378

Other links of Interest
New England Mountain Biking Association

Birch in Snow, Jaffrey, NH

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Rhino Bike Works

2009-11-07T09:26:00.000-08:00

Rhino Bike Works stampeded into the scene in April 1994 when their owner decided he had had enough of building and servicing Lasers for United Technologies. Since that day, he has poured all of his energy into creating the best, coolest and most comprehensive bike shop in central New Hampshire.

In 1998 he was joined by Slade Warner and since then the two have become great friends and business partners. In 2002, Mike and Slade began looking for a better location for Rhino Bike Works to provide easier access, better parking and a better place for group rides to start.

The ideal opportunity presented itself when Alex Ray of the Common Man Inn offered Rhino Bike Works a new home off exit 26 adjacent to the Common Man Inn. After extensive renovations of the very interesting old building on 1 Foster Street, Mike and Slade celebrated with a grand opening in Nov of 2002. This new location is ideal in terms of layout, parking, and access and our customers already have made a habit of starting their rides here and finishing with a hearty meal and drink next door at Fosters Steakhouse or the Boiler Room.

In addition to bikes Rhino offers rentals and sales for paddlesports.

Rhino Bike Works
1 Foster Street, Plymouth, NH 03264
(603) 536-3919
http://www.rhinobikeworks.com

Glory, Glory, Gloriousa - Gloriosa Daisies
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The Franconia - Sugar Hill Loop

2009-11-07T06:14:00.000-08:00

A Family Bicycling Adventures
By W. Douglas Roy
Franconia, Sugar Hill & Easton
13.7 Miles Paved (1 mile dirt if you take the Birches St. cutoff)
Intermediate level based on distance.

There are several appropriate places for beginning this 13.7 mile loop and if you have a map you can also take two other crossroads that allow for some variety or to shorten the route. We recommend beginning in Franconia at the Franconia Inn where there is ample parking in the Franconia Airport parking area. You will begin your trip by continuing on the flats for another 1.6 miles to the Sugar Hill Road on the right.

If you come to the Bungay Jar Bed and Breakfast in Easton, you've gone too far by only a few hundred yards.

The Sugar Hill Road eventually becomes the Easton Road on the other end and takes a slight jog at about 2.2 miles where you will turn right, then left in .1 miles onto the Easton Road and follow it to Rte 117.

At this point you will bear right onto Rte 117 into the town of Sugar Hill where you can stop at Harman's General Store for a bit of refreshment. Notice the difference in size between the Sugar Hill Post off and the Sugar Hill Library while you are there – this is a town that has its priorities right!

After your break continue East on Rte 117. It will be uphill for a short while but once you reach the Homestead Inn on the right it will be all downhill from there. This will be the easiest leg of the trip all downhill into Franconia. Families should encourage children to exercise caution because the temptation will be to fly down this section.

Don't miss the best views in Sugar Hill, and the sight of all those award-winning photos. At the Homestead Inn, turn right onto Sunset Hill Road. It is only a half-mile long, and has a lookout affording fantastic views, as well as a golf course where you can grab a quick lunch before you begin the second half of your journey back to the car. You will want to make note of your location here in order to return later for an extra special dinner at the Sunset Hill House. Return back to Rte 117 and take a right.

At about 2.3 miles from the Junction of 117 and Easton Road you'll come to Birches Road (also called Bickford Road locally) The Saint Matthews Episcopal Church is at this junction. It is open in summers through September. It seats 150 people and is a popular spot for weddings and among the most photographed churches in the country.

-If you'd like to shorten your trip by a few miles this is one road that you can take as an alternative. It passes by the Frost Place where Robert Frost lived and wrote many of his greatest works. There is a small fee to visit the Frost Place but its well worth it.

If you take Birches/Bickford, you'll end up back on the Church Road (Rte 116) with about a half-mile to go back to your vehicle. If you continue on Rte 117 you'll find yourself winding down toward the town of Franconia.

If you are a history buff take the time to stop at the historic marker just down the road. It was at this location in 1929 that Austrian-born Sig Buchmayr established the first organized ski school in the United States. Sponsored by Peckett's-on-Sugar Hill, one of the earliest resorts to promote the joys of winter vacationing in the snow, the school provided an initial impetus to the ski sport America knows today.

Just beyond the historic marker you'll pass the quaint Sugar Hill Inn and wind your way into the town of Franconia on Rte 18.

This is the section of road likely to have the most traffic. Bear right (south) on Rte 18 and you will almost immediately see the Old Stone Iron Furnace historic site on the right. This is worth a stop to walk into the park and gaze at the kiln across the river as well as to read some of the historic documentation.

After your break continue for about 4/10 mile to the main junction in town and then go right again onto Rte 116 aka Church St. This is the road that returns you to Easton. You'll pass by the Dow building and then begin your final journey through the valley.

The reason we suggest ending you trip on this leg is quite simply that it is a reasonably flat final leg and the scenery is just beautiful. Riding down into the valley one understands why Robert Frost was captivated by this lovely spot. You will also find two great swimming holes where you can refresh at the end of the trip: Slippery Rocks Swimming Hole is located on Rte 116 about 500 yards beyond the Bungay Jar B&B. The Easton Town Hall and Volunteer Fire Dept make up the "downtown" of Easton. Turn on the road next to Town Hall, go about 100 yards and on the left are two large boulders, about 30 ft beyond the boulders is Slippery Rock, a small waterfall, swimming hole and chute, a slide and another hole. According to local folks, it's quite tame and great for kids. There is also another swimming hole directly across from the Town Hall on Rte 116.

The Dow Building, Franconia, NH

If you are a history buff take the time to stop at the historic marker just down the road. It was at this location in 1929 that Austrian-born Sig Buchmayr established the first organized ski school in the United States. Sponsored by Peckett's-on-Sugar Hill, one of the earliest resorts to promote the joys of winter vacationing in the snow, the school provided an initial impetus to the ski sport America knows today.

Portrait of a Cascade, Rumney, NH
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Mountain Biking Deer Mountain, Pittsburg, NH

2009-11-05T08:03:00.000-08:00

14.1 miles North on Route 3

Cross Route 3 and go around the orange gate to access this trail. The Deer Mountain trail provides a little bit of everything for bikers - uphills, straightaways, and downhill sections in abundance. There will be plenty of signs out there as this trail is used for snowmobiling in the winter. After passing by Moose Falls Flowage on the right, the left turn for Deer Mountain will be 2 miles ahead. While the trail does not climb over the peak, it does provide good inclines, eventually becoming a snowmobile trail. Continuing past the turn for the mountain will yield good riding for approximately 2 miles. The road dead ends near the Third Connecticut Lake, approximately 4 miles from Route 3. There are several secondary roads worth exploring in this area - one in particular that bears left at the final intersection toward Perry Pond. True wilderness biking at its best!

The Freedom of Flight - Catching Air on a Trick Bike
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Hiking and Biking Cherry Mountain in Twin Mountain, NH

2009-11-05T07:41:00.000-08:00

Hike
Cherry Mountain has two peaks with trails, Mount Martha, the highest peak, with good views, and Owl's Head, a lower peak with a ledge that has spectacular views. Both are commonly reached by taking the Cherry Mountain Trail from the NH 115 end to Mt. Martha, then taking Martha's Mile to the Owl's Head, returning the same way.

The round trip is 5.4 miles with 2,450 feet of elevation gain, AMC book time is 3:55. It is possible to just do Owl's Head by the Owl's Head trail, this is 5.0 miles with 2,000 feet of elevation gain and a book time of 3:30 hours.

Cherry Mountain Loop
Rte 302
Twin Mountain
Bike (Upper Intermediate Level)

The Cherry Mountain Loop is a 25 miles long traverse of a number of wooded roads, offering intermediate level challenges over a variety of terrain. Three waterfalls, a number of spectacular views, and the highest elevation state highway in New Hampshire are the main attractions.

The trailhead is located three miles east of Twin Mountain, NH on route 302 in the parking area 200 yards beyond the entrance to Zealand Campground.

Departure point: Lower Falls Hiking Trail to Cherry Mountain Road (1 mile) . Part of this unpaved road follows the Deception Brook Esker, a sand and gravel deposit left by the retreating glaciers. At the height of land (2188 ft.), the Cherry Mountain Hiking Trail diverges left. A 3.5 mile side trail to the 3544 ft. summit of Mt. Martha is suitable for mountain bikes and the views are worth the trip. The main loop trail continues on the Cherry Mountain Road past several private cabins, turning right on the gravel Mill Brook Road which is marked FR93.

Follow this road for 1 mile to the gated Mt. Mitten Road on the left. The gate is closed to prohibit motor vehicles, but foot travel and mountain bikes are allowed. The Mt. Mitten Road continues through remote country for several miles ending at the Jefferson Notch Road. Turn right (uphill) and be aware that this is a popular backroad for scenic road afficiandos. Jefferson Notch is 3007 ft. in elevation making this road the highest state highway in New Hampshire.

The Caps Ridge hiking trail starts at the trailhead located in Jefferson Notch, but is unsuitable for mountain bikes. The road follows Jefferson Brook and passes by Bretton Woods Cascades before meeting the Base Station Road (paved). Take a right (west) on the Base Station Road for approximately 5 miles to Route 302. At the junction of Route 302 and the Base Station Road, turn right. Travel west along Route 302 to the starting point.

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Dreams of the Trail - Mountain Biking in New Hampshire

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Bicycle Clubs in New Hampshire

2009-11-05T06:54:00.000-08:00

Biking Expedition
Box 547, Henniker, NH, 03242, (603) 428-7500, (603) 428-7500, (603) 428- 3414

Eastern Fat Tire Association
RFD 1 Box 112, Hillsboro, NH 03244

Granite State Wheelmen, Inc. - G.S.W. Tri-State Seacoast Century
215 South Broadway, #216, Salem, NH 03079-3309, (603) 898-5GSW (898-5479),
Fax (603) 898-3583

New Hampshire Mountain Bicycling Association
P.O. Box 103, Ashland, NH, 03217, (603) 236-4666, (603) 968-7840

UNH Cycling Club
The Cycling club at the University of New Hampshire.
ADDRESS: 128 Main street, Durham, NH 03824

The Wheelmen
2 Charbonneau St., Hudson, NH, 03051
Granite State Wheelmen

White Mountain Mudskippers
A mountain bike club for those people who like informal rides and activites. Besides riding we do trail maintainance volunteer to help at local races (for those who don't compete) cook-outs and this year some winter sports ( xc-skiing snowshoeing) We are a club for all ages and skill levels. Just be prepared to have fun!!!! White Mt. Mudskippers is an IMBA affiliated club. CONTACT: Steve, PHONE: (603) 744-2998, EMAIL: staylor@coopresources.net , ADDRESS: RR#2 bx 424, Bristol, NH 03222, SERVES: New Hampshire

White Mountain Wheel People
Box 1209, Glen, NH, 03838, (603) 383-4660

Concord - NH Cycling Club
Durham - UNH Cycling Club
Keene - Pathways for Keene
Londonderry - Londonderry Trailways
Manchester - Friends of Massabesic Bicycling AssociationSalem

Bicycle Coalition of NH
CyclingNews.com
Friends of Massabesic Bicycling Association
New England Mountain Bike Association
NH Biking (NH Outdoors)
NH Cycling Club
Seacoast Area Bike Routes
Seacoast NH Chapter of the New England Mountain Bike Association
Upper Valley Mountain Bike Association

Wheels Galore - Amsterdam Bikes Parked at the Grand Station

An Old Bartlett Storyteller

2009-11-02T07:47:00.000-08:00

By Ben George

A piece of rough, rocky granite rises from the grass in the Bartlett village park. It says: “In 1870, Benjamin Sawyer and his partner, Timothy Nash, set out to prove to Governor Wentworth that men and horses could travel through Crawford Notch. The governor agreed to award them with a land grant if they were successful. Sawyer and Nash succeeded with difficulty, pushing and shoving a gentle mare through the Notch, at times lowering her with ropes over steep rock faces. When the final cliff was overcome, local folklore says Sawyer broke his empty jug of rum on the giant boulder, christening it with his name.”

This piece of Sawyer’s Rock represents the traditional landmark for the town line between Hart’s Location and the town of Bartlett. The Rock was partially removed in the summer of 2003 prior to widening U.S Route 302. The plaque was placed by the Bartlett Library History Trustees and the George family in memory of Franklin H. George, an old Bartlett storyteller.

-Franklin was born in Bartlett and built his store - “The What Not” - in 1947. Although my recollections are of the late forties and fifties, he enjoyed the role of genial proprietor until he retired in 1978. His store was across US 302 from the George family home, originally built in 1857. The Bartlett Hotel and the village park occupied the other two corners of the village center intersection.

Franklin became the unofficial information guide for visitors, due to his store location and stock and trade of newspapers, paint & hardware, drug sundries, maple products, greeting cards, coffee, ice cream, soft drinks, picnic foods, souvenirs, hunting and fishing licenses, cigarettes etc.

Since the nearest bank was in North Conway, he cashed payroll checks for employees of the Railroad, Forest Service and Peg Mill and kept up with local news of these businesses.

The town columnist for the weekly North Conway Reporter usually checked with him before sending in her column. Since the town was too small for a police department, Franklin became an extension of the law in Carroll County, with a Deputy Sheriff badge in his wallet.

For many years, he gave cash prizes for the biggest bear and deer shot during the hunting season, along with posting a photo of the hunter, and his bear or deer in front of The What-Not. The picture also found a place on an interior wall of the shop and often in the North Conway Reporter. Although Franklin went deer hunting every year, most of his outdoor time was on the Saco River or one of its tributaries, snagging trout out of the cold-water riffles or trailing his beagle and basset dogs in the snowy woods chasing rabbits. It was usually a slow Sunday afternoon between tourist seasons when the “gone fishing/hunting sign” would hang on the door, or his wife Almeda, sister or niece would be behind the counter. His other avocation was breeding ponies and horses. He had Shetlands and Welsh ponies, and Morgan horses. However, if he wasn’t at the store, returning visitors always asked about him, as he enjoyed chatting with newcomers and making them feel welcome. For summer residents, he arranged for snow removal and for winter residents, lawn care. He could advise on where to find the shy moose, where the best AMC camping huts and shelters were, where land or homes might be for sale and if any jobs where available in the area.
He came from a family line of North Country businessmen, beginning with his great, great, grandfather, Austin George. Austin ran a Conway tavern in 1792 and was the first Postmaster in Conway and Post Rider to Ossipee. He pioneered Passaconway for eight years then settled in Bartlett in 1815.

In 1872, Franklin’s grandfather, Frank George, expanded the farm house and operated it as the “Bartlett House”, a country Inn with capacity for 50 guests, until near the turn of the century. His Grandfather also leased the old “Crawford House”, across from what today is the Notchland Inn but was then called the Unique Inn, in 1875 from Dr. Samuel Bemis (previously owned by Able Crawford) to expand his country inn business. In 1890, his father Clarence and his Uncle Winfield were doing business in Bartlett as “George Bros., Dry Goods, Gent’s Furnishings, Boots & Shoes”. Clarence later operated the Post Office in Bartlett from 1915 to 1925.

With family roots deep in the Saco Valley, Franklin knew the lore and legends of the White Mountains and enjoyed story telling. Saco Lake, at the summit of Crawford Notch, is the origin of the valley’s river. It tumbles down through the notch, and meanders through Bartlett, Glen, Intervale, North Conway and Conway before traversing Maine to pour into the Atlantic. As an Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) member, he was familiar with the stories of landslides, floods and rescues in the Presidential Mountain range and the associated notches.

Although one friend called him a “Teller of Tales, Tall and Small”, most of his stories had a strong basis in fact. Of course, he told the classic area tragedy of the 1826 Mount Willy slide in Crawford Notch and sometimes the lesser-known devastations on the Rocky Branch and the Ellis River from the same storm. In addition, he occasionally recalled the vintage stories of the eccentric Dolly Copp, who said “50 years was long enough to spend with any man in Pinkham Notch”, and the faithful Ruth Colbath of Passaconaway who kept a window lamp lit for 39 years waiting for her wayward husband to return.

However, local stories and anecdotes were his real stock in trade. There was one about his nephew, Roger, who uncharacteristically was involved in a fistfight while playing tag football after school. When the beaten boy’s parents called to complain, Roger had to answer to his Uncle Franklin, as his father was out of town. As Roger told it, he was simply defending his mother’s honor by blackening the eye of Melvin, who called her a “bad name”. Following a lengthy inquisition, it turned out that a hard block by Roger on a right sweep had inspired Melvin to mutter the phrase "you S.O.B." and a black eye and puffy lip resulted. I don’t remember what Roger’s punishment was, but I know Franklin got a kick out of his creative rational. A slight truth twisting in stories may be a family tradition, as later in life, Roger gained a wide reputation for verbal entertainment at his barbershop in Grafton County.

There was always a fresh‚ bear or deer anecdote along the lines of - “Just last week, Mrs. Gardner said that she had to resort to throwing cherry bombs at a bear to get it to leave her garbage pail alone." However, the latest deer-car collision story was usually a true one - and not to be taken lightly. Franklin was not above telling about the misadventures of his own children. One morning he told the coffee gang how he had to pay Richard Garland for milk that Richard’s cows didn’t produce. Apparently, his horses were seen chasing cows in Garland’s pasture the previous afternoon. It turned out that one of the George boys and a friend rode the horses into the lower pasture after a trail ride on Cave Mountain and decided to play cowboy with the cows. The boys herded the cows up and down the large pasture until the cows were quite annoyed with the game, and refused to milk that evening.

Then there was the one about one of his boys knocking his 10 year old best friend into a construction ditch where he hit his head on a pipe and came out bleeding and screaming. Since the incident occurred close to the youngster’s home, the bleeding boy quickly armed himself and the ladies having coffee on Elsie Hodgkin’s porch witnessed one boy chasing another down Albany Avenue screaming vengeance and waving a hatchet. When the boys reached The What-Not, Deputy Sheriff George took control and since the boy’s dad was a widower and working, Franklin drove the sobbing boy to Nurse Nellie’s home for head repair and calming.

There was village pride in the story of the summer girls‚ softball team coached by Fred King. Fred was a frustrated Red Sox fan and in 1948 took up the challenge of organizing and coaching a girls‚ softball team, sponsored by the local Francis Murphy VFW Post. The team was composed largely of high school girls and recent graduates. They won 11 of 13 games played in Carroll County that year and Fred arranged a more ambitious schedule for 1949. That year the schedule expanded to 50 miles from home. The team won 19 of 21 games, averaging 18.9 runs per game to their opponents 8.8. This record resulted in an invitation to the State Championship Tournament in Dover. The Bartlett “Cinderella” team played the cities of Manchester, Keene and Dover. They lost, but played well, enjoyed the trip and were pleased to see their names in the state circulated Manchester Union Leader newspaper.

Similarly, the unique product of the Peg Mill, managed by Bill Hodgkins, was something special. Annually turning 12,000 cords of white and silver birch logs into polished birch pegs, 1/8-1/2 inches long and 1/16-5/16 inches square, was an unusual business. Custom-made boot and shoe craftsman Peter Limmer in Intervale, was a peg customer, and Franklin testified to the value of custom shoes for a 6 foot, 225-pound flat footed man who was on his feet from 8AM to 9PM every day. He also claimed that his Limmer wading boots were what kept him upright on the rocky-bottomed Saco.

Franklin took pride in describing the everyday heroes of the Saco Valley to “flatlanders”. Merton Ward, a Saco Valley snowplow driver with the Blue Angels, was one. The Blue Angels were the State Highway Snowplows with their flashing blue lights. In an era before cell phones, nothing was as welcome as that flashing blue light in a snowstorm if you were off the road, stuck in 3 feet of snow. Another was Fred Washburn, whose steady hand held the throttle on a Mountain Division Maine Central locomotive heading north through Crawford Notch, in a winter deep with snow. With helper engines and snowplows added at the Bartlett Roundhouse, the crew would challenge the steep grades and snow clouds of The Notch, carefully crossing the Frankenstein Trestle and clinging to the cliffs until they emerged through the pass at Mount Willard.

