FISHING & FALLS: THE HEATH, SCREW AUGER & MOTHER WALKER

With no real destination in mind, Tom and I headed out in the camper last Saturday, cooler packed with food and drink, fishing gear in the storage box, with thoughts of bass and boondocking on our minds.

We stopped at The Heath, one of our favorite bass fishing spots. The bass weren't cooperative though, or maybe they didn't like what we were casting with, as we didn't get a single nibble. I did catch something though...

Yes, that's a spinner bait! I snagged a lure off the bottom of the lake. What are the chances? My first catch of the year was a hook! (Last year it was a freshwater clam...)

It was a beautiful mid-afternoon though.

Then we headed north into Bethel and Newry, deciding along the way to drive into Grafton Notch State Park and see Screw Auger and Mother Walker Falls. We walked along the falls, enjoying the sights and sounds of the water.

With night coming on, we still had no idea where we were going to actually boondock. We drove back into Bethel before I remembered a spot we had tried to see weeks before. The road had been closed for the winter then, but we hoped it was open now. It was!

Down a long lane-and-a-half dirt road, we found several cleared areas in the woods with firepits, and chose one near a bubbling brook. A perfect spot for a quiet overnight!

In the morning, I made coffee and cocoa and took a walk to the brook while Tom made a fire. The sun was shining, but we were hovering around freezing. Easing into the day with warm drinks, a walk and a crackling fire is DEFINITELY a pleasure.

We decided to head down the road a bit to the parking area for brunch. Tom made omelets and English muffins which we had with OJ, skim milk and bananas. How thankful we were to share such a special time with each other! Not many people get to have a wonderful breakfast sitting by a rocky river.

We meandered through New Hampshire on the return trip home, stopping for candy at Zeb's in North Conway and the grocery store in Bridgton for dinner fixings. Once home, we hooked the boat up to the mini van and headed out to another lake to see how our new-to-us outboard motor worked. And that hook I caught at The Heath? Tom hooked a fish with it on his first cast using it...only to have the line break and the fish took the hook with him. What are the chances?

Until next time...