October 8-9

Our objective in planning this trip was leaf-peeping -- to see the fall colors in New England. Tom did research on wehre to go and what to see along the way, as well the our hotels and accommodations. We both worked on the timing, which is different every year. This year we seemed to have hit the timing perfectly; and all of Tom's plans were wonderful.

Our first destination was Lisbon, New Hampshire, in the White Mountains. We started seeing the leaves a bit here and there, then more and more, until the hills were covered with a kind of red/gold/pale green random pattern. We made a few stops checking out sights and vistas, then found our B&B, Bishop Farm B&B, which was charming and comfortable.


We checked in and found some dinner in the next town, Littleton, and rested up for the next day. Tom had planned for us to take the cog railway up Mt. Washington, the highest peak in the east coast. Other guests told us at breakfast that despite the cool temperatures in Lisbon, they had been turned away from Mt. Washington the day before for high winds. We could not get any information on the internet or by phone, so we decided to take a chance.


We arrived at the trains station to partly cloudy skies. We grabbed a bit to eat, knowing that the trip was about an hour up, and hour at the summit, and an hour back. We checked out the gift shoppe (very big on gift shoppes), and made our way into the train. And we were off.

In short order we were enveloped by fog. We had cleverly put on our long underwear, and pretty much all the clothes we had. Mt. Washington is known for having the most variable weather in the country, and we intended to be ready. But we were not really ready for what we found.


Ice. Lots of Ice.

Cold, very cold.



And no visibility.

So we spent an hour looking and the summit gift shoppe, the small museum, and the other passengers huddling around looking for warmth. And then we took the trip down.

The temperature had dropped, and we were feeling a bit cold, so we stopped in at the Mt. Washington Hotel at Breton Woods for Irish coffee and tea. And then, time to return to our B&B, dinner at a nearby bistro. Tomorrow: Maine!