Another Trip to the North Country

Neil and I love to visit northern New Hampshire. As not only a woman of routine (see my previous blog on this topic), but a couple of routine, we've been staying at the same place for 12-13 years - the Town & Country Motor Inn. We love the T&C - on the Gorham/Shelburn line - modestly priced, reasonably quiet, an aging facility with exercise equipment that is 10 years too old, sink and tub drains that are slow to work, and dining room food that meets Neil's rating of "B-flat." They also allow pets for a mere $6/night while other competitors charge up to $25/night. From what we can tell, the T&C - a family-run business - has been a staple of the social and economic activity for over 50 years in Coos County. It is the kind of place where generations of families have held weddings, class reunions and other "corporate functions." Neil first learned of the T&C because in the 1990s they hosted the "Kinder Konzerts" of the Portland Symphony Orchestra for children in the surrounding towns. After meeting the owners and learning about the family, Neil was determined to bring his wife to the north country for a modest get-away.

The Town & Country Motor Inn, nestled in the heart of the White Mountains

The Town & Country Motor Inn from the front

Neil and I do the same thing when we go to the north country - we drive around and look at the scenery, visit with our friends, Wendy & Steve - who are lucky enough to live in the north country and to have a home that looks out on Mts. Jefferson and Madison, look for property that we wish that we could afford as a second home, throw Drake in the Israel River for some exercise, shop at Ocean State Job Lot, and visit perfect New England towns, such as Guildhall, Vermont. We also occasionally do some modest hiking. Neil dislikes hiking because he says: "You spend all of your time looking down rather than looking up!" But, he occasionally humors his wife and dog, who both love to scamper up the side of a mountain. But, in truth, our most favorite activity (where ever we go) is to drive and drive and to see rural America. Neil and I both prefer rural over urban locations. Rural America reveals stories of hope, struggle, and disappointment in ways that are very real and compelling to us. So, we drive around the north country - taking in what it has to offer. It helps that for a couple of decades, Neil used to commute between northern Vermont and Portland a couple times a month during symphony season and he often took the "mountain route." He knows the roads up there like "the back of his hand." So, Neil feels his way through the countryside, I keep the map on my lap so I can keep track of the towns, and we gasp in awe at the Presidential Range on trips to the north country - at least two times a year.

Duran Lake in Randolph

Heading down Rt. 115A in Jefferson, into the valley of the Israel River

Heading down Rt. 115A in Jefferson, into the valley of the Israel River

Drake and I on a trail in Randolph, I think

Drake and I at the Israel River in Jefferson

Picture from the top of Mt. Pierce

Neil and I usually go to the north country to take refuge from the busy world. Our work schedules are cyclical and one can usually find us up on the north country after an especially demanding season, such as late May and late December. But, sometimes we also head to the north country to celebrate. Last weekend we went to celebrate my tenure/promotion and our 15th wedding anniversary. We look forward to heading back again soon!

Here we are on our recent trip, outside of Lancaster