After his three children grew up and went off on their own, Franklin began to reduce his store hours and hire others to pinch-hit for him, so he and his wife, Elmeda, could take vacations. However, his heart and mind were always rooted in the Valley of the Saco and the White Mountains. When he died in 1989, it was his request that any donations in his memory should go to the Bartlett Public Library’s History Fund.

Editors note: We invite you to share your stories of interesting folks from the Granite State with us.

Passing the Torch - Father to Daughter: Cards & Prints

The Currier Museum of Art

2009-10-30T04:26:00.000-07:00

The Currier is an internationally renowned art museum located in Manchester, New Hampshire. The Currier features European and American paintings, decorative arts, photographs and sculpture, including works by Picasso, Monet, O'Keeffe, and Wyeth, with exhibitions, tours, and performances year-round. The museum also owns Frank Lloyd Wright's Zimmerman House -- reservations required. The Currier's café provides a quiet place for refreshment, and the Museum Shop features unique gifts from around the world.

The Currier Museum
201 Myrtle Way, Manchester, NH 03104.
Main Number: (603) 669-6144; Fax (603) 669-7194
Visitor Services: Extension 108 or visitor@currier.org
Membership: Extension 120 or membership@currier.org
Corporate & private after-hours events: Extension. 152 or email afterhours@currier.org
Group Visits: (603) 669-6144, ext. 113 or tours@currier.org
Currier Art Center: (603) 669-6144, ext.122 or artcenter@currier.org
Museum Shop: (603) 669-6144, ext. 128
Rights and Reproductions: (603) 669-6144, ext. 141 or rights&repro@currier.org.
Website

A Sampling from the Past
2005-2006: In the American Grain

Georgia O'Keeffe, Red Hills, Lake George, 1927

In the American Grain: Dove, Hartley, Marin, O’Keeffe, and Stieglitz features over forty paintings by these artists as well as photographs by Alfred Stieglitz, drawn exclusively from The Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C.—America’s first museum of modern art. This stunning exhibition not only highlighted these breathtakingly original and influential works, but also looked at the importance of art patronage in this country. The Currier Museum of Art was proud to be the only New England venue on the national tour.

“Drawing inspiration from the landscape, these artists created vibrant, abstract works that were intrinsically American,” remarked Sharon Matt Atkins, assistant curator at the Currier Museum of Art. “This exhibition offers the exceptional opportunity to view these artists’ groundbreaking innovations in-depth. It also allows us to highlight the Currier’s strong collection of American modernism.”

John Marin, Mt. Chocorua—White Mountains, 1926, watercolor and graphite pencil on paper, 16-3/4 x 21-1/2 in., The Phillips Collection, Washington, D.C.

In the American Grain focused on the pioneering artists associated with the prominent artist and dealer, Alfred Stieglitz. At the beginning of the twentieth century, Stieglitz was at the center of avant-garde circles in New York City. His gallery, 291, was one of the first to display revolutionary works by European artists such as Paul Cézanne, Henri Matisse, and Pablo Picasso. Stieglitz’s promotion of abstract art attracted young American painters like Dove, Hartley, Marin, and O’Keeffe, who became known collectively as the Stieglitz Circle. United in their belief that pure abstract forms had the potential to communicate ideas, these artists were committed to inventing a new American art that was local, innovative, and intensely felt. Turning to nature as a source of inspiration, they created dramatically abstracted views of the American countryside, including areas in New Hampshire, Maine, New York, and New Mexico.

Grandfather's Maple: Prints, cards

Curious George Cottage & Nature Trail

2009-10-30T04:05:00.000-07:00

Waterville Valley, NH: The Curious George Cottage in Waterville Valley New Hampshire is the site of the Hans and Margret Rey Curious George Nature Trail. The trail is a short, yet ecologically diverse, trail that meanders around the Curious George Cottage with wetland, forest, meadow, and streamside soils that are home to several native bushes, wildflowers and trees. The trail, made possible through a grant from the Hans and Margret Rey/Curious George Fund of 2001 of Combined Jewish Philanthropies, is a living tribute to the Rey’s love of mountain gardening, and to their legacy in Waterville Valley.
Contact: Stephanie Gardner
Waterville Valley Recreation Department
The Curious George Cottage
Curious George Cottage: 603 236-3308
Email: wvrecreation@ttlc.net
Biography of Hans and Margaret Rey

Whatever it Takes: Tema Harbor, Ghana: Prints, cards, poster

Christa McAuliffe Planetarium

2009-10-30T03:56:00.000-07:00

Journey Among The Stars
Christa McAuliffe Planetarium
2 Institute Dr., Concord, NH 03301
www.starhop.com

The McAuliffe Planetarium, built to honor NH’s Teacher in Space, Christa McAuliffe, is a state-of-the-art planetarium that will blow your mind. Simply choose one of the shows and in just one hour you'll take an extraordinary voyage into astronomy. The intimate 92-seat theater provides a universe of computerized three-dimensional images that surround you as you fly through the stars. Children of all ages are invited to join these stunning voyages of discovery!

The Planetarium, located in Concord, New Hampshire, is a living memorial that combines Christa McAuliffe's dream of traveling through space with her dedication to teaching, and her belief that everyone should have the opportunity to "reach for the stars".

Andover Historical Society Museum

2009-10-29T20:32:00.000-07:00

Donated, by Charles and Elynor Taylor of Wilmot, in 1983 to the newly incorporated Historical Society the Potter Place Railroad Station is the venue for the Andover Historical Society Museum. The Museum contains an authentic "stationmaster's office," rooms for other exhibitions, and a gift shop.

In 1987 a Northern Railroad Caboose and Snow Plow were obtained and moved to the tracks near the station. Although in 1993 the Society parted with the snow plow because it was unable to restore it as it needed, the Caboose remains as part of the historic railroad exhibit of the Society.

The Society Museum is open every weekend from Memorial Day to Columbus Day, and the Society holds several meetings throughout the year with speakers on topics of interest to the townspeople, and occasionally Historic Walks to places of interest in the town.

For more information, you can contact:
Andover Historical Society
PO Box 167
Andover NH 03216

Path Through Meredith Woods: Prints & Cards

The Brick Store, Bath, New Hampshire

2009-10-29T20:16:00.000-07:00

The Brick Store in Bath, New Hampshire, is reputed to be the oldest continually operating country store in the nation. It is unquestionably worth a visit if you are in this area. The owners have done their best to maintain the flavor of an old country store while still remaining competitive and dealing with ever expanding regulations which make places like this more sterile in both positive and negative ways.

The Café Lafayette Dinner Train

2009-10-29T19:45:00.000-07:00

The Café Lafayette Dinner Train has been in operation since 1989 under the ownership of the husband and wife team of Lance Burak and Leslie Holloway. In all of North America there are only about 20 moving dinner trains, making The Café Lafayette Dinner Train one of the most unique attractions in all of NH.

You will by riding in one of three beautifully restored Pullman dining cars, enjoying five courses of fine food and spirits served to you in European style. With salad greens, herbs and edible flowers fresh from our gardens: always fresh meats, poultry, seafood and homemade rolls through dessert, you are guaranteed the unusual and the delicious. As dinner is served, period music keeps time with the rail's rhythmic rumbling, punctuated by the haunting wail of the engine's whistle. With magnificent mountains and lush New England forests surrounding The Café Lafayette Dinner Train, you are assured of having the best seat in the house, all evening long. After dinner, with the compartment lights down low and the dramatic sunset outside your window, you may allow yourself a wistful romantic journey back in time, and you might wish the evening would never end.

The Experience

The two-hour, 20 mile round trip will take you on a spur of the historic Boston and Maine Railroad laid in the late 1800's to serve the historic "Grand" Hotels of the region. We guarantee you'll be swept away into a bygone era.

Three unique dining cars offer spectacular views of the picturesque Pemigewasset River with its surrounding fields and forests. In the spring and summer keep your eyes peeled for moose, deer and bear while waving to the canoes and Kayakers floating lazily down the river. Observe the spectacular foliage right outside your window in the fall. 6000 watts of halogen flood lights illuminate the outside scenery for excellent nighttime viewing all year long. The train travels rain, sleet or shine so don't worry about the weather because its always sunny and warm inside.

Cafe Lafayette Dinner Train
PO Box 8

North Woodstock NH
603-745-3500
Website

Navajo Pups

A Doll Story: Telling a White Mountain Family History

2009-10-21T12:21:00.000-07:00

By LewEllyn Hallett
Reprinted with permission from Heart of NH

I was strolling through the craft tent at Manchester’s Mill City Festival when I spotted Sara Boothman Glines, sitting behind her table weaving a tiny basket with nimble fingers. From the shelves surrounding her, a dozen craggy, wooden faces stared back at me from under felt caps, knit hats, and straw brims. These miniature, rustic figures looked as if they’d stepped out of the old photographs displayed as their backdrop. The dolls sat in rockers or on tree stumps, stepped up a mountain trail or kneeled to stack firewood, and a printed story card stood beside each one. A sign said, “SaraSally Dolls,” which I learned was a combination of Sara’s given name and her family nickname.

I pointed to a photograph of a woman hanging clothes in the sun on an open hilltop and Sara told me the story of her Grammie Boothman doll. Among family papers, Sara had found instructions for her grandmother Edith Watson Boothman’s 1890's detergent recipe, entitled "Washing Made Easy." Along with her photograph of Grammie Boothman doing laundry, this discovery seemed reason enough to immortalize Grammie as a doll folding wash with a detergent recipe tucked inside her basket. The basket that sits in the grass at Grammie Boothman’s feet in the photograph is another family heirloom still in Sara’s possession.
Basket weaver by craft, Sara has developed patterns for a variety of miniature baskets used by her dolls. Sara’s doll-making started as a crafting hobby, but has become a way to preserve history not just for her family but for anyone who longs for such roots to the past. It’s Grammie Boothman marketing laundry detergent to turn-of-the-century homemakers; Aunt Marion knitting socks for World War II soldiers; Great Grandmother Sarah Ann laboring in Manchester’s ribbon factories. It’s a mountaineering guide, a logger, a fly fisher, a cross country skier, a wood carrier, even a North Country Santa. SaraSally dolls record and preserve not only generations of family history and tradition, but a way of life in the mountains of New Hampshire.

For at least seven generations, Sara’s family has lived on holdings in the foothills and valley near Mount Adams, Mount Madison, and the town of Randolph in Coos County. When a family remains for that long in a community, they accumulate some history, including prominent figures to commemorate and important stories to tell. Sara (aka Sally) and her sisters, Rebecca Boothman Parker (Becky) and Susan Boothman Hawkins (Sue, 1950-2004), worked together to develop two series of doll figures. One series represents family members and their stories; the other depicts favorite White Mountain activities and vocations.

Sara invited me to her hillside home in Randolph to spend an afternoon with her and sister Becky. The three of us sat in her bright dining room, the wooden table top crowded with dolls, and a huge, antique map of Coos County on the wall behind us. With Sara’s cat in my lap, I picked up each doll and examined details like a tiny wood ax, a fly fishing pole, snowshoes, and hand-knit scarves. Sara and Becky spun out stories until they wove together and tangled in my brain. They were patient with me, laughing and backtracking down the trails of time and events, using the map to tie storylines to geography.

Growing up in the 1950's and 60's, they knew a rugged mountain lifestyle that was generations old but is now pretty much history. Families were self-sufficient and geared their work to the seasons. Spring was maple sugaring, summer was planting, growing, and harvesting, and winter was trapping, logging, and cutting firewood. They often sat down to meals where everything but salt and pepper came from the farm or the woods by their own labor.
"It’s hard going in New England. My ancestors worked this land and eked out a living," Sara says. "All three of us sisters were encouraged by our mother to do things with our hands, so I’ve always done some kind of craft. I started making dolls eight to ten years ago."
Her first dolls were simple schoolgirls with round, featureless wooden heads, two black dots for eyes, and print dresses like the ones they wore growing up. It was Sue’s idea for Sara to pattern other dolls after family members and pastimes. Sara compiled a catalog of ancestral characters and aspects of mountain life, and developed a more intricate style. The hardwood ball was replaced by a pine egg, which is softer for carving faces full of character and personality.
Sara’s doll making process is a slow one. It takes approximately thirty hours to complete each doll. For the fly fisherman, patterned after her father, the rod itself requires about three hours and is made from the stem of a certain iris that grows in her garden. Sara also ties the tiny flies herself, like she watched her father do. The clothing is patterned after old photographs and historical research. Each doll is a limited edition, and most are made to order or completed for display at a specific event. Prices range from $45 to $75.

Sara uses authentic, local products as much as possible. There are many items she could buy ready-made to use as doll accessories, but the fun is in figuring out how to craft the miniatures herself. She is constantly on the lookout for materials. A weaver of full-size baskets, Sara makes doll-sized knitting, tramping (hiking), ribbon, and laundry baskets patterned after the originals. She makes the hair on most of her dolls from the fleece of local sheep. Becky knits the sweaters, scarves, and socks from hand spun yarn, which is thinner so that she can knit items more to scale.

Some of Sara’s doll figures carry snowshoes. Her father, Jack Boothman, was an outdoorsman and trapper and invented a snowshoe binding that would allow him to get out of the shoes quickly if he fell through the ice while checking traps. He stretched a circular piece of tire innertube over his foot and snowshoe that would come off with a few kicks if necessary. The girls grew up using these bindings and Sara replicates them for her dolls, using bicycle tire inner tubes. In her basement workshop, she demonstrated for me the intricate lacing procedure, and shared that as recently as the 1960's most area roads were not plowed and snowshoes and skis were a primary method of transportation.

This family has thrown almost nothing away, so there is a wealth of memorabilia for the sisters to draw on. They handle the tools their great-great grandparents used, sleep under blankets made of wool grown, sheared, carded, spun, and woven by their great grandmother, study a wealth of photographs and family papers that tell generations of stories, and raid the trousseaus of their great-aunts.

These trousseaus are still intact because the great-aunts promised never to marry. Their mother, Sarah Ann Boothman, was widowed with four young children during the industrial revolution of the 1870's and forced by economic necessity to work in Manchester’s ribbon mills. (The Sarah Ann Doll is dressed as a mill worker and holds a basket of ribbons and scissors.) Sarah Ann thought her daughters could avoid such a plight if they remained single and independent, so they promised. But in case good prospects tempted them to reconsider, they made the beautiful trousseaus.

These other Boothman sisters–Becky, Isabelle, and May–were known locally as “The Aunts.” In the 1890's, The Aunts opened and ran an inn, the Mountain View House, on their grandparents’ farm overlooking a spectacular view of the valley and mountains beyond. Tourism has long been an industry of the area, and there were innkeepers on both sides of the family. In 1923, John H. Boothman, brother to The Aunts and grandfather to the present day sisters, bought the Mt. Crescent House further up the hill. His father-in-law, Laban Watson, was the first proprietor of another well known inn in the valley, The Ravine House. This inn was a base for early Randolph mountaineers and pathmakers and hosted hikers for generations until closing in the1960's.
Like the generations before them, the Boothman sisters grew up spending winters in the valley and summers up the hill in the Mt. Crescent House, taking care of vacationers. There was plenty of work to do both places. There was wood to gather for winter heat, for summer cottages (mountain nights can be chilly even in July), and about 20 cords each year for the wood evaporator that boiled maple sap from 4,000 taps.

"At first, Dad bemoaned the fact that he had only girls," Sara remembers. "But he soon realized that we could do all the chores that boys did and then clean up pretty good to wait on tables at supper." The Boothman girls filled the wood boxes, did laundry, gardened, helped prepare and serve food, cleaned rooms, cared for livestock, fished, logged, and processed maple syrup.
The Maple Sugarer Doll gathers sap the old fashioned way with buckets carried on a handmade yoke. This doll tells the story of a family endeavor that goes back five generations and continues today with Boothman Orchard 100% pure New Hampshire maple syrup produced by Becky’s family. Their orchard is on the same northern slope of the Presidential Range where generations ago the family tapped the trees and boiled the sap in the open over an uncovered fire. In a 1940's photograph, the Boothman parents stand beside the original sugar house. When Jack Boothman went overseas in World War II, his wife Gwen decided to keep sugaring. As she labored in the open, her father-in-law built a sugar house around her.

One source of the family’s rich photographic archives is Sara’s maternal grandfather, well known and prolific White Mountain photographer Guy Shorey. Shorey recorded much of the history and local culture of his day. Sister Sue co-authored a book, Among the White Hills, the Life and Times of Guy L. Shorey, including over 200 of his photographs, a biography of the photographer, and cultural history of the area.

Sara's craft also tells stories of mountain life and records the clothing, equipment, and activities of another era. Appropriately, Sara and her dolls were included in the New Hampshire delegation to the Smithsonian’s Folk Life Festival in Washington, D.C., in 1999. Her sisters also participated, Becky as a Yankee cook and Sue as an interviewer and narrator on stage. Sara remembers, "I took fifty doll bodies because I thought I’d be making dolls for two weeks, but I only completed two. I spent the majority of time talking with people about New Hampshire. They were so interested and had so many questions."

Sara promotes doll making as a good way for everyone–children, adults, whole families–to discover and commemorate their heritage, and teaches workshops to school-age children, 4-H leaders, historical society members, and anyone else with an interest. Students have made dolls from cloth, Masonite patterns, spoons, and even tried their hand at carving wooden faces like Sara’s. Whether they record a family trade or occupation, a favorite hobby, a beloved grandparent, or a hero immortalized in stories repeated from one generation to the next, the result is an exciting discovery and a treasured heirloom.

Each SaraSally doll comes with a tag describing the character or the activity it represents and a larger card telling the doll’s story. "My premise is that the first thing you need to do before making the figure is to write the story, whether researched or remembered," Sara explains. When she teaches her workshops, her students start by writing down a story of their own. “The kids can come up with some unbelievable stories!” she says. The type of doll, the materials, and the skill of the crafter are all secondary to the story the doll will tell.

Whether you love New Hampshire as a native, a newcomer, or a regular visitor, SaraSally Dolls tell a chapter of its story and are a fun, charming way to display a favorite aspect of Granite State heritage. To order dolls, or for information on classes and other products, contact Sara Glines at sarasally3@netzero.net or visit online at www.ravinehousestore.com.

Autumn's Last Dance
2010 Calendar

Sledding in the Gully, Rumney NH

2009-10-20T21:40:00.000-07:00

Not all winter activities have to cost a fortune. A few dollars for a sled at a local store can yeild a lot of enjoyment for kids and adults alike.This month we profile "The Gully" in Rumney, NH a safe and thrilling sliding spot. Send us your favorite sledding spot and we'll check it out for our readers here.

Located just behind the main village of Rumney, the Gully is well hidden and sits on private land that traditionally has been open for sledders. The sled run itself is about 200 yards long and follows the path of an old logging road that runs between two high ridges that form the arms of a notch that is the sled run. Since the sides are quite steep with the path itself clear with a few turns it forms a sort of natural "luge" run. Sledders can get going quite fast and safely navigate their way down the run..

For the younger children or those not quite as adventurous, they need not climb all the way to the top and can modify their run based on their level of courage, which is sure to increase after they experience the thrill.

Directions: To get to the Gully follow Rte 25 to Main St in Rumney. Follow Main St approximately 1/2 mile to the Town Common where you will see the library and the Baptist Church. If it's not Sunday morning, you may safely park behind the Church where you will see a large field. Park here and walk Northwest to the far corner of the field where you will see a trail used by snowmobilers and cross country skiers as well. Follow this trail about 200 yards and you will come to a fork. The gully is directly to your right at this point.

Please remember that this is private land and treat it respectfully to ensure that future generations of sledders will enjoy the same privileges.

