5 September 2013 - Mount Brook State Park New Hampshire
Well, it's official. We are heading home. We left Maine on 2 September and entered New Hampshire. BUT if you are expecting us anytime soon you will be disappointed.

New Hampshire/Maine state line

New Hampshire welcomes us!

Our first stop (after the signs at the state line) in New Hampshire was a little road side park - the Dixville Notch State Park Cascade Brook Picnic Area - where Trox went for a short walk and came back with some really nice pictures. I was glad I didn't go with him since he said it was steep and slippery.

Does this really need a caption?

Cascade Brook Picnic Area
Lower Falls

Cascade Brook Picnic Area
Upper Falls

But I am getting way ahead of myself. Before we got to New Hampshire we spent a few more wonderful days in Maine.


28 August 2013 - 30 August 2013 Mount Blue State Park
We ended up spending three nights at Mount Blue State Park and left just as the Labor Day crowds were arriving. The park is located right on Lake Webb and both of us got to paddle it at least once. Trox also got a made ride/hike to the top of Mount Blue.

There are dead people everywhere!
This grave marker was a little over a mile from
our launch point and was visible from the water.
It was next to a nice sandy beach which
made for an easy exit/reentry.

Double-crested Cormorant
I spotted this guy right near the grave marker

Webb Lake

Juvenile Sapsucker

Downy Woodpecker

Birds out and about
Top to Bottom/Left to Right
Flycatcher ... Wood thrush, ... Flycatcher
Tree Sparrow ... Flycatcher ... Wood thrush

Looking down on Webb Lake from Trox'
ride to the top of Mount Blue

31 August 2013 - Sugarloaf Ski Area
We left Mount Blue and headed out to find a new place to stay. It was the middle of Labor Day Weekend so our choices were a little limited but we found a great place. We ended up staying in a nice parking lot at the base of Sugarloaf Ski Area. Trox made a ride to the top and I wandered around the village. That was actually where I made the last post from. It was quiet and we had a great view!

From top of Sugarloaf

Top of Sugarloaf

Taken on ride down from top of Sugarloaf

Pretty butterfly in parking lot where we camped

Sugarloaf Lodge

The runs from the base of one of the quad-lifts

1 September 2013 - Flagstaff Lake and Rangeley State Park
The morning of 1 September we were once again looking for a place to stay. Our first stop was Flagstaff Lake where we wanted to stay but decided against it because it was so muddy and crowded. It was supposed to rain all day but ended up to be a pretty nice day. It was gorgeous when we were at Flagstaff Lake. I did get in a great paddle after which we headed to Rangeley State Park. It is a nice little park and we had the host's site so we had power. We weren't able to paddle the lake because it was raining and after it stopped it started raining so I was grateful for the paddle on Flagstaff.

Flagstaff Lake from shore

Flagstaff Lake from shore

Flagstaff Lake from shore
On the horizon you can see a windmill farm

Flagstaff Lake during my paddle

2-4 September - Coleman State Park NH
AND THEN we left Rangeley and headed west into New Hampshire. Our last stop in Maine was at a really nice scenic overlook along a reservoir next to the dam where we had lunch. From there our destination was a state park in New Hampshire. The first one we arrived at was very commercial and we didn't really like it so we continued on towards another that was a little more remote. We turned off the main road onto a secondary road towards the park and about half way there happened across a small organic vegetable farm with an open green house. We bought green beans, cucumbers, yellow squash and tomatoes that tasted like tomatoes! We stopped again on our drive out and stocked up some more including more beans, cucumbers, tomatoes and this time a big cabbage! The farm is Stockwell Farms and the owner is Dean. He was very friendly and informative. Well worth a little drive to sample his vegetables! We arrived at Coleman State Park in the late afternoon and it was overcast, windy, and spitting. The park is on the shores of Little Diamond Pond. It rained in earnest that night - someone told me the next day that we had 3 inches! When we arrived Trox braved the rough water to paddle but I waited until the next morning to paddle when the water was flat but very dark because of the clouds.

Lunch stop at Aziscohos Lake
and Magalloway River

Lunch stop at Aziscohos Lake
and Magalloway River

Common Loon
Little Diamond Pond
Mother and Juvenile

Heron
Little Diamond Pond

Little Diamond Pond

Little Diamond Pond
Heron

On the 3rd Trox rode a large loop which went past Big Diamond Pond and a smaller pond named Nathan Pond. At Big Diamond Pond he encountered a Loon and she seemed to be posing for Trox to take pictures. He got the best pics of a Loon we've managed so far. They have red eyes and no one seems to know why. Some ornithologists think it helps them see better underwater. In these pictures you can actually SEE the red eye! We decided to leave Coleman the morning of the 4th and we drove over to Big Diamond for breakfast and a paddle. I paddled the perimeter. It is a very pretty pond and there are lots of houses around it. Some very nice and some not so nice but it looks like a nice community. I think it is mostly summer people although I talked to one man and he implied that there are a few year-rounders.

A battered but pretty butterfly

Nathan Pond

A Cedar Wax Wing in the top of a tree

Big Diamond Pond

New Hampshire is the state of
Live Free or Die
They regulate almost nothing
seat belts are not required for adults
life jackets are not required for anyone over 5
and obviously they don't regulate height of antennas!
Hey, Paul, the place next to the antenna is for sale!

Way too close for my tastes!

And that takes us up to the day we went into Vermont and stayed in a closed State Park. I will include those details in the next post. Thanks for reading!