Lucky's Coffee Garage Lebanon NH 09 2021

 I wanted to give a quick mention to Lucky's Coffee Garage, easily my favorite coffee shop in New Hampshire!  This independent coffee shop has a lot of heart, its cute, and they have good coffee!  We were very lucky to have stumbled across it!

Franklin Pierce in New Hampshire September 2021

In September, while driving around New Hampshire, we stopped at several sites associated with President Franklin Pierce....  In my opinion, one of the most underappreciated Presidents.

Concord New Hampshire State House September 2021

 In September, we stopped by the New Hampshire State House in Concord!  They had announced that they would not be doing tours at this time, but the kind volunteers there still hooked us up!  Here is a video I posted to youtube.  There is a lot to see here, including a fabulous Civil War painting by an unknown artist, and battle flags!

West Baden Springs Hotel near French Lick Indiana

 Here is a short video on one of my all time favorite hotels, West Baden Springs in Indiana!

Concord New Hampshire September 2021

 We had a great road trip swinging through New Hampshire and Vermont recently!  Here is a video I posted to youtube about the great New Hampshire City of Concord!

"Ten years on the rock pile" and Instant Legends from the rock pile" by Lee Vincent

 We planned a trip to Vermont and New Hampshire recently.  Before a trip like this, I enjoy reading books about the area we are going to visit.  

ALSO, there are those places you want to visit, but, because of time budgeting, or the way the road trip plays out, you realize that you are going to have to save certain sites for another day.

So, I found myself reading the classic regional volumes "Instant Legends from the rock pile" and "Ten years on the rock pile" by Lee Vincent.  Both books about a state I would be visiting.  Both books about a site that I would not get to visit.

We really wanted to make it to Mt. Washington.....  it is legendary, but, because of our desire to see certain other places, we realized we would have to save Mt. Washington for another day.

Still, I tracked down these quick reads recently.  I first heard about Lee Vincent and his work in the OTHER legendary volume "Passing Strange" by Joseph A. Citro.  Citro gets into some of the ghostly and strange happenings in New England.  Lee Vincent's two books aren't supernatural focused, but he does mention an unseen force on the mountain.

Most of his stories are just fun essays on living on a massively tall mountain that can be cold, windy and isolated.

I was thrilled to find copies of these books, pretty much independently published in the 70s.

Hillbilly Hot Dogs Lesage West Virginia

 

Here is some video from a visit to Hillbilly Hot Dogs in Lasage West Virginia!  I have mentioned this place before...  and I really love this place!

Wheelersburg Ohio Oct 2021

 We drove through Wheelersburg Ohio on a recent road trip!  

Bluegrass Railroad Museum Versailles KY Oct 2021

 We recently took a GREAT train ride at the Bluegrass Railroad Museum in Versailles Kentucky!

Camp Nelson Kentucky August 2021

 He is a short video I posted to youtube recently about Camp Nelson here in Kentucky!

My Old Kentucky Dinner Train Bardstown KY Oct 2021

 Here is a video I posted to youtube of our recent experience on the Kentucky Dinner Train.....  They actually had to cancel the dinner the morning of the train ride.  We were given a refund, BUT they still offered us a free train ride with drink service!

"Wicked Salem: Exploring Lingering Lore & Legends" by Sam Baltrusis

You know I have been fascinated with Salem Massachusetts for some time.  The city is fascinating and weird.  AND, it has all of that strange history and lore.  I've read a ton of books on the place.

Well, I recently picked up a copy of Sam Baltrusis "Wicked Salem:  Exploring Lingering Lore and Legends".   Flipping through it, it looked like it had a lot going on.

In fact, I think thats a good way to describe this one.  Its got a lot of information and covers a lot of ground in its 230 plus pages.  It discusses the famous witch trials and current legends associated with the trials.  It also talks about more recent crimes and legends, unassociated with the trials.  AND, the author gives some biographical info on some of the more interesting modern characters in town.

What I liked about the book most though, is that the author kinda takes an old character from the towns passed, and pulls them into the present...  not literally, but he gets into the places and legends that that persons story affects in town now.

The writing style is original and sincere.