Whining Dogs and Clean Snow

Submitted by John Damon
Christmas Farm Inn Class of 2008

What do you do the weekend between the divisional playoffs and the Superbowl? Judy (no, not that Judi, the Judy that was the recipient of the 2010 GSA Hospitality from the Heart award) and I looked in on the Sled Dog Races on Lake Chocorua in Tamworth and the Snow Sculpting Competition held at the Black Mountain Ski Area in Jackson, NH. Both events ran both Sat and Sun. The weather was great and the crowds manageable.

The Tamworth Outing Club has hosted one of the races on the sled dog racing

circuit for many years. This race is one of the longest continuous running sled dog races in the Northeast. Many of you probably know that Admiral Bird’s sled dog teams were trained in the Wanalancet part of Tamworth, NH. I moved to Tamworth in 1964 and volunteered in '65 by packing some of the race course on snow shoes. While most of the up to 20 miles of course is packed by snow machines, some places still need the snow shoe approach. Eventually I worked up to cook hamburg's and hot dogs. I firmly believe the dogs have the most fun. They sure love to run. I counted 4 handlers plus the driver holding a 9 dog team back at the starting line until "mush" was called over the loud speaker. There were all kinds of whining and barking while waiting to go but once they heard "mush" there was instant silence. The "mushers" were holding on for dear life when they left the starting tunnel. We also had a chance to see the kids race a couple hundred yard sprint with only one dog pulling them and the sled. In a couple of cases it seemed that the kid was doing most of the work.



Going into Jackson on Sunday we went through the famous covered bridge and by my Alma Matter, Christmas Farm Inn, site of my GSA training in 2008. We climbed up 16B for a couple of miles to the Black Mountain Ski Area where an invitational Snow Sculpture competition was being held. This is the only New Hampshire State Sanctioned Snow Sculpting Competition! We got there just as the judging was about to begin so all the creations were in pristine condition. The general public had a chance to vote and Judy's choice was also the choice of the public. Exhibitors also judged. Non NH exhibitors judged the NH entries and the NH folks judged the non residents.  The winner was to go on to a National competition and possibly International. It certainly is amazing what you can do with a pile of snow. I found it hard to imagine how they were able to keep the snow so clean. There were about 15 creations and one heck of a lot of talent was on display.

There is so much to see and do. Being a GSA makes me more aware of the many things that are close by and interesting.



Big History in "Little Canadas"

Betty's Travel Planning Tips

Submitted by: Betty Gagne, Granite State Ambassador, First in the Nation Class 1999 & Customer Service Assistant NH Division of Travel & Tourism Development

If you’re like me, your grandparents, and maybe even your parents, came to New Hampshire from Canada. I still remember my Grandmother telling me how she moved to New Hampshire from a farm in Quebec, and how she worked in the manufacturing mills as a teenager. Because so many French people immigrated here during the industrial revolution, New Hampshire had lots of cities and towns that began forming neighborhoods nicknamed “Little Canadas.” The French had a huge influence on the heritage and culture of many families, and our website is proud to feature a brand new Franco-American Itinerary that’s designed for folks who want to explore their French heritage in New Hampshire.

Amoskeag Manufacturing Company,
looking up the Merrimack River, Manchester, NH;
from a 1911 postcard by Alphonso H. Sanborn.
Electronic Source: Wikipedia

The tour is centered in Manchester, as the Queen City was once home to the largest mill complex in the world, the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company. It features dining establishments that offer classic French dishes on their menus, organizations that center on educating visitors about the Franco-American culture in New Hampshire, and other points of interest directly related to the influence that the French-Canadians had in the Granite State.

Although the itinerary centers on Manchester, there are many other communities throughout New Hampshire that still carry remnants of a strong Franco-American presence within their architecture, their restaurants, and most of all, their people.

Please visit http://www.visitnh.gov/uploads/itineraries/franco-american-tour.pdf to read or download this fun and educational itinerary. Bon Voyage!

Inside, Outside, Upside, Downside, We Have Just the Thing for You!

Betty's Travel Planning Trips
Submitted by: Betty Gagne, Granite State Ambassador, First in the Nation Class 1999 & Customer Service Assistant NH Division of Travel & Tourism Development

Winter in New Hampshire isn’t just for skiers and snowboarders. The Division of Travel and Tourism has a fabulous website designed for those folks who are seeking all winter activities the state has to offer. Winternh.com is your guide to winter in New Hampshire, and features lots of fun things to do in cold weather.

WinterNH.com Home Page

Maybe you’re not a skier, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the views from the snowy mountain summits – mountain coasters and zip lines are running year ‘round and offer a whole new way to enjoy the scenery. Ski areas offer packages where you can learn to ski, and most guarantee you’ll be skiing after one lesson! Snowmobiling, snow shoeing, tubing, ice skating, ice sailing, dog sledding, and winter hiking are all popular pastimes when the temperature drops.

If you’re looking for indoor activities, discover what a true spa experience can do for your health and well-being. Massages, facials, manicures, pedicures, body wraps – anything goes in these state of the art facilities, and once you’ve found out what a day in a spa can do for your body and soul, you’ll want to return again and again. New Hampshire is also known for its tax-free shopping, and there are hundreds of outlet stores, antique shops, and shopping malls just waiting to be discovered.

VisitNH.com Winter Itinerary Web Page

Check out the itineraries for more ideas on things to do while you’re here. Winternh.com is your one-stop resource to plan your winter vacation in New Hampshire!

Four Homes, One Tax Bill, and Endless History

By Lorry Young, Radisson Hotel Class of 2006

The Woodman Institute Museum located in Dover, NH offers four buildings to explore ...Woodman Home Galleries, Hale House, Damm Garrison, and Keefe House and Carriage Barn. I found this to be a very entertaining, and educational way to spend two hours in New Hampshire. Below is a short synopsis of this very interesting tour to explore in NH.

