BLOG - Ten Year Anniversary Trip to NH (Part 2)

    With today being our ten year anniversary, we knew we’d be going to NH, for the second time this week. Today we weren’t setting out to do any hikes though, mostly shopping, and of course we didn’t buy anything, and naturally I did a hike. We won’t actually celebrate our anniversary until next month when we go to NH for a week but since we both had the day off we figured we’d take advantage of it.

    Originally we planned on leaving super early and going to Grafton Notch along the way but a few hours into the trip we realized we left a little late and wouldn’t have time to stop there before lunch. Lunch, where? Well Mountain Fire Pizza of course. We got there at lunchtime and enjoyed our half maple bacon and half Hawaiian Luau pizza, I mean come on, it’s a pizza with cherries on it.

    We hit up North Conway for a little shopping and went to Jaime’s regulars, TJ Maxx and Christmas Tree Shop but didn’t get anything. We also decided to go to a few of the famous Conway outlets which truthfully we’ve never been too impressed with. Today was no different, they’re just so damn expensive and man was that place busy, it looked like Christmas time. We went to Eastern Mountain Sports and Under Armor, found a couple of cool things but nothing we wanted to spend that much on. It did feel good to be able to buy those things though, but I’d rather get three performance shirts from Walmart for the same price as one at Under Armor. And I was hoping for a handheld GPS unit at Eastern Mountain but they didn’t have any. We were going to go to Nike and some of the other outlets but decided against it after seeing the crowds and prices. Jaime really wanted to go to the new Home Goods store but they hadn’t opened yet, that’s the kind of luck she’s been having lately.

    After Conway we stopped along the Saco River so I could climb to the cave on Cave Mountain. I went there once with my family back in 1992 and have been wanting to go back ever since because I didn’t have any pictures from it. It’s a short trail but man is it steep, just as steep as I remember it being with tons of loose gravel from the cave. I crawled around in there for a little while, taking pictures.

    After exploring the cave I decided to continue on to the top of the mountain which isn’t far from the cave, in fact it’s right above it, but it’s extremely steep with no real trail. It is a popular bushwhack though so the unofficial route was easy to follow with a decent view from the top. I was hoping to see down into Crawford Notch but no such luck, just the peaks in the Bartlet area. It was nice having the walkie talkies so I could stay in constant contact with Jaime and let her know I was going up further or heading back down. They are so convenient and yeah we play with them like we’re little kids, making jokes and having fun. She hopes to one day not have to use them because she’ll be able to do all the hikes with me.

    From there we went into Crawford Notch with Jaime driving for a change. She drives around home all the time but hasn’t driven the NH roads since we used to meet up there before we lived together. She did good, getting used to the windy mountain roads before we move out there, even if only part time. We stopped at the Willey House so I could get some ice cream and fudge, we made it just before they closed but there was nothing good left at the end of the season. So we stopped at our old scenic cuddle spot and hung out there for a little while.

    With me driving this time, we headed for Lincoln trying to decide where we’d eat supper. We decided on Brittany’s and CJs Penalty box which we ate at with my parents last year and although a little pricey, the food is delicious. I got the Ringer Burger which was good, basically a rodeo burger, and Jaime got the special pulled pork burger which was really good, she let me have her leftovers. We also got the corn chowder because we remember loving it last year and it did not disappoint as well as the cheese fries which were amazing and very cheesy. We’ll definitely be going back there again. Oh and then for desert I stopped at the ice cream place and got a hot fudge brownie sundae. I was kind of full but really wanted it so I ate most of it and saved the rest for later, it'll be melted but ah well, it was so amazing it won't matter.

    On our way across the Kancamagus we got to see a gorgeous sunset from the top. I tried out my camera on sunset pics, I’m still getting the hang of it but I got some good ones, none that truly captured it though. We left about an hour earlier than Tuesday but I was a bit more tired for some reason so it was kind of a long ride home, I didn’t get too tired though. I did fall asleep the second we got home though, head hit the pillow and I was out. We had a great two days in NH to celebrate our actual anniversary but can’t wait for our end of September trip when it’s a little bit colder and a little less busy.

BLOG - Ten Year Anniversary Trip to NH (Part 1)

    This week is our ten year wedding anniversary and Jaime ended up getting the same two days off as me for the first time all summer, so we’re celebrating both days. We got up this morning not quite sure what we’d be doing but knowing it would involve Arbys. Ours closed last summer so Augusta is the closest one to us which just so happens to be along our new route to NH. Of course by the time they open for lunch at 10:00 it would be too late to drive the rest of the way to the mountains. I voted to drive back up north and go to Acadia to finish up my book but Jaime wasn’t in the mood so we finished our delicious and long awaited meal at Arbys and continued on to our home away from home. I had my regular Beef N Cheddar along with one of their new gyros which was alright but not nearly as good as GH Pizza. They also had some new curly fries topped with melted cheese and bacon, amazing. Jaime got her regular Chicken Bacon Swiss but they’ve changed the recipe a little since we last had it, not nearly as good.

