Coos Conversations

Give yourself a Christmas treat, go to St.Kieran's this weekend

just got back from the Christmas concert at St. K's and it was incredible. I've been dying to go to an event there for a year, and this was the first time that the fates and my schedule and St K's performance schedule all collided. The church is lovely at any time, but lit up for Christmas it is magical. The evening started off with a brass jazz quartet.. I wasn't prepared to like anything with the name "jazz" in it, but the quartet that warmed up the crowd was wonderful. But the real joy is the Community Chorus. The selection was wonderfully diverse -- from gospel to Mr. Grint to the  Hallelujah Chorus. There's something there for everyone. But most surprising were the voices. The community chorus is an old tradition in Berlin, and obviously many people have been doing it year after year but with only 9 rehearsals they produce a sound and a quality of harmony that many many groups that rehearse for years can't achieve. The best news is that if you missed it tonight, you have two more opportunities to hear it this weekend.

Fall is quickly approaching….

Here in the Great North Woods of  NH we are beginning to experience the cool days of fall.  This is the time of year when we have cold (in the 30's) nights and gorgeous warm days. Summer is not done just yet.  Mother Nature is just preparing us for things to come.  One is the color changing of the leaves better known as the Fall Foliage Season.  New England shines this time of year.  The amazing transformation draws you to the outdoors to explore the beauty of fall.  This is one of the best times of year to check out God's Country as I call it. There are so many places to explore and events planned for this time of year. 

Before I continue:       [PLEASE REMEMBER TO PRACTICE: "LEAVE NO TRACE!"] (Carry in carry out always!) Thank You!

My favorite is to drive north and take in the majestic beauty along the Androscoggin River into the Thirteen Mile Woods Area north on Rte 16. Along this stretch one needs to keep their eyes wide open.  Here you will see moose, dear, bear, fox, bald eagles, the occasional Canadian Lynx and a lot more. You pretty much name it and we might just see it.  I enjoy stopping along the river just to hang out with friends and have a picnic or to fish and swim.  Fishing in this river is a load of fun. Nice Rainbow trout to catch and many other types of fish. One will also find many places to stop for a swim along the river.
We continue north into the Lake Umbagog Area.  Here there is the Lake Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge. Great place to take the kids. In this area one will find Lake Umbagog as well as The Lake Umbagog State Park and Campground.  This campground offers lakeside camping, three cabins as well as campsites accessible only by boat. 

We continue our drive to the east where you will find gorgeous and breathe taken views of the Western Maine Mt's. also known as part of Appalachian Mt. Trail System. A must stop location is the Grafton Notch State Park.  Here you are able to enjoy Mother Walker Falls, Screw Auger Falls, Moose Cave and the Moss Garden to name a few. 

There are many short hikes or day hikes to choose from.  One of the favorites is Step Falls located on Rte 26 about 7 and half miles from Bethel Me.  At this site you can take a short hike and view the cascades and the chutes. Don't forget your swimsuit so your can try the chutes.  What a blast! The kids would love.
Our ride continues into Bethel Me. at the intersection of Rte 26 and Rte 2 (we usually stop for ice cream here.) take a right on to Rte 2 going West.  You will  find the Sunday River Brew Pub. Stop in and sample their spirits.  Remember Maine has a very strong DUI enforcement so if you plan on sampling more then one or two you may want to consider one of the local hotels there and not drive. Bethel has a couple of interesting places to visit. Make sure to check out the Bethel Chamber of Commerce website. They offer more information on their website. 

We continue our adventure on Rte 2 West.  This takes us back into NH. In Shelburne don't forget to take the North Rd.  Off the beaten path (dirt roads on the left side of North Rd) are some of the most amazing panoramic views. Plus you can enjoy short or long hikes in this area to waterfalls and there are wild raspberries and black berry spots for your picking.

