Bogieblog

Signs of the Times

During our time up in the north country, it was very evident that there was a dispute. To make a long story short, a Canadian hydro-electric company wants to run high voltage electric towers thru the north country and down to southern New England. None of the electricity would come to NH (we don't need it anyway), and they would put the towers thru some of the most scenic areas - of which the towns rely on tourism for most of their money. So, it was very evident, that the Northern Pass Project is not popular amongst many of the residents:

 

 
The only sign in the north country that I saw for the Northern Pass Project was put up by the company itself and was overgrown by weeds so I almost didnt' see it. I didn't take a picture of it as at that point I hadn't started thinking of a blog post. I didn't take pictures of most of the anti-signs either, because the blog post idea didn't arise until late.

Just a little about NH's idea of intrigue and suspense.

After The Wedding

The night of the wedding, everyone stayed up late carousing around and lighting fireworks. Others around the lake were doing the same thing (the fireworks part anyway), so we weren't keeping anyone up. Once again I was carefull not to drink much of anything so I wouldn't have to visit the porta-potty in the dark. I was also the first one awake in the morning, so took a walk. By the time I got back, no one was moving around so I ran into "town" (Colebrook, a 25 minute ride) to get a box of coffee from the Dunkin Donuts. I also got flatbread sandwiches for WS, Jimmy and myself.

It wasn't too long after I got back that the first survivors started appearing. The were were appreciative of the coffee as both of the coffee makers were in Ray and Christine's RV - and we certainly weren't going to wake them!

  

The clouds started rolling in, and distand rumbles of thunder could be heard, so we decided it was time to get packed up and leave. We were hoping to outpace the rain, but it caught up to us before we hit Colebrook. We stopped at the gas station/dunkin donuts/subway shop so the guys could put on their rain gear, and we hit the road for good.

 
 
It was miserable; in the 60's and steady downpours until we stopped for lunch in Tilton. At that point, it was still cool, but at least it quit raining and the roads started drying up. We all made it home safe and in good spirits, so nothing more can be asked.

Wedding Mishief

What is a wedding without decorating the couple's vehicle? WS figured we had plenty of materials to work with, so he set about doing up Ray's bike - Rebel was an interested spectator (and contributor of beer cans).

 
When Ray saw the bike, he about died laughing. He decided that he and Christine had to take it around the lake, so Rebel fetched Christine and Bear:

 


 

The cans took a beating, but they only lost one:

 
WS and Rebel also did a little something to their truck, which was out of view and I am unsure when they found that little surprise (after we left the next morning anyway):

And, to start their wedded bliss right, Christine found a 4-leaf clover.

 
We had a great time, Ray and Christine seemed to enjoy the antics, and no one was hurt - so I would say it was a successful day.

Regal Residents

There were two stars of the wedding weekend that were neither fo the wedding party, or a guest. The were local residents; a pair of bald eagles. They stationed themselves in a tree on the ridge, and occasionaly one or the other would make a fishing tirp to the lake. Unfortunately the tree was quite a distance away, so I couldn't get good pictures, but here are a couple that give you an idea:

The white head on the first picture makes it easy to spot the eagle - this was only true when the light was exactly right - as the sun was sinking. In the second picture, the eagle's wings are spread - probably cooling off. In the third picture, both eagles are present, although it was getting too dark to get any kind of decent picture.

 
The say the one on the left is the female, and the one on the right is the male. I am unsure how they came to this conclusion, but have a sneaking suspicion that they have it backwards. I believe the criteria they used was size - but with eagles, the female is usually the larger of the two. However, i didn't go aske the eagles themselves, so take that for what it is worth.

Anyway, once they were pointed out, everyone was very aware of the comings and goings of the great birds.

The Wedding

Ray and Christine exchanging vows:

 
The combined family (yes, Bear is in there somewhere - probaly in Christine's arms).