Langdon Park

2009-10-20T20:12:00.000-07:00

Getting some air on the tabletop jump

A haven for stunt bikers or those who long to try their hand at it, Langdon Park also offers a wonderful spot for a peaceful and quiet bike ride or walk.

Few people actually know about this great spot in Plymouth (and some will be understandably annoyed at this article). It is a hidden treasure in Plymouth, tucked away along the Baker River just north of the National Guard Armory.

If your family is like ours, you'll find Langdon Park is a perfect spot for a family with a mix of biking tastes. Sometimes its tough to find something that provides something for both the aesthetics and the risk takers in the family but this place does just that.

There are plenty of flat and pleasing paths for those who just want to get a bit of exercise in a beautiful spot, and for the daredevils there are challenges galore off nearly every side path throughout the park. In addition, it's clear that Langdon park's terrain is an evolving one, created, modified, changed and maintained by the many bikers who use it.

Directions to Langdon Park:

Interstate 93 to Exit 26. Bear right immediately off the ramp toward Plymouth. At the end of the ramp take a right toward Plymouth's main St. Follow Rte 3 South 1/2 mile over the green bridge. Just after the green bridge there are two dirt entryways into a lot beside the National Guard Armory. Turn into the second (it's safer) and park at the back of the field near the Baker River. The path leading to Langdon Park is right there.

Huskey Freestyle: Cards and prints here

Beech Hill Farm, Hopkinton, NH

2009-10-08T04:15:00.000-07:00

In 1740 Aaron and Susanna Kimball came to the newly established town of Hopkinton, New Hampshire. Some years later Aaron would receive a grant of land from the King of England in the area of Hopkinton known as Beech Hill.

Thus began a line of descent that would establish the Kimball Family as a pre-eminent force in Hopkinton history. For nine generations, the Kimball family has run a farm here on the hill. Since the days when ancestor Herbert Kimball purchased and imported Ayrshire cattle from Scotland in 1896 and was granted one of the earliest licenses to sell raw milk, until recent years, the farm was operated as a dairy farm. Today, the newly renovated buildings now serve as an ice cream barn, gardener’s barn, farm museum, picnic area, and pavilion for group gatherings.

Robert Kimball and his wife Donna live in the Kimball homestead and have diversified the family dairy operation in an effort to preserve the heritage and integrity of one of the longest-running family owned and operated farms in the United States.

Their daughter, Holly, and her husband, Peter, are also involved in the day-to-day operation of Beech Hill Farm and Ice Cream Barn. Holly has a Master’s Degree in Education and helps to design and promote many of the farm’s educational attractions, such as the nature trail, corn mazes, and treasure hunt map courses. Additionally, she offers ongoing garden stepping stone workshops, and plant-your-own container workshops to green thumbs of all ages. Holly manages the Gardener’s Barn, and consults with customers regarding their gardening needs.

The express wagon and horse drawn sleighs that were used to deliver milk have been preserved and are on display at Beech Hill Farm, along with many other original artifacts that now fill the Corn Crib and Grain Barn Museum.

The Beech Hill Farm is a shining example of the new face of agriculture; Mixing old cherished tradition with new emerging cultural tastes. . . It is a face born of Yankee determination and the spirit of entrepreneurship.

Checking on the Cows
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Kayaking on the Merrymeeting River

2009-10-04T11:32:00.000-07:00

Answering the Call
By Barbara Bald

Water comprises nearly three-fourths of our planet’s surface, sustains all life and for centuries has been calling people to its banks. Ancient civilizations have been built around it, transportation required it, and books continue to extoll its healing powers.
Within our own state, early settlements depended on the Gundalow (a flat-bottomed boat) to carry goods between towns such as Durham and Exeter. Our state’s small coastline has invited tourists to Hampton Beach for years. Waterfalls, such as Glen Ellis Falls, have called as sirens to visitors and residents alike. Rivers, such as the Androscoggin, still lure fly-fishermen, kayakers and gold-panners to their shores. Just what is our attraction to water?

For Vicki Howard, owner of River Run Deli in Alton, kayaking the Merrymeeting River is a chance for folks to relax and socialize. Four years ago Vicki purchased enough Old Town kayaks, life vests and paddles to accommodate multiple paddlers. She decided to orchestrate weekly trips up-river and provide scrumptious meals from her Deli.

On this particular evening’s paddle, 22 women aged 25- 65 gathered at the Deli at 6p.m. Friends met friends, strangers extended hands to newcomers and social banter filled the air. Some were veteran kayakers; some anticipated something new. Since Vicki assisted with boats both in and out of the water, experience was not an issue.

The 45-minute paddle was a lazy one up the meandering river. Facing west, early evening sun necessitated shades or visors. White pines peered back from glassy reflections on still water, painted turtles basked on logs and Kingbirds swooped at insects. Raspy Redwings and trilling tree frogs provided the chorus.

For some, the trip’s highlight was getting under the Route 140 “bridge”, where waters, high from recent rains, required scrunching down into the little boats and, with fingertips under bridge concrete, inching one’s way to the other side! Others, choosing an easier route, simply portaged across.

Reaching the dam, Vicki unveiled her elaborate entrees. Sitting picnic-style on three large blankets, we tasted Oriental Noodle Salad, various wraps, three-bean salad, potato-salad, chips and spicy Boar’s Head pickles. Drinks included BYOB beverages, sodas, bottled water or Frappaccino milks. Desserts were chocolate pudding, strawberry shortcake or lemon merique squares.

After with a visit from some Canada geese and helping with easy cleanup, we all headed back. Cool night air offered refreshing, bug-free breezes and chances to watch the antics of two young beaver. Rounding the bend at 8:30p.m. Tikki torches at the Deli dock greeted us, topping off this near-perfect adventure. The lure of New Hampshire waters had provided rest and relaxation, a chance to see wildlife up-close and an opportunity to share an outing with others.

Whether you’re looking to sample a lazy fall venture or prefer the rush of white-water in springtime, New Hampshire waters call to us as they did to our ancestors. They beckon us to rejuvenate ourselves in ways that only water seems able to do.

Footnote: Vicki Howard encourages visitors to put her boats in the Merrymeeting River from May 1 through fall foliage season. Weekly Pic-A-Noe adventures described above run from mid-June through August. Vicki can be reached at 875-1000.

Hebron Common, NH in Snow
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Catch the morning mist on the Connecticut Lakes

2009-10-04T11:19:00.000-07:00

Anytime is a great time to paddle on the lakes of the Great North Woods but early mornings in the fall offer a very special adventure for lots of reasons. First, the -lakes are still relatively warm and in conjunction with the cooler weather are blanketed in mist almost every morning. It makes for great photographs and some of the most beautiful paddling you have ever experienced. It’s also the time at which the local wildlife are most active, don’t be surprised to see a moose shoulder deep in the water taking its breakfast among the pickerel weed.

Ice Fishing on Newfound Lake NH
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Mountain Biking Memories

2009-10-04T10:59:00.000-07:00

An Early Mountain Biking Pioneer Recounts A Mis-adventure on the Montalban Ridge
By Tim Gotwols

It started out innocently enough. Midsummer, in 1981, Jed, George, Mark and myself set out for a mountain bike adventure. Now bear in mind, we didn’t really have mountain bikes yet. Mine was the best equipped with 10 gears. It was a Schwinn “King Sting”, the 26" cruiser version of their BMX frame. The other guys were on other BMX cruisers adapted to riding in the woods with 5-speed freewheels.

Some fateful decisions were made at the car. First off, we got on our bikes at 2:30 in the afternoon. No big deal. The proposed ride was only 15 miles (or so). I remember Jed rummaging through his pack:

“Do I need this?” (a windbreaker)
“No, it’s June 20th.”
“Do I need these?” (A hat and gloves)
“No, we’re not going above tree line.”

At this point, I’d better confess this was all my idea. As we pedaled up Rt. 302 toward the Dry River Trail I recited to the guys, “The AMC guide describes it as a ‘carefully graded bridal path’, once we get to the height of land we’ll be able to ride back down the Montalban Ridge to the car.”… words I’d live to regret.

Not far up the trail it became apparent (or should have anyway) that the guidebook description was a bit out of date. Where the trail had at one time followed an old logging railroad bed, it now meandered first up one side of the valley, then back down and up the other on what the AMC likes to call “highwater by-pass trails”. So began the first of many portages - a term we thought applied to canoes. The trail was taking us into the Dry River Wilderness Area, this was before the Wilderness Act was enacted so, technically, we were allowed to be there. The laws of nature however are less forgiving and don’t make exceptions for stupidity or poor judgement. We were all pretty experienced in the back-country setting having done lots of hiking, camping, climbing, etc., so we pressed on with me encouraging the group with comments like, “Once we get over Mt. Isolation it’ll be all downhill.” You know, I think they actually believed me. In fact, I actually believed myself and kept saying, “Just one more short quick crux.”

Just as Yvon Chuinard recommended, to avoid carrying the guidebook, I’d memorized our route. Five miles up Dry River Trail, take a right on Isolation Trail 2.5 miles up to the height of land. Then right on Davis Path and “descend” the Montalban Ridge. Some clues I should have caught: First, the word “isolation” kept popping up - Isolation Trail, Isolation Shelter, Mt. Isolation. Second, before reaching the ridge line we had to climb to the 4000 ft contour, once on Davis Path we’d drop down into a col before climbing back up to 4000 feet and the summit of Mt. Isolation. Third, my guidebook must have been a 1934 edition, written when people actually were still riding horses on “carefully graded bridal paths”. But the biggest factor I’d failed to take into account was the windstorm that blasted the White Mountains in 1980. It flattened huge tracts of forest. There were stories of 4 x 8 sheets of plywood flying through the air and getting impaled in freshly built condo’s.

But we were in our 20's and were too busy being “the first people to ‘ride’ (using the term loosely) mountain bikes up here” to let all that grim reality get in the way. Coming from a climbing background of the late ‘70's we’d gotten into doing first ascents. And so when mountain biking came along we adopted the same approach. We were also used to the concept of being “committed to the route”, i.e., beyond the point of no return, but as yet hadn’t had to apply it to a “bike ride”.

So we ate our lunch up there on Davis Path at about 6:30 in the evening. As it turned out, Jed was the wisest of us, he’d brought two sandwiches, one that he liked, the other liverwurst, that he knew he would save until he was really hungry. He also mistakenly left one leg-warmer in the bottom of his pack - more on that later. I actually do remember riding my bike down some of that first section of the Montalban Ridge, wild twisting switchbacks through granite ledges and moss covered slabs. Then reality struck, in modern vernacular - the doo-doo began to occur. Blowdowns. I’m not talking about the occasional inconvenient tree across the trail. I’m talking about ten to twenty trees at a time stacked across the trail like giant pick-up-sticks. If you’ve been up in the sub-alpine zones of New England, you’ve probably noticed how dense the underbrush can be. It’s so twisted and gnarly up there that sometimes you can’t get off the trail if you want to. Now add to that the complication of dozens of piled up trees on the trail, and the fact that we had bicycles with us, and you’ll quickly surmise that some highly imaginative techniques would have to be employed. Did I mention the gathering darkness? I have a snapshot or two of that day. One of them is of my bike on top of Mt. Isolation, at 4009 ft. taken at 8:00 p.m. I’m half-proud, half-ashamed of it.

So here’s how it went. One at a time, we’d toss our bikes up onto the pile of blowdowns, then crawl up to the bike and repeat the process until reaching the other side. We were getting shredded. Our clothing was in ribbons, we were bleeding, bruised and battered. We were still far from out of the woods. Really far. Once over the summit of Isolation we got to the “all downhill from here “ part of the ride. At the risk of being redundant, did I mention the gathering darkness, the blowdowns? Did I mention that mountain biking wasn’t even a sport yet?

At some point, George and Jed had gotten pretty far ahead of Mark and I. We sat and ate the last of our food (Oreo’s). Feeling some urgency, I wanted to keep moving but Mark pleaded, “Please don’t leave me.” This was coming from a guy who’d been a PSC Outing Club Trip Leader, and a very competent technical climber and was usually difficult to keep up with on a trail. But we were at wit’s end. We were out of fuel but we had to keep running on empty if we were going to get back to the trail head. We plodded on pushing/tossing our bikes.

Ahead of us George and Jed were having their own little epic. Just over the top of Stairs Mountain there’s a “T” in the trail. The actual trail goes right and George and Jed went left. It leads to a scenic overlook -overlooking a huge cliff. Now most people would quickly realize that this was not the trail. But we were climbers, cliffs weren’t that big a deal. Apparently at one point George had down climbed to a ledge and was trying to convince Jed to toss the bikes down to him. I still imagine Jed’s famous, “I don’t know, man!” echoing across the Rocky Branch watershed. Jed the model of sound reasoning, refused to throw the bikes off the cliff. George climbed back up and they took the right branch of the trail.

Shortly, Mark and I came to the same intersection, we left our bikes, went and looked down the face of Stairs Mountain, returned to our bikes and quickly decided to abandon them. Without them, we made much better time and caught up with the other two. It was now about 9:30 p.m.,but being the summer solstice, there was still enough light, so Mark and I jogged on ahead down the ridge line. The last summit on the Montalban Ridge is called Crawford Dome. We admired the last traces of light in the western sky, then thinking, “We’re on our way out!” we walked another fifty feet or so and were confronted with an impenetrable blackness where the trail was supposed to be. Did I mention we had no flashlight? But we did have matches! Gathering firewood before it got too dark to find it, we began preparing for an unplanned bivouac.

We built the fire nice and big, hoping the Forest Service would see it and come up and bust us for camping in a restricted area - no such luck. So we each employed our own unique survival tactics. Mark’s T-shirt was absolutely ragged but he got through the night by wearing his daypack on his head. At one point, he was off in the darkness foraging for firewood when we heard a big splash and an “oomph!”, and, after a pause, “I found water!”

I was wearing a wool cycling jersey and so was a little better off, plus I had the map, which, used as a heat shield, allowed me to sit a few inches closer to the fire.

We made a fine feast of Jed’s liverwurst sandwich and divided up George’s two oatmeal cookies. Jed was psyched to find the single leg-warmer in his pack, and wore it on the outside leg, away from the fire, alternating when the inside leg was toasted. We spent about six hours up there on Crawford Dome. *

At about 4:00 a.m. we were on our way down, or at least George and Jed were on their way down. Mark and I had to go back a mile or so to where we’d ditched the bikes. But at least now it was light! We found them, no problem, and actually did get to ride for short sections across granite slabs and soft beds of moss and lichen. Once over the dome of rock we’d slept on, we looked back up and saw two bears sunning themselves on a ledge not far from our bivvy site. We quickly turned and rode/tumbled our way down to the car.

But our troubles weren’t quite over. When George and Jed got back to the cars, they found George’s VW had been broken into. They took some clothing and all our money. George was hit the hardest, he had several hundred dollars of someone else’s money that was to be used for materials for a masonry job. Mark’s car hadn’t been vandalized so we made him buy breakfast. We finally got home about 24 hours after we’d left, had another breakfast, and went to bed for the day.

Birch on Stinson Brook
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The AMC 130 Years of Protecting Our Natural Resources

2009-10-04T09:34:00.000-07:00

130 Years of Protecting Our Natural Resources
By Peggy Rosen

Land, air, water, flora and fauna - Since 1876 the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) has promoted the protection, enjoyment and wise use of the Appalachian region. Its conservation concerns range from large to small, from seemingly obscure projects to those in the forefront of the community consciousness.

Ever heard of Potentilla robbinsiana (a.k.a. dwarf mountain cinquefoil)? If you want to find this tiny, rosette-shaped plant with its hairy, tooth-like leaves and showy yellow flowers, you have to trek to the heights of New Hampshire. This particular variety of cinquefoil is extremely rare. It only grows in several locations in New Hampshire’s Alpine Zone, above elevations of 4,500 feet.

Discovered by scientists in 1824, this rare jewel of the Granite State was placed on the endangered species list in 1980. Its population had precipitously declined due to over-collection, hiker trampling, and its difficulty in adapting to certain challenges of the harsh alpine environment. Concerned about possible extinction, the AMC, in partnership with the New Hampshire Fish and Wildlife Service and the New England Wildflower Society (NEWFS), put together a rescue and recovery plan. The AMC studied the plant’s biology and collected seeds, which the NEWFS grew and replanted to establish new colonies. The AMC relocated hiking trails and conducted ongoing educational programs for visitors who might travel in cinquefoil-populated areas. The species recovered and was removed from the list in 2002.

If you take a walk in Piscataquog River Park west of Manchester along the railroad spur up to Goffstown, you will encounter an area of pine barren. Very little pine barren habitat is left in New Hampshire, most of it having been cleared or paved. New Hampshire’s official state butterfly, the Karner blue butterfly (also on the federal endangered species list), relies on pine barren habitat, as the caterpillar feeds only on wild lupine, which grows only in pine barren areas. Once thought to be extirpated from New Hampshire, the Karner blues are making a comeback. However, invasive plant species such as Norway maple, bittersweet and garlic mustard threaten to overrun the native plants of Piscataquog Park and make it potentially inhospitable to Karner blue butterflies. AMC members from the New Hampshire Chapter have volunteered their time to clear away some of the invaders, in hopes of restoring the natural balance of this small, but important, piece of the state.

If you gaze out from one of New Hampshire’s many vistas, you may see for miles across peaks, forests, lakes and rivers. But you may just as easily have to squint through a soupy haze shrouding the summits and blanketing the valleys. Decreasing visibility and evidence of Northeast pollution from mid-Western power plants and vehicle emissions has prompted the AMC to take action. AMC members called Visibility Volunteers, or Viz Vols, carry a simple kit on hikes which measures ozone levels and records visibility levels. Viz Vol data collection is part of the Mountain Watch Program, finishing its second season in the autumn of 2005. More than 200 volunteers have submitted reports from around the region. Volunteers can also observe and report seasonal changes in wildflowers and leaf colors. These hikers tracking trends contribute to a large AMC database, which is used in Club air quality advocacy work. The AMC makes recommendations to government agencies and partners with other clean air advocacy groups. Together they are creating a collective voice calling for clean air legislation, policies and procedures.

As a non-profit organization with almost 90,000 members (nearly 10,000 in the New Hampshire Chapter), 130 staff and a dozen chapters throughout mid-Atlantic and Northeastern states, the AMC is well-positioned to make the most of the influence of a large group and the commitment of its individual members to fulfill its mission. The founding members, many of whom were Boston academics who enjoyed the superb recreational opportunities of New Hampshire’s wild areas, recognized the need to protect wilderness. In addition to organizing recreational Club outings, they developed an attitude of stewardship of the land.

As far back as the early 1900’s, AMC members were vitally involved in fulfilling a mission of preservation, addressing lawmakers and policy-makers on the issues of land conservation. At that time there were no National Forests in the Northeast. Working determinedly for almost ten years, pushing for public access to large tracts of wilderness, the group’s efforts were finally rewarded by passage of the Weeks Act of 1911, which allowed the government to purchase private land for the establishment of National Forests. The creation of the White Mountain National Forest followed soon after.

Working with government representatives on conservation continues to be a focus of the AMC. Members are encouraged to seek natural resource protection through the legislature by contacting their representatives and voicing their views, concerns and suggestions. Since 1998, members have been able to keep up-to-date on current conservation issues through the AMC Conservation Action Network.

