We woke to a stormy, rainy morning: yesterday's rising winds obviously bringing in the change in the weather. We finished our packing and the little cleaning that was needed and made coffee to await contact from Don who had kindly offered to drive us to Bangor to pick up our hire car. This didn't look like an imposition as he did plan to go to Bangor later in the day to meet up with his daughter and go to the theatre but in the circumstances of not knowing Harley's fate we were not certain that this would be possible. Fingers crossed that it would work out as the double journey backwards and forwards that it would entail for us to pick up the hire car without a lift would be frustrating and take up precious onward journey time.

Sadly Harley had died in the night so our first meeting with Shelley was one full of commiserations. However Shelley was keen to have some time to herself and insisted that Don still continued with his plans so we did get our lift to the airport and the hire car company. It was nice to spend this extra time with Don but we were both sad for Shelley and sorry that we were not able to spend a bit more time with her. The car picked up - not the one we had dropped off two weeks before as we'd wondered but still a car with a licence plate from a more Southern state, so we were still helping to return a car to its home base. Anyway loaded up it was good to be off on our adventures again.

We'd really enjoyed our time in Castine, we'd had great weather for the most part and been on some really lovely walks in beautiful surroundings, not necessarily strenuous enough to prepare us for the White Mountains but great all the same!

The drive to New Hampshire went well and we were able to admire the changing Autumn (or Fall as we should try to learn to call it here - that is at least accurate!) foliage. Opinion of people we met along the way is that Fall is early this year: we certainly could see day-to-day changes. We had decided that we should go straight to the Pinkum Notch Visitor Centre to inquire about trails on Mt. Washington and the summit weather conditions for the next day: this was out best logistical opportunity to climb the highest peak in Northeast America (6,288ft) but that would only be possible if the weather was with us (the mountain is reputedly "home of the world's worst weather"). It didn't look promising but we agreed to return in the morning for a final decision. We were impressed with the Visitor Centre: think a catered Youth Hostel with amazingly helpful guides and information, and a small hiking gear shop.

So it was back to Gorham to check into our Motel (what is the American fascination with motels? This was the only option in Gorham.) and then out to find dinner. We had to settle for Saalt Pub, which is next door to and run by the same kitchen as Libby's Bistro which is where we had hoped to eat but which was closed for a private party. We did however have a good meal, drank good locally brewed beer and got to talk with Liz (aka Libby) later in the evening. Our accents do attract attention: strangely more often than not begin taken for Australians which we really don't understand! But it does mean that people talk to us.