Remember to Leave No Trace. We cannot stress this point enough. This keeps the environment healthy and clean for our children and grand children to enjoy. Plus it carries a stiff fine for littering.
Our drive is almost complete as we continue on Rte 2 West which brings us to Gorham. NH. Here we pick up Rte 16 North. 

In Gorham there are many places to stay and great places to eat.  By now it's almost time for dinner and one of our favorite places is Mr. Pizza. This is a great family dining experience.  Occasionally you may even find some entertainment in the lounge. It is a good time to sit back and enjoy the river view and spend quality time with the family. 
After dining is a good time for a stroll down Main Street.  Check out the local shops. Enjoy conversations with the locals and take your children to the Gorham Common to play in the park.
The day winds down as we drive north on Rte. 16 into Berlin NH. This was our starting point of our adventure and where we call home.  It makes for a full day the children are tired and so are we.   The experience has left us all with tired limbs and full bellies. This make for great sleeping.  Please make sure to check out our local chamber of commerce for all of the latest events here in Berlin and the Great North Woods.

Have a Great Day

   

Nrthrngrl64

Thanks to Nrthrngrl64 for a wonderful guest posting today!

Fun things you can do with a great heritage

Next Saturday August 25th is the kick off of a two week celebration of local heritage at the Northern Forest Heritage Park. It starts at 8:30 on Saturday at the Northern Forest Heritage Park with the  LogJam concert featuring local musicians. If you haven't gotten over there yet this summer, this is the event to go to. In addition to the concert, there will be an on-going local art show on display at the Bunk house titled Now/Then/When  featuring artwork that relates to Berlin's connection to the paper industry. The idea is that Berlin is facing monumental changes and this is a moment to capture the moment. The exhibit will include older mill-inspired art as well as more contemporary work done after the closure and reflecting the impact of the closure on the city. Hope to see you there.

All this for five bucks?

I have a family of four on a budget.  A twelve year old son that seeks adventure and a three year old wanna be twelve year old son who also seeks adventure --- but as any mother knows, activities have to be adjusted according to age and pocket book size. Sure there are the theme parks and endless hiking trails, but when your budget is small and it is HOT outside, nothing sounds better than going for a swim.  Coos County offers numerous places to dip yourself into cool clean water --- but none better than, (in my opinion) South Pond in Stark, NH. So this past Saturday, I packed up the kids, cooler, sunblock, beach toys and my husband and we headed for the beach.

Easily accessible from Route 110, the drive up to the lake is breathtaking for lack of a better word.  You feel like you are in a canopy as you drive along and the trees above you form a natural tunnel.  At the "top" you will be greeted by some very friendly park "rangers" who will collect the fee for the day of five dollars and in return you get a beautiful hiking trail, a clean beach, clean bathrooms, changing rooms and crystal clean water.  There are picnic tables, grills, fire pits and a water spicket for your convenience. 

The water is sectioned off for the "Big kids" area and a smaller wading area for the "little ones."  This helped to accomplish my goal of adventure appropriate for both ages. Not to mention that my 12 year old finds the well defined hiking trail along the side of the lake his personal hide away from an aggravating little brother.

On Saturday, I was also accompanied by my mother and father who enjoyed a relaxing day watching their grandchildren digging in the sand and splashing about. Add in a cooler of ice, some drinks, snacks and sandwiches (or in our case cold pizza) and you have a great day that is also great on the old pocket book. 

Did I mention fishing?  Yup... you can do that here too.  So for all of you that need a great day out with your family that is only 20 minutes from Berlin, 10 from Groveton, 25 from Lancaster ---- check out South Pond, you won't be disappointed.  You can see pictures of our day here.   

