I’ve often wondered if we would grow weary with running the 50 states, particularly as we age and schedule those states where travel is expensive, convoluted and long.  However, when my alarm went off at 3:45 am on Thursday morning, I found myself just as excited as ever to board a plane and head off for our next running adventure.   My supportive husband hauled me out to the airport for a 5:45 am departure, I checked in with Melodie to make sure we were both on schedule, and the journey for New Hampshire, State #35 began.

We do a ton of research to pick the race to run in each state.   So much gets factored into the equation; weather, time of year, location, course, race organization and travel logistics.   It’s a bit like putting an intricate puzzle together and trusting you have all the right pieces.   We selected Big Lake Half Marathon in Alton Bay, New Hampshire based on rave reviews from former participants.  The Big Lake Half offers runners a scenic course along winding country roads around beautiful Lake Winnipesaukee.   This “lollipop” loop course promises to provide spectacular, unending views of forests, quaint cottages, and the White Mountains..   Even though travel would be challenging and long, it looked like the right New Hampshire race for us.

Melodie and I met in Midway, Chicago without incident, barring a minor backup at the gate, and caught our next connection to Manchester.   A thunderstorm was brewing as we took off, so we were grateful to leave Chicago behind us.  We arrived in Manchester on schedule, picked up our rental car, and headed out for Alton Bay around 5:00 pm.

New Hampshire was beautiful, just as expected, which made for a pleasant drive.   We only had 50 miles to drive but much of it was over winding, potholed country roads so the going was slow.  We arrived in Alton Bay around 6:15 pm and as always, the first item on our agenda was finding somewhere to eat.   Alton Bay is a very small town with only 1,500 year-around residents, so our expectations were low.   Google Search gave a 4 star rating to Ackerly’s Grill and Galley so we decided to give it a try.

Despite the fact that the restaurant looked like a garage and smelled like the dock, the food was unexpectedly delicious.   Everything was fresh, well-prepared and delightfully presented.  We’ve never had much luck with our first restaurant in a new town, so this was definitely a win.

After dinner, we headed upriver to the Bay Side Inn, our home away from home for the next 3 days.   The early evening drive provided exquisite views of the water and the sunset.   Such a serene and peaceful spot – you could feel yourself relaxing.

The Bay Side Inn is a B & B established in 1953 and operated by the original family.  The proprietor was friendly and gracious, but the rooms were outdated and seriously lacking in amenities.  No closet, microwave, refrigerator or coffee pot to be found and a bathroom so small you were thankful not to be a large person.  In addition, the heater came with full sound effects.   Every time it came on, it roared and rumbled so loudly that you were looking for ear plugs.

However, it was very obvious that people don’t stay at the Bay Side Inn for the amenities.  It was all about location.   Our room literally sat on the edge of the lake with a bay window providing unending views of the water.    When you wake up to a scene like this, it is much easier to forget the roaring heater and the lack of a coffee pot.

The inn did provide a continental breakfast which consisted of orange juice, pastries, and coffee.   However, we are admittedly food and coffee snobs so headed upriver to find a spot that would offer both a healthy breakfast and good coffee.   We stopped in Meredith on Weirs Bay at a spot called the Waterfall Café.   Although the food wasn’t particularly special, the drive was interesting and allowed us to see more of the countryside.

After breakfast, we headed back down to Alton Bay to check out the race start.   Packet pickup would take place in the morning before the race started so we wanted to make sure we had the logistics worked out.   We wandered around a bit, snapping photos.  Everything was so green and beautiful, and water seemed to be everywhere.

Because the season doesn’t officially start on Lake Winnipesaukee until Memorial Weekend, many of the typical tourists attractions like tours and cruises were not open yet.   We reviewed our options and decided to check out Mt Major, one of the more popular hikes in the area.   The trailhead was just up the road from Bay Side Inn, so that made it additionally attractive.   We reviewed the map and decided a 3.2 mile hike with a 1,150 ft elevation gain was appropriate for a pre-race day activity.

What the map didn’t tell us was that most of the elevation gain was in the last push to the top and would take us straight up a rock face.

As you can see, I was not dressed appropriately for hiking.

This picture says it all.