The recent release of the U.S. Forest Service’s White Mountain National Forest Management Plan provides an example of AMC involvement in policy-making. The new plan, which describes how the WMNF will be managed for the next ten to fifteen years, required the Forest Service to spend years studying data, holding public hearings, sifting through thousands of public comments and drafting many revisions. Throughout this process the AMC submitted written and verbal comments, scientific data, proposals, suggestions and general input. The AMC vision for collaboration, balanced approach to wise use and decades of outdoor expertise provided a solid platform for its recommendations, many of which were adopted as part of the final management plan

Early conservation efforts were also focused on the creation and maintenance of well-thought-out trails for hikers and skiers. Well-routed and maintained trails preserve plant life and minimize the detrimental effects of erosion. In-the-field trail work is still central to AMC conservation. With 325 miles of New Hampshire trails maintained by the group, trail work days are a common activity and are attended by all ages and all abilities. It’s not unusual to encounter a grinning, clipper-wielding seven-year-old on a trail crew, or dirt-smudged teenagers sweating alongside a senior AMC member. The NH Chapter has specific responsibility for maintaining the OLD Bridle Path in Franconia Notch, the Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway and the hiking and ski trails around Cardigan Lodge. The Adopt-A-Trail program, begun in 1980, allows individuals or groups to assume responsibility for specific sections of trail, committing at least two weekends per year to caring for that section. In New Hampshire, 35,000 hours of trail work is provided by staff and volunteers annually.

Roll-up-your-shirtsleeves work sessions, whether involving paperwork or trail work, isn't the only place you'll find AMC-ers. Simply enjoying nature is still an integral part of the AMC experience. Hundreds of all types of activities are available throughout the four seasons for every level of outdoor enthusiast. Trips range from easy family hikes to arduous mountaineering rock and ice climbs, backcountry ski expeditions, multi-day summer backpacking excursions, cycling, paddling, birding, map and compass workshops and wilderness first aid courses.

In addition to the fun of getting together with like-minded folks, the AMC philosophy sees every activity as an opportunity for learning. Trip leaders often impart important ecological knowledge. AMC huts and facilities offer seminars, workshops, displays, and self-directed learning activities that present the natural world, man’s impact on it and our responsibility in trying to protect it. Signs in the restrooms of AMC facilities instruct on water conservation. Wall displays in the halls of The Highland Center in Crawford Notch describe weather patterns, growing seasons, the development and path of acid rain, the inter-dependence of the animals and plants of the forest, and the fragility of the organisms of the Alpine Zone. Families join a naturalist for a walk along a woodland path and stop to study the tiny water life in an adjacent pond. A Mountain Classroom tailors outdoor experiences to middle school and high school students. Some AMC members have received official training in the “Leave No Trace” program, instructing backcountry travelers in low-impact principles. The educational component of AMC activities and facilities attempts to foster a sense of individual responsibility and the realization of what we can all accomplish together.

Striving for a strong and healthy future for New Hampshire’s natural resources, the AMC has “walked the talk,“ in many cases literally, for many decades and countless miles. As one member put it, "the AMC does a lot of good!"

• AMC Website

Thirteen Mile Woods Poster

Fishing Along the Thirteen Mile Woods - Errol to Milan, NH

2009-10-04T06:26:00.000-07:00

The Great North Woods area of New Hampshire features some of the best fishing and canoeing in the state, including the Thirteen Mile Woods area along the Androscoggin River.

The terrain varies from peaceful meandering stretches of river through boreal forest to the wild rapids of Pontook and the great spots just below several dams along the river.

If you are a fisher who enjoys the early morning hours or the quiet moments around dusk, you are likely to find yourself sharing the river now and then with a moose or a pair of nesting loons.

Depending upon your choice of overnight accomodations your choices range just as broadly from camping at the small and friendly Molligiwock State Campground to "roughing it" at the Balsams, one of New Hampshire's premier resort hotels.

The Thirteen Mile Woods begins just north of New Hampshire's largest northern City, Berlin (pronounced "Burl'n" if you want to talk like a native). Your experience won't just be a few hours of fishing. It will be a trip back into history as well. You'll notice, for one thing, a lot of submerged logs along the river. The Androscoggin River was used for many years to run logs from the forests along and above the Thirteen Miles Woods down to the mills in Berlin. Large formations of rock and logs line the midcourse of the river just north of Berlin.

The Rock Crib Piers in the Androscoggin River were built by the Berlin Mills so they could store the logs until they were needed. The piers were connected by log booms, connected end to end and also by log booms from each pier to the shore line. This created a series of storage areas and as the Mill called for logs, the boom was opened on the downstream side so the logs simply floated to the dam just north of the present day paper mill. From there the logs were taken out of the water, and sent into the mill. At one time, this was done via a steam powered conveyor system.

The rock piers were built in the wintertime. They waited for the ice to form so they could drag the rocks and logs out to the middle of the river. They were then placed in the proper place, and then the ice was cut around the rock pile, then the rocks settled to the bottom. It took many repeats of the process to get the rock islands up to water level, then the rock crib was formed and the balance of the rocks were placed.

You will also undoubtedly share the river with canoeists and kayakers as this river has the best year-round whitewater paddling in all of New Hampshire.

If you visit the Thirteen Mile Woods area, you will also want to make a few sidetrips to see Lake Umbagog one of the most pristine lakes in New Hampshire. In fact you may decide that you want to make your trip a multi-day combination canoe and fishing trip. If so you have lots of choices.

Canada Goose on Stinson Lake
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iGo, uGo, we all go for eGo

2009-09-28T05:35:00.000-07:00

The folks at eGo vehicles say they’re so much fun “you’ll be tempted to put cards in the spokes.”

That’s a smart statement that brings back childhood memories, describes the joy of the ride and at the same time clues you in to the quiet nature of the ride itself.

Launched in 2002 the eGo claims to be able to go up to 25 miles at 20 mph on a single charge – silently and pollution free.

”Ok,” so you say – “but then you have to recharge it.” Well, yes, but the eGO Cycle’s on-board charger allows "refueling" at any outlet for 10 cents worth of electricity.

"The eGO Cycle is the perfect product for the urban commuter, college student or gated community resident. It is dependable, fast, and emission free," said Andrew Kallfelz, President of eGO Vehicles. "We spent two years developing the eGO Cycle, and are now able to offer people the first street legal and safety compliant two-wheel personal electric vehicle."

The pedal-less cycle is unique, as its range is 36% greater than any other previously introduced electric scooter, bike or "transporter." The eGO Cycle gives anyone the opportunity to reconsider how they move around for fun or work," said Kallfelz.

The eGO Cycle can be ridden on any American street because it meets all National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) safety requirements, and with headlights, taillights, bicycle controls, large wheels and a low center of gravity it is safe and simple to operate for people of all ages.

Nearly 60 percent of all automobile trips are less than five miles, and 50% of trips are for personal (one passenger) transportation, according to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics. "Today, Americans are thinking about new ways to get around. People want transportation convenience, young people want fun and everyone wants to find an alternative to oil and gas," said Kallfelz. In years to come the eGo, and other small personal transportation modalities may just be as commonplace as the automobile on local city and town streets.

eGO Vehicles, LLC
One Broadway, Suite 1400
Cambridge, MA 02142
USA
Phone: 800-979-4346 or 617-583-1379
Fax: 617-758-4101

The Hitching Post - Purchase prints, cards or posters

A Look Inside Bonnie Brae Deer Farm

2009-09-26T15:50:00.000-07:00

by Sheila Oranch

It is fawn season at Bonnie Brae and I am greeted by a green Totem Pole and a well-kept vintage barn. Postcard companies would pay for pictures of this front yard. Bonnie Brae Farms is a classic New England farmscape, maintaining a beachhead against all kinds of commercial development along busy Route 3 between Plymouth and Ashland.

The heart of the story here is about sustainable agriculture, preserving open space, diversifying food sources and good, old fashioned, New Hampshire independence. Two brothers, Henry and Bruce Ahern, established Bonnie Brae Farms to revitalize the family farm and to establish an enterprise that will support them when they retire. Although Henry Ahern and Cindy Downing run the farm, Bruce joins them for special projects. Henry and Bruce both have other careers – Henry is an authorized Apple Computer dealer and technician and operates HDA Technical Services. Deer farming enables them to maintain those activities while building for the future in a way that keeps them close to the land they love. Now that the major infrastructure is installed (watering systems, paddocks, handling shed and lots of fencing), caring for the herds only takes a couple of hours a day most of the year. It’s a walk in the park, actually.

I am treated to a tour of the deer farm by Henry, complete with seeing the new fawns close up. Red Deer are beautiful animals with winsome faces and varied personalities. Larger than Whitetail Deer (actually a branch of the Elk family), they are gentler and less skittish. The yearlings are separated from the breeding hinds (females) and their fawns as well as the big stags. The young animals are curious and greedy for a treat. Henry handles them like a flock of geese and they show no fear of him. He works with all the herds every day to keep them cooperative.

The impressive stags can grow up to 550 lbs. Henry took me into their paddock and it was a slightly intimidating experience. Some have earned names like Hercules. One character, Garibaldi, seems to crave Henry’s attention. He is not the biggest stag, but he certainly makes himself known. Generally, the stags are respectful of their handler, but he says during the roar (breeding season) they can be aggressive. The stags are competitive and have huge antlers.

You may already know the difference between a horn and an antler, but just in case you don’t, animals that have antlers, like these red deer, lose them annually. An animal with horns, a cow for example, does not lose its horns. For Bonnie Brae farm, these antlers are a profitable product of deer farming. They are an important part of natural nutritional, medical and fertility treatments and a real renewable resource, as they grow back each year. A healthy stag can live for up to 20 years, and the antler growth peaks at 10-12 years!

Venison, which is the first product that comes to mind for a deer farm, is a tasty, nutritious, lean meat. By culling the herds of surplus males, and females who don’t have the right personalities, the stock improves at the same time that a locally grown food is made available. Unfortunately, there is a shortage of FDA-approved slaughter facilities. The animals may have to be trucked 100 miles to be processed. Yet New England does not have quite enough demand to open a new facility. Henry has some creative ideas to solve that issue, but the plan is still in development.
Meanwhile, Bonnie Brae Farms sports a great big walk-in freezer from which they will sell you venison in many forms. I couldn’t resist taking home some beautiful, lean burger patties. Yum!
“Bonnie Brae” means “beautiful hillside” in Scottish. Red Deer are native to Scotland, England, Wales, Northern and Central Europe, and Yugoslavia. Is it a coincidence that these lovely hillside pastures support herds of these gentle Scottish cousins of the giant elk?

Just past the Bridgewater Power wood to energy facility. State regulations prohibit the public from touring the farm as you might tour a dairy farm like Bonnie Brae’s bovine cousin Longview Farm on the other side of town, but the deer can be viewed from Rte 3 as well as from the area around the parking for Bonnie Brae.

Bonnie Brae Farms
601 Daniel Webster Highway
Plymouth, NH 03264-4314
Phone (603) 536-3880
Fax (603) 536-2649
Website

Smith Bridge, Plymouth, NH: Order cards, prints

Apple Picking at Surowiec Farm

2009-09-26T14:51:00.000-07:00

There are not many autumn activites that compare to reaching up into an apple tree, pulling down a choice Mac and biting into it as the breeze of Indian Summer rustles the leaves around you.

New Hampshire offers quite a few orchards where you can pick your own apples.

Our adventurous team piled into two vehicles with friends and family and headed for the Surowiec Farm in Sanbornton for our adventure, but you can pick the orchard of your choice from our list below.

Surowiec Farm is located on the Perly Hill Road in Sanbornton, just off exit 22. Bear east and watch for Perly Hill road on your right.

Its a great family activity and after the picking you can join together in the kitchen to make pies, apple crisp, apple sauce, whatever you have a hankering for.

But we should warn you . . . watch our for grandma, she may be tempted to try climbing for the best ones.

Surowiec also has blueberries and a nice selection of other products.

I Believe T-Shirt from Moosewood Communications

NH Pick Your Own Orchards

Concord
Apple Hill Farm 603-224-8862 Fax: 224-8862
Carter Hill Orchard 603-225-2625

Conway
Hatches Orchard 603-447-5687

Gilmanton
Stonybrook Farm 603-293-4300

Haverhill/Woodsville
Windy Ridge Orchard & Christmas Tree Farm 603-787-6377-Loudon
Meadow Ledge Farm 603-798-5860

Pittsfield
Appleview Orchard 603-435-6483

Plainfield
Riverview Farm 603-298-8519

Sanbornton
Surowiec Farm 603-286-4069

Sunset Swim on Newfound Lake

Reader Responses on Mt Lions

2009-09-21T11:01:00.000-07:00

Reader Responses
Eastern Puma Research Network

To the Editor:

As Director of the oldest & most active independent Mountain Lion Study Group in the eastern U.S, I agree wholeheartedly that native big cats continue to roam eastern North America.

Since we began field studies on the mountain lion in 1965, in central Maryland, over 9,000 sightings have been collected.

Of this overall total, approx. 63% are from witnesses with backgrounds in law enforcement, wildlife/game, & foresters. In other words, the witnesses are people who know what animal they are seeing.

75% of all sightings are NOT fleeting glances of the animal, as some state & federal wildlife agenices claim. The majority of incidents range from 2 minutes or more. Some reports are of 5-10 minute time lengths.

Although mountain lions have long been considered nocturnal animals, the most credible reports are between the hours of 7AM & 11AM, where the cat is returning from its nightly hunts. The rest of the time of day/night is about 50-50.

The majority of reports are from states closest to the Appalachian Mountains between eastern Canada & Georgia.

Of the 65 pieces of material submitted for verification in 2004, 12 were verified as "probable" puma. 2 were identified as "exotic cats". the remainder of material were tracks, scat or pictures of various land mammals.

The above evidence was confirmed by the Eatsern Puma Reserach Network's professional Science Team.

EPRN is a "grass-roots" torganization of both volunteer men and women interested in the subject of big cats in eastern North America. The majority of our members have independent wildlife groups of their own in 17 states & 2 Canadian Provinces and became "associates" due to the fact that EPRN is the only group cataloguing & recording each event.

NO state east of the Mississippi River is devoid of reports.

We have a videotape that was sent to us by a New Hampshire resident that was confirmed as a puma, due to size & behavior patterns. Unfortunately, the resident is adamant about NOT making the tape public, due to the fear of someone killing the animal that regularly visits the area.

We (the Eastern Puma Research Network) publish a flyer entitled "All You Need To Know About The Eastern Cougar". It’s FREE to anyone sending a stamped, self-addressed, business size-envelope to us.

Anyone can make copies of this flyer, as EPRN did NOT copyright it, so more people can understand the attitude & characteristics of them.

For anyone wishing to obtain a free copy of our flyer, to obtain more data on the animal or to report a sighting, they are encouraged to contact us at the address listed below.

Please visit our NEW web-site & sign the guestbook. New material is being added & will soon include maps showing approx. locations of credible incidents in each state.
Thank you for your time,

John A. Lutz, Director
Eastern Puma Research Network
epuma@beaconnet.net
Eastern Puma Research Network
HC 30 Box 2233
Maysville, WV 26833
24-Hr Hotline: 304-749-7778
E-mail: epuma@beaconnet.net
Website

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Mountain Lion Facts

2009-09-21T10:48:00.000-07:00

Legends & Lore
NH's Mountain Lions
Mountain Lion Facts
Scientific Name: Puma concolor

Life Span: 8-11 years and up to 15-18 years in the wild and 19-20 years in captivity

Size: Males are 6-8 feet long; 110-180 pounds Females 5 to 7 feet long; 80 to 130 pounds

Status: western populations stable; increased sightings in the east, although officially extirpated in NH

Offspring: 1-6 cubs; usually 3 or 4

Description: The species name concolor indicates that the pelt color does not vary over the back, sides, limbs and tail. The color however varies geographically and seasonally from light gray to cinnamon to rust red and light tan or brown. The under parts, inner ear, lower cheeks, chin and lips are white. There are black markings on the side of the muzzle, back of the ears and the tip of the adult tail. Both males and females are colored alike. Young have black or brown spots on buffy fur for up to 18 months which gradually disappear as they mature. Adult size varies greatly and can be anywhere from 5.5 feet to 8.5 feet in length (including the tail). The tail can be up to 1/3 of the animal’s length. Weights also vary, ranging from 60 to 225 pounds. Their feet are broad with 4 digits behind and 5 digits on the front. Estimated life span in the wild is 8 – 11 years (maximum 15-18 years) and over 20 in captivity.

Habitat: The Mountain lion has a wide range of habitats although these are steadily diminishing with the encroachment of human populations. They are found in high temperate and tropical lowland forests, grasslands, swamps and any area with adequate cover and sufficient prey. Mountain lions have been found anywhere from sea-level to 10,000 feet. Habitat has become fragmented and confined in the continental USA to 12 western states and the southern tip of Florida. Mountain lions are also found in parts of Canada, Mexico and South America. Mountain lion numbers are low east of the Mississippi although there is a remnant population (Florida panther subspecies) in Florida. Generally within the geographical range mentioned above, look for them in large wilderness areas. Their environmental preference is a rocky canyon, escarpment, rim rocks or dense brush. Flat brushless deserts, agricultural areas and heavily timbered areas are avoided in favor of cleared areas at the edge of forests or wetlands. Males have a range of anywhere from 25-200 square miles with a possible overlap with another male of up to 3 miles. Females are more stable and confine their permanent home range from 5 to 20 square miles. Living areas can be identified by a scrape or even a small pile of leaves and grasses on which the male urinates or defecates to establish its territory. More likely look for an overhanging ledge, a crevice, a dry cavity, under roots or even a badger burrow or deep thicket.

Predators and Prey: Ungulates are the primary prey. It is estimated that a healthy Mountain Lion will take up to 48 deer, moose, elk or caribou a year consuming from 860 to 1300 kg of meat. In North America if deer are not available they are known to take coyote, bobcat, porcupine, beaver, rabbit, opossum, raccoon, skunk, rodents and even snake and fish. The mountain lion kills by stalking and then leaping on the back of the prey , breaking its neck by biting behind the skull. In the course of a night hunt and stalk, the mountain lion will travel up to six miles in 6 bursts of 1-2 hours each with a rest period in between. They stalk by crouching in a concealed position ready to pounce with its ears upright and tail twitching. When feeding, if it does not consume all the carcass, it will bury the remainder for later consumption. Some mountain lions have been observed eating vegetation, although animal flesh is the favored diet. Mountain lions have also been known to take domestic livestock which has led to their pursuit and killing as an unwanted predator. Sport hunting is legal in 11 western states. The only exception is California. It is estimated that 2500 mountain lion are shot and killed each year by professional and other hunters.

Adaptations and Behavior: Mountain lions are solitary animals. This solitude is broken for the adult only for breeding and parenting. Population densities vary from one animal per 25-50 square miles to one per 8-34 square miles. The animals tend to space themselves to accomodate the food supply. Up to three females with young live within an area used by a resident male. Within that same range, at any one time, will be the resident adults, juveniles, transients, kittens and young adults who have not established home ranges. Movement tends to be nocturnal with occasional crepuscular forays. Communication appears to be through vocalizations of hisses, growls and purrs, but never roars. Males from a litter band together after leaving the mother, but then disperse as adults seeking and establishing their own ranges. Generally a mountain lion will use a winter and summer home area and migrate between them, possibly hundreds of miles apart. Although adept at climbing trees, mountain lions spend most of their time on the ground. The mountain lion’s hind legs are long while the front legs are short and very muscular giving it the ability to jump15-18 feet vertically and 30-45 feet horizontally. It is estimated that they can run at speeds of up to 35 miles an hour covering more than 100 yards in less than 5 seconds. In spite of this great speed, they can only cover a short distance before requiring a rest.

Breeding and Development: Female mountain lions begin breeding at about 3 years of age and then breed once every 2 or 3 years. They mate during any season with the courtship initiated by the female and usually includes mating with a number of males. Typical litters of 1 to 6 kittens are born after a gestation period of 82-98 days. Newborns weigh up to one pound and rapidly gain weight. At birth the kittens are wooly, spotted and have short tails. Their eyes open in about 8 or 9 days. They develop teeth when they are a month old and are weaned when about 2 or 3 months at which time they accompany their mother to kills. Kittens remain with the mother into their second year.

Fun Facts: Also known as cougar, catamount, panther and 35 other names. The SLNSC mountain lions arrived in January 2003 from Montana. They were unfortunately orphaned at a young age and initially raised by the Montana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. There have been many reports of mountain lion sightings in the NH lakes region. As of this writing, there are scat samples submitted for DNA analysis to confirm the presence of these large cats in NH. The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department does not recognize the presence of mountain lions in NH due to lack of confirmed sightings.

