Minnesota to New York via Canada! Father and son summer road trip 2014!

[TonyBKK]

Bar Harbor, Acadia National Park Visitor Center and the most expensive campsite ever! :mrgreen:

We followed the Acadia National Park Loop Road to Bar Harbor where we stopped for a well earned ice cream and to figure out where we'd sleep for the night. A beautiful tall ship in the harbor-

Well deserved ice cream for the little guy

Land Yacht still looking good with over 100,000 miles under her belt

Sadly the Black Woods campground in Acadia was completely booked. Well, we were pretty much out of clean clothes and needed to do laundry so I looked up the nearest KOA- >$80 for a tent site!

$80 for a camp spot?? What's up with that??!? A couple shots of our camping spot. Not terrible, but certainly not worth 80 bucks...

On our way to the KOA we stopped at the Acadia National Park Visitor Center so that Kristhawee could have a Ranger look over his workbook so that he could collect his Junior Ranger badge. Bravo son! :clap:

We went for a stroll before dark and Kristhawee met some nice kids to play with. There was an old timer serving up lobster dinners, corn on the cob and clam chowder- good stuff! :thumbup:

Tomorrow we ride to New Hampshire!! :mrgreen:

 

[TonyBKK]

Paul Bunyon and Babe the Blue Ox in Rumford, Maine

We left Mount Desert Island and Acadia National Park and road west passing through Bangor, Maine and eventually stopping for a rest in the cool old town mill town of Rumford where I was delighted to find a statue of American folk hero Paul Bunyon along with Babe his Blue Ox








The original Paul Bunyon statue is in Bemidji, Minnesota and I enjoyed telling Kristhawee all about this colorful folk hero and his adventures with Babe. Here’s a fun Paul Bunyon movie from Disney that I look forward to sharing with my son

The rest area where we discovered Paul Bunyon was on a beautiful reservoir which powered a hydro dam.

The clouds were looking ominous above Paul’s smiling face so we put on our rain gear and pressed on towards New Hampshire!

 

[TonyBKK]

Trading in the Land Yacht for a canoe! Father and Son paddle Lake Umbagog, New Hampshire!

We were riding west to New Hampshire with no particular destination in mind; I thought we’d end up in the White Mountains but for some reason that I don’t recall we headed a bit north until we hit Lake Umbagog State Park in Coos County, NH. What really appealed to me was the fact that Lake Umbagog has a bunch of remote paddle-in campsites that are accessible only by boat and that the lake was rated top 5 in New England for kayaking and canoeing and is also known as a fantastic fishing lake. Welcome to Lake Umbagog State Park!

There’s our canoe! We’ll give the Land Yacht a few days off

We’re off! I’ve always loved canoeing; Kristhawee looks like he’s enjoying himself too!

We launched from the very south end of the lake, paddled straight north across Sargent Cove, then hugged the western shoreline until we found our spot-

There’s our destination up ahead on the left!

We made it!

This will do nicely! A big beautiful campsite with lake views a picnic table, fire ring, latrine and a camping platform!

After setting up camp Kristhawee was keen to get out for a paddle and try some fishing. Let’s go!

A good look at our campsite from the lake-

Father and son enjoying some quality time at Lake Umbagog, New Hampshire!

Getting late- let’s head back to camp!

I’d been saving this cigar to celebrate hitting the 100,000 mile mark on the Land Yacht but at the time just wasn’t in the mood. Tonight was the perfect opportunity to enjoy a good cuban smoke! :thumbup:

 

[TonyBKK]

Good morning from Umbagog Lake State Park, NH!

Kristhawee wanted to fish, and they sure were biting today!!! First little bass:

Shortly after he hooked into a big one! Fighto! :mrgreen:

Yeah, that's a keeper!!!

Wow did we find the spot! Kristhawee was having a blast and I was too!

