New England Trip: Day One

Flying home to Florida from Manchester, NH at the end of September is one of the greatest things!

A very different feel than a plane full of families traveling to all points south.
No screaming babies or antsy toddlers; instead it was people headed home, from their home.

If you know anyone from New England than you know how much we love our neck of the woods.
Why wouldn't we.
We have the Red Sox, Patriots, Celtics and Bruins.

Plus,
It's beautiful and chocked full of history.
It's why, on this pilgrimage home to Newport, NH, we hit a few of the many spots that make all Yankees love their land.

As with any trip my first piece of advice is to travel with someone you love to be with, for me it's this guy!
Friday was day 1 on our road trip. We headed toward the second longest covered bridge in the country, it held the record for the longest until last year when a new on was built in Ohio. The winding back roads and mountain views were certainly a sight for these Floridian eyes.

I love barns and dairy farms. They sprinkle the countryside adding sight and smell to the drive.

We made it! The Cornish-Windsor Covered Bridge spans the Connecticut River between Cornish, NH and Windsor, VT. As a middle schooler we drove this bridge to church every Sunday.

If you visit, make sure you get out and walk into the bridge. The locals with grumble about you, calling you a "leaf peeper" or a "flat-lander", but never mind them! Stop and smell the roses.
So here I am taking my own advice:

But don't forget to walk your horses.

Here's the church I attended from 7-9th grade, I never knew it had the top steeple.

We headed north out of town in Windsor, VT and arrived at our next destination: Simon Pearce. Their studio has a viewing gallery. We stayed for hours watching these guys blow glass. From the floor view to a catwalk around the whole shop, it was amazing. I now have a desire to blow me some glass, and I have a seasonal friend who has the stuff to do it!

This was the finished piece. It took 2 guys 10-15 minutes and it sells for $118. Crazy huh?

Leaving Simon Pearce we continued our journey north on Route 5 to Lebanon, NH. We met our friend Justin at the Co-Op grocery for lunch at their cafe. A spot for locals and easy on the pocket.

We then drove into Hanover, NH, visited the Dartmouth Bookstore and took a spin around the Dartmouth College campus as well as a drive-by where Steve had his first job at a gas station.

The green at Dartmouth:

Leaving Hanover Steve napped while I drove to our hometown of Newport. Back roads open up to views like this:

We hiked on the property we'd love to build a little place on:

Stone walls amaze me. They come in different shapes and sizes but each wall holds a story of days gone by.

After hiking we visited my brother and saw my nephew off to work. Love his car!

That night we finished it off with family, food and this little guy: my nephew.

Actually the evening came and we hit the local pub with some old friends. Jenny has been my BFF since 7th grade gymnastics class, Trevor since back in high school when myself and all the cheerleaders would eat at his house, Vanessa a friend from later high school/early married years and John who not only was in HS with us but also is hanging out with Vanessa now!

So day one on our trip to NH was a very Chillaxing day. My heart aches for home when I am there, yet the flight home always breeds excitement, for as of today Florida is my home.

We did not go to NH for the scenery however, it was for a wedding.

That was day 2.

Those pics to come tomorrow.

Happy to be home and with my family.

Day two, go here.