Photos and facts courtesy of Squam Lakes Natural Science Center
P.O. Box 173, Holderness, NH 03245
Phone: 603-968-7194; ext. 34
Fax: 603-968-2229
Web: www.nhnature.org

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Mountain Lion Sightings

2009-09-21T10:43:00.000-07:00

Legends & Lore
Mountain Lion Sightings

Some selected stories of mountain lion sightings, collected by John Harrigan, farmer and writer in Colebrook, New Hampshire:

Some time in the early 1980’s, longtime Colebrook farmer Harold Davis was sitting on Norma Wentzell’s porch in East Colebrook, drinking iced tea after finishing haying her field across the road. He and Norma saw a large, tawny mountain lion come out of the woods and begin mousing. They watched it catch, toss and eat mice (and probably voles) for about 10 minutes before it walked across the field and into the woods.

-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-

In the mid-1990’s, former Colebrook selectman and longtime business owner Herc Lemieux and two friends were haying a field just below Danny Beloin’s farm on Stevens Hill when a mountain lion bounded across the hayfield right in front of them, less than 100 yards away. The three stopped their work to watch it go.

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In the late 1980’s, Lancaster resident Dick McGinnis and a car-pooling co-worker were on their way to Littleton at around 8:00 in the morning, Just southwest of Whitefield on Rt. 116, where the road curves up a hill close to the Ammonoosuc River a couple of miles north of Littleton, he and his passenger saw a cougar bound into the road from the river side and into the woods on the other side. It was close enough that Dick had to slow down to avoid hitting it.

-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-

In 1978, the town of Stark’s librarian, an elderly lady of unassailable repute, was on her way to town when an adult cougar and two cubs emerged from the bushes along Rt. 110. She nearly hit them. When she got to the library, she went straight to the reference books to confirm what she was sure she’d seen. She had not one whit of doubt that they were cougars.

Ed's Note: Our thanks to John Harrigan for sharing these with us. Do you have a story of a sighting? email us.

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Mountain Lion Evidence from an Independent Wildlife Biologist

2009-09-21T10:01:00.000-07:00

An Interview with Biologist Rick Van de Poll, Ph.D. by Wayne King

Read these brief reports of sightings and see if you don't become a believer yourself.

What was your first encounter with signs that Mt. Lions might exist in NH?

Between September 1999 and December 2003 I conducted natural resource inventories of approximately 8,000 acres in the Ossipee Mountains for the Lakes Region Conservation Trust. In October of 1999 I came across my first positive sign of a mountain lion in the form of an old scat on the top of Larcom Mountain. I sent the sample off to the Wildlife Conservation Society, who had it DNA tested at the National Institute of Health laboratories in Washington, D.C. This sample was too degraded to provided any results, either positive or negative. During that same month, however, I obtained a plaster cast sample of a track, at the base of the mountain, which appeared to be mountain lion.

A year later in December, in the same locale, I obtained a very fresh sample of a scat which had a distinct, cat-like odor and was the standard size for mountain lion (which I recognized immediately having collected several samples from the western United States). This time I contacted the Michigan Wildlife Habitat Federation, who agreed to test the sample along with a sample I took from the Squam Range in Holderness. Both samples were sent to the Wyoming Fish and Game Commission, and both samples were tested along with several Upper Peninsula Michigan cougar scats. Both samples were identified through nuclear satellite DNA testing to contain "no appreciable difference" in their array signature from mountain lion scat arrays that the WFGC had on file from western states. Because there were no existing arrays from New England bobcats, lynxes or mountain lions to compare them with, they did not have any secondary confirmation information with which to certify their findings. The gentleman in Michigan, however, who received the shipment through overnight delivery, stated that this scat was unequivocally mountain lion, and that he would be willing to stand by his opinion, based on several years of scat analysis he has conducted on the (now confirmed) resident population in Michigan.

Did you contact NH Fish and Game about this?

All of the above data has been related to the NH Fish & Game Department. In fact, I contacted them initially to determine if they had any DNA testing facilities in the state. I have forwarded them my own list of 32 sightings in the Lakes Region that I have gathered from area residents since 1999. I also testified at a hearing about the DNA results and had Wyoming Fish & Game Commission forward their letter of results directly to Mike Marchand at NH Fish & Game. In spite of this report, they still consider the finding insufficient to confirm active presence of mountain lion in New Hampshire.

Is there a good reason for being this skeptical on their part?

As a wildlife biologist with 30 years experience, I am inclined to be skeptical of hearsay evidence on wildlife species that are rare. I can respect the opinions of the NH Fish & Game biologists, whose public relations tasks would become more onerous should they admit that we have a federally endangered predator present in this state. However, when the preponderance of evidence points to the active presence of (likely) a few individual mountain lions in this state, it would behoove the state to begin the necessary task of gathering information that informs its population of citizens about mountain lions rather than contributing to the myth that they do not exist.

Dr. Rick Van de Poll is a principle in Ecosystem Management Consultants of Center Sandwich, NH.

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New Hampshire's Mountain Lion Mystery

2009-09-21T04:54:00.000-07:00

by Peg Rosen
Images Courtesy Squam Lakes Natural Science Center

Imagine yourself driving a New Hampshire road at night, the winding pavement illuminated by the splay of the headlights. Suddenly, at the outer edges of your vision you glimpse an animal by the roadside, large and light in color with a long tail You stop to try and get a good look, but it’s gone. “I just saw a mountain lion!” you exclaim to yourself. But mountain lions disappeared from the forests and fields of New Hampshire long ago. Or did they? Do you believe your eyes? Or not?

You wouldn’t be alone in wondering. Numerous New Hampshire residents have encountered the mountain lion mystery Like all good mysteries, trying to discover whether mountain lions exist today in New Hampshire opens the door to a myriad of additional unanswered questions, intriguing clues and divided debate.

The Eastern Cougar (mountain lion), one of 15 subspecies of cougar living in North America, was native to our area at the time of settlement. Also called puma, cougar, catamount and panther, the eastern cougar roamed the landscape preying primarily on deer for food. Elusive and not often seen even in colonial times, its existence was threatened by land clearing for agriculture and logging. The deforestation resulted in habitat changes affecting the availability of prey and cover for protection. In addition, fearful pioneers hunted mountain lions relentlessly, adding to their decline. By the late 1800‚s, the cougar population had been hunted and displaced out of existence east of the Mississippi.

However, throughout the many years since the large, tawny cat was officially declared extirpated from the region, reports continued to trickle in from individuals claiming to have seen one. Today, apparent sightings occur regularly.. According to Mark Ellingwood, a wildlife biologist for the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, several dozen sightings are reported each year in New Hampshire. In efforts to validate what may be credible reports, Fish and Game Department biologists ask observers the Who, Where, When and What of the incident and look for patterns of sightings, such as flurries or clusters of reports in a particular area. In order to confirm any sighting, the Department’s “greatest focus is on the existence of hard evidence, such as photos or videos, tracks, scat, hair samples”. On the official record to date, there has not been any piece of hard evidence available that can positively confirm a single sighting. But those who claim to have seen one of the big cats are often quite passionate about their belief in what they saw or found. For those who believe that the cougars have returned, each new sighting and testimony is a validation of that belief.

John Harrigan, a farmer and writer in Colebrook, has been keeping track of “sighting stories” since approximately 1978 and states that “the table is set” for these animals, with deer in abundance and the cougar’s willingness to feed on everything from mice to deer to young moose. With plenty of prey and still adequate forest cover, “there is no reason why there couldn”t be a viable cougar population in New Hampshire.” He applies his own version of questioning to the reports, designed to winnow out the least reliable: How far away was the viewer? What were the lighting weather, and forest cover conditions? How long was the animal in view? Mr. Harrigan declares that “although I am inherently skeptical, there is no doubt we have 2 or 3 cats, even denning females.” His conviction about the presence of reproducing cougars comes partly from several significant sighting reports that occurred in 1988-89 in broad daylight during summer months. He feels these indicate a denning female was taking chances, desperate to feed her young. Although Mr. Harrigan is one of the more vocal advocates of the mountain lion’s presence, there appear to be plenty of other proponents of the idea, as evidenced by the steady stream of reported sightings..

The opposing argument, however, can be quite persuasive when based on the premise that sightings are suspect unless validated by hard physical evidence. Dave Erler, Senior Naturalist at the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center in Holderness, New Hampshire, acknowledges that, although he would very much like to see the mountain lion return to this part of the country where it was an inhabitant before any of us, there is a decided lack of confirming evidence, especially tracks. “An animal that big and heavy couldn’t possibly travel through the snow in New Hampshire and not leave tracks.” Mr. Ellingwood also says that if they were here, we would have something more definitive by now to solve the mystery. “In talking with other biologists in Florida where they have confirmed the presence of the Florida Panther, we‚ve learned that wherever there are cougars, there is no lack of evidence.”

Mr. Harrigan refutes the lack of evidence theory with reasons for the missing elements of proof, explaining that scat, tracks, bits of hair and even deer carcass from a kill will not last long unless an effort is made by the finder to preserve them effectively. Some who hold the view that the cougar is extinct here argue that a cat and car collision would otherwise have occurred by now. But could a case for their presence be made on the idea that such a small number of cats might be able to avoid that type of human contact? What about the compelling stories of sightings told by, according to Harrigan, “keen individuals who have no reason to make something like that up”? Mark Ellingwood concedes that “the people registering reports are reasonable individuals who, even though we (Fish and Game) try to remain objective and respectful of their claim, seem perplexed when we tell them their evidence is not definitive enough for confirmation”.

If the reported sightings haven’t been substantiated by physical evidence and cougars aren’t here, what are people seeing that looks like a mountain lion? Some sightings have been determined to be a matter of mistaken identity, the creature later identified as a bobcat, housecat, or other animal. But in circumstances with good viewing conditions, it would seem difficult to not recognize the distinctive size, shape, color and cat-like movements of a mountain lion

And if the great cats are indeed back, where did they come from? Are they holdouts from the original natives who have remained in Maine or the Canadian Maritime Provinces and have migrated back to our state? Although a mountain lion’s territory range can be vast and migration of some western cougars seem to have occurred in the Midwest based on confirmed sightings there, Ellingwood states that “even though it’s not impossible, the dispersal distances seem too great„ to make migration a likely scenario”, while Harrigan observes that “animals don’t pay attention to borders” and seemingly credible sightings in eastern Canada put the mountain lion in range of our state. Or perhaps the sightings are of escaped or released exotic pets. Could a cougar kept in captivity make it‚s way as a wild creature and manage to survive? Some say “yes”, some say “no”. Cougar strength, agility and power is certainly evident in the physical appearance of the two captive mountain lions at the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center. Brought to the Center from Montana as orphaned two-week-old cubs, they could not have survived without their mother. But, now, as full-grown adults, they seem to possess the physical qualities needed to hunt in our wilderness. But would they know how or be able to learn quickly enough? Who can say if a sighting is of a native Eastern Cougar, an escaped cousin from captivity, or nothing related to a cougar at all?

As long as there are unconfirmed sightings, there will be a mountain lion mystery. “Are there mountain lions in New Hampshire?” Mr. Erler has created categories for the possible responses: Category #1. “Don't know, don't care”, Category #2 “Yep, they’re here”, Category #3. “Nope, they're not here”, and Category #4. “Not sure - wish I could believe they were, but not enough proof to support the notion”.

In what category would you place yourself?

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Sumac "Lemon"ade & Tea

2009-09-19T16:35:00.000-07:00

No doubt you've seen them before. Sumac is a plant that grows wild all over New Hampshire. It will grow in places where it seems inhospitable to almost any plant. And it makes a great tea or lemonade from late fall right on through spring when the old clusters dry out and are replaced with new ones that will be tasteless until the end of summer.

There are several species of sumac but you want the Staghorn variety for your tea (pictured at left). Its upright cluster of red seeds and distinctive velvety feel on the newer growth is a sure sign that you are using the correct sumac.

If you are nervous about this because you may have heard of Poison Sumac, don't be. Poison Sumac is actually much more rare in New Hampshire and has white berries that droop. It is impossible to mistake for the more common Staghorn variety.

Making Sumac-ade is quite easy. Gather a grocery size bag of the clusters. Take a large pot and fill it with fresh water and put the clusters right into the water. Using your hands, crush the clusters until they break apart in the water and allow them to steep for an hour or two. Drain the liquid through cheesecloth or some other clean, disposable cloth, toss the clusters in your compost pile, add sweetener to taste (for lemonade) and voila!.

If you like it as tea, you need not go through the process above but can steep a handfull of the seeds in hot water for just a few minutes and sweeten as you like it. You can also hang the pods to dry and store them for later.

Camp Mowglis and the Byrd Antarctic Expedition

2009-09-04T10:56:00.001-07:00

A History Mystery Revealed 
Camp Mowglis and the Byrd Antarctic Expedition

  For months since we began scanning Mowglis photographs for archiving we have been trying to find more information about a seeming connection between Camp Mowglis and the Admiral Byrd Antarctic Expedition. At last the story has begun to emerge.   In the summer of 1928 Colonel and Mrs. Alcott Farrar Elwell, Mowglis’ second Director, along with his assistant director J. Tyson Stokes, took a group of thirty boys from the camp on the shores of Newfound Lake to the part of Tamworth known still as Wonalancet. While today only a 60 minute trip, in 1928 this was not quite so easy. Accounts of the trip suggest that the boys and staff were on the road for about 3-4 hours each way.

Colonel Elwell had come to be friends with Chinook Kennel owner Arthur Treadwell Walden (1871-1947) through his work providing sled dogs to the Army’s Search and Rescue teams. The visit of the Mowglis boys was aimed to make them a small part of one of the greatest adventures in recent history - The Admiral Byrd Antarctic Expedition.

The boys would get to meet the more than 100 dogs being trained for the Expedition including the Famed “Chinook” who would lead the Byrd team and from whom the Kennel derived its name. According to Architectural Historian Jim Garvin of the NH Bureau of Historic Resources, Chinook was half Saint Bernard and was a descendant of Admiral Robert Peary's lead dog in Peary's North Pole expedition of 1909.  
Again according to Jim Garvin, “Arthur T. Walden had worked as a teamster during the Klondike gold rush, beginning in 1897. After his arrival in New Hampshire in 1902, Walden began to raise sled dogs at Wonalancet Village in Tamworth. Walden acquired his lead dog, Chinook, after World War I (when it appears he met Colonel Alcott Farrar Elwell). Chinook displayed great intelligence and stamina, competing in and frequently winning sled dog races throughout New England and Canada and attaining nationwide fame in a variety of media. Walden's dog team, led by Chinook, was the first ever to ascend Mount Washington in winter.

When Admiral Byrd was appointed to lead the first Antarctic expedition in 1928, Walden was 57 years old and beyond the maximum age for such service. Nevertheless, Walden convinced Byrd to employ him as leader of the expedition's teamsters and dogs.

During this expedition, in January, 1929, the already-famous dog Chinook disappeared. Though twelve years old, Chinook had been the leader of Walden's teams throughout the expedition, and his death caused international publicity that made the dog a legend.

Milton Seeley had been Walden's partner on the Byrd expedition. When the dogs became ill on the passage to Antarctica, Seeley formulated a superior dog food that restored the teams to health. After buying Chinook Kennels from Walden in 1930, Seeley and his wife continued to experiment with dog nutrition, developing effective formulas for dog food. Eva "Short" Seeley became famous in her own right as a teamster and competitive racer, strengthening the status of sled dog racing as a New Hampshire tradition.

The Mowglis boys would have known of Chinook in 1928 through many magazine and
newspaper articles that had already made the dog and the kennels famous in
their old location at Walden's farm in Wonalancet.”

During their visit, the boys were able to watch, and by some accounts help, with the process of raw-hiding some of the 28 sleds that would be used on the expedition.

The 1928 issue of the Mowglis Howl, Mowglis annual yearbook contains a photograph of the sleds being worked on by 4 members of the expedition: Walden, as well as three members of his crew Crockett, Goodell and Vaughn (often referred to as the Three Musketeers). It also contains an “autograph” from Chinook. A pawprint especially taken for Mowglis in July 1928.

Excerpts from the Mowglis Yearbook "The Howl"

Washday Book Benefits Project Laundry List

2009-09-04T10:23:00.000-07:00

There's something warm and comforting about a wash line on a beautiful day. It is a timeless image that speaks to us of days gone by and days to come. It is a metaphor for our connection to the earth and our shared humanity.

"Washday" is a photographic essay that captures those moments and puts them on your coffee table. More than a conversation piece, it is an invitation to engage one another in a dialog about saving the planet and about those rare moments when a small experience - the smell of fresh sheets, the warmth of the sun, the flapping of clothes in the breeze - can serve as a joyous bridge connecting each of us to one another through a shared experience and the hope that connection can inspire.

The Artist behind Washday is Wayne D. King, an accomplished photographer. King's images are a celebration of life, blending the real and the surreal to achieve a sense of place or time that reaches beyond the moment into a dreamlike quintessentialism designed to spark an emotional response. Using digital enhancement, handcrafting, painting, and sometimes even straight photography, King takes the viewer to a place that is beyond simple truth to where truth meets passion, hope and dreams.

King holds a BS Degree in Environmental Conservation and a Masters Degree in Earth Science Education from the University of New Hampshire, Durham.

A three term former State Senator from New Hampshire, Wayne King was the 1994 Democratic nominee for Governor. King is also the founder of The Electronic Community, a group of social entrepreneurs working on social and development issues in Africa under the non-profit umbrella of the MaxImpact Institute.

Sugaring Glossary

2009-07-11T11:51:00.000-07:00

APRONING - A test to check the density of boiling sap. When sap drips off the end of the dipper in sheets, it is "aproning" and is ready to be called syrup. The final test for proper density is done with a glass instrument floated in the syrup - a hydrometer or hydrotherm.

BUDDING - When warmer weather in the late spring causes leaf buds to swell, the syrup takes on a strong molasses flavor. This signals the end of the sugaring season.

DECLINE / DIEBACK - Signs of a lack of vigor in any tree. Causes are numerous and seem to be increasing. Much research is being done on maple decline and its possible link to environmental factors.

FILTERING - The process of clarifying pure maple syrup. Raw syrup contains various suspended particles (called "sugar sand') brought out in the boiling process. In earlier days, these particles were "settled out" in bulk containers before retail packaging. Today we filter through cloth and paper membranes, producing crystal clear syrup.

GATHERING - The process of collecting and moving the sap from the maple tree to the sugarhouse.

GRADING - The US Department of Agriculture sets standards for maple syrup. Grade A light, medium and dark amber are considered table grades. USDA Grade B is a dark, strong flavored syrup. often used in cooking, though some prefer it for table use as well. All are the same density. Lighter syrup has a more delicate flavor; darker is more "mapley." Medium and dark amber are most widely available. Light amber, used for maple candy and maple cream, is made early in the season; Grade B is made late.

MAPLE CANDY - Made by boiling down maple syrup, stirring it, and pouring it into molds for hardening. Pure maple candy is made from maple syrup only. Blended maple candy contains corn or cane sugars in addition to maple.

MAPLE CROP - An entire season's production. Average in Massachusetts is about 50,000 gallons for the entire state. Most of our sugar houses make between 100-1000 gallons.

REVERSE OSMOSIS - A mechanical means of removing some of the water from the sap before boiling.

SHELF LIFE/STORAGE - Unopened containers of pure maple syrup may be left in a cool dark place for 6-12 months without refrigeration. After opening. syrup should be refrigerated. Freezer storage keeps open or unopened containers indefinitely, and the liquid does not solidify. Any harmless mold that forms on the surface of opened syrup may be skimmed off, and the product may be used after reheating to 190'F. Place reheated syrup in new, airtight containers.

