Steve and Mary USA Trip: Gorham and the White Mountains

The drive from Bar Harbor to Gorham on the I2 took us about 4½ hours and passed through many old, now defunct mill towns (Bethel, Gilead and Skowhagen to name a few) – what they do for a living now is beyond me as most businesses appear to be made up of lawyers, banks and the obligatory architects office (Ed note – even the smallest town seems to have an architect’s office, most are one man and his dog affairs).

There was one exception though, a town called Mexico that wasn’t even on the map. This had the biggest timber a paper mill smack bank in the middle of town which must employ people from miles around.

Me with my pumpkin head on and moose mate

It wasn't really

We didn't add to this phenomenal statistic

We stopped for lunch in Skowhegan at small café called ‘what’s for supper’ – the owner said she called it that because that’s what her kids’ were always saying to her!

Gorham is a funny little place – it is at the cross over of the I2 and 16 routes. Both of these roads are relatively quiet except for the mile long common stretch that runs through the town which was always mad busy. On either side of this stretch was every type of fast food restaurant – Dunkin Doughnuts, McDonalds, Burger King and a myriad of other fast food outlets pizza – with motels filling the gaps. The McDonalds outlet was boasting their 99^th billion sold! For all that, the place had a good feel about it in a nostalgic sort of 1950s Americana way.

Our Motel on the strip

The centre of the town has the feel of an old Pennine mill town which has been passed by the 21^st century and reinvented itself in a kind of Hebden Bridge way. What it did have, however, was fall colours in abundance and a backdrop of the White Mountains and, in the same way that Hebden Bridge is transformed by the rugged beauty of the Pennines, so Gorham is lifted from the gloom.

Amongst all of the fast food outlets we found a great little restaurant called Libby’s which had a pub called Saalt attached both are highly recommended. We also found a great coffee and book shop called White Mountain

We spent a day walking on one of the few rainy days on the slopes of Mount Washington. The mountains are mainly forested even at very high levels and are very rugged. As well as a lot of scrambling we also had to cross a raging torrent jumping rock to rock – all good fun!

The things Mary has been put through!

Just to prove we did some of the Appalachian

Another climb after we waded across the river

From Gorham we headed down the Kancamangus trail to Burlington. The trail cuts through the White Mountains at over 3000 feet elevation and is one of the most scenic routes in New Hampshire. We caught the Fall here at its peak and the colurs were stunning.

The highway winds and turns through the valley below the mountain ranges, making the going slow. This also makes it very popular for bikers and it seemed like every Harley Davidson club in NE America was out thrashing the road. The other major hazard is moose crossing roads and have you seen how big those bad boys are? They recommend ‘brake for moose’ on road signs dotted all along the highway but anybody in their right mind wouldn’t do anything other!