We woke at 6:45am to be ready for breakfast at 7:30. Rob took a few bags out to the car, then came back in and announced that he didn’t have anything else to do! No prepping of the bike, or wiping dew off the seats or folding the cover. He checked the car's tire pressure and put a little air in, and wiped down the rims just to have something to do. The hotel garden was colorful in the morning light. We walked over to breakfast and picked up cereal and fresh fruit. In our room we watched a few minutes of one of the US Women's World Cup soccer matches while we ate, and were out the door just after 8am.
The first gas station we stopped at had an issue with the fuel pumps. The machine took our credit card but rudely would not read it or give it back. After a few tense moments and tugs at our card, we reclaimed it and drove to another gas station that worked. We then began our route on the Mohawk Trail to I-91. We drove for about 12 miles on I-91 before we crossed over the Vermont state line. A few miles into Vermont, we stopped at the pretty Vermont Visitor’s center for a quick rest break.
Onward, the roads were smooth, even though they were repaving them again.
Our route took I-91 for about an hour before we exited and crossed the Connecticut River. Passing into New Hampshire we drove through Dartmouth College.
We drove along the Dartmouth College highway for about 70 miles to Lisbon, NH arriving at Lisbon Pizza at Noon. We enjoyed a calzone and appreciated the generous portion of marinara sauce to go with it. Lisbon appeared to be a small industrial town. A man and his coworkers/friends were sitting near us and he was googling how many types of snakes are in the area! After lunch Michele opted against walking through the grassy bank to see the river for fear of meeting one of these snakes.
After lunch we drove through the White Mountain National Forest. We also drove through this area back in 2016 when we visited Acadia National Park. Crawford Notch State Park is in this area with hiking trails and many outdoor activities, and looked like a fun place to visit.
We made our way eastward and jumped on 95 North. It’s called the Maine Turnpike here. Annoyingly our routing software wasn’t 100% accurate on the no toll roads setting. The entrance to I-95 went right into the toll booth. EZPass works up here so we got in that lane. Red light! Flash! Our pass did not work. Later, at our hotel, Rob checked our account and the toll was correctly charged.
A few miles later and an hour ahead of schedule, we arrived in Freeport, Maine at our hotel, the Haraseeket Inn. It was built in 1984 but had the feel of an older historic inn. We walked two blocks to dinner at the Tuscan Brick Oven Bistro. We shared the beef bolognese lasagne, a salad and a blueberry maize cheesecake. Maine is known for its wild blueberries and dessert did not disappoint.
After dinner we walked back to the inn and noticed that this town had a clever version of this famous fast food chain with aesthetically pleasing architecture.
Back in our room for the night we watched the movie Fast & Furious: Hobbs and Shaw and a few sitcoms. This room was more comfortable and spacious than the previous night's hotel.
Our mileage today was 315 miles. Tomorrow we are Canada-bound.
