I've been needing one of these vacations . . . the kind where you're not in line and in a crowd every minute or rushing off to a reservation . . . one of those vacations where you can just "mosey"! Well, Stacy and I just took a trip to New England to "watch the leaves change!" How much more laid-back can you get?
Although it didn't start out that way! We had a flat tire before we even got to Enterprise! Stacy put on the spare. Thanks to Jim Whaley's Tires (just before you get to Wal-Mart) in Enterprise for helping us out with a new tire and getting us on our way to Atlanta. At least we weren't on a tight schedule since we were spending the night in Atlanta and flying out the next morning! We managed to make it to the Marriott Airport before too late -- and the Marriott bed made it worthwhile! Plus they have a "park and fly" policy so you can park your vehicle there (free of charge) for up to 8 days and take their free shuttle to the airport! Now that's the way to go -- and we didn't have to remember where in that airport parking lot our vehicle was!
We flew into Portland, Maine, on Sunday on AirTran. I was able to upgrade to business class the night before when I did our online check-in (for just $60 each) -- and now Stacy's spoiled with the big cushy seats and good service! It is soooo worth it! Arrived on time and went to Alamo (best price) to get our rental car -- a red Chevy Impala, very clean and fairly new!
Thank goodness we took the Magellan GPS, because I would have gotten us so lost and we'd probably still be up there somewhere in northern New Hampshire trying to find our way back! We drove across New Hampshire and just across the Connecticut River from Dartmouth College to Norwich, Vermont, where we were staying three nights at the Norwich Inn. It was a cute inn -- small town. Our room was on the second floor -- in blue and white with a comfy kingsize bed with a small sofa and flat-screen TV. The bath was tiny, but cute. There was a pub downstairs and we ate there one night and two nights in Hanover at Molly's Restaurant (the hangout for Dartmouth).
On Monday we rode down to Quechee and Woodstock, VT, then on up following the Green Mountain Forest to Stowe and Waterbury. The scenery was just beautiful -- everywhere. We stayed on two-lane roads and avoided the Interstate -- and just "moseyed" along!
On Tuesday, we woke up to snow! Then it turned to rain. We were heading to northern New Hampshire through the White Mountains. The higher up we got, it began to snow -- really big flakes. It was so beautiful! We stopped several times to take pictures. From Conway, we headed up toward Mt. Washington -- but it was getting foggy by the time we got there and we didn't try to go to the top (thank goodness)! Then the GPS got stuck and wouldn't tell us where we were and I had to get us back by reading the "paper map"!
On Wednesday, we checked out and headed south to the Vermont Country Store (my mom's favorite store and I promised her we'd go!) Then on over across New Hampshire to southern Maine. We spent the night there in Kennebunk at the Kennebunk Inn. Cute room, but very small. I managed to get Stacy to stop at one antique shop!
Stacy wanted "Maine lobster," so we went to Kennebunkport and walked on the beach there -- didn't see the Bushes, they must have been out of town -- and ate at Bartley's -- the home of Mrs. B's famous blueberry pie. Stacy got his "giant" lobster, and I had a wonderful prime rib -- and we shared some of that blueberry pie -- and it's just as good as they say it is! They had photos of the Bush family all over the restaurant and said that Mrs. B's pie had been on Air Force One!
And on Thursday, we headed back to Portland to fly home. It was a great vacation -- with beautiful views, and rich fall colors, and snow! And to think it was all Stacy's idea!
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