The Damm Garrison is a well preserved 300 year old house that is now a museum with a collection of over 800 items. Period artifacts enable museum visitors to experience colonial Dover.

The Woodman Home is quite unique with an extensive collection of rocks and fossils, Indian Artifacts, Mammals and Marine Life, Birds and Butterflies, Snakes and Turtles, and a Doll lovers collection. The top floor is a Memorial Museum, including a saddle used by President Lincoln.


The Hale House has a collection of art and period furniture circa 1800. The furniture collection includes a desk used by Dover's first Mayor, Andrew Peirce, and a table used by Rev. Jeremy Belknap where he wrote "A History of New Hampshire".

The Keefe House has more than 7,000 historical and genealogical documents including wills dating back to 1741 - even a 1771 tax bill from King George.

The Museum is open to the public 12:30-4:30 P.M. Wednesday through Sunday, except holidays, and is closed December 1 through March 1.

Snug in Your Bed at the Historic Colonel Spencer Inn

Submitted by: Tony Fitzherbert (with help from Ann Verow) both graduated of the Common Man and Spa Class 2010

While I am a formal writer, and my "OMG" experiences are reserved for waterfalls, mountaintops, spectacular views from NH trails, exquisitely brewed, delightfully chilled beers at brewpubs, meals at the Mad River Tavern or Foster's Boiler Room, and other NH natural or positive sensory experiences (of which there are many), I offer my take on the Colonel Spencer Inn owned by, friends and fellow Granite State Ambassadors of mine, Mary Jo and Scott Stephens.

Located on a grassy knoll on Route 3, a country byway just south of the village of Campton NH, is the historic Colonel Spencer Inn, an unusually cozy, friendly bed and breakfast. Built in 1764, the Colonel Spencer mixes the charm and hospitality of a country inn with the modern comforts and amenities of today's living.  The Inn is conveniently located moments away from the vibrant, bustling New England town of Plymouth, home of Plymouth State University and the myriad year round activities and sporting events associated with the school. If relaxation or sightseeing is your preference, the Flume, Cannon Mountain Tramway, The Basin, Kancamagus Highway, and numerous mountains are a quick drive just up nearby I-93. The Colonel Spencer Inn is in many ways a typical yet unique New Hampshire hostelry, where a stay would be a memorable highlight of any visit to the White Mountains.

The Colonel Spencer experience begins with a cordial welcome from your hosts, innkeepers Mary Jo and Scott Stephens, and their friendly chocolate lab, Guinness. You will be shown to your spacious comfortable room where you may settle in and relax. When you are ready to explore the area, Mary Jo and Scott will be delighted to direct you to the attractions for which the region is renowned, or guide you to one of the many different outstanding restaurants in the immediate area for an enjoyable supper. In season, a number of nearby summer theater performances, concerts, plays, and other cultural activities can round out a pleasant evening.  Should you wish to spend the evening reading a good book or playing board games, you can do so by the warm glowing wood fire in the inn's large fireplaces in the living and dining areas.

In your snug bed, you will be lulled to slumber by the chirping crickets and other nocturnal sounds of the woods. When morning arrives, you start your day with a sumptuous farm fresh breakfast in the Inn's bright sunny dining area freshly prepared by Mary Jo and Scott.

The Inn is a mere half hour from world class skiing at Loon Mountain, Cannon Mountain, and Waterville Valley, while Bretton Woods, and Wildcat are not much further away. When the warmth of Spring and Summer spreads through the mountains, and the woods come to life, easy hiking trails along rushing brooks and through dark evergreen groves, or strenuous ones up rugged mountains to overlooks from which you can see for miles. These adventures await outdoors enthusiasts. Or you can fish, canoe or kayak on the countless ponds and lakes in the area, or golf on one of the many beautiful courses in the region.  In the crisp air of fall, some of the most beautiful foliage anywhere is just outside the Inn's doors! The cove pocketed wooded shore of Squam Lake, the setting for the 1981 film version of the Ernest Thompson play "On Golden Pond", which starred Katherine Hepburn, is only a few minutes away. Exploring in the other direction may take you to Newfound Lake, the second largest body of water - and deepest glacial lake -  within the New Hampshire borders. On its shore is found Wentworth State Park featuring gentle forested hiking trails, a boat launching area and a wide sandy beach which will please the entire family. Hebron, a quintessential New England village at the North end of Newfound Lake, features a typical general store, a white spired wooden church, and 18th century vintage colonial homes surrounding a shaded, gazebo - adorned town green . What a perfect place to step back in time and perhaps take some pictures. Something to please everyone awaits you here!

Regardless of the season, the Colonel Spencer Inn is an outstanding headquarters for any northern New Hampshire stay. Its welcoming homelike atmosphere, delicious breakfasts, and comfortable rooms will be a highlight in an experience which you will delight in sharing with your friends and relatives when you return home from a trip to the Granite State. The Inn's slogan truly reflects the spirit of the area where you "Arrive as a guest, leave as a friend!". And your first visit to our region will not be your last - "You will love it here".

Take a run across the border ...

A little New Hampshire stand-up for you, courtesy of New Hampshire comedian Juston Mckinney. This video was filmed at The Music Hall in Portsmouth, NH in 2005. Enjoy!



If you like Juston's perspective as much as we do, he is scheduled to perform at the Claremont Opera House on February 12th at 8:00pm. Tickets are on sale now ... maybe we'll see you there!

It's Just Like Old Hampshire ... but New

To start of the new year, here is a little ditty to remind you all about the Granite State of Mind ...