October 6-12                 Rhode Island and New Hampshire

 

Shannon was delighted to keep Pretzel again.  They had bonded well during our absence last year when we went to Europe.  David reluctantly handed over Pretzel with all sorts of instructions for her care.  He was already having separation anxiety.

Jerry had made all the plans and reservations for our trip.  He was also the chauffer and guide.  He expertly drove his new Alfa-Romeo from our meeting point near Boston through the small, historic Massachusetts towns to the White Mountains region of New Hampshire.

Our first sight of our hotel below Mount Washington and the surrounding mountain range was even more impressive than the photographs.  Opened in 1902 and presently owned by Omni Hotels, it has regained much of its past grandeur by extensive renovations which carefully maintained traditional features and many original structures.  Elaborate chandeliers and Tiffany designed glass windows and doors complimented the décor.  Our room was enormous and we enjoyed the great view of the mountains and foliage from our large windows.

One day was spent driving the famous Kancamagus Highway, a scenic route through much of the skiing and hiking areas.  The next day, we attempted to drive to the summit of Mount Washington but were allowed to ascend only part way due to ice on the road.  Despite the sunny, pleasant weather below, the peaks were covered in light snow.  The views were awesome and the foliage was spectacular throughout the area with wide expanses of reds, golds and oranges.

In North Conway, we stopped at The Christmas Loft, a large and very impressive Christmas store.  To my delight, I found a special nativity that will be adored by our great-grandchildren.  Now my challenge is to find room to display another one!

We enjoyed a memorable dinner at The Notchland Inn, a wonderful example of the arts and crafts architecture style, designed by Gustav Stickley, one of the founders of that movement.  Remotely located, the lovely1901 structure is surrounded by trees and gardens.  The interior is authentic with furniture, paneling, fireplaces and accessories of the period.  There are no television sets and guests are encouraged to play card or table games.  Dinner was a set menu and very good.  Mia, a Burmese Mountain dog, is allowed to come into the dining room and receive the adulation and petting of the guests.  Jerry and Jill were eager to see her again and had brought treats!

On Saturday, we enjoyed a delightful and scenic drive past numerous small farms with impressive large red barns in the Connecticut River Valley to Hanover, the home of Dartmouth College.  Despite the virus, students were everywhere enjoying the exceptionally warm and beautiful day.  With the beautiful fall colors filling the many surrounding trees, the red-bricked campus was quintessential New England.  Dinner and lodging were at the historic (but recently renovated) Hanover Inn where we could enjoy views of the campus green and activities.  Our journey back to Rhode Island was brightened by the sudden appearance during our absence of beautiful colors in the trees. 

Packing has begun and the boat is being readied for our departure tomorrow for Fort Worth.  It is always a bittersweet time but we are optimistically hoping we will return next May when the virus pandemic has been eliminated and normal nautical life and experiences can be resumed.  Once again, we had a delightful summer on The Bottom Line.

 

 

 

 

 

September 14-October 4                            North Kingstown, Rhode Island

Scott, the local refrigerator/A/C repairman extraordinaire, came again to diagnose and repair our temperamental refrigerator.  Replacing the full-size fifteen-year-old unit with a newer model is not an option.  It was installed by previous owners during an extensive remodel of the galley and pilot area.  To remove the refrigerator would require considerable demolition.  We will do whatever it takes to keep this one operating even though repair bills may exceed the cost of a replacement.  Once again, a part was ordered and everything worked as it should.

Consulting the weather charts, we finally found several favorable days for cruising with winds less than 12 knots.  Reservations were made at Sandwich Marina and Boston Waterboat Marina.  Jerry and Jill, our Boston friends would be free and we were eager to spend time with them.

Several days before departure, we took the boat to the nearby gas dock and filled the tanks.  I charted our course on the GPS and David ran through the checklist to be sure all was ready.  We were excited to finally be leaving Wickford Shipyard.

At 8:00 AM, Rupe came to take in the ladder and the lines and we made a smooth exit from our slip.  Before reaching the breakwater barrier into the bay, we experienced vibrations which steadily increased.  It was obvious there was a prop problem.  We had no previous indications and were very surprised by this occurrence.  With regret, we returned to Wickford Shipyard.

A diver was summoned and his quick inspection revealed the props and shafts were impacted by barnacles!  After several hours of cleaning, these pesky crustaceans were removed.  Too late to leave for our trip, we called to change reservations.

 Unfortunately, David pulled a shoulder muscle as he attempted to pull in a kinked power cord.  The pain was excruciating.  A visit to a local ER clinic showed he had tendonitis and only rest, heat or cold and pain medication would take care of the problem.  It was definitely not our day.  The shoulder continued to cause considerable discomfort and we knew David was in no condition to soon make the journey to Boston.

The boat was now located in a slip further into the channel.  Our view was across to the town of Wickford, the lovely marina leading into the town and the beautiful homes on the shore.  It was a lively area with people coming to stay on their boats and socializing with neighbors.  

Several days of high wind transpired before we finally had a sunny calm morning to make a brief cruise to test the props.  We enlisted the help of Rupe to join us and handle all the electrical cords and lines.  David expertly piloted the boat into Narragansett Bay and we cruised past familiar sights down to Newport and Point Judith before reversing and returning to port.  There was no vibration and all systems worked well. 

Our delayed plans to go to Boston were finally cancelled (despite losing reservation guarantees).  David’s shoulder was slowly improving but we decided it would be risky to attempt such a long journey.  To our delight, Jerry and Jill proposed a trip to the White Mountains.  We would spend four nights at the fabulous Omni White Mountain Resort and make extensive driving trips in the area to enjoy the fall foliage.