Whoops, a sudden trip to NH!

[yewberry]

I've been trying to engineer a trip to New England--my dad is sick (in hospital, but will probably be fine) and the time just seemed right.

Well, late last night, my father-in-law called and said that he'd been checking online, and he could get me a flight with credit card points, and the flight leaves Sunday at 7 am. Yes, Sunday, as in tomorrow.

Wow. (My father-in-law is a frickin' rock star.)

Okay, now I have to pack and get ready for the flight. Anyone flown very recently? I know the "no liquids" restiction, but are there additional things that I should be aware of?

How's the weather? Accuweather is predicting 60s-70s over the next week, but that doesn't sound like August to me. I'll probably be in Exeter, then Framingham (yup, MA), then near Laconia, and if I'm very, very lucky, up at Sebago Lake (ME) next weekend.

Any weather alerts or airport advice for a seat-of-the-pants traveler?

Thanks lots!

[graywarrior]

1. I'm in Coos County, in the White Mountain area

Supposed to be cool for the next few days...like low 60's, then get warmer into the 70's. Rain on Sunday.

[yewberry]

3. Well, Coos and Belknap are practically neighbors.

Almost.

I guess the internets were right. I'll pack a couple of long-sleeve shirts, too!

Thanks very much.

(How's that AmeriCorps thing going there? I'm actually considering doing a second year of service...I must be nuts.)

[graywarrior]

13. Ended up working for App Mountain Club instead for the season

Couldn't find housing where they wanted to place us. Too bad, it would have been a great gig.

[yewberry]

27. Wow

Sorry it didn't work out with the corps. I hope you found a good team to work with!

[graywarrior]

28. Yeah, people I've known for a long while.

I'm planning my next move. Can't make any money in the north country.

[auntAgonist]

2. no advice here but ..

wow you FIL rocks :)

have a great trip. Best wishes to your Dad too!

:hug:

aA

[yewberry]

4. Thanks, aA!

Yeah, I am so lucky to have the in-laws that I do.

And thanks for the good wishes for my dad--he'll probably be fine, and then I can kick his ass for not taking better care of himself!

[maveric]

5. Interesting archeological site in Salem NH."America's Stonehenge"

http://www.unmuseum.org/mysthill.htm
In the early 60's my Dad, a News Journlist, wrote several articles on this cool little excavation. Some say it was built by bottleggers during the 1820's, others claim that the ancient Pheonecians or 11th century Irish monks built. In the late 70's it was on that Leonard Nimoy Mystery show.
One of the Solstice stones that line up with he sun on the summer and winter solstices.

The Lookout.

The Sacrificial Stone.

The Oracle Chamber.

There have been many opinions over the origin of "Mystery Hill",as it was once called. Many call it a hoax and others swear it has ancient European origins.
If anything its inteestin and fun.

[yewberry]

6. Mystery Hill!

That's what we called it when I was a kid. I actually went there on a couple field trips, and also when my family didn't want to spring for tickets to Canobie Lake Park.

Thanks for the photos and the memories!

[maveric]

7. I lived in Salem during my high school years.

Friends of mine worked at Mystery Hill and let me in for free. My Dad would bring us kids there when he'd write stories on the site. We got to watch excavations and view the artifacts up close.

Canobie Lake Park Rules!
I went back there two years ago and took my kids to the park. They really modernized it.

[yewberry]

8. I haven't been to Canobie Lake for years!

I once got stuck in the hall of mirrors. :blush:

I lived in Hudson for part of my high-school years. The last time I was in Salem I didn't recognize it!

[maveric]

9. Salem is like a Border Town.

The town totally depends on businees from MA. Very commercialized. Malls,restaurants, stripmalls... Its a shame the race track is shut down. That place generated some serious revenue for the town.

Did you go to Alvirne HS? Or am I so old that Alvirne HS no longer exists?

[yewberry]

10. I did

go to Alvirne for three years! Holy cow. Alvirne, fer chrissakes.

