Day 7
Thursday, October 14, 2021
Motel pet peeve: Plenty of hot coffee, but the lids don’t fit the cups provided. I know, first world problems.
So, I sat in the white plastic chair out in front of my room sipping a rather small cup of coffee and watching the sky. It was one of those mornings with patches of thick clouds and a purplish hue to the gray.
Suddenly, a hint of color. With no unblocked view, I drained the mini-coffee and started walking up Main Street, looking for a better view. I took these shooting up the street.
I found myself in front of the Dermody Gallery and Coffee Shop.
The friendly staff was just opening up, so I went inside. It wasn’t just the lure of that fresh coffee smell, it was the curious art of the walls that intrigued me.
The art on the walls changes every month, This just happened to be a Halloween theme. This is the work of a Massachusetts artist who goes by Danamal. Armed with fresh coffee and a cranberry bagel, I walked back to the motel and checked out.
With plenty of time, I backtracked east to that railroad bridge, now with better lighting. The odds of catching a train crossing the bridge was close to nil. I had only heard a train horn once.
Heading west on Hwy 2 out of Gorham, the rain started to splatter. It cleared just as quickly as it started, and just in time to drive past a chained off road up into the trees. Another roadtrip rule: If you see something out of the corner of your eye that seems interesting, go back. So, I did.
Eventually, Hwy 2 splits off, and Hwy 3 heads southward. From a scenic overlook.
Hwy 3 would join I-93 for a stretch before paralleling the interstate further south. This would eventually bring me to a popular spot, Flume Gorge. It’s part of the New Hampshire State Park system. Access is limited due to the loop trail itself. You’ll see in the pictures.
So, you need to book a ticket in advance. Or you can roll the dice there will be slots available. Ticket in hand, I started on the two mile trail through the woods to the gorge. Even though there were a few short staircases and plenty of rolling hills, the trail itself was fairly easy.
With plenty of time on my hands, I took the slow way south, sticking to Hwy 3 into the town of Woodstock. When I saw the sign for the Woodstock Inn Brewery, I just had to stop.
The pulled pork flatbread was an interesting mix of flavors and quite good. Their Pale Ale, a bit heavy on the Mango.
Back on the road and headed south, I made a stop in Concord, ditched the car and took a walk around the capital building area.
Right out front is a stature of Franklin Pierce, New Hampshire native and our fourteenth president.
From the neighborhood...
Up the street is this set of stairs. They don't seem to go anywhere special.
Atop those stairs used to be the home of former President Pierce. The day after Abraham Lincoln's assassination, an angry mob appeared on his doorstep and demanded to know why he wasn't flying the American Flag.
Pierce had been anti-war and pro-slavery. He told the mob he was indeed saddened by Lincoln's death. But, his history of service to the nation should allay any questions to his patriotism, even without a flag.
The crowd paused, realized he made a good point and left.
My home for the night was the Comfort Inn in neighboring Louden. Nice enough place. And just in time for sunset.
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