 
A traditional Italian wedding cake, or so I was told. No, those aren't Easter eggs, but candy covered almonds. I managed to snap the picture as they were getting ready to cut the first piece.

Later of course, there were gifts to open and the wedding feast (steak, salad, pasta dishes, fruit etc.

After all that, we wondered off to get away from people, and perhaps cause a bit of michief. But, that is tale for another day.

Saturday Ride in the Great North Woods

Saturday, the 2nd, dawned bright and clear (except the fog around the lake). The forcast was for high 70's, partly cloudy and chance of scattered showers. After socializing for a while, we (including Jimmy), hopped on the bikes and went to enjoy the weather.

 
We went thru Dixville Notch, stopping partway thru to take in the view.

 
After riding for several hours, we headed back to the campground so we would be in time for the wedding.

Fourth of July Weekend Start

Last weekend we had it all set up, leave Friday, early afternoon, head up to Pitsburgh, NH, camp out, ride on Saturday, attend a wedding etc.

It didn't start out so well. We planned on leaving a 2:30; I took a vacation day, WS only has to work until noon on Fridays anyway (usually it doesn't work out that way, but he was going to make sure it did), and Jimmy would work a 6 hour day, getting out at noon.

I got the laundry, house work, dump run, and other errands completed by noon. At 12:30, I was reading when I got a call from Jimmy - "Have WS give me a call when he gets there." At 2, I was wondering when WS was going to get home. At 2:30 WS got home and headed for the shower. He called Jimmy, to find out that he was still at work - hoping to get out soon.

At 5:30, Jimmy called to say he was on his way home and needed a shower before leaving. At this point, it is clear we will need to stop for dinner, so WS jumps on his bike, I get in the loaded down Jeep (tents, blanket, cooler, tent, clothes etc) and we head to the local Subway. After eating, we hooked up with Jimmy at the gas station. Finally, we got on the road about 7.

So, to recap, we were supposed to make the entire trip during daylight hours, instead, most of the trip will be in the dark (which is not a good thing with my eyesight, on unfamiliar roads - but that's the way things go sometimes).

I took this shot while we were still on the way to the White Mountains - still have quite a ways to go to get to the Great North Woods!

 
That is WS on his bike, Jimmy is to the right of me.

After getting a wee bit lost, and going thru the notch 3 times, we found the exit that we wanted (where we weere promptly flashed by a cop - nice of him not to stop any of us). We finally got to the campground about 11:30 and we set up camp. Then, there was socializing with people we knew; Lisa and Rebel, Ray and Christine (the groom and bride to be), and a couple of Christine's daughters. We also met a bunch more family and friends.

We were up much later than we have been up in years and when we finally went to bed, only a couple people were gathered around the campfire. I was the first one up the next morning, when I took these pics.

 
The small red/white/blue tent is ours - it really isn't as small as it looks beside the huge 3-room tents around it. It hold WS and I (with a queen air mattress) with plenty of room for bags of clothes.

 
There is a lake out there somewhere in the fog - in fact, it is about 10 feet behind the canoe.

 
 
The fog started burning off about 9, and burned off rapidly.

 
Here are the steps up from where the tents were at. The port-a-potty was up there too. I was carefull not to drink very much before going to bed because with my glasses on there is no way I could navigate the stairs by lamp light. The dog is not Bear (who has been featured on these pages many times, but his mother, Lucky.

 
The other dog in attendance was Sarah, a giant of a dog, but very patient in spirit.

So although the trip did not start out the way we had intended, it did get started and we ended up in a beautiful place.

July 4, 2011

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!

 
please celebrate respnsibly.

Slacking Off

Just an FYI: WS and I are attending a wedding up in Pittsburgh, NH tomorrow. We are leaving early this afternoon (yeah, 4-day weekend) and won't be back until Sunday. So there will be no posting until Monday, or even next weekend. The weather is supposed to cooperate, which is a good thing since we will be camping out, and the wedding is outdoors.

I promise to take pictures for sharing.