World class right out our own back door

Tourism consultant Roger Brooks told us on Friday that Coos County was a world-class destination and while I tend to agree with him based on what I know about the county, I decided that I needed to know more about some of these places that we brag about that I've never been to.  So I headed west on Rte 2 yesterday morning from Randolph and went in search of what had wowed Brooks. Of course just driving west on Rte 2 can lead to some amazing views, but I'd already seen those in just about every season.. I stopped in at Emerson Outfitters because you just have to. Other than Calef's country store in Barrington, where I used to buy penny candy when I was 3, Emerson's is my favorite place to shop in New Hampshire. I realized as I was wandering thru the aisles that what they sell there isn't sporting goods, its the fantasy that you can actually be those fit, smiling, winning athletes that you see on the posters and on your TV.  Whether its a white-water kayaker or a catcher of the world's largest trout, there is something about the selection and layout of the place that makes you think anything is possible.
Unfortunately, the one thing I was trying to find -- a good bicycle map and helmet -- they were out of, so I continued my meandering northward.
The last time I'd been in Colebrook was in the Valentine's Day blizzard, so I wasn't at all prepared for how beautiful and lush the views are in summer. I'd been looking forward to something from the famous French bakery, Le Rendez-Vous in Colebrook, but it was closed on Sunday  -- probably just as well for my diet. I headed up route 3 for Pittsburgh and the Connecticut lakes. The scenic views just kept getting better. I no doubt pissed off a whole bunch of people as I kept pulling over to take pictures. My goal was  the tower on Mt.Magalloway but after getting to the base of Coot trail and starting the climb, I realized I had no idea how far up it was to the top, and my stomach was starting to growl. So I turned around and stopped at Lake Frances State Park. Now there's a gem.. gorgeous water, easy access for canoes or  kayaks... so I pulled out my picnic and had a lovely lunch on the shore. From there I turned on to Rte 145 south and stumbled across Beaver Brook Falls another amazing gem of the North Country.  Just about every inch of 145 south between Pittsburgh and Colebrook offers amazing views, but the falls is where you absolutely positively have to stop. You can walk right up to the falls and dip your feet in the crystal clear water.  I took 26 thru Dixville Notch back to Errol, just to completely OD on beautiful views. I'd never seen the Balsams in high summer and it just gets prettier. Then it was back to Rte 16 thru 13 Mile Woods. I discovered the Paul Bofinger Conservation Area in Dummer -- another hidden gem.  Not sure what the paddling is like, but the very notion that I could be in a kayak about 20 minutes after leaving my desk is pretty cool.  I hit  Berlin just a little past 6 and almost stopped in to see the latest Harry Potter movie at the newly reopened Supreme Cinema, but decided that since I started my day with a 6-mile run and had now clocked over 100 miles in my car, even Voldemort couldn't keep me awake, so I returned to Randolph just as the sun was starting to set. 
My conclusions-- Roger Brooks is right. Coos County DOES have world class attractions -- the trick is finding them. You can see them all here.

Be still my beating French heart

I just got back from the Festival du Bois over at the Northern Forest Heritage Park in Berlin. It was nigh on impossible to tear my feet away from the French Canadian fiddler -- part of a band called Crowfoot, but I wanted to share the event. There's still time to get down there too, since the festivities go until 7 pm tonight.  While the American wimps out there can get hot dogs and hamburgers, those in the know were ordering Poutine and Tete de Frommage and the meat pies -- all cooked up by local volunteers presumably using their mothers and grandmother's recipes. There are some great old quilts, wonderful crafts -- check out the wooden bowls, they are awesome. My favorite moment was running into one of the Boothman Sisters who makes dolls that tell the story of her famly's  history in Randolph. Given that I went running on Boothman Road this morning I couldn't help ask about the connection. Turns out that her father used to own the land that I'm staying in this week. The dolls are wonderful and tell great stories about the early pioneering New Hampshire women that settled the area.

For me the best was the forge. My father started a forge in our back yard when he wanted to build a dock one summer so just the smell of the coal brought back some amazing memories. Frank Chamberlain was working it today and making some really fine looking pokers. It's an amazing process when you think how little it's changed over the centuries.

So if you're wondering what to do today, get on down to the Festival Du Bois. And if you missed it, but it on your calendar for next year.

Hellooooo Coos County, NH and Beyond!!