SOFT SUGAR or MAPLE CREAM - A table spread with the consistency of peanut butter. Made by boiling syrup to a slightly lower temperature than that for maple candy, then cooling and stirring.

SUGARBUSH - The maple grove where trees are tapped and sap collected. A sugarbush is measured not by the number of maple trees, but by the number of spouts or taps set. Some old maples drip sap from as many as four spouts. Young trees (at least 40 years old) only have one tap. In either case, each tap yields about 10 gallons of sap over the whole season, which makes about one quart of syrup.

SUGARHOUSE - The rustic building where boiling the sap into syrup takes place.

SUGAR ON SNOW - A sticky, taffy-like treat made by thickening syrup on a stove and immediately pouring it on fresh snow or ice crystals. Eat a pickle between servings!

SUGARING TIME (Season) - Occurs in early spring when days are 35-45 degrees and nights are below freezing. When several of these days occur in succession, sap begins to flow. When nighttime temperatures remain above freezing and days warm into the 50's, the trees begin to bud and the season ends.

SWEET TREES - Not all sugar maple trees are equal. Some have sweeter sap than their neighbors. It takes fewer gallons of this sweet sap to make a gallon of syrup. Efforts to genetically predict (and reproduce) sweet trees have met with some success.

TAPPING - The first step in sugaring, when 7/16" diameter holes are drilled about 3" deep into maple tree trunks. Many old trees have been tapped in this way for 75 or more years.

TUBING/ PIPELINE - Increasingly used in hillside sugarbushes, plastic tubing conveys the sap directly from each tree to holding tanks. Some lines are a mile or more long and may connect 500 or more taps to a single tank.

"Swans on Scamman Pond"

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Sugaring with Uncle Harry

2009-07-11T10:42:00.000-07:00

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I remember as if it were yesterday, though at least 35 years have passed. Warm spring Sundays, filled with the hope that spring always brings. Sun shining on my face as I left church and greeted Uncle Harry at the door.

Uncle Harry was a deacon in our church and he wasn't my uncle - he was everyone's Uncle. His kindly face, worn with the seasons of a Yankee native's life, would beam as he leaned down to remind me of the sugaring off party at his sugarhouse that afternoon and called me "dear" in that rich North Country accent that resonates still in my brain.
Of course he didn't need to remind me, or anyone else in our informal confederation of communities, drawn together by the necessity of sharing schools, churches, fire departments, police. The moment that sap buckets appeared on the maples along the road we knew that the moment was approaching. Children and adults alike would find their conversations turning to the sap and Uncle Harry's sugaring off party.

Uncle Harry sugared the old fashioned way, though many of the sugaring operation of the day were even then beginning to modernize. His only concession to the modern age came well toward the end of his days when the horse drawn sled gave way to a small blue tractor. Even then, though, he would alight from his tractor, put the rugged yoke around his neck and trudge through the snow from tree to tree gathering sap from the buckets by hand and emptying them into the container on the tractor. When the huge container on the tractor was full it would be transferred to the sugarhouse where his wood fired boiler and evaporator would turn the sweet sap into maple syrup.

-It was the 60's and despite the conservative ways of my North Country neighbors Uncle Harry began to wear his hair long. Not shaggy like so many of my older friends, but longer than the norm for disapproving adults. Uncle Harry's hair was more like a snow-covered rainbow, mostly white with streaks of brown, gold and red as it flowed in waves down his head. It almost seemed that the golden brown of his syrup had so thoroughly penetrated his being that even his hair reflected its glory. Though he never said a word about it to me, I think letting his hair grow was Uncle Harry's way of sending a message to the young people in the community that their choice of self expression did not make them outcasts - despite the whispering and snide remarks of other adults. We loved him for it.

Then the long anticipated day would arrive. After church Uncle Harry would head back to his orchard to prepare for the festivities. A huge pile of clean snow, gathered thoughtfully on some long passed stormy day, lay covered with a large canvas tarp to be unveiled only when the children were gathered around squeeling delightedly.

When families began to arrive Harry Uhlman would be hidden away in his sugarhouse boiling the syrup past pancake thickness to that special level where just the act of pouring it on a snowcovered plate would seem like a spiritual experience. . . nature's sweetest celebration of the spring. While he finished the syrup the children would play in the maple groves, waiting for the moment that they would form a human wave of exhuberance as they rushed to get in line. The adults would mingle, share tales of winter tribulations and plans for the warm days ahead, and pretend that they weren't just as excited as the children. . . .and then Uncle Harry would emerge, wooden bucket in hand, a silly old hat on his head, smiling like an angel . . . I think he was. I know he is now. To this day I can't see a sugarhouse or a tapped maple that doesn't bring him back into my life.

"Maple Ablaze"

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The Republic of Indian Stream

2009-07-06T13:49:00.000-07:00

by Wayne D. King

Long before US independence from England the region of New Hampshire now known as Pittsburg was the subject of territorial disputes. First between the British and the French and later between the US and Canada.

The region, known as Indian Stream, encompassed approximately 200,000 acres on the border between New Hampshire and Canada. And its story began long before the formation of a republic during another famous conflict. From 1754 to 1763 Europe and the Colonies were caught up in a conflict between England, under King George II, and France, under King Louis XV. In Europe this period was known in The Seven Years War. In North America it came to be called the French and Indian War. It was a conflict over trade and land.

Prior to the time of this conflict, the region was a well-kept secret of Native people’s and the occasional hunter and trapper. But the conflict brought military parties for both sides into this region, most notably the famous Roger’s Rangers, and word quickly spread both north and south about this extraordinary place with warmer weather, large meadows and fine hunting and fishing. They even found where Native Americans had panned for gold in Annance Gulch. While people were slow to move because of the boundary question, some intrepid souls were willing to trade the security of well establish boundaries for the dream of such a bountiful land and within a few years of the end of the conflict the settlers numbers had swelled to 360 souls. Yet the land dispute continued between the “super powers” even after the powers themselves realigned as a result of the Revolutionary war and the British authorities were replaced by US authorities.

As a result of the land dispute, both governments made demands on the settlers. The Canadian Government attempted to press some of them into military service, while the United States government attempted to collect taxes.

The continuing roots of the problem lay in the difference between the vagaries of geography and nature and the tendency for men to try and simplify their description of the same. In the early days of the US many a deed set the stage for a land dispute, describing a bound by a particular tree, streambed, rock cairn or other object not inclined to remain static to satisfy the needs of mere mortals. The Treaty of Paris, which ended the American War for Independence, was no different. It set the boundary as "the north western most head of the Connecticut River”. However, three tributaries feed into that part of the head of the Connecticut River and almost immediately each government went about setting the boundary based on the tributary that gave it the most land.

For nearly 60 years the dispute continued to fester and cause no end to headaches for the fiercely independent folks of Indian Stream. They had come here to build a life for themselves based on the rich resources of the land and found themselves caught in a geopolitical struggle reaching far beyond their own boundaries and understanding and finally reaching beyond their patience.

On July 9, 1832, they declared the disputed area to be a sovereign nation - the Indian Stream Republic. Settlers drafted a constitution, detailing the rights and obligations of the citizens; instituted their own court system; issued their own stamps and currency; established a militia; and did all they needed to be an independent nation.

Of course, neither the US or Canadian governments were content with this solution and chose to ignore the sovereignty of the Republic and to attempt to enforce their own laws upon the citizens of Indian Stream. Even among the citizens themselves there were factions loyal to one side or the other, despite their independence and, as is common in such geopolitical disputes, each side used the divided loyalties to further their own cause.

As one might imagine, despite their noble efforts, forming your own country is a process fraught with peril. Residents of Indian Stream soon discovered some of the difficulties when scoundrels fleeing the law on either side of the Republic sought refuge within the protective confines of Indian Stream. Indian Stream was not well equipped to deal with law breakers . . . their only jail was a large potash kettle which was placed upside down over the prisoner on a large flat rock. Soon other problems began to present themselves: some citizens refused to pay taxes or even their store bills. Canadian officers continued to served writs in the Territory and the New Hampshire sheriff tried to make arrests.

In 1835 a tit-for-tat series of arrests created the catalytic series of events that led to the demise of Indian Stream. Luther Parker, a former leader of the Indian Stream Republic who headed a group known as “The New Hampshire Boys” with pro New Hampshire sympathies, was arrested by Quebec authorities. Luther owned a store in Indian Stream and was accused of threatening a Canadian citizen with a knife during an argument in the store. Luther was freed when friends swore "he wasn't threatening anyone with that knife, he was just whittling."

Shortly after Luther’s release Quebec Justice of the Peace Alexander Rea held a meeting in a local schoolhouse to attempt to convince residents that they should annex themselves to Canada. The meeting was quickly adjourned when Luther Parker and the New Hampshire Boys showed up to break it up.

New Hampshire authorities lost no time in arresting John Tyler, a pro Canadian resident of Indian Stream. It is commonly believed that this arrest was in retaliation for Parker’s arrest. However, before the sheriff could get Tyler out of the Republic of Indian Stream, a band of pro-Canadian citizens rescued him.

Canada struck back when Rea, issued an arrest warrant for Richard Blanchard, a resident of Indian Stream who was also a New Hampshire deputy sheriff and NH sympathizer. Rea himself attempted to enforce his warrant with several posses from Canada that streamed across the border and arrested Blanchard. But before Canadian authorities with Blanchard had crossed back with their captive, the Indian Stream people were alerted, gathered a crowd, and chased the posses and rescued Blanchard. Emboldened by their success in rescuing Blanchard the Indian Stream citizens were not content to stop with their rescue but in a heated discussion at the store talked themselves into entering Canada to kidnap Rea, which they did. Their efforts appear to have simply been their way of striking back in the midst of incursions into their own sovereign territory as they only held Rea for a few hours. When they couldn’t agree on what to do with him, they simply let him go.

History is littered with the wreckage of small nations who thought that they could use the disputes of two goliaths to assure their own future only to find that when faced with such a problem even long-time enemies will come together long enough to quash the uprising. The kidnapping of Rea set off alarm bells in both Canada and the US and as a result of a communiqué between Lord Gossford of Canada and Governor Badger of New Hampshire, the NH militia were deployed to occupy the territory, with Gossford’s tacit approval.

In January of 1836, Canada relinquished its claim on the Indian Stream Territory. In May of that year the Indian Stream Republic citizens accepted New Hampshire’s authority. Pro-New Hampshire residents remained, and many pro-Canada residents emigrated to Canada. The Indian Stream Republic was incorporated into the town of Pittsburg without dispute of Canadian authorities, although it would be 1842 before the boundary line was officially set and the land recognized as belonging to New Hampshire with the signing of the Webster-Ashburton Treaty of 1842.

The Phantom Highlander

Photographed in Benton NH. Cards and prints available here.

Longview Flowers

2009-05-28T15:41:00.000-07:00

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Ernest Poole - NH Notable

2009-05-10T06:48:00.000-07:00

NH Notables

Writer, Social Change Agent

Ernest Poole (1880 - 1950) was a U.S. novelist in the mode of Upton Sinclair.

He was born in Chicago, Illinois on 23 Jan 1880, and graduated from Princeton University in 1902. He worked as a journalist and was active in promoting social reforms including the ending of child labor. During World War I he served as a correspondent in Europe.

His novel The Harbor has remained the work he is most well-known for. It presents a strong socialist message, set in the industrial Brooklyn waterfront. It is considered one of the first fictional works to offer a positive view of unions.

His portrait of a New York family titled His Family made him the first recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for the Novel in 1918.

In 1917, for The New Republic magazine he went to Russia to report on the Russian Revolution.

He died in Franconia, NH on 10 Jan 1950.

Two of Poole's works, including his Pulitzer Prize winning novel "His Family" are available online from Project Gutenberg.

Dreams of the Trail

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Project Laundry List Asks President to "Hang Out"

2009-01-30T13:43:00.000-08:00

Concord, NH- Project Laundry List has sent a letter to the President of the United States and First Lady, calling on them to lead by example and show millions of Americans a way to save significant amounts of energy.

An existing petition, at www.right2dry.org has already gathered hundreds of signatures to ask the Obama family to reclaim the clothesline as an American artifact. The wooden clothespin was invented by American Shakers in the early years of the nation. The Shakers also developed the first mechanical washing machine.

Project Laundry List is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization whose mission is to make air-drying laundry acceptable and desirable as a simple and effective way to save energy. Project Laundry List promotes National Hanging Out Day (April 19) and works on Right to Dry efforts throughout North America because millions of families are not allowed to save the 10 to 15% of energy used by the average home to dry clothes. More information on Project Laundry List and its current campaigns is available from their website at http://www.laundrylist.org.

Towel Line, Stark, NH

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Spotted Touch-Me-Not

2009-01-29T07:37:00.000-08:00

Spotted Touch-Me-Not
Impatiens capensis
Touch-Me-Not-Family
aka Jewelweed

General: One of the most interesting of plants to young children because of the way seed pods pop when touched. This is the plant's way of reseeding. When the pod pops the plant throws its seeds a considerable distance.

Description: Golden orange flowers spotted with red to brown spots. Tall succulent looking plant with stems nearly translucent. Flowers rarely longer than 1 inch in size. Seed pod that pops when touched throwing off the seeds. Flowers from July to October and can be found particularly in wet areas. Touch-me-not can grow up to 5 ft in size but is usually abut 3 ft. high

Herbal Uses: First peoples used the juice from the Touch-me-Not to relieve the itching of poison ivy and other skin irritation - including athletes foot.

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"Spotted Touch-Me-Not"

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New Hampshire Trivia Quiz 1

2009-01-09T07:30:00.000-08:00

NH Mindscapes - 2009 Calendar

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1. A careful visitor to Dover might notice that the spelling of the name Cochecho differs between the name of the River and the famed Mills that line its banks. What accounts for this difference?

2. General John Stark is credited with the phrase known today as the NH motto. What is it? (if you get this wrong, you’ve got a lot to learn!)

3. General John Stark is also the name given to NH’s only “home grown” vodka. Produced in NH and sold only in NH Liquor stores. Where is it made?

4. The Nutfield Brewing Company took its name from a colonial locale. Where was Nutfield?

5. The Isles of Shoals were home to one of America’s most renowned nineteenth century poets. What was her name?

6. NH is home to only two National Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks. One of them is the Cog Railway. What is (are is more accurate) the other?

7. What was the original name for the Baker River that runs from Wentworth to Plymouth NH.

8. Name the three major stars of “On Golden Pond”

9. Who wrote the screenplay for “On Golden Pond” and from what book was it adapted?

10. What is the name of the road that joins Albany on the Kancamagus Highway with Rte 302 in Bartlett and how many cars pass over it in January?

The Farm Under Tenney

2009-01-09T04:44:00.000-08:00

High Dynamic Range photo of the Ireland Farm, Plymouth, NH. Order this image on Card, prints, posters and canvas, here.

Flame of Love – The Ruth Colbath Story

2009-01-08T11:37:00.000-08:00

Legends and Lore
by Theresa Ludwick

There is no human experience that can hold a candle to love. Hearts are enslaved by it, thrones are abdicated for it, and without it, poets would have nothing to say. In the Bible’s Song of Solomon, love is described as “stronger than death.” Yes, love burns. Just ask (if you could) the late Ruth Colbath of Passaconaway, New Hampshire, in whose case love burned for 39 years in the form of a light kept lit each night after her husband left home and failed to return.

Ruth Priscilla Colbath was one of five daughters born to Amzi and Eliza Russell who, in 1831, purchased five 100-acre lots in the town of Passaconaway. The Russell clan were true original pioneers of New Hampshire’s north country, living off the land and what they could gain from their sawmill and store.

Ruth met and married Thomas Alden Colbath and together they farmed the land. When Colbath left his wife, she was 41 years of age. No children are recorded as having been born to the couple.

When Ruth’s father, Amzi, died in 1877, much of the land was sold to pay off the mortgage and back taxes, but the original home and some acreage remained in the family. In 1887, Ruth’s elderly mother transferred ownership of the farm and land to Ruth and Thomas and the three of them resided there together.

One might wonder at the motivation which led Thomas Colbath to leave the farm one day in 1891. Was his mother-in-law a nag? Was life on the farm a difficult drudgery? Was his wife ugly? Whatever the reason, Colbath said to Ruth, “I’ll be back in a little while,” and left, not to return in his wife’s lifetime.

True to love’s form, Ruth is said to have left a light on for her husband in hopes of his return. For 39 years, she waited, in the meantime caring for her mother, running the farm and becoming the first postmistress of the Passaconaway Post Office, a position she held from 1891 to 1906. In 1905, Mother Eliza passed away, and Ruth kept up her lonely vigil, struggling to get along as best she could.

Finally, in 1930 at the age of 80, Ruth Priscilla Colbath’s life and light were extinguished. She never saw her dear Thomas again, never bore his children, and never got the chance to cuss him out for leaving. Surprisingly, however, Colbath did return three years after her death (knowingly or unknowingly) only to find an empty house and land that had been divided and bequeathed to four of Ruth’s cousins.

Thomas Colbath gave no rational explanation for his departure 42 years earlier. He claimed to have remained in the Passaconaway Valley for about a year, and then begun to wander farther away. With the passage of time, ashamed and embarrassed, he could not bring himself to go back to his wife. His return in 1933 was as mysterious as his departure and, after a little while, he left again for parts unknown.

Ruth Priscilla Colbath was buried in the village cemetery along with the rest of her family, not far from the house. Did Thomas ever visit her grave? Did he ever kneel beside it and speak penitently to his faithful, wounded wife? Was he ever sorry that he abandoned so true a partner and so potential a love? Lastly, did he ever consider the cost, in kerosene, of her devotion? Let’s hope so, the rat.

(The Russell-Colbath House is located on the Kancamagus Highway in the White Mountains and is a registered historical site. Admission is free, though donations for its upkeep are accepted and appreciated.).

"The View from Fiddlehead"

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The Bridges of Hillsborough

2008-12-28T12:50:00.000-08:00

by Sean Coontz

Hillsborough, once home to more than a dozen stone arch masonry bridges, remains the proud owner still of five of these extraordinary engineering landmarks. Four of are still used everyday to support auto, bike and foot traffic.

Registered as historic structures by the Historic American Building Survey, part of the National Park Service, the bridges recently have been recognized as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, the second in New Hampshire, after the Cog Railway.

History
Flooding has been an historic problem in the town of Hillsborough. Timber bridges, including the covered bridges so common in NH would not stand up to the frequent flooding that the town experienced. As a result, stone arch bridges were a solution to the weakness of timber bridges.

Hillsborough’s historic record reflects regular destruction and rebuilding of many of its early wooden bridges. But bridges made with other more lasting materials were not able to stand up any better because they required mortar which would be destroyed by the frequent flooding as well.

However, it was discovered that. by a more careful cutting and fitting of stones, it was possible – using a technique that came to be known as “dry masonry” - to make stronger stonework than could be made with use of the conventional mortar.

The stone arched bridges of Hillsborough are believed to have been the work of Scottish and Irish stonemasons who emigrated to Hillsborough in the 1800s.

Visiting the Bridges of Hillsborough
On Sawmill Road, just off Main Street and south of the area known as the “Lower Village” and at the intersection with the Second NH Turnpike is the first bridge built in 1864 along what was once the main route between Boston and Claremont.

Two of the Bridges are located on the Beard Road – almost directly across Main Street from Sawmill Road. The first bridge is a double arch bridge over the Beard Brook at the meeting of the Beard and Jones Roads. This bridge, built by Captain Jonathan Carr in 1840, is said to have been paid for with counterfeit money. Further north up Beard Road is the Gleason Falls Bridge. Here a cascade rushes under the bridge.

Another stone bridge can be found on the Gleason Falls Road. This location is the site of one of the town's first gristmills. The origin of this bridge is unknown but it is a remarkable piece of engineering.

The final bridge, known as the Sawyer Bridge, is reputed to be the finest of all and was built in 1866 by Rueben Loverin. The Sawyer Bridge is located at the junction of Route 202 and West Main Street. At one time. this bridge included a third arch which collapsed, precipitating some alterations to the original structure of the bridge.