Yeah, Southern NH seems to be essentially a sweeping retail zone. Nothing at all like I remember it. Didn't that race track burn down?

[maveric]

11. Rockingham Park burned several times over the past 100 years.

The last fire was under questionable circumstances. Salem has a big mob influence. Trust me on this one as a Sicilian-American. My Dad swore that the boys in Providence had something to do with it. After the fire they rebuilt the place but never reopened. It just sits there on Broadway. Decaying.
We played Alvirne at football, early 70's. Salem always trounced them.

[yewberry]

12. Really?

Wow, the things you never know about the world around you. I'm surprised to hear that the track is just rotting there--the area around it has become really built-up.

And Alvirne had a football team once? They only had soccer when I was there--I do remember some kind of story about how a student there was killed playing football and so the school never had a team after that. (I don't think I believed it at the time.)

[zanne]

16. Do they still have summer solstice celebrations?

I always wanted to go and see the sun come up directly behind the center of that big pointy boulder.

[maveric]

18. They used to have them.

But I'm not sure if they still do it. One year there was a contrversy with a local Xtian group tha complained about Paganism and satanism occuring in NH. They ended up havig the celebration anyway.

[YankeyMCC]

14. Weather in Boston is beautiful today but

looks a bit rainy and cool tomorrow so you might get some of that. It should be fairly cool up there anyway if not rainy.

[yewberry]

20. Hmm, it's still August out here.

Have you adopted a new calendar while I was away?

(Thanks for the heads-up--I'll be sure to plan for cool & rainy!)

[YankeyMCC]

25. Ha ...well this IS August in New England :)

The Hobble Bush leaves are already turning color :)

[DancingBear]

15. We just got back from NH this afternoon

It has been somewhat cloudy and overcast - highs in the very low 70's - but still was good enough for golf. :)

Sunday is supposed to rain, but the upcoming week will have highs near 80, and the weather should be good.

We flew Southwest from Virginia (actually BWI in MD), and "security" was a breeze. Just don't pack any gels or liquids in your carry-on and you'll be fine. We passed through easily with vitamins, medications and snack food (energy bars, etc.) in tow, as well a digital camera.

[yewberry]

21. I think I'm going to skip the carry-on.

I flew standby for years, and didn't check a bag for a long time, just out of habit. I think I'll just check a bag and carry my purse--it'll be nice not to *have* to carry everything.

All right! Thanks for the encouraging words!

[WritingIsMyReligion]

17. It's been all right, but colder now that fall is a-coming.

:D

[yewberry]

22. I'm still going swimming.

Cool and rainy be damned, I'm going in that lake.

Thanks!

[sarge43]

19. We've had a generally cool rainy summer this year, except for

the blast in late July. Late summer and early fall are usually nice upcheer. So just pack a sweater or sweats for evening (the temps could be in the low fifties or upper forties) and rain gear. It's micro-climates around these old mountains because of the valleys, rivers and lakes, so it's lovely in one town and raining like hell 10 miles up the rud. If you're a camera bug, bring one because it looks like an early foliage this year and you may see some spectacular scenery at Sebago.

[yewberry]

23. A sweater it is, then.

Should I skip the summer jammies and bring something a bit warmer? (Awwww, poop.)

You're certainly right about the micro-climates, especially up by my mom's place.

Thanks!

[sarge43]

24. Re jammies.

Depends upon how many blankets you want to burrow under. :evilgrin:

[yewberry]

26. Sadly

My husband and the pooch won't be making the trip with me.

Sweats it is, then. :-(

[Redneck Socialist]

29. Welcome to NH

Late August pretty much counts as the beginning of fall here abouts. Weather for the week is looking like rain early (Sunday, Monday) but clear the rest of the week with temps in the fifties to seventies. Pretty much your typical late August, warm days, cool nights. Just about perfect.

Enjoy your trip.