However, mountains were meant to be climbed, and these Swiss girls, while they may have gray hair and a wrinkle or two, were not to be deterred.   We scrambled and clawed our way to the top and took a moment to celebrate life and the incredible view.   Reality was the pesky mosquitos and the knowledge that what went up must come down.   We chatted with some locals who recommended a different route down.   It was a mile longer but would avoid going down that rock face.  All that was required was the ability to locate and follow the yellow and blue dots.   Done.  We made it back to the parking lot 2 hours later, glad to have experienced the hike and equally glad to be off the mountain.

Dinner that night was pizza and salad at a local pizza spot.  Again, we found the food amazingly delicious.   These New Englanders understand good food.

We set our alarm for 5:30 the next morning.   The race started at 8:00, but since we had to drive a few miles, pick up our packets, and walk to the start, we wanted to give ourselves plenty of time.   We had the usual dilemma of deciding what to wear.   Skies were blue with no rain on the horizon, but the temperature was hovering just below 50 with a bit of a breeze.  We settled on capris and checked our jackets which turned out to be just the right combination.

It was a morning for the ages. Nature’s color palette was absolutely breathtaking.

And off we went.   The course was as spectacular as billed, with enough hills to keep it interesting, but not too challenging.    We both had good races and hence didn’t stop to take as many pictures as usual, but the race lived up to everything promised.   Well organized with unending views of everything that makes New Hampshire beautiful.

This sign is always a welcomed sight.

But even when the course is beautiful, 13.1 miles is a long ways to run, so we are always glad to be done.   We grabbed the requisite post-race photos and hopped the shuttle back to our room to stretch, roll and clean up.

I talk a lot about food on these blogs, but the reality is that one of the ways you really experience an area and its unique culture is by checking out the spots where locals eat.   Melodie found this restaurant called the Barn & Grille that looked intriguing for a post-race food celebration.   It literally looked like someone had converted a barn on the side of their house into an eating establishment.   The ambiance was very backwoods but felt authentic.  The place was packed with people dressed like lumberjacks and clearly enjoying themselves, and yes, the food was delicious.

New Hampshire’s state motto

We headed back to our room with the knowledge that we would need to be on the road by 3:30 am the next morning.  The only affordable flight left Manchester at 6:05 am which meant we were in for a long day.    Little did we know at this point what our travel day had in store for us.

We arrived in Manchester without incident, returned our rental car, and headed to the airport to check in.   As we were standing in the TSA Precheck Line, Melodie received a text on her phone from Southwest telling her that her flight from Chicago to Oakland had been cancelled.  It was hard to believe they would cancel a flight after people had already checked in, but that is what happened.   When Melodie talked to the agent at the Manchester gate, she was told the Oakland flight had been cancelled for maintenance.   She was put on a flight from Chicago that would route her through Detroit and Denver, increasing her travel time by 3.5 hours.   Not an exciting alternative.   At Chicago, she checked with the gate agent again and this time they found a flight going through San Diego/San Jose that would get her in at 1:30 pm which felt slightly more acceptable even with the long drive home.   She switched to this flight and at this point we said goodbye.

Chicago Midway Airport was insane, as you can imagine.   With severe storms sweeping the Midwest, flights were being delayed or grounded and people were frantic to find flights that would get them home.   We both managed to board our planes, but 30 minutes later we were still sitting on the tarmac.   Air Traffic Control was requiring pilots to file new flight plans that would route them around the strong headwinds.   My flight to Phoenix finally was allowed to take off, but it was a bumpy, long ordeal.   We were kept in our seats the whole time and the flight took an hour longer than usual.   I was never so glad to feel wheels on the ground.   Melodie’s story was much worse.  Her flight was kept on the tarmac for two hours before taking off.   And once they did get airborne, they were rerouted to avoid storms so by the time she finally landed in San Jose, she had been in that airplane for 9 hrs.   Added to that, she had the drive back to Oakland which took another hour.   All told, her travel day from Alton to Oakland was 18 hours.   It was the kind of day that made you grateful for the uneventful travel days, and very glad to be alive, safe, on the ground and done.

Even with that jarring ending, it was a trip to remember.   It was such a delightful location and a great race, and we always have so much fun together.   We don’t take much for granted anymore, and every race experienced and completed is a blessing.

Next up, Grand Island Trail Run in Munising, Michigan.   Can’t wait.