Flying Yankee Open House Saturday Aug 2, 2008

Officials with the Flying Yankee Restoration Group, located in North Woodstock, NH, have announced that the third of four Flying Yankee Open Houses for 2008 will be held at the Hobo Railroad in Lincoln, NH on Saturday, Aug. 2 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (final tour is at 3:30 p.m.). The event will take place rain or shine and will feature ongoing guided tours of the Flying Yankee inside and out permitting folks of all ages to get an up-close view of this historic streamliner. Although reservations are not required for the guided tours and there will be no entry fee to enjoy the Flying Yankee Open House event, tax-deductible donations for the ongoing restoration project will be greatly appreciated. This is also an opportunity to view the rebuilt truck wheel assemblies, which will be out on display for this Open House. The completion of the trucks represents a major milestone in the Flying Yankee restoration project.

Also, tickets for the Flying Yankee Seat Raffle will be available for purchase. This is an opportunity to own two $4,500 seats on the Flying Yankee. They will be yours forever and can be handed down to future generations. Ownership of the seats also entitles you to four full days of use of the seats per year. Second prize is a priceless, complete set of glass, hand etched Flying Yankee Dinnerware. Third Prize is a set of four glass, hand etched Flying Yankee mugs. Fourth Prize is a framed, matted, signed, limited edition Steven Cryan print of the Flying Yankee passing over the Frankenstein Trestle in Crawford Notch. Fifth Prize is a glass, hand etched Flying Yankee Hurricane Lantern. Tickets are only $25 each or five for $100. They can be obtained at the Aug. 2 Open House or online at http://www.flyingyankee.com. Only 750 tickets will be sold.

Come and stay for the weekend. The Lincoln-Woodstock area has dozens of lodging options, including the Comfort Inn and Suites, tons of dining options, including the Café Lafayette Dinner Train and several of New Hampshire’s favorite attractions, including The Hobo Railroad. To get all the details and to find a list of weekend activities in the region, visit http://www.lincolnwoodstock.com.
Operated jointly by the Boston and Maine Railroad and the Maine Central Railroad throughout northern New England from 1935 to 1957, the Flying Yankee was the second of only four diesel-electric, 3-car streamliner passenger trains of this type ever manufactured by the E.G. Budd Company of Philadelphia, PA. It traveled nearly 3 million miles from its home base at Boston’s North Station. The Flying Yankee was purchased from the Edaville Railroad in Carver, MA in the early 1990s by the late Robert S. Morrell, creator of Story Land and Heritage NH in Glen, NH and donated to the State of New Hampshire in 1995 for the sum of one dollar.
Now based at the Hobo Railroad in Lincoln, NH where restoration work will be completed, the Flying Yankee will be the only train of its type to ever operate again – anywhere in the world – once the restoration is completed. The Flying Yankee will also serve as an icon for Education, Economic Development and Tourism for the State of NH when the restoration is complete. The restoration is over 50% complete at this time. A $3.5 million dollar Capital Campaign to raise the funds necessary to complete the Flying Yankee’s restoration and testing is underway and a Naming Rights Program is a central part of the fund raising effort. Attend the Open House to learn how you can own your own seat on The Flying Yankee forever and ride free each and every year.
To learn more about the Flying Yankee Open House scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 2 or how you can help support the project though a tax-deductible donation, contact Flying Yankee officials by calling (603) 745-3974, visit the Flying Yankee’s official web site http://www.flyingyankee.com or send an e-mail to flyingyankee@usa.net.

Dare I say "Back to School"

Just a friendly reminder from your friendly Adventure Concierge that the season of "Back to School" shopping is approaching. I remember the days of going to Sears and getting fitted for my "Toughskins" and mom telling me I will grow into the pants I felt were too long.

Of course now that I am a parent, my kids tell me the same things that I tried to tell my parents. I guess the cycle never ends. Of course my kids have many more choices of things that are needed for school such as Binders(Trapper Keeper anyone?) pens, pencils, markers, scissors, and glue. I was in a major office supply store last night and I don't recall my parents having to spend $100 in office supplies. I hate to sound like them, but I guess the times have changed.

Don't forget that all your shopping in NH is Tax Free. While you are visiting us you can head to the Tanger Outlet in Tilton, NH off Exit 20 on I-93 or head over to North Conway and visit Settlers Green. Everything you buy will be tax-free. There is even some major chain stores in both towns that will be glad to sell you the latest and greatest in calculators and back packs.

Save $.50 per gallon

This summer one of the biggest concerns I have observed is the cost of gas. Here in Lincoln it is no secret that some well OK all of the gas stations here are expensive. My suggestion to every one is as you drive up here, stop at Exit 20 on I-93 in Tilton. There is a Exxon Station which was at $3.799 per gallon, Irving Gas $3.749 per gallon or BJ's at $3.729 per gallon. The price on Main St. in Lincoln has been around $4.099 to $4.249 a gallon. If you put 10 gallons in your car then I just saved you $5. Fill up anywhwere but Lincoln and you will save on every fill up.

I fill up twice a week just to commute to work so I know how it is. Thanks for allowing me to get this off my chest.

I look forward to seeing everyone this Summer and upcoming Fall. Everything is nice a green, the rivers have plenty of water and the fish are biting, so pack you bags and come on up.

Ice Cream Festival @ Loon on August 2, 2008

This Saturday August 2, 2008 Loon Mountian will be celebrating Ice Cream. The Festival will be held the Octagon Lodge from 11:00 AM until 4:00 PM. Admission is free. Free Ice Cream will be served from 12-4:00 PM. Fun family games all afternoon and a Craft Corner for the kids. A tasty BBQ will be served from 11:00 AM until 3:00 PM. Live music will from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM by the Dave Keller Band.

This is a sure cure to those summertime blues. I will be sure to be first in line. See you there!!!

Look Before you Jump!!!! or at least Think

Yesterday during my Nowhere and Everywhere Trip we went to visit one of my favorite Waterfalls called Upper Ammonoosuc Falls. The falls are located along the road to the Cog Railway. I have read in several publications that these falls are considered some of the more dangerous waterfalls in the state of New Hampshire due to the whirlpool effect of the 15 foot high drop.



While we were standing on the footbridge a man showed up with several teenage boys. The man went to a lower platform and appeared to be filming the boys as they got ready to jump into the river. This is a common practice at the falls. There are two pools of water. The first one is where the river drops into the pool and literally looks like a whirlpool, filled with foamy water. This is not a recommended place to swim in any condition, especially when the river is flowing high like it was yesterday. The pool connects to another pool that is generally crystal clear and about 15 feet deep. The water is also a mineral green color which makes it that much more attractive to the dare devils.



On this day there was no one swimming as the water was high, at least to me, because you could not see the bottom of that second pool, the waterfall was extremely loud which was a 2nd indicator that one should not swim here on that day.



I should note that I have always seen people jump into this pool feet first as it is probably the safest way to jump.



2 of the 3 boys jumped into the river and did OK. They came back around to the top of the rocks and were standing there discussing things. The father (my guess as to who he was) went back to the rock platform and looked like he was going to video them jumping again. The skinnier of the 2 boys looked ready to jump in again. My immediate thought was that he should not do it again, after all why try your luck. Apparently my brainwaves did not catch his and before my eyes he was doing a forward flip off the rocks and head to the water. There is where it went wrong for him. He did a 1 and 1/2 flip which meant that he had now just done a belly flop from 25-30 feet above. He did not surface correctly and appeared to be winded. His brother jumped in and helped keep his brothers head above water as he looked to have knocked the wind out of himself.



One of the ladies in my group was a retired nurse and she grew concerned about the well being of this child. She went down to where they came out of the water and said that the boy seemed groggy. The father assured her that he would take him to the emergency room. It did not seem to be a good situation but she felt good inside to have checked and offered to assist the father if needed.