My happy boy

We paddled north along the west shore of Lake Umbagog; here we are exploring a glassy lily pad covered bay-

Enjoying a picnic lunch in the canoe with a big old beaver lodge in the background-

Parts of the lake are roped off to protect nesting loons-

A bit further on we stopped at a tiny island where we discovered a rustic old cabin. There weren't any "no trespassing" signs posted so we took a short break there before continuing on-

Lots of birds on Umbagog Lake, hawks, eagles, ducks, loons and here's a Merganser with chicks-

Paddling by another campsite we spotted canoes but no sign of the occupants-

More fish! This time a northern pike!

Kristhawee caught a northern pike on Lake Umbagog

Back at camp Kristhawee shows off his biggest catch- a small mouth bass!

Hmmm, I really did not come prepared to filet a fish! Did my best with the short stubby blade on my multitool. Not easy, but I got it done!

Believe it or not, my kid wanted to fish some more!

There was a small shallow "bay" of sorts on the southern edge of our campground where I let him paddle about and fish to his heart's content

Kristhawee fishing on Lake Umbagog

Bravo Kristhawee- you caught us more fish than we can eat! :clap:

The little guys don't even need to be filleted- just throw them on the fire and enjoy!

Fresh fish is on the menu!

 

[TonyBKK]

Kristhawee was keen to get out for another paddle before dark; who am I to argue with such a great plan

As afternoon faded into evening Lake Umbagog became calm and glassy-

Guess what's on the menu for dinner? You got it- FISH!

Note to self- next time bring some tinfoil and seasoning. Fresh fish is awesome but needs a bit more than just salt and pepper!

Lots of critters in and around our campsite. After dark there were a bunch of these toads hopping around- had to be careful where you stepped!

Good night! :mrgreen:

 

[TonyBKK]

Time flies when you're having fun! I wish we could spend more time exploring the natural beauty of Umbagog Lake but it was time for us to continue west. Today's destination are the White Mountains of New Hampshire! But first I have to try and wake up the little guy

Good morning sleepy head!

Thanks for helping with breakfast son!

This was our third day on the lake and we had our duties in the canoe well sorted- I paddle, Kristhawee fishes

Another northern pike! This is a seriously awesome fishing lake!!

We gave back the canoe and loaded up the Land Yacht for our ride to the White Mountains. Ready to roll!

Bye bye Umbagog Lake! We certainly enjoyed our time here!

Umbagog Lake State Campground, NH, USA

A Google Earth capture of some of our paddling

 

[TonyBKK]

After our relaxing time at Umbagog Lake it felt great to get back on the Land Yacht and hit the open road! We're not going far today; only about 90 miles, starting off with beautiful Highway 16, aka the Berlin Road which takes us from Erroll down to Gorham which is on the northern edge of the White Mountains-

Doesn't look like New England, does it?!

A quick lunch stop in Gorham and we continue south on the White Mountain Road-

We passed the Mount Washington Auto Road- we'll revisit this later when we're not carrying such a heavy load!

I wanted to try a National Forest Campground, but Kristhawee prefers State Parks as he claims there are more kids to play with. He's quite right, actually

Lots of ski resorts around here- I bet this place is fun in the winter!

Zoomin! :happy3:

New England is famed for its covered bridges- this is the first of many that we spotted in the coming days-

At the tiny little town of Glen Junction we hang a right and ride west on the Crawford Notch Highway 302- not bad, not bad at all!

Welcome to the White Mountain National Forest!

White Mountain National Forest, New Hampshire, USA

We had no reservations and it was a Friday so I was a bit worried that the Crawford Notch State Park might be full, so to Kristhawee's dismay, we made a quick stop just south to check out a National Forest Campground-

It was a bit too far of a hike from the road to the actual campground (about half a mile) and as we have no easy way to carry all our gear we decided to press on, stopping along the way for a quick pic on the old railroad trestle.

You might not guess it from the picture, but these tracks are still in use!

A bit further up the road we arrived at Crawford Notch State Park and the Dry River Campground where luck was on our side and we grabbed an awesome walk in site that was deep in the forest and close to the dry river, which was anything but!

