New Hampshire Adventures

Following a very nice visit with Wayne's sister and family, we headed north to New Hampshire to see our Cudjoe Key neighbors, Gary and Ro. We think Zuzu and Tootie were happy to be back in the RV, their well-appointed kennel on wheels. What dog would complain about having your bed and kitchen in one space, and new smells and adventures at every stop! As before, Zuzu and Tootie preferred to sleep and play back in the bedroom while we rolled down the highway. Occasionally, though, they would make their way up front to see what was going on. Especially when we slowed down in traffic or, better yet, when we were stopping at a rest area.

Here, Zuzu was curious about our crossing of the Hudson River on the Tappan Zee Bridge north of the City. Hope she enjoyed the view...it cost $25 for the RV and tow car. Ouch! 

We didn't push it all of the way into Hooksett, NH. Instead, we stopped to feed Z and T dinner at the Connecticut welcome center and rest area and decided to stay the night. They had a nice separate area for RVs to park away from the trucks.

We pulled into the Brick House parking lot by noon the next day. We didn't have that far to travel, but couldn't pass by the Costco in Nashua without stopping to stock up on chicken thighs for Z and T. No, the hot dog greeter wasn't out to welcome us when we arrived. But she did make an appearance later in the week. Making drivers happy gave her a rush and she would have stayed out there longer if the hot dog suit wasn't so hot.

We tucked the RV in our usual spot behind the restaurant...mmm, you can already smell the fried clams, scallops, and onion rings! Zuzu and Tootie didn't know what to make of this destination at first, but soon discovered the stray cats across the street.

They did enjoy their stay in New Hampshire. We went to Livingston Park in Manchester which has a nice gravel path around a small pond. Zuzu, the hunter, was always eager to arrive and chase the chipmunks and squirrels. There seemed to be an endless supply, too.

They appeared to be in their element. Probably more so than in south Florida where they can only chase lizards, iguanas, and birds and the "woods" consist of buttonwoods and mangroves.

Vizsla on point on a rock...

Tootie wondering why we stopped...oh, another picture...Zuzu may see another chipmunk around the corner.

This is a great spot to walk Z and T.

Saturday of Labor Day weekend, we decided to take the girls to the coast, which is only an hour east of Hooksett. Our destination was Kennebunkport, Maine. From here, were were planning on following US-1 down the coast towards Portsmouth, NH.

Unlike the calm waters and relatively sandy beaches surrounding the Keys, the rocks and surf of the New England coast makes it less suitable for romping and wading. The sound of the waves crashing on the rocks unsettled the girls a bit. It took some coaxing and convincing to get them to walk along the path that meandered well above the rocky beach below.

Just around the bend we could see the Bush family compound, Walker's Point.

We did the tourist thing and took a picture of Zuzu and Tootie with the Bush family compound in the background. They didn't seem to be too impressed.

On the way back to the car, Zuzu was curious what was behind the concrete wall. With a cuteness factor of well over 100, we could not resist a quick photo.

Once back near the car, we found a nice spot to take a picture of the girls on the coast. A very nice gentleman offered, in his thick Massachusetts accent, to take our picture. One of the few occasions with the four of us in the same picture.

Once back from our afternoon excursion, the girls took their siesta on the bed. Zuzu closest to the window to better keep an eye on the cats roaming the trailer park across the street.

Couldn't resist this shot of Tootie sitting on her right hip. Too cute!

Labor Day weekend marks the end of the Brick House season. Gary keeps a countdown of the days remaining in the season on his whiteboard in the back of the restaurant. A quick glance from his workstation at the fryolator reminds him of how many days until paradise...or until the closing process begins, which involves serious cleaning of all nooks and crannies of the restaurant, before they can pack the Rover and head south to Cudjoe Key in mid-October.

With the closing of the restaurant, Gary and Ro's life returns to normal... eating at normal times, being able to shop during the day, and, well, stepping off the treadmill and slowing down a bit. Experiencing the outdoors is a must in New Hampshire, and there are plenty of places to do so. One is Bear Brook State Park about fifteen minutes from their house. The park has several trails for hiking. This trail was nice and wide, used for horseback riding, making for an easy walk with a couple of small climbs. 

Once out of the woods, the trail opened up onto a large field. Tootie enjoyed the walk but was growing tired quickly. Zuzu, however, was full of energy and eager to track small game in the woods. 

After walking through the field, we took the road back to the parking lot. Along the way, the girls spotted a squirrel in the woods, not sled dogs as the sign warns. 

It was a nice walk. A good break from the chores for Gary and Ro and a nice adventure for the girls. They really enjoyed their New England visit. Hope they don't miss the trees and wildlife too much when we get back home in the Keys.