Even the brochure has today down as a long day of 260+ miles - the other days have been about 160 or so.
As mentioned on previous days we're getting quite worried that Fall is so late that we won't see any fancy colours. The "fall foliage" to date has been running at less than 1 percent. Today has changed all that.
Route 2 to New Hampshire is totally festooned with trees of various shades of red, orange, yellow and green. The transformation was quite remarkable.
First stop was a comfort stop and elevenses just outside Newport, Maine. New England is a very confusing place - the place names repeat themselves from state to state, no wonder the Americans have a tendency to put the state after the place - it could be anywhere.
The dustbins in the car park had signs on them, in true Maine fashion, that you weren't allowed to rummage in them - I'm not sure what kind of person lives in this area that they need telling not to go through the bins
Ploughing on along Route 2 we passed through Skowhegan, which was remarkably un-picturesque and grubby looking, not at all in keeping with the New England image. On then to Farrington, after which we stopped at on of the abundant rest areas (lay-by), with facilities (toilets), for lunch (sandwiches) near Dixfield.
Took a left at Gorham for the final leg to Jackson.
We have mad good enough time to take the auto road to the summit of Mt Washington. Fit car and driver are requested by the rangers - they make a big thing of how difficult the drive is - before going up. We were given a tape to play on which some guy drones on about how difficult it it, how to drive up it and experiences of people on the mountain in the past. The most hazardous part of driving up is trying to stay calm at the noise of this guy on the tape prattling on - we turned him off, after which it was a leisurely drive. Sure the road is windy and the weather windy, but it is no big deal - in the Uk we have Hardknot and Wrynose passes which are far more exciting/difficult (depending on your view).
For a good account of the summit of Mt Washington, have a read of chapter 18 of Bill Bryson's book "A walk in the woods" - it describes the summit very well even the video of serving breakfast in 100mph winds.
Other features of the summit are the cog railway with steam trains, the weather station with the note of the highest wind speed ever recorded of 231 mph, the Appalachian Trail and, of course, the great views - though being well above the tree line at 6288ft there are no fall foliaged trees in sight.
The drive down (side two of the tape was equally irritating) was fun and the views still quite excellent. Since we were probably the last people to set off down the mountain before they closed the park, there was a near zero risk of meeting anyone coming up on the narrow road - this made life a lot easier.
On a day when we started out less than 1% "Falled" we're finishing the day at about 70% "Falled" - the difference is phenomenal.
Directions to the hotel were for every direction except the one we were going in, but we still found it - "Eagle Mountain House", Jackson.
The hotel was rustic and was very old and done out to look very old. The lobby, restaurant and bar were very impressive, well done out and comfortable - unfortunately the room was not. Peeling wallpaper, stained bath, unfilled holes in the ceiling where pipe work used to go and a very small room. This was to be the location where we were to spend our 25th Wedding Anniversary.
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