When we left the waterfall, the boys and their father were still down below, but refused an offer to call for help stating that the boy just needed to rest. When we returned to the Route 302, we waited for the Twin Mountain Ambulance and Police to turn onto the road. I guess that someone else decided that the boy needed help.



My moral to his story is please be careful. Jump in Feet First only. We are lucky that we did not witness something worse.

New Activities

We are starting a few new trips. We will be doing a self-guided Bike Trip through the Franconia Notch State Park. This is an 80% downhill bike ride suitable for just about anyone who can ride a bike. Bikes and Transportation will be provided by Loon Mountain. If you have your own bike they can bring you up for a nominal fee.

Another new trip will be Kayaking or Canoeing on the Pemi River with an outfitter in Campton, NH. This trip is designed for beginners and lasts about 3-4 hours depending on the flow of the river.

We have had some requests for more walking events and next week we are adding a walk to a swimming hole. This one is called Lady's Bathtub is located almost directly across the street from the resort. The East Branch pools here and creates a superb swimming area. The water gets heated from the rocks so the water is not too cold.

A little help from my friends and Google

There is a guest here this week that has challenged me in a good way. He has come to me everyday with the name of a place, trail, brook, or something and it didn't ring a bell or I had never heard of it.

Today was a tough one. He started out asking me about panning for gold. I immediately thought of a river over in Swiftwater/Bath area that is known as an excellent place to pan for gold. Then he said it is in Lincoln. At this point I already knew I had been stumped, but I was determined to find the answer. He wanted to know where Notch Brook was in Lincoln. He said it was mentioned in a State of NH website as a place to pan for gold. Sure enough there it was listed http://www.des.state.nh.us/factsheets/geo/geo-1.htm. I started to think of all the waterways in Lincoln and couldn't think of anything. Even though what you see in Lincoln is a small area, it is actually the 2ND largest town in the state of NH at 130.8 square miles behind Pittsburg.

I opened up my maps and could not find the brook. I then called my friends at the Mountain Wandered which is a great map/bookstore here in Lincoln. The girl there pulled out the USGS maps and could not find it. I finally tried a search in Google. The problem is that the word Notch and Brook is used quite frequently around here. Well there it was on the 3rd page. I saw the name Notch Brook together with some other geographical references. Notch Brook is on the North side of Mount Carrigain. It is closer to Crawford Notch than to Lincoln Woods. After studying the maps it was decided that he was better off driving out to Swiftwater and trying his luck there.

I forget how big Lincoln is at times and how much of it is actually part of the state of national forest. If you want to pan for gold while you are here I will be glad to send to some places. Its a way to do something different, stay cool, and most importantly, have fun.

Papermill Theater in Full Swing

The award winning Papermill Theater is running 3 shows this year. The first show "All Shook Up" opened on July 2 to rave reviews. The next show to open this year will be "Forever Plaid" on July 16, and the last show to open up will be "The Full Monty" which opens on July 23. The Full Monty is for mature audiences only

The Papermill Theater is located adjacent to our South Mountain Resort and Village Shops. If you do plan on attending one of the show be sure to take advantage of some of the Dinner Specials that are available at participating restaurants.

Ask for you $5 discount coupon available for our resort guests.

The Children's Theater is also available Wednesday mornings at 10:30 and Saturday mornings at 9:30 in Lincoln.

Thumbelina - July 9 & 12

Jack and the Beanstalk - July 16 & 19

Just So Stories - July 23 & 26

Cinderella July 30 & August 2

The Elves and the Shoemaker - August 6 & 9

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - August 13 & 16

Here is brief write up on each on the Main Feature shows:

This new musical comedy, inspired by and featuring the songs of Elvis Presley, tells the fictional story of a guitar-playing roustabout who brings romance, rebellion, and rock 'n' roll into the life of a small-town girl. This is a show in the style of Grease and Footloose and promises to be a crowd pleaser.
This show is most appropriate for ages 8+

An affectionate revue of the close-harmony "guy groups" that reached the height of their popularity in the 1950s. En route to pick up their custom-made Plaid Tuxedos, the "Plaids" are slammed broadside and killed instantly. It is at this moment when their careers and lives ended, and that the story of Forever Plaid begins.
This show is appropriate for all ages.

