It was time for a day trip (and more).
That's because the first day of spring arrived in NH this weekend with temps climbing to the mid-60s on Sunday. It was a perfect go for a ride day, and that's what we did.
Grenville packed up his ham radio gear and we traveled about an hour to the Blackwater Dam in Webster, NH. The earthen dam was built in 1941 by the United States Army Corps of Engineers at a (then) cost of $1.32 million. The site includes 8 miles of river popular for canoeing and kayaking, and fishing for brown and rainbow trout.
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| Grenville and portable ham radio setup |
There was a lone picnic table in a small parking area where Grenville set up his "base" and I enjoying an audio book. We had brought sandwiches and enjoyed a "picnic" lunch. It was great being outdoors on an early spring afternoon. Friends joined us briefly as a fellow ham radio operator and his wife drove from Nashua to visit for a while.
There was still a surprising amount of snow and ice in the area compared to hardly any left in Nashua, so we didn't do any walking around the area. Several other cars stopped in the parking area for short looks around
Heading home, we opted to take back roads and avoid major roadways for as long as possible. This was a very good thing as here's what we found in Boscawen, the Smoke Shack, which may be a food stop on a future trip to this area.
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| The Smoke Shack, Boscawen, NH |
While not visible in the photo above, there was a steady line of (socially distanced) customers waiting for — as the sign shows — ice cream.
As regular readers of this blog may know, this is one of our favorite road trip treats, so much so that it was a highlight of our cross-country trip several years ago.
Naturally, we had to stop and enjoy our first treats of spring which included mocha chip, chocolate peanut butter and rocky road ice cream in waffle cones. (Sorry, there's no sharing here, maybe another time and place.)
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| First spring ice cream treats |
Hope your first weekend of spring got off to a fun and possibly delicious start.
29 comments:
You both look so happy and well! Such a fun road trip, crowned by delicious (and enormous) ice creams. Wonderful. I can't wait for our first road trip of the year. We are still under a stay at home order so not just yet but not too long I hope.
YAY for a short travel day... i had to speed by the ice cream, none in 4 years now. i would love some of that Southern BBQ but am wondering how it got way up NORTH. It is good he is keeping that ham radio working and working well and there will be a few people who can commicate when the cellphones crash and burn fromover use... old time commuication may be needed some day... wish I were there to play on it... I loved the old CB radios and had one in every car and a home base, but we never had a ham radio
It was beautiful yesterday and ice cream fits the bill. We are about 40 minutes north of where you were and yes we have ice and snow still maybe not after the next few days.
Cathy
Those first early spring outings of spring are extra special.
I love peanut butter but I've never come across chocolate peanut butter. It sounds rather wonderful.
It was a beautiful weekend here too. Sunday we gathered around the sap boiling campfire and grilled hotdogs and s'mores. It was just a chance to sit and chat, feed the fire, strain off the foam, and add more sap as it boiled away. 15 gallons were boiled down to, well I haven't heard yet the outcome. It was a work day too as Dan is preparing half of the barn to be turned into a garage.
You picked yummy flavors! Glad you were able to take a road trip on such a nice day. It was beautiful here, too!
Looks like you and Grenville had a wonderful spring day there. And those ice cream cones look so yummy!
Yes, ice cream!! I love it but don't eat it nearly as often as I would like to 😊 Sounds like you had a great first day of spring.
I wouldn't share the ice cream either. It looks so good. And I believe I would like the Smoke Shack too.
oh my word that ice cream looks absolutely delicious, I should have treated myself earlier, I've had a good day gardening. Looks like you had a good time with good weather.
Spring, road trip, and ice cream go well together!
Strange as it may sound, I like to eat ice-cream ..in winter.
That looks like a great trip! Fun to see you both enjoying yourselves and the ice cream!!!
Road trips and ice cream are a sure sign that winter is finally behind us. The weather looks beautiful in your neck of the woods. Today in TN it was sunny and in the 50s.
I am disappointed you are not sharing, those icecream look delicious. A great trip for your first Spring trip out.
It must feel great to be out for the first time of the seeason.
This looks like fun. Nothing like a road trip with good food and ice cream!!!
Beatrice, We got our second shot of the vaccine today and in about 2 weeks, it will be road trip time for us too! FYI, I would have gone for the BBQ...but my bride would have joined you for an ice cream treat. Stay Safe and Take Care, Big Daddy Dave
Nice photos. Good to get out and have a picnic. Always wonderful thing to see on back roads.
Sounds like a fun day out. Those ice cream cones look soooo delicious! Enjoy! Hugs, Edna B.
Oh, you're killing me with the ice cream!
Looks like you had a great time. Blackwater Dam seems like a really great place to visit. And I think it's cool that Grenville is into ham radios.
Oh wow, ice cream. I am diabetic now so all I can do is admire it. You had a great adventure.
I have ice cream at home, but it has been ages since I've had a cone.
Spring has arrived in New York, too, and there was a long line around the corner for the new (this year) local ice cream shop. I haven't tried it yet, but I'm looking forward to it.
What a fun day -- and topped off with really tasty looking ice cream! My dad was a ham operator. I can't remember it now but I knew Morse code before I knew the alphabet, I think. I was never fast but pretty on target. All I can remember now are "hi" (which dad would always beep if he saw another ham car license plate while we were on the road) or "SOS." I still have his old QSL cards I wish I could find a home for. I was always fascinated when he would get postcards from around the world.
Sounds like a great road trip and the ice cream cones look so good.
Wishing you a very happy and beautiful spring.
Really good ice cream in a waffle cone is such a treat!!! Yours looks delicious - mocha chip? Oh yummy, how wonderful does that sound? And I would be tempted to stop at the smoke shack as well. You had such a beautiful start to spring.
We haven't been out for ice cream yet this year - but it looks as though you like it the same way we do - in a big ole waffle cone!
Hooray for day trips! And ice cream! We don’t keep it at home anymore, so it really *is* a treat now. Especially when we go to the coast or the beach on a nice day , I always get a cone! (And you probably thought it was because I love the ocean ))). Hmmm, now I can’t wait to go.
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