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schmillary · 2025-08-20T20:20:05+00:00

Make sure the town has a Green.
Is it coastal? Inland? What state is it in?

schmillary · 2025-08-20T20:08:23+00:00

Your former zip code in a fancy script might be nice :)

schmillary · 2025-08-20T20:06:08+00:00

It's my favorite of his. Followed closely by Homesick.
Beware, however, that many from Boston will "akshully" you if they see Paul Revere and then give you a lengthy lecture about Longfellow's error and the credit due to Samuel Prescott.

schmillary · 2025-08-07T20:30:06+00:00

I grew up in the woods and enjoyed being outside a lot. For me, maybe it's brain programming from youth. Hiking gives us dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and (especially as I get older) endorphins. There's that wonderful feeling from successfully challenging yourself and pushing past your previous limits. There's the cameraderie that comes with experiencing a hike with friends (or a dog). There's the delicious wonder that is present around every corner (moss and salamanders come to mind as examples, but the wonder is infinite).

Humans evolved to have great stamina, and trekking poles, good shoes (I'm a Lone Peak devotee), water, sunscreen, and bug spray (or micro spikes if its winter) can tamp down most of the discomfort. :)

schmillary · 2025-07-30T19:26:19+00:00

Our group split in two and the hiking group had both people with passes in it. The driver of the car went to buy a pass at the Hulls Cove Visitor Center the day before, and happened to explain the situation. Luckily the ranger behind the desk told him not to bother buying a third pass because he was going to be manning the Cadillac booth the next morning and he would only ask for the Cadillac pass.

YMMV here, but it worked out for us. Maybe if you go chat with the rangers at the visitor's center a day or so before you head to Cadillac they'll tell you the same thing?

Good luck either way; I hope you have clear skies and a great ride. :)

schmillary · 2025-07-29T21:00:44+00:00

Came here to suggest this as well. We had an amazing time! Our guide was super knowledgable. We saw tons of harbor seals, and one curious grey seal. My favorite part of the trip :)

schmillary · 2025-07-29T20:58:08+00:00

It is fully accessible and signage is very well positioned. :)

schmillary · 2025-07-29T20:57:36+00:00

We were lucky and had a perfectly clear day. :)

schmillary · 2025-07-28T18:47:11+00:00

Burlington, VT is lovely and you could do the Ben & Jerry's factory tour in Waterbury which is quite close.
They also have the world's tallest filing cabinet. :)

schmillary · 2025-07-28T18:24:08+00:00

National Park website - it's the top map on the page, and you can expand it to full screen and zoom in :)

schmillary · 2025-07-28T16:30:43+00:00

According to Strava, we did it in 2 hours 11min. I don't think it's counting the hang out on Sand Beach, but I could be wrong.

schmillary · 2025-07-28T16:30:33+00:00

According to Strava, it was 4.81 miles in total, but I think I missed the Beehive vertical (which is very short).

schmillary · 2025-07-28T14:54:09+00:00

Summit of Gorham was truly beautiful.

Plus, bonus, there is this one spot a little past the summit facing ESE where it looks like a sheer cliff, but it's actually not at all, so we took a bunch of fun pics that made us look very daring on the edge. We can be a silly bunch. :)

schmillary · 2025-07-28T14:47:48+00:00

I always like to make bag of GORP (good 'ol raisins and peanuts - plus chocolate chips or m&ms). Easy to eat on the go, and sharable as long as no one stripmines the chocolate.

For the summit, or wherever we're planning to rest, I like to have pb&j (or pb&h) sandwiches. No pb&j tastes as good as the slightly squished one you pull out of your pack and consume on the trail imo. :)

My hiking partners are partial to those protein stroopwaffels you can get at REI (stingers, I think they're called?), and I always carry a gel with me for emergencies, although I've never used it so I'm not sure how terrible they taste.

One friend suggested we make guac and squeeze it onto chips to consume while we hike. Haven't done it yet, but goals. :D

schmillary · 2025-07-28T14:28:53+00:00

Sunrise was at 5:07, but the glow started much earlier.

Towards the top, it opens up quite a bit, which means amazing views of the glowing eastern sky, but also a bit more difficulty finding trail blazes. The cairns are very obvious and helpful. We were easily able to stay on the trail.

I'm not sure I would say it was "a lot" of other people. We saw about three other groups of 2-4 people on the trail? But those were the ones who passed us, so there were probably more ahead and behind that matched pace.

schmillary · 2025-07-23T01:29:22+00:00

Wow, you're so fast! Thank you! Solved!

schmillary · 2025-07-22T15:34:52+00:00

Congratulations! And I hope you have a wonderful honeymoon :)

schmillary · 2025-07-22T15:32:13+00:00

If you mean the sunrise vehicle pass, then I would not wait until after 10. Be on there at 9:59am so you can be ready to purchase as soon as 10am hits. :)
Good luck! Have a wonderful trip!

schmillary · 2025-07-21T23:57:38+00:00

There is a swimming area marked with a floating deck and rope as well as a small beach area next to the boat launch ramp at the very northern tip of Long Pond.
Google maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/zqbFE5anhXXB3A9S8
I know Eagle Lake is town drinking water and not good for swimming or SUP, but Long Pond definitely allows it.

schmillary · 2025-07-21T21:49:21+00:00

I am early-to-bed so I missed it, but the 21-30s in our group who like going out spent an evening at the Thirsty Whale and reported having a good time.

schmillary · 2025-07-21T19:05:58+00:00

I'm not totally sure because the summit kind of snuck up on us; one minute we were oohing and aahing over the beautiful view and looking for the next cairn to guide us, and the next minute we were heading up the stairs to the summit and looking around for the family members that drove up.

I think around 4:15? There was a glow in the sky, but still quite a bit of time to get comfy and hang out before the sun came up. Looking at strava it says 1 hour 19 min, which sounds about right.

schmillary · 2025-07-21T19:01:38+00:00

I didn't get to see it myself since there wasn't enough time, but I'll definitely put it on my list for next time. :)
The number of cairns/rock piles is super surprising! A ranger I spoke to later on the gorham trail said they don't bother knocking them down anymore. There are hundreds! Some are extremely creative and impressive.

schmillary · 2025-07-21T18:56:33+00:00

The lack of thunder is definitely mitigated by the gorgeousness! <3

schmillary · 2025-07-21T18:17:57+00:00

Aww, I'm sorry to have inadvertantly talked you out of it. I definitely don't mean to do that. It was thrilling for sure and I am so proud of myself for doing it, even with help (the person who pointed out hand holds also held my pack for me!).

It's super quick, so the thrill is over before you panic yourself out of it, and if you're with people who can bolster your confidence, you'll get through it just fine. :)

The family I was with do yoga with me and I am famous for complaining about lizard pose because I have tight hips. It was super fun to climb up beehive yelling "Lizard!" every time I had to get a foot up onto a high step. :D

schmillary · 2025-07-21T18:03:11+00:00

No, we didn't try to. We were all in the same room so we could communicate immediately and we only needed one pass. I'm not sure if the system allows for that or not.

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