My beloved children are now officially on winter break. It’s only been two hours since the tall one should have been dropped off and one hour for the short one, and I’m already thinking this vacation will have a high attrition rate.
The husband did manage to get me one free day, though. There’s a bike path that winds through beautiful Franconia Notch, and in the winter the snowmobiles use it. ATVs are never allowed except for one day a year. Yesterday was that day.
25 degrees + 35 mph + open-face helmet = OMG, I’m glad I remembered my chapstick.
Some pics after the jump!

The restrooms are well air-conditioned.

What do you mean I can’t go UP the mountain?

The view from the big bridge which used to be the road until they put in the highway.

Our ATVs with Mt. Lafayette in the background.

This is where we had lunch.

Me. My ATV. Snow.
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You lost me at restrooms. I think I’d need a bit more than chapstick for that one.
:lmao:
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It’s the ONLY reason I’m glad I don’t live in New England anymore–the only week-long vacation we have down here in PA is at Christmas. And because we’ve had so many snow days, they’ve lost three of their days off in March and April, so we don’t even have long weekends anymore until May.
Beautiful shots!
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Even more useless is April vacation. At least, even though we don’t ski or go to Disney, I can see why some parents fight for winter break. But there is ABSOLUTELY nothing to do outdoors in New Hampshire in April. (And it’s mud season for ATVs, so the trails are closed.) And they added 4 full teacher workshop days this year. AND we’ve had a buttload of snowdays. August, here we come.
The picture can’t even tell the story of the restroom. It doesn’t really show the hill—I had to slide down an icy banking to get down there. Then I had to clear fallen branches and stuff to get the door open. Then I couldn’t chip away enough ice to close the door all the way behind me, so I had to threaten my husband with all things dire if he should let anybody within 50ft of the place. And of course I was wearing layers—snow pants, jeans, thermals…and I can’t let ANY of it touch the ground, nor can I let any part of my quickly freezing body parts touch the seat. Then I had to climb my way back up the ice ditch.
I didn’t drink anything for the rest of the ride.
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Winter break? Weren’t they just off for Christmas… :wtf: