Danforth Bay's 2007 Scariest Pumpkin Winner

After winning a top category in Danforth Bay's site decorating contest for the past three years, Patty decided to step back and relax and enjoy the weekend. Who knew that she had plans to design and decorate the scariest pumpkin the next weekend.

This is her first win in the pumpkin contest!

Many thanks to Sharlene from activities (she has been doing an EXCELLENT job!!!)

Danforth Bay 2007 Silliest Pumpkin Winner

Cameron, quite by our surprise won the silliest pumpkin. It was kit that Patty bought at CVS for about $4. He has a face on both sides of the pumpkin. Thanks for the Danforth Bay camping mug Cam!

Danforth RV Show

Danforth Bay is having their 3rd Annual RV show this year. Last year it was a big hit!

Some of the dealers in the past include:

* Cold Springs RV, Weare, NH
* Stateline RV, Lebanon, ME
* White Mt. RV, Ossipee, NH

From Danforth Bay's site:

Preview Friday evening 5 - 7 pm Saturday 9 - 5 & Sunday 9 - noon On display will be Park Models, Boats, RV from a variety of vendors. Admission to the park for the RV Show is $5 per car load! Food Tent provided by the Madison Snowmobile Club the Scrub Oaks Scramblers

I'm sure Danforth Bay will have plenty of camping sites available this weekend!

Its also pumpkin carving contest this weekend.

Columbus Day Weekend at Danforth Bay

Wow! What a great long holiday weekend at Danforth Bay. We started off the weekend by arriving fairly early and having some delicious steak tips that we purchased previously at Butcher Boy Maket in N. Andover. This is about a 15 minute "well worth it" diversion off of I495 (Wards Hill) in Mass. on your way up to Danforth Bay.

On Saturday morning we visited Four you Paws Only in North Conway to pick up two adorable costumes for the puppies. We originally picked up a skunk outfit and a spider but Patty found a Pirate costume that matched Cameron's outfit. We also tried to stop at the Moat Mountain Brewery to fill up our growler beer jug but we found this to be closed at 11AM and didn't have time to wait around. Good selection and beer but this is quite a distance from Danforth Bay.

Sunday evening we went site-to-site trick-or-treating with several of our new seasonal friends! What a great time! Patty wasn't site decorating this year (too much) so she even went with us. We even took Bailey and Mowgli out (in their costumes). They had a ball and the skunk costume was a real big hit with everyone at camp.

We also found out that Nick from Activities has moved along to bigger and better oppurtunities. While we are sad to see him go, will certaintly miss him, we are happy for him! He was an asset to the campground!

During the Halloween activities, the RV.net forum group went all OUT again this year. The truly best costume was the LIFE SIZE spider and spraying human size "Off Can". I certaintly hope that Danforth Bay got pictures.

The weather was truely a mixed bag. Good Friday night and Saturday morning/early afternoon. Wet on Saturday evening and murky on Sunday morning. Great Sunday night for trick-or-treating and wet again late Sunday night / Monday morning.

The RV show is next weekend at Danforth Bay! Two years ago it was a washout and looks like it might REPEAT again.

Columbus Day Weekend at Danforth Bay!

This is probably one of my favorite weekends at Danforth Bay. Fall air, site decorations, activities, site trick or treating, local fairs, apple pie, pumpkins, etc.

To bring in the fall season, for the past 3 years Patty has gone ALL OUT and has decorated our camp site! In fact she has won the TOP prize 3 years in a row at the following sites:

2004 -(site E33) weather was good one day bad the next
2005 - (Site K1) weekend was totally WET
2006 - (our seasonal site) was absolutely gorgeous and we met new transient friends (hope they are up this weekend)

This year we are taking a break from decorating but joining in the fun! Bring your decos!

Shawtown Campground Postcard

Patty found this link on ebay... Post card of Danforth Bay as Shawtown Campground....

Interesting!!!


http://cgi.ebay.com/NH-Shawtown-Campground-FREEDOM-NEW-HAMPSHIRE-POSTCARD_W0QQitemZ120165541148QQcmdZViewItem

NH Tolls are going up!

I heard on the radio today that NH tolls are going up!

$1.50 now on I95 (Hampton Tolls)
$1.o0 now at I93 Hookset
$.75 now at Rochester tolls (NH16)
$.75 now at Dover tolls (NH16)

The I95 toll is way too expensive (but NH you voted for this)! I would whole-heartdly support the Rochester/Dover toll increase if the 4 lane hi-way was expanded through the city and into Farmington.

My round trip to Danforth Bay now just more costly! $6.00 vs. $4.00 per car (with out towing). However, I really feel bad for those that travel this way daily back and forth to work! Especially with gas prices as high as they are!

For those of you looking for NEW routes to Danforth Bay:

* I93 to NH 28 to NH 16
-- Pros: shorter mileage; scenic drive; FREE
-- Cons: 20 minutes extra traveling time; get behind someone driving slow and your doomed; Towing a little bit more difficult

* I93 to NH 101 to NH 125 to NH 16
-- Pros: FREE; Better for towing!
-- Cons: 20-30 minutes extra traveling time; no passing lanes on NH125

Hunting Season in New Hampshire!

This Saturday morning the kids, some seasonal friends, and I took a fall hike up to Mt. Mary (at Danforth Bay). On our way up we noticed a herd of dogs barking. We thought, "Wow those dogs are really loud and close by. I was wondering what neighbor would put up with that racket. When we got to the top we heard a LOUD single gunshot noise that seem to echo throughout the valley.

Our seasonal friend quickly pointed out that it was probably a hunter. I of course thought, "It must be something else of they wouldn't hike so close to a popular campground". We proceeded down the mountain and I didn't give it a second thought for the rest of the morning.

Later when I caught up with my seasonal friend again, I found out that the dogs that we heard were hunting dogs which chased a black bear up the tree, off the logging road, not too far from the Mt. Mary trail. In fact I immediately recalled a truck at the bottom of the hill with one of the dogs in the back. The hunter shot the bear in the tree and later "prepared the kill" (e.g., pulled out heart, skinned, etc.).

I further learend that my kids who were out with their friends saw the dead bear and the hunters. Now I'm neither pro hunting nor anti hunting (in fact some species are over populated and need to be controlled) but I find it kind of concerning that hunting would be happening on the doorstep of a popular campground? This type of hunting is legal due to they are killing the bear in the tree vs. in the woods.

However, my kids run though the forest playing manhunt and exploring (in fact they had a bug project due this week for school and were in the woods looking for bugs). I personally think campgrounds should not allow hunting near their property (if at all legally possible). Accidents could happen. It also makes sense to dress in BRIGHT colors and have your kids stay close to site at this time.