A GPX map of today's ride-

 

[TonyBKK]

Father and Son explore Crawford Notch State Park, White Mountains, New Hampshire!

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Our home base for exploring the White Mountains was the Dry River Campground in Crawford Notch State Park. 44.1575, -71.36389

First order of business- a short ride to a nearby general store to get some supplies before the sun sets-

I know I know, ATGATT, but sometimes you just want to feel the wind on your skin!

We went for a stroll through the campground and came across some folks throwing a frisbee which of course put my boy in the mood, so we put his aerobie to good use

The Dry River Campground is right at the base of the Frankenstein Trestle- more on this later!

Dinnertime! My boy just LOVES Dinty Moore

Kristhawee met a bunch of cute kids from Massachusetts and invited them over for Jiffy Pop after dinner. Then they invited him over to their place for S'mores. Good fun and good night!

 

[TonyBKK]

Hiking to Arethusa Falls via the Frankenstein Cliff Trail, Crawford Notch, NH

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Good morning from the Dry River Campground in Crawford Notch State Park, White Mountains, NH!

A bit cold this morning, so much so that it merited starting a fire to ward off the chill. Here a good look at our camping spot-

A wonderful discovery at the general store the previous day was this Bisquick "Shake 'n Pour" pancake mix. Terrible packaging what with all that plastic that will just end up in a landfill, but it sure can't be beat for camping convenience!

Pancakes and cherries with butter and local honey for breakfast- YUM!

Today's plan is to hike to New Hampshire's tallest waterfall- Arethusa Falls! The trailhead is just a short hike from our campground!

Crawford Notch State Park Hiking Trails and Summits Map
It's a beautiful day! We pack water, snacks and our bathing suits and head out! It's just a short jaunt down the road to reach the Frankenstein Cliff trailhead-

The Frankenstein Cliff trail is steep and a bit challenging!

Frankenstein Cliff Trail, Crawford Notch State Park, NH
I see you!!

Nice and cool in the shade of the forest, Kristhawee powered up the steep trail like a champ! We hiked under the Frankenstein Trestle which is under construction. Would be cool too see a trail go by!

The Frankenstein Trestle in Crawford Notch State Park, White Mountains, NH
Little guy started to run out of steam. No worries, take a break, we have all day!

Lotsa critters in these woods- a well camouflaged toad:

We pass small waterfalls on our way up-

This trail is seriously steep!

Finally we reach the top and the trail levels out a bit-

Frankenstein Cliff Trail, Crawford Notch State Park, NH
Another toad

Some pretty awesome views from up here!!!

Looking north toward Arethusa Falls which is just a speck in the distance:

 

[TonyBKK]

We went the long way around via the challenging Frankenstein Cliff trail, but arriving at Arethusa Falls made it all worthwhile! No wonder Crawford Notch State Park is famed for its hiking trails!

Almost there!

Banana Slug!

Welcome to Arethusa Falls!

Kristhawee at Arethusa Falls, Crawford Notch State Park, New Hampshire, USA!

Arethusa Falls, Crawford Notch State Park, White Mountains, NH

Father and Son at Arethusa Falls, Crawford Notch State Park, New Hampshire, USA

 

[TonyBKK]

Father and Son Explore the White Mountains of New Hampshire!

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Arethusa Falls, Crawford Notch State Park, White Mountins, NH
We sure did enjoy the hike to Arethusa Falls! Now it was time to head back to camp and maybe do some swimming if the sun was still up! First we had to negotiate some footbridges that have seen better days

Came across this cool old sign on our way back to the trailhead which gives a lot more info on these trails-

We rode down to the local General Store for some more supplies and Kristhawee's new friends joined us again for Jiffy Pop after dinner

Little dude doesn't want to smile for the camera

I guess it's hard to smile when you've got a mouth full of popcorn!