Based upon the 1997 movie of the same name, this musical is a stage version of the Academy Award-nominated comedy about six unemployed steel workers from Buffalo, New York. The Full Monty is winner of the 2001 Drama Desk Award for Best Music and features a script by Tony Award winning playwright Terrance McNally.
This show is for mature audiences with adult themes.

Ways of the Woods coming July 12, 2008

SATURDAY JULY 12

WAYS OF THE WOODS

On Saturday, July 12, we’ll have a celebration of Lincoln’s Logging Heritage. Set up in front of The Village Shops, on Main Street, will be: Ways of the Woods: People and the Land in the Northern Forest It’s the Northern Forest Center’s exhibition and education program, housed in a 53’ long 18-wheel truck, which explores the culture and heritage across the Northern Forest region of New Hampshire. The NH Timberland Owner’s Association and the Forest Service will also participate.

Scheduled events include lumberjack contests and demonstrations, traditional crafts, bluegrass music, exhibits of early logging equipment, raffles, hands on fun for the kids, food, etc. The inside of the trailer has several interactive displays relating to logging and life in the Northern Forest. This travelling exhibut has never been set up in Lincoln.

"The Women Who Saved Franconia Notch" Field Trip July 18

I just received this in my email and decided that I will attend. I do not know when on Friday the field trip will be, but will post it Monday when I find out. If you are going to be here on July 18 and would like to go please let me know.

The Women Who Saved Franconia Notch

The Women’s Clubs of New Hampshire were instrumental in preserving the 6,500 acres of Franconia Notch. Kimberly Jarvis’ recent book, “Franconia Notch and The Women Who Saved It” details this overlooked bit of history. The Profile House burned in 1923 and many were concerned that the pristine landscape might be sold to lumbering interests. A concerted “grass roots” effort to “Save The Notch” was undertaken by the Society For The Preservation of New Hampshire Forests, involving many groups. The New Hampshire Federation of Women’s Clubs was deeply involved and their members invested much time, and money and they also exerted political pressure, often through their influential husbands. Their combined efforts succeeded in 1928, with the creation of the Franconia Notch Forest Reservation and War Memorial.

Jarvis had access to previously unpublished archival material and was able to put together the story of these joint efforts. She will present an illustrated program, based on her research , on Tuesday, July 15, at 7pm, at the Upper Pemigewasset Historical Society, on Church Street, in Lincoln.

On Friday, July 18, Jarvis and Dave Govatski, well known naturalist from Jefferson, will lead a field trip through Franconia Notch. It will meet at the Cannon Mountain Tramway parking area. There will be three short hikes. One will be to Artist Bluff, a second around the summit of Cannon on the Rim Trail, and then a short walk at the Flume. Total about 2 miles. There will no charge for the Field Trip, but participants will pay (a special rate) for the Tram ride to the summit.For more information, call Carol Riley, 603-745-8159

First BBQ of the Summer

This past Tuesday we held out first Summer BBQ for 2008. I have to say that it was a great success. We had 96 guests attend the BBQ and they all left with smiles on their faces. We kept a nervous eye on the sky as lately we have been having afternoon Thunderstorms, but on this day the weather Gods cooperated with us.

The cost is $10 per person and kids under 5 eat for free. The menu consists of Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, Grilled Chicken, Baked Beans( a crowd favorite), Coleslaw, Potato Salad, Assorted Fruit, Chips, and Ice Tea/Lemonade.

Sasha from the Recreation Department did some activities with the kids. There were some pretty cool Tye Dye shirts that were made. Unfortunately I was not able to capture them on my camera as I was busy attending to the guests.

As you can by this plate, everything looked good. Trust me when I say that there was nothing left when she was finished.

Please be sure to attend when you are here. We will be holding them every Tuesday from 5-7pm until Labor Day.