Sunday, June 5th, 2022 … Two Lane Adventures Continue!

Today we travel to Gail & Larry Towle’s in New Hampshire. We departed the Quechee KOA and headed east on US 4 through only one town, Hartford, before we crossed the New Hampshire state line at the Connecticut River on the Lyman Bridge. The structure is named after a historic predecessors that once spanned the Connecticut River. Another competing proposal to name the bridge in honor of a Korean War veteran was rejected. However, unofficially it has been called the Lyman Bridge for over 100 years and there are still Lyman relatives in the Upper Valley.

Lebanon is part of the greater Upper Valley which includes neighboring towns in New Hampshire, as well as Vermont. We turned north onto New Hampshire Route 10. It is a 120-mile-long north–south state highway in western New Hampshire. We are following Route 10 to its northern terminus at a junction with US Route 302 in Haverhill. It is also a Purple Heart Trail. The purpose of the Purple Heart Trail is to create a symbolic and honorary system of roads, highways, bridges, and other monuments that give tribute to the men and women who have been awarded the Purple Heart medal.

We came into the town of Dartmouth. What is Dartmouth known for? On one hand, Dartmouth is known for its rigorous academics, Ivy League status, and small class sizes. On the other hand, the college is renowned for its Greek life (it was the inspiration for the movie Animal House), rural setting, and outdoorsy vibe. We took our rigs through a downtown that was alive with activity, considering it was early on a Sunday morning!

Lyme is a rural community located in the Upper Valley region of New Hampshire along the Connecticut River. Some think our name came from Lyme, Connecticut and others mention Lyme Regis, England. The spelling on the original 1761 charter of "Lime" has been attributed to an error by Governor Wentworth's secretary. The original settlers were from Palmer, Belchertown and Brookfield in Massachusetts. Lyme has more gravel roads than paved roads and a population of 1,716.

A design for an official state emblem was adopted in 1945. It described an emblem that included the Old Man of the Mountain as its central figure. The Old Man of the Mountain appears on license plates, state highway signs, state police cars, drivers' licenses, and "all printed or related material issued by the state and its subdivisions relative to the development of recreational, industrial, and agricultural resources of the state."

In Orford New Hampshire, I saw a sign for Peyton Place. My mind went right to the song about the school board that was a "Peyton Place." That is not this place, Peyton Place Restaurant is a small family-owned business that focuses on quality cuisine in a relaxed setting. Their entire menu is made from scratch with an emphasis on farm to table, organic ingredients. The menu is a confluence of French, Thai, Italian, Vietnamese, American and Latin American cuisines. They are only open select days and not much RV parking! 

We drove on the Connecticut River Byway America’s Byway. In Lebanon, we took Route 10 north through Hanover, a beautiful college town, to Lyme and Orford- home of the Seven Swans, said to be the finest group of Federal-style houses in the United States. We continued on to Haverhill and Woodsville, where we will pick up Route 135. It joins Route 18 west of Littleton, a bustling town and great ending for a scenic ride.

Haverhill New Hampshire has a large Historic District. It is made up of private residences and public buildings located along two intersecting roads and around two open commons. A broad spectrum of architectural styles is represented, from vernacular Georgian to Bungalow, with Federal style buildings being the most numerous. About 24 of the contributing buildings are located along the major north-south thoroughfare, State Highway 10 (Dartmouth College Highway). The commons are surrounded on all four sides by buildings. 

US 302 follows the Ammonoosuc River through a mix of fields and forested land, passing through Bath, Lisbon and Littleton. Route 302 is officially designated the 10th Mountain Division Highway, a name that the state Legislature approved in a 2001 law. The 10th Mountain Division was created before World War II as a unit dedicated to fighting in mountainous areas and winter conditions. In recent years, it has been active in Iraq and Afghanistan.

We followed the Ammonoosuc River between Bath, Lisbon and into Littleton. It is a 55-mile-long river. It is a tributary of the Connecticut River, which flows to Long Island Sound. Ammonoosuc is Abnaki for "small, narrow fishing place."

We arrived at our destination for a few days, at Gail & Larry's. They opened their house and yard to us and Gary & Sheryl on our way to Maine to start the 2022 Canadian Maritimes #2 caravan.