    We knew we wouldn’t be doing any big hikes in NH since it was well after 1:00 by the time we arrived but oh well. First stop of the day was Littleton to pick up some fudge from Chutters since we haven’t gotten any lately. Wow, this marks our fifth trip to NH this year. I stopped at the thrift and consignment stores next door but like always didn’t buy anything so after picking up a pound and a half of fudge we made our way over to Kilburn Crags.

    The day was perfect with bright blue sky and almost no clouds so I wanted to get some panoramic shots from the crag since I now have the ability to with my new camera. Unfortunately I haven’t quite figured it all out yet and wasn’t able to get any real good shots because the view isn’t exactly 360 degrees so the camera wouldn’t register it properly. I still got some good pictures though. It’s a tough little trail but it didn’t kick my ass like the first time, however I’m not quite in the shape I was in last year so it was no walk in the park either.

    We got some boneless wings at Pub 32 in Lincoln to tide Jaime over until supper but they weren’t very good so she didn’t end up eating them, but I sure did. Then we stopped at our regular hotel, Franconia Notch Motel, to make reservations for next month. We’re spending eight nights this year and with the discount he gives us since we’re regulars it’s costing exactly what we were looking to spend.

    Last year when we were coming back form Eagle Pass I noticed a rockslide beneath Eagle Cliff that I’d been wanting to visit. That was our last day there, I was dead tired and limping after an injury so I ventured out onto the slide, took some pictures and called it good until next time. Today was that next time. With only a couple hours left of sunlight we took the short cut to the trail, made our way up the steep ascent  and then Jaime sat on a rock to read while I went off trail to explore the rockslide.

With the sun about to go down I got some amazing pictures and even a couple panoramics, one of which might be my best photo ever. The new walkie talkies came in handy as we chatted back and forth, it’s a great way to let Jaime know I’m still safe, especially when doing dangerous stuff like exploring scree slopes and rockslides. I climbed my way up to the ledges above the slide, successfully conquering the area I’ve been wanting to after years of seeing it from the road. On my way down I fell once on the scree but didn’t get hurt. Since I’ve done a number of rockslides now it’s not as scary anymore, even with the ground moving beneath me.

    We did Black Mountain Burger for supper so by the time we left it was 9:15 with quite the drive ahead of us, making it a long night. This was my first time driving the Kancamagus Highway in the dark, no as bad as I thought it would be, especially with the new car. We did have to stop to use the bathroom though which was interesting since there are no lights in the Kancamagus restrooms, luckily I had my flashlight. Jaime started dozing about an hour before home but surprisingly I didn’t get too tired and we made it home around 1:30, so it turns out the drive is an hour less than we thought. Despite Jaime’s string of bad luck we had a great day and can’t wait to go back on Friday.

TRIP REPORT - Kilburn Crags (Littleton, NH)

    There aren’t much for hikes in Littleton NH, in fact, for years I thought there were none. With there being such spectacular views in the area, including leaving town on the highway or driving down Main Street in neighboring Bethlehem, you would expect some kind of view from the quaint little village of Littleton. Well it turns out there is.

    Kilburn Crags, a spot popular with locals and people in the know, is seldom visited by your average vacationers. Its trailhead is too hidden in plain sight to catch the eye of those not looking for it, plus, unless you’re heading to the hospital you wouldn’t even drive by it. Unfortunately there are only a couple of parking spots in the tiny lot but on a brighter note it is clearly marked so you’ll know you’re in the right place.

    The easiest way to get there, go to the hospital in Littleton. Just follow the signs. From downtown you’ll want to go up Main Street, stay straight at the funky little Y shaped intersection and continue along Route 18. If you’re on I-93 then simply take Exit 43 and follow the signs to the hospital, it’s located only a short ways off the interstate. Whichever way you get there, just follow the hospital signs and there’s no getting lost. The small dirt parking area will be on the left just a half mile down Route 18/135, also called the St Johnsbury Road. If you pass the hospital, you’ve gone too far.

     The parking area seems really random, just a small gravel pull off located between a couple farmhouses, but there is a big sign letting you know you’re at the Kilburn Crags and the trail is 0.7 mile taking roughly 30 minutes one way. A clear path leads up the far left side of the field heading towards the woods. I’m not going to lie, it’s steep, and it’s kicked my ass a couple times. Be prepared for some heavy breathing.


      The whole trail can really be broken into five different sections. The first part being the steep field, followed by the steep path through the woods, then onto the flatter section where it levels off and gets wet and muddy, then another more gradual uphill, and lastly a downhill portion which brings you to the lookout. The 0.7 mile trail is a wide road used for farming equipment and possibly logging trucks, there are even a couple benches along the way conveniently located after the steepest sections. The lookout at the top is frequently logged in order to open the expansive view and it’s even equipped with a picnic table.

     The view from Kilburn Crags is breathtaking, and I do mean that literally. The first time I came over that hump and looked out over Littleton, I was completely blown away. From the entire Presidential range, past the Twinway, all the way to Garfield and the Franconia Ridge, the Cannon ski slopes, it is truly spectacular. On top of that, you also get an aerial view of downtown Littleton. There are no steep ledges or drop offs so you don’t need to worry about the kids like you normally would in places with views like this. The wet portion of the trail can be a little slippery, especially on the way down, but this is a nice straight forward walk to a must see view. It is more than worth the steep ascent you face early on.