Day Fifteen

No-one ever thought it would happen, but today, alas, it did. It is a sad day, but one that, hopefully, will be forgotten soon enough. But we'll get to that tragic event later.

Set out for an hour drive this morning across to Mount Washington, the highest point in New England. You have three ways to get to the top. You can take the rack and pinion railway, hike or drive up yourself. We had discussed it the night before and made a decision. The railway costs $64 each and takes an hour each way. Quite expensive. Hiking. Nope. Driving is an eight mile route and would cost the two of us $35. We decided we would drive.

We arrived at the toll booth, paid our fee and read the instructions on how best not to die on the way up or down.  Set the car into L as per instructions which gives it a lower gear ratio than the Drive setting. And off we went. First mile or two passed fairly quickly. Tarmac road, quite wide. Gradually the road got steeper, narrower, foggier and changed to gravel. The edge of the road tended to be the edge of the hill and there wasn't any barrier. Tried to drive up the middle. Passing cars got interesting. Ann's grip of the seat increased with each mile. We stopped at one point to allow the engine to cool, as it got fairly warm. Then finally reached the top after about half an hour.

Fully worth the drive though.

Top

Stunning!

Saw the place where the strongest wind ever recorded on Earth blew. The building that the observers were in is still there and it is chained down.

Gusty

Expensive Train

We stayed up the top a while before deciding to head back down. Offered Ann the chance to drive back down. She declined. Meanwhile the cloud had closed in so it was slightly worse coming back down.

The accompanying CD we got told us on the way down that the record for driving up is under seven minutes. Obviously done by a professional in a proper car and with no traffic coming down.

Once we reached the bottom we headed to the nearest town and parked up at Moose Meadow Mini Golf.

Got our putter and ball each and off we went.

Final Score

Knightley - 53
Roffe - 51

As I said earlier, a complete tragedy. Moving on swiftly.

Bought lunch in Subway. Drove back towards Mt Washington and parked next to a river to eat. I clambered down some rocks to take a picture or two.

Summit in the clouds

We then headed back. Went to a town about twenty miles from our hotel. Thought about going on the Hobo Railroad but it was just closing when we got there. Decided instead to play the Hobo mini golf course next door. Just about to get out to play when a combination of flying ants and imminant rain changed our mind. Took ages deciding what to do next as it was too early to eat and there is nothing to do in the rain. Eventually decided to go to a supermarket get loads of food and head back and spend an evening in our room.

Have done just that and a thoroughly good evening it has been.

Bed soon ready for another change of location tomorrow.

Moose Watch today was low.

States visited - Eleven