Washday in Bristol, NH

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NH Film & Television Office Blog

2008-12-23T07:24:00.000-08:00

The NH Office of Film and Television now has a blog that helps keep folks up to date with their activities as well as opportunities for locations, acting, music and more.

Check it out here.

The Meeting

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A Peek at Stark NH

2008-12-09T08:16:00.000-08:00

First granted in 1774, this town was named Percy, in honor of Hugh Smithson, Earl Percy and first Duke of Northumberland. The town retained this name until 1832, when in was renamed Stark in honor of General John Stark, hero of Bunker Hill and the Battle of Bennington. New Hampshire owes its motto, "Live Free or Die," to General Stark. Stark, the first to carry the new thirteen-star American flag into battle, wrote those words in July 1809, in commemoration of the Battle of Bennington.

Annual Stark Fiddlers' Contest
Held on the last Sunday in June annually
Contest begins at noon, rain or shine
Whitcomb's Field,Stark, NH
Contact: James R. Gibson, Sr. Tel: 603-636-2106
Jo-ann Platt, Tel: 603-449-2211
Come and enjoy the music or bring your fiddle and entertain the crowd.

Community Profile of Stark

"Towel Line, Stark, NH"

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Rumney Becomes a Mecca for Rock Climbers

2008-12-03T08:36:00.000-08:00

Imagine yourself one hundred and fifty feet above the valley floor hanging from a rope. Below you the winding path of the Baker River meanders through the quaint town of Rumney, NH. Above you the sounds of Hawks and Peregrine Falcons pierce the quiet. Your muscles ache with the exertion of the climb but the adrenaline rushing through your body and the sights, sounds and smells of this place make you feel more alive than you have ever felt before. If you know, or can imagine, this feeling, you understand why hundreds of people make the drive to the cliffs of Rattlesnake Mountain in Rumney every weekend

What began in the 1960's as a few hardy souls playing among the hawks on the cliffs of Rattlesnake Mountain in Rumney, NH, has evolved into one of the Heart of New Hampshire’s most popular natural attractions.

Today, avid climbers head for the cliffs of Rattlesnake in droves for climbing that is easily accessed and among the best in the Northeatern US.

Just 40 minutes north of Concord, NH and only 2 hours drive from Boston, the cliffs of Rattlesnake Mountain are an easy drive for climbers of all abilities and gradually the support infrastructure is growing up to support the growth of this popular pastime.

The Wendall Ascent Begins an Era

The first recorded climbs on the cliffs of Rattlesnake Mountain appear to have been made in the 1960's by the father and son team of George Wendall II and III for whom a route is named on the main cliff of the mountain.

In the1970's more climbers began to explore and document routes and in 1987 writer Ed Webster first included Rattlesnake among the climbs in his "Rock Climbs in the White Mountains of New Hampshire".

Webster's book brought increased interest in the area but also created new tensions between climbers and private landowners who controlled some of the land adjacent to the National Forest where many of the climbs were located. In the early 1990's these tensions reached a high-watermark when the landowner, concerned with liability issues and a dramatic increase in use, posted the land, prompting a dramatic decline in use. This event was the genesis of a new organization . . . the Rumney Climber's Association. The RCA was committed to taking action to see that Rattlesnake remained open to climbers.

What followed was one of the great examples of proactive cooperation between the National Forest and the climbing community as climbers and environmentalists joined together to purchase the land in question and add it to the National Forest holdings. Once again climbers returned to Rattlesnake to rediscover their favorite routes and the National Forest got on board with parking to accommodate the new crowds and ease the concerns of local folks on their weekly "dump runs" to the Rumney transfer station - located along the same road.

The Rock climbing community has shown remarkable persistance in dealing with the challenges of the growing interest in Rattlesnake and the challenges have not only been between people. Rattlesnake Mountain is also the home to the threatened Peregrine Falcon - only removed from the endangered species list in 1999.

Working in cooperation with the New Hampshire Audubon society and others interested in the protecting the nesting falcons, various sections of the mountain are closed off during the breeding seasons to sustain this remarkable comeback from near extinction.

In 2002 the first guidebook to climbing Rattlesnake was produced. "Rumney", by Ward Smith details more than 400 routes up the cliffs ranging from easy to very difficult has been released and is considered the definitive guide for climbing and bouldering in the area.

Climb Rumney Poster and Cards
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Plummers Ledge

2008-12-03T08:18:00.000-08:00

Plummers Ledge, Rumney, NH

Off the beaten track in Rumney NH lies a very interesting geological site: Plummers Ledge. Here you will find an area long ago travelled by the Baker River, before it was the Baker River, even before it was the Asquamchemaukee River. Laid down during a period of great geologic turmoil, Plummers ledge features giant P-Holes carved by huge boulders flowing down the river during the retreat of the last glacier.

If you are a student of geology or just interested in the effects of the last glacier, stand here and imagine the retreat of a glacier so large that it covered the summit of Mt Washington by thousands of feet. As the glacier melted, it created massive rivers churning with rocks and debris. Plummers ledge is one of the few areas where a visitor can step back in time, relatively unfetterred by more recent geologic disturbances and witness the power of that river of ice and its flowing waters.

Don't expect a fancy visitors center or even trail guides. Plummers ledge is not a sexy enough attraction to warrant much attention from the State of New Hampshire. In fact until 15 years ago, there wasn't even a sign. Back then Rumney selectman Joe Kent approached then Senator Wayne King and suggested that at the very least the site should be marked because most of the people who even knew about the site had long since died. King and Kent arranged for the signage and today at least the curious have a means to explore...

Directions to Plummers Ledge

Rte 25 Rumney to Sand Hill Rd (approximately 1.5 miles north of the flashing light at Main Street.) Pine Hill Rd becomes Buffalo Road continue straight at the junction with Buffalo Rd for about 1.5 miles. You will come to a lumber mill at a bend in the road and there is a small overgrown parking area on the right hand side of the road with the sign pictured above. Park here and explore.

Autumn Leaves in a Pool
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Nathan Clifford - Legislator and Supreme Court Justice

2008-12-03T06:33:00.000-08:00

Nathan Clifford (1803-1881)
Nathan Clifford was born on August 18, 1803, in Rumney, New Hampshire. He prepared for college at the Haverhill Academy, and completed his education at the New Hampton Literary Institution. After reading law in the office of local attorney Josiah Quincy of Rumney, for whom the Quincy Road is named, he was admitted to the bar in 1827 and moved to Newfield, Maine, to establish a law practice. Clifford was elected to the lower house of the Maine legislature in 1830 for a one-year term and was re-elected three times , serving as its Speaker during the last two terms. He was then elected Attorney General of Maine by the State Legislature and served in that position from 1834 to 1838. In 1838, Clifford was elected to the United States House of Representatives, where he served two terms. Defeated in a bid for a third term, he returned to private law practice in 1843. President James K. Polk appointed Clifford Attorney General of the United States in 1846. Two years later, President Polk appointed Clifford United States Minister to Mexico. As Minister, Clifford negotiated the treaty which made California part of the United States. Clifford returned to Maine in 1849 and resumed his law practice in the City of Portland. Six years later, on December 9, 1857, President James Buchanan nominated Clifford to the Supreme Court of the United States. The Senate confirmed the appointment on January 12, 1858. Clifford served on the Supreme Court for twenty-three years. Clifford was an associate justice of the United States Supreme Court from 1858 to 1881. During his tenure on the Court, he wrote the Court's opinion in almost 400 cases. In 1877 he was appointed as President of the electoral commission that was convened to investigate and settle to disputed 1876 election between Rutherford B. Hayes and Samuel Tilden and which ultimately gave the election to Republican Hayes. For students of history: guess which state was the controversial and deciding one in this election? You've got it FLORIDA! To make the comparison even more interesting, Oregon was the next questionable state.

Clifford died on July 25, 1881, at the age of seventy-seven. His burial:was at Evergreen Cemetery in Portland, Maine. In the town of Rumney there is a plaque noting Clifford's place of birth along the Buffalo Road, just past the trailhead to Rattlesnake Mountain. Clifford studied law in the Josiah Quincy House located along the Quincy Road adjacent to the Baker River State Forest.

Along Rte 25 in Rumney, the state rest area is named in honor of Nathan Clifford, Rumney's United States Supreme Court Justice

Input from Dean Dexter, Lion Media
10/7/02-According to Dean Dexter of Lion Media the New Hampton Literary Institute, now New Hampton School, was at one time the the "New Hampton Literary and Biblical Institute", founded by Calvinists. It may have gone by that name at the time of Clifford's attendance.

Dean's grandfather and his brothers and sisters all went to New Hampton. One of his grandfather's brother's, Frederick, was headmaster there for many years. All the people sent their kids to New Hampton in those days if they wanted to go beyond the elementary level of the local one-room school house. Our family was from Meredith.

The late Joan Trimbell Smith, of New Hampton painted a portrait of Clifford that now hangs in the U.S. Supreme Court building.

Lone Snow Walk on the Buffalo Road
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The Buffalo Road

2008-12-03T06:25:00.000-08:00

Scenic Roads
The Buffalo Road, Rumney, NH

"The Buffalo Road" Handpainted Mindscape Images
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The Buffalo Road begins in the center of Rumney, just north of the Rumney Town Common. Beginning as a paved road it gradually becomes gravel winding along the Baker River valley all the way to the town of Wentworth. Nathan Clifford, a United States Supreme Court Justice during the administration of Abraham Lincoln, was born in a house on this road. Today his place of birth is marked with a bronze plaque on the north side of the road. Also on Buffalo road is the Plummers Ledge Natural Area a glacially carved section of rock far from the water. This natural area is not obviously marked. It can be found by parking in the grassy lot directly across from the lumberyard and walking along the trail leading from the lot.

For Road Warriors
Most of the road is paved in the town of Rumney and becomes dirt shortly before crossing the Wentworth town line. At several points along the way there are turns leading to the left which allow the driver to return to Rte 25. Keep to the right or straight and you will remain on the Buffalo Road.

For Bicyclists
Paved & Dirt
Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Touring or Mountain Bikes
Parking: Parking is availble at the National Forest Lot 1 mile from the center of Rumney (National Forest stickers required) Bicyclists will find the Buffalo Road a wonderful ride for all skill levels. Several nice round trips that reflect the skill level of the riders as well as the length of the route are available.

Buffalo Road to Sand Hill Road: This route is mostly flat and paved. Bicycle to the junction with Sandhill Road and return via the same route (8 mile round trip) or take Sandhill Road south to Rte 25 and Rte 25 back 3 miles to Main Street Rumney and thence Buffalo Road to your car.
Buffalo Road to Wentworth: This ride contains paved and dirt road and is considerably more rigorous, though the road is quite flat and well maintained. Return via the same route or bear south on Rte 25 to return to Main St. Rumney and thence the Buffalo Road. 26 miles roundtrip.

Other nearby attractions:

Rock Climbing - Rumney Becomes a Mecca for Climbers

Buffalo Road - Shakespeare Quote Poster

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The Road to Bartlett

2008-11-29T12:39:00.000-08:00

Question: What is the name of the road that joins Albany on the Kancamagus Highway with Rte 302 in Bartlett and how many cars pass over it in January?

"Twin Maples of a Different Color"

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Answer:
The Bear Notch Road. No cars pass over it in January – it’s closed in the winter.

Golden Pond's Stars

2008-11-29T01:17:00.000-08:00

Trivia Question:
Name the three major stars of “On Golden Pond”

Squam Water Lillies

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Answer: Jane Fonda, Henry Fonda, Katherine Hepburn

Civil Engineering Landmarks in NH

2008-11-28T13:06:00.000-08:00

Question:
NH is home to only two National Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks. One of them is the Cog Railway. What is (are is more accurate) the other?

"Lillies of the Valley #2"

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Answer: The stone arch bridges of Hillsborough.

Baker's Blunder

2008-11-28T08:34:00.000-08:00

Trivia Question:
What was the original name for the Baker River that runs from Wentworth to Plymouth NH?

"Bend in the Baker"

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Answer: The Asquamchemaukee (spelled variously).

Editors note: Colonel Baker navigated his way up the river where he came upon a village of Native American's and, without provocation, attacked and obliterated the village. As is often the case, to the victor went the spoils and Baker's name has been attached to the river ever since.

"Indian Pony above the Aspen"

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Newfound Lake Prints and Posters

2008-11-28T06:28:00.000-08:00

For that special someone who loves Newfound Lake. Purchase smaller prints, framed or a poster. Order here

Photo Tips

2008-11-27T10:49:00.000-08:00

Sometimes an images background is just so distracting that it makes the image unusable. Of course there are the more extreme solutions to this such as cutting out the background altogether but in the case of this bittersweet pictured right, removing the background is for practical purposes impossible because the berries are so numerous that they can't be selected out.

Well here's one way to make the background less busy in order to emphasize the central focus of the image. Using almost any good image software you remove the color entirely and then using a history brush return only the central colors to the image - or create multiple layers of saturation that achieve similar results.

Since I often prefer a more "tonal" background, I will often take an extra step and add in a single tone to make a duotone background.

Below you will see the end result of this process. The image contains a very muted level of color added back in.

Bittersweet Vertical #2

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A Vintage Christmas in Portsmouth

2008-11-27T04:56:00.000-08:00

A Vintage Christmas in Portsmouth
Candle Light Strolls in December

Every year Strawbery Banke Musuem in Portsmouth turns the clock back several centuries to present "A Vintage Christmas in Portsmouth," a multi-site celebration of classic holiday traditions spread over the first three weekends of December.

Often the Music Hall, Portsmouth's landmark Victorian-era theater participates as well. Strawbery Banke is a ten-acre living history museum in the heart of the Portsmouth. The venue, New Hampshire's oldest waterfront town.

Visitors can take a romantic Candlelight Stroll through holidays past, dine harborside in the heart of the downtown district, and enjoy shows such as a high-voltage jazz version of Tchaikovsky's fairy tale ballet, the Nutcracker-all in one magical day (or luxurious overnight) trip.

During those three weekends, Strawbery Banke Museum presents its most popular event of the year, annual Candlelight Stroll. A cherished Seacoast-area tradition, the Candlelight Stroll derives its name from the hundreds of candle luminaria lighting the paths of Portsmouth's oldest neighborhood.

Visitors can expect to step over the threshold of time and experience holiday traditions spanning three centuries of New England life. The historic houses of Strawbery Banke are adorned in period-appropriate holiday finery of live greens and dried flowers. Costumed role players demonstrate the traditions of times past. The scents and sounds of the season abound with a full roster of live music and entertainment for all ages. An engaging panoply of sights, sounds, and smells, the Candlelight Stroll provides a welcome return to the roots of America's most treasured holiday traditions. On weekdays in between the Stroll, the museum offers Holiday House Tours from 10am to 2pm on the hour. The tours present the evolution of mid-winter and Christmas traditions over three centuries, ending with hearth cooking and hot cider at the Wheelwright House.

Strawbery Banke Museum
603-433-1100
www.strawberybanke.org.

Winter Shadows

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Bethlehem Porch at Dusk

2008-11-26T14:52:00.000-08:00

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General John Stark's Motto

2008-11-23T08:01:00.000-08:00

Question: General John Stark is credited with the phrase known today as the NH motto. What is it?

Answer:
Live Free or Die
Adopted as the state motto by the NH Legislature in 1945, it is probably the best-known of all state mottos, in large part because it speaks to a belief that is thoroughly ensconced in the American ideal.

The phrase comes from a toast written by General John Stark on July 31, 1809. Stark was New Hampshire's most famous soldier of the American Revolutionary War. Poor health forced him to decline an invitation to an anniversary reunion of the Battle of Bennington and to send his toast by letter:

Starks Toast: "Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils."

The motto was enacted at the same time as the state emblem, on which the motto appears.

"A Heroes Tribute"

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You Say Cochecho and I say Cocheco

2008-11-23T07:46:00.000-08:00

Question: A careful visitor to Dover might notice that the spelling of the name Cochecho differs between the name of the River and the famed Mills that line its banks. What accounts for this difference?

Answer: A clerical error.
According to the Dover Chamber of Commerce, which asked the question of Thom Hindle, a Trustee of the Woodman Institute Museum, it all goes back to a simple typographical error. The “original” spelling of the word Cochecho is with two "h's." Back in 1827 when registering the Cocheco Mill Manufacturing Company in Concord, NH, a clerical error was made, omitting the second "h". Thus all references to the mill were with one "h", while references to the River remained with two "h's."

Ed’s note: we put the word "original" above in quotes because in truth we can’t know the original spelling. Native American’s – specifically the Abenaki in this case - from whom the name was taken, had no written language, so the “original” spelling was still a European interpretation of a Native word.

American Icons

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Longview Farm

2008-11-21T06:57:00.000-08:00

Longview Farm is owned and operated by John and Carol Perkins. Their corn is about the best organically grown corn anywhere in America. John and Carol have received numerous awards over the years for their farm and Carol has recently been nominated and confirmed as a member of the prestigious UNH Board of Trustees.

This image is taken of their cows in a field shortly after the corn was cut in the fall. The image is available as individual cards and prints through RedBubble.com. You can also purchase multiple cards in bulk directly from us by sending an email with your specific requirements.

Pointed Rock Swimming Hole

2008-11-20T07:58:00.000-08:00

Pointed Rock Swimming Hole, Bartlett, NH

ed's note: We have rated this site based on a series of criteria on a scale of 1-5 with 1 being good and 5 being the best. Catagories included cleanliness of the area; clarity of the water; the "Kid Factor" (we brought children to make sure that it passed the fun test!); Beauty - we know, almost every swimming hole in the area is beautiful but some are extraordinary and we wanted to note this.

A favorite spot for a quick dip for local residents and visitors alike, Pointed Rock swimming hole in Bartlett lies less than 1/4 mile from the town center. It has a big rock to leap off and the fast flowing currents of the Saco make tubing here a favorite activity.

To reach Pointed Rock take the unmarked road directly across from the Bear Notch Road. Follow 1/4 mile to the bridge and park in one of the parking areas on the other side of the bridge.

Ratings:
Cleanliness: 4 Swimmers are conscientious about cleaning up.
Clarity: 5 It doesn't get much better than the Saco!
Kid Factor: 4 Rock to jump off, tubing and a combination of still and moving water.
Beauty: 4 In the Saco Valley there aren't many spots that aren't beautiful, The nearby and visible road is the only drawback

Leave enough time to make the trip to Second Iron swimming hole, you won't regret it!

"Cabin in the Lupine"

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Second Iron Swimming Hole

2008-11-20T07:39:00.000-08:00

Second Iron, Bartlett, NH
ed's note: We have rated this site based on a series of criteria on a scale of 1-5 with 1 being good and 5 being the best. Catagories included cleanliness of the area; clarity of the water; the "Kid Factor" (we brought children to make sure that it passed the fun test!); Beauty - we know, almost every swimming hole in the area is beautiful but some are extraordinary and we wanted to note this.

Named for the Iron Bridge that looms over the swimming area, Second Iron is a classic in the White Mountains. For many years the folks who owned the beautiful beach adjacent to the area allowed local residents to use it. In recent years they have closed it so the only access to the swimming hole is by crossing over the bridge and onto the rocky areas north and south of the bridge.

Second Iron has a reasonably deep pool area directly below the bridge. Jumping off the bridge is discouraged but people do it from both the deck and the top (we don't recommend jumping from the top - it is not deep enough to be safe.). From the rocky area to the south of the bridge there are several goood spots to jump and dive and of course to simply lounge in the cooling waters of the Saco River.

To the north of the bridge there is an area of flat rocks for sunbathing and swift moving water that creates a nice spot for tubing or body surfing the rapids. Experienced swimmers can do it without protection - though we recommend river shoes too protect your feet - younger children should have a life jacket.