 

[TonyBKK]

Father and Son ride Alpine Slide at Attitash Ski Resort in the White Mountains of NH!

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The pancakes we had made the previous morning were such a hit that Kristhawee wanted more! Who am I to argue with such an excellent plan?

Today's plan is to ride up to the top of Mount Washington which, at 6,288 ft (1,917 m) tall, is highest peak in New England! It was another gorgeous day to ride!

Some great roads in the White Mountains, not much traffic, and quite a few bikes out and about!

New England is famous for its covered bridges- here's a good example:

We arrived at the base of the Mount Washington Auto Road only to discover that there was a bicycle race taking place that morning and the road wouldn't be open to the public until afternoon... Oh well, no shortage of things to see and do in the White Mountains!

We followed some bikes back the way we'd come until we reached the Attitash Ski Resort (44.082921, -71.231112)

Lots of activities here in the summer, including mountain biking, bungy jumping, Alpine Slide, Mountain Coaster and a whole lot more. We decided to give the Alpine Slide a try. Enjoyed a scenic ride up the Flying Yankee Quad chairlift- father and son selfie :mrgreen:

Hamming it up a bit

Up up we go, back into the White Mountain National Forest-

The Alpine Slide is pretty cool, over a mile long and basically a summertime luge?

After the slide we grabbed an overpriced lunch in the ski lodge- sure feels weird to be in a lodge in the summer time! Then it was time to once again hit the road and make another attempt at Mount Washington!

 

[TonyBKK]

Father and Son ride to the top of Mount Washington, White Mountains, New Hampshire!

It's a short ride from the Attitash Resort to the Mount Washington Auto Road; upon arrival there was a queue of vehicles waiting to drive up, but it moved along fairly quickly.

I asked a nice lady from New York to snap a pic of us while we were waiting in line

This looks like fun

The entrance to the Mount Washington Auto Road! Couldn't ask for a more beautiful day to ride to the top of New England's highest summit!

The super nice lady at the ticket booth didn't charge me for my pillion :mrgreen: Off we go!

The road is narrow and steep and there was a fair bit of traffic so we take it nice and slow. I wasn't expecting dirt though! Ah well, we've ridden worse!

Father and son selfie on the Mount Washington Auto Road

We made it to the top! :clap:

The Summit of Mount Washington stands at 6,288 ft (1,917 m) tall and is highest peak in New England!

There is a really cool cog railway that also climbs all the way to the summit- They claim it's the world's first cog railway? I always assumed the Swiss invented these?

Once upon a time you could book a bunk at the Tip Top House, but now it's preserved as a National Historical Monument-

Father and Son on the top of Mount Washington, White Mountains, New Hampshire!

It was fun to watch the cog trains work their way slowly back down the mountain-

You'd never guess it from these pictures, but Mount Washington is famous for extreme weather and holds the world record for the highest recorded wind speed on the planet- 231 mph!!! :shock:

There are movies and plaques inside the visitor center that tell of the dozens (hundreds?) of lives that Mount Washington has claimed. Pretty sobering stuff, but we've lucked out and can hang out in our T-shirts on this beautiful day!

A couple shots back at the bike, then it's time to head on down.

Life is GOOD!!!

 

[TonyBKK]

[h=1]Taking a dip in the Saco River, Crawford Notch State Park, White Mountains, NH[/h]
Riding down from the summit of Mount Washington-

Really feels like we're on top of the world up here!

Here we are approaching the Dry River Campground in Crawford Notch State Park- you can see the Frankenstein Cliff off in the distance-

We were running out of light but Kristhawee was keen to go swimming. A local ranger had told us there are some nice swimming holes in the Saco River. Let's see if we can find them!

This will do nicely!

A gorgeous spot but oh how that water was COLD!!!

Haha! Kristhawee took the camera and got some funny pics of daddy

Time to head back to camp before the sun sets and the temperature drops!

The White Mountains of New Hampshire exceeded all expectations! Tomorrow we head to Vermont!