June 28, 2016 The Flume, Franconia Notch State Park, NH

Since we did this hike 40 years ago on our honeymoon, we felt we really should do it again.  And we enjoyed every minute!  Nothing we like better than hiking in the woods with rocks and waterfalls.....

The Flume is a natural gorge in Franconia Notch in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.  The park service has constructed wooden walkways along the gorge so that us tourists can enjoy it safely.  It was wonderfully cool down there in the gorge!  These pictures really don't do it justice.

At the mouth (bottom) of the flume is a long flat area.
Made me think of the Sliding Rock in the Smoky Mountains.

Avalanche Falls.

Those girls were having a blast up in there.....

This is a nice story, I hope you can read it.

Crawling?  Hands and knees?  I don't THINK so.....

Entrance to the Wolf's Den.

Exit from the Wolf's Den.
I posed for this:  I did NOT climb through....

This is one mighty determined tree!  Look at those roots.....

The End!

June 26, 2016 Mt. Washington Cog Railway, New Hampshire

We moved along to New Hampshire and camped in the small town of Littleton in the White Mountains.  The tallest peak on the east coast is Mt. Washington at 6,288 ft. and it is quite nearby.  Off we went to ride the Mt. Washington Cog Railway to the top.  We did this a few years ago while visiting with my late brother Bill at his condo in the area.  It's a wonderful vertical ride up and down the mountain!  We were saddened to see that they have retired all but one of the old coal-powered steam engines and are now using eco-diesel engines.  I know the new engines are much better, but nowhere near as exciting as those old guys who chug and puff....  Below are a few random pictures of our trip up and down and what it was like up top.

Going up and admiring the lupines beside the track.

From the top.

You can't see them unless you enlarge a LOT, but there are hikers on that trail -
the Appalachian Trail. 

Here we are - it was in the low 50's with a very brisk wind - hence Bubba holding on to his hat....

How they kept warm in the Tip Top House.

If you drive up on the road, or ride one of the "stages" (van),
this is where you disembark.

This raven was a bit raucous and I could hear him long before I saw him.

Clouds were beginning to roll in.

Tip Top House, where intrepid hikers and explorers used to stay.

One of the railcars arriving up top.

The Waumbek, last of the coal-steam engines in use.
It now runs twice a day.

Looking up from base station.

Closeup of the cogs and the horns.

Hard to believe that this building is exactly level.

Getting cloudy.

Clouds coming in, and the line of tourists waiting to get their photo by the Mt. Washington sign.