Ratings:
Cleanliness: 4 Swimmers are conscientious about cleaning up.
Clarity: 5 It doesn't get much better than the Saco!
Kid Factor: 5 Rocks and bridge to jump off, tubing and a combination of still and moving water.
Beauty: 5 In the Saco Valley there aren't many spots that aren't beautiful.

If you would rather not cross the bridge and still want to swim in Bartlett, try Pointed Rock Swimming Hole.

"Gathering Courage for the Jump, Second Iron, Bartlett, NH"

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Birdhouse Beachfront

2008-11-17T14:27:00.000-08:00

While visiting one of the best bead shops in America, Gemstar Gemstones in Enfield NH, I had the opportunity to photograph this group of birdhouses that resembled a bunch of colorful houses on a beachfront. Thus was born Birdhouse Beachfront!

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The White Mountains

2008-11-14T05:20:00.000-08:00

A Photographic Journey
NH Books

Finally, a book of photographs devoted to New Hampshire’s White Mountains! “The White Mountains, A Photographic Journey” is the culmination of twenty years of photography by Robert Kozlow of Lincoln, NH. This large format book will appeal to anyone with an interest in these mountains, from first time visitors to long-time residents. It has been years since a photo book of the White Mountains has been available. In fact, this coffee table book may well represent the first-ever comprehensive photo gallery of the White Mountains. The format is simple and direct, with every photo receiving a brief caption. The layout is logical and starts with “valley views”, the views seen from the highway as one approaches the mountains. From the valleys, you are led on a colorful tour of the White Mountain’s natural features, then onto the hiking trails and eventually to the area’s stunning, windswept summits. The book concludes with a series of frosty, otherworldly images from the summit of Mount Washington in winter. All told, “A Photographic Journey” contains about a hundred and twenty photographs of the region’s valleys, villages, waterfalls, wildflowers, lakes and ponds, hiking trails, mountain summits, fall foliage and winter scenes. From covered bridges and village churches to isolated mountain huts, from Pink Lady Slippers and lupines to flaming red maples, and from Arethusa Falls to Tuckerman Ravine, it’s all here.

Robert Kozlow’s photos have been widely used in the White Mountain Region for years, as book covers, in promotional literature and in many of the guidebooks to the area. Some of his book covers include the bestseller, “Not Without Peril”, the current and two prior editions of the Appalachian Mountain Club’s “White Mountain Guide”, and “Hiker’s Guide to New Hampshire”. Most of these cover photos are included in the present book. Bob’s photos are a perennial feature of the region’s promotional literature, they are also to be found in “The Explorer’s Guide to New Hampshire” and many other books and brochures.

“The White Mountains, A Photographic Journey”

Published by Huntington Graphics, Burlington, VT 05402

Available wherever books are sold

8.5 x 11

ISBN 1-886064-19-9

128 Pages

$29.95.

www.huntingtongraphics.com.

New Hampshire Books from Amazon

Johannes “Hannes” Schneider

2008-11-13T12:57:00.000-08:00

Johannes “Hannes” Schneider was born in 1890 in Stuben am Arlberg, Austria. Hannes was the son of a road maintenance worker. In 1907 he became a guide at the Hotel Post in St. Anton, Austria where he began work on what became known as the Arlberg Technique for skiing. The Arlberg technique was borne of the “Stem” Technique developed by Mathias Zdarsky in the late 1800’s, replacing the telemark technique (now experiencing a revival with a form of skiing by the same name.

Schneider added various elements including the snowplow turn and the stem Christie and the parallel turn to create the Arlberg technique.

Schneider served his country with distinction in World War I as a ski instructor for the Austrian Army after which he returned to teaching skiing at the Post.

In 1939 Hitler’s army overran Schneider’s beloved Austria and Hannes was arrested and jailed.

Already a figure of international stature, Schneider’s arrest led to a concerted effort among US Citizens to obtain his freedom. One of those individuals was Harvey Gibson, born in North Conway and then president of Manufacturer’s Trust. Gibson obtained Schneider’s release and Schneider left Austria and came to North Conway.

Legend, at least, holds that he wasn’t yet finished with Hitler though. Schneider would not only become the father of modern day skiing in America but he may also have acted as an advisor to those training the legendary 10^th Mountain Division of the US Army in which his son Herbert served. Though the details are sketchy, there is evidence of several Washington trips and meetings that give some credibility to this legend, though it is unlikely that we will ever know for certain.

Schussing A Conundrum

2008-11-13T12:31:00.000-08:00

Just Where is the Birthplace of Skiing in America?

By Theresa Ludwick

My laptop was firmly in place. I lowered my glasses and gripped my keyboard with the readiness of an Olympian. Before me, clean, pristine whiteness waited for the swish of words as I began my article, to be entitled, The Birthplace of Skiing in New Hampshire. I breathed deeply in preparation of the plunge, my body leaning forward, and at just the right moment, I pushed myself off, schussing down the page in a straightforward line.

Suddenly, I was confronted by one obstacle after another in rapid succession as my course forced me to slalom. I leaned toward the right, passing a flag that said, “North Conway.” I leaned toward the left and “Jackson” came into view. Left again and I read “Hanover.” Right: “Berlin.” Before I reached the bottom, I was on my behind, clinging to my laptop, my fingers splayed over the keyboard helter-skelter, my glasses askew. I rose lamely to my feet and gazed back at the crest of the hill, then settled gingerly on the Delete button, dangling my feet all the way back to the top.

When the question is asked, “Where is the birthplace of skiing in New Hampshire?” a number of respondents raise up proud cries of “Here!” Foremost among them are the aforementioned North Conway, Jackson, Hanover, and Berlin, and indeed, each place has its ski poles firmly planted in the permafrost of New Hampshire skiing lore. Even so, to definitively point to one location as the “birthing room” so to speak, of New Hampshire skiing, is like pointing to where the first snowflake of ski season falls.

It is much easier (and the route this author has chosen) to consider Mt. Washington Valley, overall, as a nursery of sorts to the pastime that has garnered the distinction as New Hampshire’s official sport. Each area contributed to the state’s early schussing movement and, in its own way, was unique and innovative. Their contributions are extensive, and amount to way more than a hill of beans (make that snow).

Long before businessmen in suits and ties got their fingers in the New Hampshire ski resort pie, Scandinavian immigrants in warm woolen layers were playing and competing against one another on these utilitarian apparatuses originally intended for transportation over snow (the oldest ski in existence dates to 2500 BC, pulled out of a peat bog in Sweden). These workers began arriving in Berlin in the 1840s to build the Atlantic & St. Lawrence Railroad. When the logging industry took off there, many chose to stay.

By 1882, the now called Nansen Ski Club had been formed (though unsubstantiated claims put the date 10 years earlier), making Berlin home to the oldest ski club in the country. The club’s name honors Fridtjof Nansen, a nineteenth-century Norwegian Arctic explorer and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. Club members took part in cross-country and ski-jumping activities in Norway Village and later at Paine’s Meadow, where jumpers were competing at Berlin’s annual Winter Carnival as early as 1906. Numerous records were set there in the early years of the sport. In 1922, the Nansen club joined with several other clubs to form the Eastern Ski Association.

In 1910, the Dartmouth Outing Club was established in Hanover by a Dartmouth College student named Fred Harris. While today, the DOC is an umbrella organization for the school’s year-round sports, it was originally founded to encourage competitive skiing and snowshoeing. Inspired, other colleges started forming their own ski clubs and intercollegiate competitions soon followed.

The DOC sponsored its first winter carnival in 1911, and has not missed a year since 1918, when a coal shortage decreed its cancellation. In 1935, the DOC introduced the first “J-bar” cable lift to the skiing world.

Jackson claims the distinction of being the first official “ski area” in the state. Originally called Moody Farm, the humble ski lodge now known as the Whitney Inn has been in operation since 1935. To many, it is considered the home sweet home of New Hampshire’s ski resorts. In 1948, the skiing hill was extended and christened, “Black Mountain.” It was here that Carroll Reed, a ski fan and member of the Boston-based White Mountain Ski Runners, conceived and established the Eastern Slope Ski School, which opened in the winter of 1936 (the first US ski school, interestingly, was established by a woman – Katherine Peckett – in 1929 in Franconia). Reed imported ski instructor Benno Rybizka from Hannes Schneider’s St. Anton Ski School in Austria.

The country’s first overhead T-bar cable lift was installed at Black Mountain in 1935, designed by George Morton who later (1938) invented and installed the Skimobile at Mt. Cranmore in North Conway. Two years later, the rope tows were exchanged for shovel handles, making the trip to the summit easier. In 1957, Black Mountain was the first to offer skiers fabricated snow through use of a snowmaking system. In comparison to today’s multi-million dollar resort/recreation establishments, Black Mountain holds its own as a rustic, inviting ski lodge and large slice of New Hampshire skiing history.

In 1939, after moving his ski school to North Conway, Reed imported another Austrian (this time Hannes Schneider himself) to head up the school at Mt. Cranmore. Schneider and his family left Austria after the country was taken over by Nazi Germany and made his home in the North Country, devoting himself to the school and improvement of skiing conditions on Cranmore. In fact, it was Schneider who introduced the idea of “groomed” ski slopes to the area. The year before Schneider arrived, George Morton’s Skimobile was mounted up the side of Mt. Cranmore. This special railway, pulled by strong metal ropes, was a new way to transport skiers to the summit, and was only the second of its kind in the US.

The ever-resourceful Carroll Reed opened his second ski shop (the first was in Jackson) and, with the advent of the ski trains back in 1932, North Conway eventually became the new center of the Mt. Washington Valley ski industry.

Numerous innovations and firsts occurred throughout New Hampshire in the youth of American skiing. For an extensive list of these and other important historical ski dates, check out www.skiinghistory.org/historicdates.

Ed’s Note: We are most grateful to Jeff Leich, Director of the NE Ski Museum in Franconia, NH for helping us to vet the facts in this article and for providing us with these truly memorable photos. If you have never had the chance to see the Ski Museum it is well worth the trip.

Where the Big Dogs Play

2008-11-13T11:02:00.000-08:00

New Hampshire has many ski areas - only a few can claim to be . . .

By James Devine

New Hampshire has so many great ski areas that it’s a bit unfair to set any aside as the place where the Big Dogs Play, among them. Gunstock, for example has one of the best ski teams in the state; Crotched Mountain is making a name for itself among shredders (snow boarders); Black Mountain and Cranmore were hosting races and training skiers long before the region along the Pemigewasset River Valley became a Mecca for skiers.

That said, there is something about the region that earlier generations of skiers knew as the Ski 93 Corridor. The mountains loom larger; the weather is sometimes more severe and between vertical drop, the challenge and sheer acreage of the experts terrain and the frequency of national and international competitions, Waterville Valley, Loon and Cannon are considered the places where the Big Dogs of skiing and boarding, do indeed, play.

Located in the southern portion of the White Mountains, the region also offers an abundance of opportunity for non-skiers, ski widows, ski widowers and those who value the après ski moments as much as flying down a field of moguls.

From Littleton in the north - where the main street is a quaint and arts-oriented stroll; to the Meredith/Bristol nexus in the south that beckons to the big dogs at the close of the ski day for dining and socializing.

[Cannon] [Loon] [Waterville Valley]

Where was Nutfield NH?

2008-11-13T05:50:00.000-08:00

Question: The Nutfield Brewing Company took its name from a colonial locale. Where was Nutfield?

NH Mindscapes - 2009 Calendar

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Answer: Nutfield, New Hampshire, was the colonial township from which the modern towns of Londonderry, Derry, Windham and parts of Salem, Hudson, and the city of Manchester were formed.

Trivia Questions: General John Stark Vodka

2008-11-13T05:41:00.000-08:00

Question: General John Stark is known for creating the toast that became NH's motto "Live Free or Die" his name is also the name given to NH’s only “home grown” vodka. Produced in NH and sold only in NH Liquor stores. Where is it made?

Lupine and Cabin Image

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Answer
At the Flag Hill Winery & Distillery in Lee NH.

Moose Watching in the Great North Woods

2008-11-13T00:03:00.000-08:00

The moniker "Moose Alley" is employed rather freely through the North Country but the section of Rte 3 region beginning in Pittsburg and extending about 22 miles to the Canadian border has the signage to claim it as theirs, and moose galore. Large numbers of moose patrol the sides of the road in the early morning and at dusk. Drive slowly, sometimes a moose will decide to make a dash for it across the road. Here on Moose Alley, you are as likely to be hit by a moose as you are to hit one. Constant vigilance is a must in the early and late hours. Remember that moose, while usually quite docile are most likely to be aggressive during the fall rutting season. At the Southern margin of the Great North woods and the northernmost reaches of New Hampshire White Mountains, Scenic Moose and Wildlife Tours are offered by the Gorham, NH Chamber of Commerce. These 3-hour journeys set off in the evening in a 21-passenger van along the Androscoggin River. While spotting an animal in the wild can never be guaranteed, the tours have a 97.3% success rate in finding moose, and as many as thirteen moose have been sited during one tour. Other wildlife-- such as bald eagles-- may be spotted too.

Tours run from May 31 to October 11, 2004; rates are $15/adult, $10 for ages 5 to 12, $5 for under-5's. Call 1-800-DO-SEE-NH (800-367-3364), or visit the Mount Washington Valley site or the Gorham Village site.

Take the Tram!

2008-11-12T23:47:00.000-08:00

The aerial tramway is one of New Hampshire's most spectacular rides. The tramway brings visitors to the 4,180' summit of Cannon Mountain in approximately eight minutes. On a clear day, visitors will enjoy views of the mountains of New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, Canada, and New York. At the summit there are walking paths, an observation deck, cafeteria, and restrooms. Cannon is open daily from 9am to 5pm, opening for the season on Friday, May 25 and closing on Sunday, October 21, 2007.

Rates:
-Adult round-trip ride: $11.00
-Children ages 6-12 round-trip ride: $ 7.00
-Children age 5 & under: FREE with an adult
-Adult one-way ride: $9.00

Group rates are available by contacting:
Rob Arey, Sales Manager, 603-823-8800 ext 776.

MapSearch

RR 3, Franconia Notch Parkway Franconia
NH
03580
Grafton USA
Email: Email Email
Phone: (603) 823-8800

Yankee Farmer's Market

2008-11-12T18:30:00.000-08:00

Yankee Farmer's Market is a NH Buffalo farm who offers many NH products, including USDA insp. Buffalo meat, venison meat, Ostrich, Free-range chicken and other all natural meats.
The farm distrubutes nationwide to retail and wholesale accounts, offering a wide variety of steaks, roasts ,burger, sausage, jerky. Hides, skulls, breedstock, farm tours also available. For more information check out www.yankeefarmersmarket.com

Beede Falls & Cow Cave

2008-11-12T18:17:00.000-08:00

Written by Wayne D. King
Sandwich, NH

Beede Falls along the Sandwich Notch Road is not a spectacular falls but in the spring or after a heavy rain the falls itself is quite lovely and the area surrounding it including Cow cave and the Beede Brook are well worth the trip.

Beneath the Falls is a small indentation called Cow Cave. According to Elizabeth Yates in her definitive book "The Road Through Sandwich Notch" a cow wandered off from one of the many farms that once dotted the landscape along the Sandwich Notch Road and local folks searched for days, unable to find it. Finally one day the cow was discovered under the falls in this small "cave". Thus the name.

Swimming is permitted here and many local folks say its a great spot for it. The water is clean and cold and visitors have treated the area with respect so it doesn't suffer the signs of overuse some of the more popular swimming spots do.

Directions: Rte 93 to exit 28. Follow rte 49 toward Waterville Valley for about 5 miles until you pass the Mad River Road on the left. The turn for the Sandwich Notch Road is the second road to your right thereafter.

The Connecticut Lakes Region

2008-11-12T17:22:00.000-08:00

New Hampshire’s Connecticut Lakes Region is wonderfully unique in many ways. Unlike the White Mountain region, it is relatively flat with beautiful boreal forest and meadering streams that offer the best fishing in NH and some of the most beautiful unspoiled wilderness you will find anywhere.

It is here that the mighty Connecticut River is born, forming in it’s path the Third, Second and First Connecticut Lakes and man-made Lake Francis.

The village of Pittsburg, once its own independent country known as the " Indian Stream Territory" is now the largest township in the United States, with over three hundred thousand acres of timberland, mountains, lakes, streams and forest trails.

The Best Bloody Mary in NH 2006

2008-11-12T15:57:00.000-08:00

Cheers Restaurant, Concord
Great Food, Atmosphere and The Best Bloody Mary in NH
If you’ve grown tired of the number of restaurants that serve what they call a bloody mary or a virgin mary using a commercial mix, you will flip over the Marys at Cheers. Made on site using their own secret recipe, Heart of New Hampshire Magazine declares Cheers to have the Best Mary in NH. Ok…we haven’t tried them all, and we’d welcome hearing from readers with suggestions for other places to try, but of the hundreds we have tried, this one is the best.

Cheers also features some other interesting fare, all of which is top notch. Tai Chicken Salad, Aligator Bites, great soup and much more. As far as atmosphere is concerned you can take your pick. The more formal dining room upstairs includes a solarium and main dining area, downstairs is the casual bar and dining area where sports games and fun prevail.
Cheers Restaurant
17 Depot Street, Concord, NH 03301
(603) 228-0180
http://www.downtowncheers.com/

Newfound Lake

2008-11-12T05:07:00.000-08:00

Acclaimed as one of the cleanest large lakes in the world, Newfound Lake is cherished by residents and visitors alike. Unlike many other large lakes in New England, Newfound lake still has a vast amount of open space, thanks in large part to many large landowners and camps like Mowglis, School of the Open, Pasquanney (the Native American name for the lake), Berea, Onaway and others. Public access for boating lies at the Southwest end of the lake at Wellington State Park where there is also a beautiful beach for swimming.

Statistics:
Watershed........61,253 Acres
Area.............4106 Acres
Shoreline........22.24 Miles
Elevation........587 feet
Greatest Depth...183 feet
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Newfound Lake lies in four different towns along the lake. Alexandria, Bristol, Bridgewater and Hebron.

Getting closer and closer

2008-11-12T04:33:00.000-08:00

Written by Joe Dambach
To train for the Newton’s Revenge bicycle race up the Mount Washington Auto Road, I would drive to the base of Mount Kearsarge in Warner, New Hampshire. On an early Saturday morning in June, I was the first one on the mountain. The summit road ascends 3.5 miles through the park's 5,000 thickly wooded acres.

A half mile into my ride I noticed something on the road. As I looked at it, my thoughts shifted from deer to coyote to dog to…? The animal was walking---traveling the same direction---up the mountain. Sitting on my road bike, I was a quiet rider, making virtually no noise at a steady 4.5 mph pace. I was not far enough into the ride to be breathing heavy.

After staring at this animal for a few seconds, I realized it was a large cat. A mountain lion (also known as cougar). His body had a uniform tan-brown color and a long tail. The tail sagged down and then curved back up, creating a smiley face arc. I continued to pedal in awe, maintaining my cadence, when I realized I was closing the gap. I was getting closer and closer.

Then it dawned on me, if I got too close, he could turn and attack. If so, I'd be defenseless. First, my feet were clipped into the pedals, practically locking me to the bike. Second, the road was so steep, it would take me several seconds to maneuver a u-turn (without falling over). By that point, the mountain lion would have leapt onto my back, his jaw biting and then snapping my neck. He was certainly large enough to take me down, like a scene from an African wildlife show where a lion takes down an antelope---with ease. I imagined him dragging me off into the woods, bike in tow.

So I did the only thing I could think of, I yelled, a deep roaring AHHH! The mountain lion jumped into the air, while turning his head to see what just spooked him. He leapt several feet off the ground, landed, and then took off into the woods with two long cat hops. As he ran into the woods, he stole one last glance at me, with a look on his face like: what the bleep was that? I continued up the mountain without breaking stride, albeit looking over my shoulder often.

Joe Dambach lives in Hooksett, NH