Intervale, NH to Bethel, Maine - a mountain trip

The Bethel Maine annual fall harvest and chowder cook off was this past weekend. We've been going up for years to sample the best chowders from the local inns and restaurants. Every year the competition gets fiercer and the chowders better. This was the first trip up in the Lance camper so we combined it with some camping. The leaves are beginning to turn color in the mountains, crisp cold nights and days still in the mid to upper 70s. Perfect time of the year to live in Maine. Camped on the Saco River in Intervale, NH though "river" is a bit of exaggeration. It was very low and mostly a stream with deep fish pools here and there. Eons of tumbling river rock make it fun to explore. Joe has gotten interested in HO model railroads again so we visited the Hartmann Museum and model store http://www.hartmannrr.com/. Again the TC worked perfectly as I got to sit beside it in the shade and use the camper as a hotel room while he took his time inside the museum. Did get a few looks as I sat in the canvas chair, feet up on the rear step and knitted.

Next day on to Bethel for the festival. Bethel is one of those perfect small towns in Maine that has refused to go strip mall or big box. http://www.bethelmaine.com/ It is a very active community and everyone seems to know each other. Lady in line next to us waiting to buy chowder tickets even gave the local policeman a hug - she'd had him in grade school We're thinking of going back up for the big Fall Festival and the international wife carrying contest. http://www.bethelmaine.com/Members/cochtera/sunday-river-ski-resort/fall-festival-weekend. Back to the train store and then on to a campground in Fryeburg, Maine. This one we drove into and quickly back out - filthy with trash all over the place and not a comfortable feeling. We've been in enough campgrounds and areas now to know what we want and first impressions usually are correct. Ended up at the Vacationland Campground on Crystal Lake in Harrison. If we had been parked any closer to the lake, we would have been in it. http://www.vacationlandcampground.com/ Most of the campsites are seasonal but they have a few drop in spaces. New friends made sitting around their campfire trading places to go - and how to work the GPS on a camper.

Photos never do the scenery justice. Mount Washington was in cloud cover, across the valley Wildcat Mountain was crystal clear and the views went as far as you could see. The $$ spent for the gondola ride to the top was worth it. The walk down will take some more recovery time.