Mount Washington

Yesterday morning was bright and sunny, comfortable at around 70 degrees outside. It was a perfect day for our drive up Mount Washington, the highest peak in New Hampshire, one of the 48 "4K peaks" in the White Mountains. It was here that the wind speed record was made in the 30s - 231 mph! That morning at around 10 AM, we had an appointment for a tour of the observatory up there. So, once again, there was no rest for the weary, and we got up relatively early. The drive up there, while beautiful visually, was a nightmare for my nerves. Since we were running a little late, my dad wasn't taking the hairpin-without-guardrails curves as slow as they suggest. Let's just say that my eyes were closed for most of the time up. Once we got to the top, I could fully appreciate the beauty and sweeping views surrounding us. It felt like you were on the top of the world, in the clouds (which would be an apt description later). It was about 15 degrees colder up there at 6,288  feet, and I started wishing that I had worm warmer clothing. Anyway, since we are members of the Mount Washington Observatory, we got a special tour of the observatory - everywhere from the top, where the measurements are made, to the bottom, where the sleeping quarters are for the workers who stay for 8 day stretches. Although I don't know much about meteorology, it was still interesting to hear about what they did there, how they take measurements, and the like. One thing that I learned, and thought was quite interesting, was that snowflakes form different shapes at different temperatures, so you can tell the temperature by what shape you see around you. I'll have to try that next winter!
After the tour, we walked over to the official peak of the mountain - even though the tower on the observatory is technically taller - and took our pictures. All around us were people in full hiking gear, and it was evident that many people hike all the way up here. Next to them, I kind of felt like I had somehow cheated by driving up here. We went down to the little museum they have up at the peak, and one of the more amusing parts was this video titled "Breakfast of Champions" where the workers at the observatory are trying to "eat" in 100 mph or so winds. It was pretty funny seeing everything they pour just go flying in the wind. We thoroughly looked around at all the views on the top, now sort of in a cloud, and afterwards, my dad and I were determined to actually hike somewhere - even if it was for a short time, and then we would turn around. So that's what we did - we walked ten minutes out, turned around, and walked back up the mountain. Let me tell you, that trip back up the mountain was tough! And we only were a few hundred feet away from the peak! I can't even imagine how people hike up the entire way. That's why, when someone was trying to be encouraging (side note: hikers are some of the friendliest people I have ever met) and said that we were almost there, I felt guilty, because we had just come from the top; I felt like some fake poser.
The drive down wasn't much better. By the time we were done, the car smelt like burning breaks, and I had filled up my quota for tense moments while driving. You know how I said it was a beautiful morning when we woke up? Well, by the time we were leaving the peak, it was almost completely clouded over, and right after we finished the road down the mountain, it started pouring. I felt bad for the people who were still going up or down by car or hiking, for that could not have been fun. We were going to stop for a picnic and go hiking, but we had to scrap that since the rain looked as if it had no intention of stopping soon. It did manage to stop long enough to pull off the road at this roadside stop and eat a picnic lunch, but we had no such luck for the rest of the day.
Since we couldn't do outdoors stuff, we went to the outlet mall nearby and picked up a few things, including a swimsuit cover up that I was looking for the entire time. While at Gap, we picked up my dad some moustache underwear (I know, AWESOME!!!!) and my brother some lobster underwear (it seemed appropriate). The entire time, until eating at the Red Fox once again, we were counting mini coopers (Aunt "Rose" - keep that in mind for next year's count) because that night was a "Minis on Top" rally at Mount Washington. Too bad they picked such an inopportune time. After the day I had had, I was ready to go to bed, which I did promptly.