In years past I often chose my birthday as a travel day to some fascinating destination - usually in Europe. This year I wasn't able to cross the Pond, so I let a small piece of it hop the Pond for me.
NHScot runs the New Hampshire Highland Games at Loon Mountain. A weekend festival of food, music and uniquely-Scottish feats of athleticism.
I stayed at the Lost River Valley Campground, about five miles from Loon Mountain. The forecast was promising for the Saturday of the Games, but it was to be cold for the Friday evening of my arrival.
Cold was not the word. It dipped below freezing, and the flimsy nylon walls of my tent did nothing to insulate me from the fell chill. Fortunately, my sturdy LL Bean sleeping bag - and the $4 watch cap which was a birthday present from my friends the Cullens - saw me comfortably through the night. And a little Irish coffee saw me through the morning's chilly welcome.
It was cold and windy almost the entirety of my Saturday's visit to the Games ($30 for a day pass, plus $4 processing for the advance ticket.) Of course I wore a kilt, but I must admit that, under it, I wore a little more than a true Scot would wear -- it was just too cold to be properly de-underclothed. A nice tweed blazer complemented my kilt and kept my torso almost-warm.
My friends and I boarded a free shuttle bus from Clark's Trading Post, just a couple miles from the campground, to make our way to the Games. The air was full of sounds -- bagpipes, laughter, raucous cheering, drums, fiddles and the contented murmur of a satiated crowd.
I had subpar haggis for lunch, with lukewarm mashed potatoes. Beer was good. Later, I had a very good Scotch egg with gravy. Beer was still good. Even later, I snacked on some small-batch shortbread I wisely purchased from one of the dozens of small vendors. Didn't have beer with the shortbread.
My friends and I watched some of the caber tossing competition. Rather than try and explain it to you, my loyal readers, please take a brief moment to watch this specially-prepared video instead:
We spent the entire day enjoying the Games. Pipers and dancers competed. We visited a re-enactors' camp and saw period scenes from Braveheart days through World War One. We meandered the dozens of clan tents and learned the history of many of the major clans and septs of Scotland -- highland and lowland.
Lots of fun. And funnest of all was being with good friends and playing Uno after a shared dinner back at the campground. Sometimes, when I travel solo, I miss the camaraderie that only comes with true friends. Don't get me wrong, I always meet fascinating people and create my own special moments, but traveling and experiencing with family or friends always makes the time seem even more special.
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| Jack, Ethan and I stop and pose for a pic. I wish I had remembered my comb. |
