Family Mountain Trip: Ice Castles NH
Our first overnight trip as a family of four
Looking at the back of our car; it looks like we are traveling for a week. Dana reminds me this is everything you need when traveling with kids. I comment that this is whatyou need when you travel with kids trying to anticipate their wants and needs for 48 hours. We literally packed Bingham’s favorite snacks (two chocolate chip perfect food bars, two Paw Patrol string cheese, two pears, etc.). I do not question a single item. The second I question something; it will be the one thing that Bingham asks for on the trip. I do not need a “see I told you.”
We leave the house at 10:33am. Enter in the destination in Woodstock, NH and embark on a 2 hour, 12 minute car ride with a 4 year old and 2 month old. Bingham is sporting a fresh Janie and Jack outfit from my mom. It has a ski graphic on the front. It is probably the coolest sweater ever to don a 4 year old. Delanie is in a pink outfit with matching hat. These kids look sharp. Dana reminds me that all she can wear is leggings. I say nothing. I know better. I sport my best mountain attire: buffalo plaid shirt, black Patagonia vest, American flag hat, rugged jeans, and La Sportiva boots. We definitely all look the part.
We stop for lunch when we arrive in Woodstock at place called Woodstock Inn and Brewery. Dana, Bingham and Delanie find a table while I circle the parking lot for a spot. No luck. I drive a quarter mile away and find a spot. This is our first restaurant trip with the whole crew. Dana finds a place to change Delanie while Bingham and I order. He gets a hot dog. Big surprise. Dana returns to the table and we start to feed Delanie as we wait for our food. I look around and notice that the entire section of the restaurant is filled with families. I remark to Dana we must be in the kids section…Successful first restaurant trip and plenty of remarks on how beautiful Delanie is. I am feeling somewhat accomplished after making it this far in the day.
We arrive at the ice castles to caravan of cars slowly crawling through the parking lot. They got two feet of snow yesterday. It is a beautiful blue sky day albeit still in the single digit temperature wise. Bingham is elated to be here. He sprints out of the car and I race to catch him. Dana takes Delanie out of her carrier and wraps her in a carrier cover that must be the heaviest down cover I have ever seen. She is fast asleep and warmer than any of us.
Bingham want to find the ice tunnels and caves. We make our way to the mega slide, which I thought would intimidate him. He doesn't hesitate for second. He smiles and laughs throughout our entire time there. We meander to the sleigh rides and go for a spin. The baby is still sleeping peacefully. Ok, this is going pretty well.
We find some smaller slides that Bingham goes up and down about fifteen times. No mention of being cold or tired. He is having a blast. We lasted over an hour at the Ice Castles. We did not purchase a hot cocoa or any souvenir items. I am impressed. Bingham just peered in the window and said “stuffed animals,” while pointing. He didn’t even ask. Who is this kid? Delanie and mom have already retreated to the car. Bingham and I join them after going through the ice tunnel about 10 more times.
We are staying about 30 minutes away at a new property, Presidential Mountain Retreat, that has small cabins for rental. We arrive at 4:00pm. Our room is not ready. Check in was at 3:00pm; however, due to the epic snowfall the following night; it took them hours to clear the cars and clean the rooms. We wait in the makeshift lobby. Dana starts to pump in the car. Of course as Murphy’s law would predict, the room is now ready. Bingham cannot get to his car seat without crossing breast pump tubes. I pull a classic dad move and have him sit on my lap as we drive across the property bridge back across the highway to our cabin. He thinks this is the coolest thing ever. Dana is too tired to argue.
Upon entry to our room, Bingham sprints to the loft that overlooks the main living area. He peers through the rails to announce he has arrived at the top. We slowly unpack, feed the baby, and prepare to go to dinner. The cabin host recommends the Rosas Flamingos in town. Bingham thinks the name is hilarious and keeps saying “Flamingos!” Parking is tight and I drop the family off and park across the street. Bingham orders a cheese pizza and fries. Classic young boy diet with tired parents that will not put up resistance. The restaurant isn’t slammed, yet this isn’t the in and out service we are accustom to. We wait nearly an hour for the pizza. I sip my Tuckerman’s Pale Ale slowly while entertaining a tired and hungry toddler. Dana does an amazing job with Delanie keeping her quiet. The couple at the table next door remarks that we are the millionaire family. I do not correct them to reference the saying is a “banker’s family.”
We pay the check and cross the street to make the 5-minute drive back to the cabin. I forgot that the cabin host mentioned a campfire. Bingham has not forgotten and reminds me several times during the 5 minute jaunt. Despite being well past his bedtime, we make it to the camp fire and roast some marshmallows. Bingham now says he is cold. Son, it is negative one degree out so I guess that comment is warranted. Time to go to bed son…we rise at dawn to ski!
My Lesson: Two kids and traveling are a lot of work, planning and stress. Dana and I literally made a packing checklist and we probably still forgot something. We also packed our ski gear to add to the chaos. During these times, it is easy to not enjoy the moment and focus on the task. It is a weird thing to say. You get so focused on what you need to do to execute a trip that sometimes you forget to take in the moment and have fun. When Bingham asked to make s’mores, I could tell Dana was not happy. She knows that he needs to sleep. Going back to lasting memories, he might just remember the time we made s’mores in the freezing cold in New Hampshire under a starlit crescent moon night. I don’t think I am going to forget any time soon. Every bit of planning and effort paid off in that moment.
Love,
Dad