Welcome to the first day of Summer 2007!

Let's do an update of what is going on and what you can do in Coos County, NH this weekend.

First up.., this Friday and Saturday - thousands upon thousands of motorcycles will be driving through Coos County on their way to the 31st Annual Blessing of the Motorcycles (Blessing of the Bikes to all of us natives ~wink~) and for the 10th Annual Great North Woods Ride-In. Even if you do not drive a motorcycle or know someone with one - you are still welcome and it is quite the site to see so many beautiful motorcycles all together.

In Lancaster on the fairgrounds, the Stark Fiddler's contest gets underway at noon on Sunday the 24th.  Rain or shine, you are in for a good time. :-)

Need a place to stay while you are up here for the weekend?  How about "roughing" it at one of several campgrounds?   Or if sleeping in a tent isn't your cup of tea - how about renting a cabin in beautiful Pittsburg? Did I mention some of the best fly-fishing around? No??? - Well trust me when I say that this IS the place to go and catch some fish! (I have this information from a very trusted source. Thanks Bruce!)

Still not enough to do??? How about watching the races at Riverside Speedway in Groveton?

Coos County is the place to be whether it is the first weekend of summer or the last weekend of winter - there is always something going on here in this most beautious place!   

Psyching up Six Kids in Coos County

Psyching up Six Kids in Coos County

Spring is here and summer’s creeping up on us, finally! With that comes the end of the school year anticipation. The kids have had enough of alarm clocks, school busses, books and homework. They’ve been begging to just take “one day off” as the weather warms up and classrooms get stuffy. They’ve forgotten all the complaints I heard last summer it seems. Summer hits, the excitement fades and the words “I’m bored’ and “there’s nothing to do” come out of my children’s mouths more often than “I forgot to do my homework” did all year long. That’s how it was last summer at least.

This year I’ve added four children to the summer mix. The “six-pack” aka “Brady bunch kids” spend an unequivocal amount of time entertaining themselves, alas their version of entertainment normally ends in a fighting match, mixed four-letter words and one or another crying. But I digress. This summer I solemnly vow to give these children, two girls and four boys ages 12 and under, something to do beyond Playstation and web browsing. 

Because I work during the week and the older boys aren’t too thrilled about the thought of sitting at a daycare with the younger kids I’ve discovered a form of recreation that I think they will enjoy and what I hope will accomplish the impossible, satisfy their “bored” nodules. Here in Berlin the Recreation Department offers a summer day camp, called the Kid's Jamboree It’s kind of like a daycare but for the older kids. They do arts and crafts, work out in the gym and spend countless hours on field trips. Another great thing for all the kids in the city is the summer parks program which provides a free USDA lunch and activities at all of the major parks in the city.

The weekends are booked up solid for the entire summer! Our family is big on outdoor sports and ATV’s; Dirt bikes, four-wheelers, mud and Motocross racing. We’re looking forward to checking out the new ATV park as well as hitting up Santa's Village and Six Gun City. The tents are ready for camping and the fishing poles are waiting for worms. We’ve also got South Pond, Libby’s Pool and Jericho Lake for swimming and a new found hobby, geocaching. If all else fails the kids have their paintballs and BB Guns and I’ve got a stash of empty jugs for targets.

Oh and the rainy days. How will I keep six very outdoorsy children entertained when it’s pouring buckets? My son would interject “Playstation” here, however; I completely refuse to hear of it. The St. Kieran Center for the Arts has a fine listing of shows as does the Weathervane Theater in Whitefield. The kids are also a huge fan of the G-scale model railroad in Gorham. One of my personal favorites on a rainy day is Moose Meadow Mini-golf. The kids can hit the arcade and it’s the only place I can play pool without having a bunch of intoxicated people watch how bad I am! I haven’t heard if they are reopening this summer. I sure do hope so! Anyone else have any ideas? What are you doing this summer?

Special Thanks to Erica S. for being our guest blogger today.