A WALK IN THE WOODS

Thursday, September 26

We got to sleep in today.  Our ride share wasn't until 11:30 so everyone was ready to take it easy.  I woke up around 6:15 and couldn't go back to sleep.  Jenna got up around 7:45 so we had all morning to get ready.  I fixed breakfast - bacon, eggs, biscuits, juice & coffee while Jenna worked on recipies that Eunice gave her.  I also worked on the blog trying to figure out why I can't publish pictures.   I'm afraid that I've put in too many pictures and used up my alloted space.  I bought additional space but it didn't seem to help.  I'll keep trying.

At 11:20 we picked up Earl and Eunice and met everyone at the front of the campground for a ride share to our first destination - The Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway.  

The tram was first built in 1938 and was the first aerial tram in North America.  It carried skiers to what was the first ski resort in North America.  The tram has been modernized over the years and now will carry 80 people at a time to the top of Cannon Mountain.  It was a very smooth ride to the top which was at 4100 ft, elevation.

Once we reached the top we took the rim trail which too you around the outer edge of the mountain top.  A path had been cut through the scrub evergreen that was about 6 feet tall.  

Every few hundred feet there would be a cut that would take you out to a granite outcropping where you got a birds eye view of the mountains and the vally floor far below.  

The highway looked like a ribbon and semi-trucks looks smaller than matchbox cars. It was a beautiful view from each point. About 2/3 of the way around the trail a cut took up to a cell phone tower observation deck high above the mountaintop.  From there you could see Maine, Connecticut, Vermont, New York and Canada.  What a view.  The clouds would come and go while we were there so it was a little hazy in the distance.

After lunch on the mountaintop we loaded up and drove a few miles down the road to the Flume Gorge Visitors Center.  The Flume Gorge is a part of the Franconia State Park.  What a wonderful place.  After watching a video about the geography of the area we took a 2 mile hike.  The first part was all uphill but a great part of it as on a board sidewalk and steps.  It was amazing.  The flume is a natural gorge extending 800 feet at the base of Mt. Liberty.

 The granite wall rise to a height of 70 to 90 feet and are from 12 to 20 feet apart.  Water flows over the rocks in the flume creating waterfalls and rapids that are simply amazing.  The flume was first discovered in 1808 and is a favorite tourist spot.

After reaching the top of the flume we had a choice of taking a trail back to the Visitor Center or to take another trail to Liberty Gorge and a covered bridge.  We chose the latter - maybe not the wisest choice.  After we had hiked a half mile or so we found a sign that said the Visitor's Center was 1.2 miles away.  Earl, Eunice, Udo, Jenna and I made the entire trek.  Udo has arm crutches to help him walk, but he never complained as he took every step.  It was a nice hike.  

We saw more waterfalls and had a nice walk in the woods.  A covered walk-bridge took us across the gorge and back to the Visitor's Center. 

     Trees literally grow on top of huge granite boulders.  Their roots wrap around the rock

      to the ground below. 

After our hike we all met at Gordi's Fish and Steak House for a L.E.O. (Let's Eat Out); Carivaners like to eat!  We had a great dinner of fish and chips before heading back to the campground. Tomorrow we have an early day.  The ride share pulls out at 7:45 to head to Washington Mountain.  We are riding the cog train to the top.  Monday it was 0 degrees and had 100 MPH winds at the summit.  Here's hoping it's not that cold tomorrow.  Until then, Happy Trails!