http://www.carruthdesign.com/artist.htm
Early Spring Vacation in the White Mountains.
A visit to the White Mountains this time of year is different than any other. First there are no crowds. Many restaurants and local businesses are still closed. The locals have not been worn down by overly demanding tourists and are happy to see the beginnings of a new season. One of the most valuable differences are the lower out of season rates. This certainly worked for me.
Of course weather is risky this time of year if you are an outdoor activities kind of person. I was extremely lucky on my recent vacation having extremely warm weather. I was prepared to bike in near winter conditions and had accepted the likelihood that kayaking may not be possible because of weather. I managed to do both with excellent weather on all my excursions. As you can see from my photos most living plant life had not fully recovered from Winter. Due to some illness I passed up some beautiful photography in the mountain areas of Rt. 302 and Rt. 112 (Kangamangus Highway.)
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My visit brought me to Lincoln which is directly off of US93. This image shows the ski slopes still had some snow. Loon Mt. was just about one mile down the road from my time share. |
| A short bike trail follows the river that runs between Rt. 112 and the Loon entrance. The antique engine is a reminder of the role trains played in this area in past years. Now with the exception of some tourism train rides and the White Mountain Cog Railway at Mt. Washington I believe trains are no longer an available means of transportation. | |
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On the outskirts of Lincoln there is a Dinner Train waiting for the season to open and tourist to arrive. On one of my bike excursions I observed an artist painting a mural on one of the passenger cars. |
| Kirsten Carruth, a local artist was kind enough to chat for
a minute while she worked on this project. She is painting one of several
murals on the train. Her art in this case is based upon a Russian artist
who painted the rich train travelers of another time. The colors are
bright and bold and there is a party atmosphere created with each scene.
To learn more about Kirsten Carruth and her art visit her web page at
http://www.carruthdesign.com/artist.htm
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| Another dramatic work can be seen inside the door of this
car.
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If you like old trains and related memorabilia a visit to the Lincoln Train Station is in order. It was closed when I visited but I was able to wonder a bit and snap a few photos. I also peeked in a few windows to see some of the museum displays. When things are open the main building houses a ticket window, souvenirs and gifts from the area along with many authentic items from a world of trains. |
| The Boston and Maine Engine sits on the tracks with cars
attached (See Below).
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