Jackson is a picturesque little place with several golf courses and mountains and valleys all around. It also has a covered bridge which tourists all stop and photograph. Our Eagle Mountain House is listed as an historic hotel and is a large wooden building with 125 rooms and a large wooden lobby with fires and leather chesterfield sofas. It was nice taking afternoon tea on the veranda rocking chairs with mountain vistas although we weren't alone for long once a coach party arrived.
Mount Washington is the highest peak on the US east coast and on the Appalachian Trail, the latter running all the way from Maine down to Georgia. It has also recorded the highest wind speed in the world at 233 mph. Unfortunately we weren't climbing up it today but as a treat for Steve we were taking the train as Mt Washington has the oldest cog railway in the world and also the oldest tourist attraction in the USA. Originally powered by a steam engine today we had a cleaner bio-diesel engine and a comfortable carriage. It took 45 minutes to get to the summit, travelling at 5mph with some of the gradients as steep as 37%, hence the need for the cog safety system. It was chilly and windy at the top but the 360° views were fabulous and on such a clear day we could see 5 states and across to Quebec province.
We took a lake stroll and a river trail in the afternoon, and with black bear warning signs it added to the enjoyment; alas no bears or beavers but a solid dam. As the sun dipped behind the mountains we journeyed upstream from our hotel for a half hour dusk moose watch. Again, we saw nothing but the light soon went and it was fun frightening each other!
Having been unimpressed with the service in our hotel dining room last night we ate out in a Jackson restaurant tonight where we had an interesting, intelligent and enlightening conversation with a New Jersey couple on the adjoining table learning about American politics and the forthcoming, and dreaded, election amongst other things.
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