2020, Days 27 & 28: Live Free or Die

One more state down! Today dad crossed into New Hampshire, the penultimate border crossing before the end. The New Hampshirian way isn't to do things by halves (unless you count splitting territory with Vermont), and even the motto, "Live Free or Die" is an assertive assumption of its own stubbornness. Though, the motto's origins are French, so take that as you will. Still, when you see the way New Hampshire looks in the fall, if this is freedom, maybe it's worth dying over.

After spending a full month in the car and seeing all the rest of the wonders the States have to offer, mom might be about ready to live free, or die just to get out of the driver's seat. All that time on her hands and she might be house hunting to not have to drive all the way back to Utah. During her boredom, she was diligent enough to send me a birthday card, not only to arrive on time, but EARLY, postmarked from Albany. She may not remember what my name is half the time, but she never forgets a birthday.

Dad's also drawing this out a bit by taking the longest possible way across NH, north. He's probably traversed more miles in the state than it is wide at most latitudes, at this point, but with scenery like this, who can blame him? Gorgeous weather, gorgeous scenery, moderate landscapes, it's the rose-colored glasses of a six-year endeavor coming to a close. With fewer miles remaining than he rode in New York, dad can smell the finish line.

October 5, 2020

On the way to Sherburne pass, we tried to stop by the Oliver Cowdery birthplace near Wells, VT. We went on a dirt road for several miles and came to the address Google gave us, but didn’t see a monument. So we continued on to the pass.

Starting out on a steep downhill is fun. So the first four miles was quick and easy. Then I continued riding somewhat downhill along the Ottauquechee River. The shoulders ranged from superbly wide to nonexistent. When I crossed the Quechee Gorge, I met Mom and we turned back a little ways to take pictures of the gorge. Then on to the border, and turned north on Highway 10 in New Hampshire. Rode on to Hanover and Dartmouth University, then up to Lyme. Covered 51.8 miles in 4:20.

Then we drove back into Vermont to Sharon and spent some time at the Joseph Smith birthplace. The Church has done such a beautiful job with the landscaping and gardens. Then, matched with the fall foliage, it is just magnificent.

October 6, 2020

The autumn color around here is just astounding. New York was great. Somehow, Vermont and New Hampshire have improved on it. The scenery was gorgeous as I rode along the Connecticut and Ammonoosuc Rivers. The day was a perfect temperature, mostly in the mid-50’s, mostly cloudy. I was around 45 miles with 3½ hours down. So I went for a few more miles toward Whitefield. There were a couple of long, stiff hills in that stretch, that let me know I had put in a day’s work. And a steep downhill just before Whitefield rewarded the effort.

A funny story today: I was riding along the highway when this little terrier charged after me from across the highway, barking his head off. Then his owner started yelling and running after him. Fortunately, no cars were in the immediate vicinity. I looked back and the dog was still chasing me, about 20 yards back. And his owner was chasing him, 20 yards farther back. I figured the only way to keep that dog from getting run over was to stop. So I stopped. The dog caught up and circled me; the owner caught up and grabbed the dog so it wouldn’t run out in the road. We chatted for a moment, then I was on my way again.

We finished in Whitefield, 56.6 miles in 4:20. Then Mom and I drove down to Franconia to see the Old Man in the Mountain--the inspiration behind Wadsworth’s Great Stone Face story. The only problem: it collapsed back in 2003. But a group had done a really neat project with some poles and some bas relief art that recreated how it looked if you stood behind them and looked up past the poles to the mountain--pretty cool stuff. Then we drove back to our hotel in Woodsville through this amazing scenery.