Sue and I loaded Beau into the car Friday 10/12/18 for fall foliage drive around the lakes.

Meade Base Road, Sandwich, NH

Because we got an early start, there were areas where it was like driving through a cloud the fog was so thick. Sue got some great pictures of that as well as when the sun was sliding off of the leaves, showing their just beginning to peak colors.

We started out at around 8:30 am, stopping in Alton for the important coffee fix, and then headed up Route 28 along the western shores of Lake Winnipesaukee into Wolfeboro. Our goal was to make a huge loop up through Moultonborough and into Sandwich, across the top of Squam Lake, and then come back down through Holderness and Meredith, and then down the eastern shores of Lake Winnipesaukee into Alton.

Historic Tuftonboro General Store, Tuftonboro, NH

Mountain views, Tuftonboro, NH with dense fog behind the tree line.

We got off the beaten path onto some of the prettiest back roads in Moultonborough you can imagine, stopping at one place so Sue could take Beau for a little walk in the woods to blow off steam. He's a mini Australian Shepard, and has a lot of steam to blow off...

Ossipee Mountain Road, Moultonborough, NH

Top of The World Road, Sandwich, NH

Along one of those back roads, we stopped at Sue's uncle Ronald's to drop off some things for him, though he wasn't home at the time. In Sandwich, we went back to hike over to Beede Falls where we had been this past April in the snow, and really enjoyed that.

With Beau at Beede Falls, Sandwich, NH

Sue and Beau at the Lower Falls, Sandwich, NH

Meade Base Road, Sandwich, NH showing the northern top of Squam Lake.

Instead of following Route 3 all the way from Holderness into Meredith, we side stepped down to Center Harbor on Route 258 so that I could do a drive by of the house I had rented for my upcoming Rose School of Karate 2018 Annual Disciple Retreat. That place is going to work out just great.

Holderness Road, Sandwich, NH

Coe Hill Road, Center Harbor, NH showing one of the northern finger branches of Lake Winnipesaukee.

Picture of the house in Center Harbor that I rented for my upcoming annual karate disciple retreat.

We stopped for a quick bite to eat in Meredith at the McDonald's on the hill. I relayed this story to my nephew Scott, who I had been discussing the problems of driving at an advanced age: "While she went in to get the food, I stayed in the car with Beau, our mini Australian Shepard. A relatively new car began to ease into the parking spot next to where I was. It stopped, backed up, and made another run. Stopped, backed up, and tried again. Tried it one more time, and made it, but almost sideways in the lane. A very elderly, frail but well dressed woman struggled out of the car, and shuffled very, very slowly into McDonald's. Now, that's grit...."

From Meredith, we drove over to a farm in Gilford to get some squash and maybe a couple of pumpkins to display at the house. We got the delicata squash that Sue wanted, but their prices on the pumpkins were a little steep. We pulled off of Route 11 onto a side road that led to the Ellacoya State Park as it's a pretty road. We went by the Lyons Den Restaurant where I took my disciples for dinner at last year's retreat. Just past it are some docks and the headquarters of the NH Marine Patrol.

Looking out across a white caped Lake Winnipesaukee, Gilford, NH.

The docks at the NH Marine Patrol Center, Glendale, NH

We continued down Route 11, and then off onto 11-A toward the Gunstock Ski Area. We turned left onto Glidden Road to the Stone Brook Hill Farm, something Sue had seen on-line. They have a nice pick-your-own apple orchard, and she wanted a large batch to bake up some apple crisp.

I wrote the following Yelp! review on it:

My wife had seen social media postings on Stone Brook Hill Farm, and after a leisurely fall foliage drive around the lakes, we drove up 11-A to check them out.

We met the owners and had a wonderful chat before grabbing a large web sack for apples Sue wanted for several apple crisps she had planned on making.

Though the orchards are relatively small in comparison to something like Butternut Farm, it's just a beautiful setting out there. I had a great time dragging the wagon along behind Sue while she gathered up her quota. We ended up buying a large pumpkin as well, had a great time, and would drive up here anytime just to walk around. It's just beautiful. Check it out!

Stone Brook Hill Farm, Gilford, NH

Stone Brook Hill Farm, Gilford, NH

Stone Brook Hill Farm, Gilford, NH

Sue caught this terrific Halloween lawn scene.

We had a nice time wandering through their orchard, picking a huge sack of drops. That was only $9, so we also bought a pretty fair sized pumpkin as well. Since we were so close to the Gunstock Ski area, we decided a quick drive up there might be interesting, though the fog had lifted for the most part. We just drove through the drop off area, and then headed out. There was some activity with workers getting the facilities ready for the upcoming season, but surprisingly, no real foliage color.

We didn't get back to the house until almost 5. I lit a fire in the wood stove, we played some backgammon, and just had pizza for dinner. Busy day, and an early turn in for us both!

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