Steve Loynd

I grabbed my coffee at Dunkins this morning, and drove 9.2 miles on the Kancamagus Scenic Highway to finish my first cup before work.

Spectacular views right, how far did I hike to get these: the Next photo will give you your answer.

I had to get out of the car to take the pictures, but my coffee didn't get cold while waiting for photos.

This one I admit I didn't have to get out of the car for, talk about bang for the buck- this is but one of the more than a dozen scenic pull in areas. It took me 10 minutes to drive here from my office.

Lincoln Woods Ranger Station is Walking Distance from Loon Mountain Ski Resort, and about 3 miles from my office..sounds like I'm bragging ..sorry..if you live in the city.

Now the beast: It's Bow hunting season and the next photo is not for everyone: 345 pound black bear taken by a local hunter..who holds the record for the largest black bear taken by bow at 460 pounds. He was parked at the coffee shop and I had a camera..don't pan down if a dead Yogi is not your thing.

We get more done before 8 am, than some people do all day.. P.S. I am not a hunter..don't own a gun or a bow..but this is life in the country. Beautiful mountains , wildlife mostly alive.

Take a drive..up the "KANC" ..the views are worth the ride..

Like most people in America I have to commute to work, but I'm not looking for sympathy I would like to share my drive.

This is my kitchen window view, I get to see this every morning over coffee before the dreaded commute to work.

As I approach the highway entrance ramp my last glimpse of nature before the high-speed commute.

Another difficult merge into the throngs of sour commuters, I never count the cars but on this day I saw five in the first five miles of my hellish ride to work.

On the exit ramp I begin to wonder how anyone can live with all this pavement and urban sprawl, I have to get past that now and get on my "A" Game. It is work after all.

After that horrible 6 mile commute is over at least the views from my office window isn't that bad and I Allow myself to calm down before the day begins in earnest.

I hope you all have as terrible a drive to work as I do. If you lived in the White Mountains of New Hampshire you too would have to put up with these scenes every day so count your blessings.

Please no sympathy comments, this is my cross to bare and like all good workers I will make the best of it. steve@alpinelakes.com / www.alpinelakes.com / 800-926-5653

A run on the high-end homes is a direct result of the removal of stagnant or unsecured assets from other accounts. Many of my Active Rain Bothers and sisters would agree that the vacation home market suffers the most when people aren't comfortable spending large sums of discretionary dollars.

I seems the reverse is true in my neighborhood, sure not everyone runs out and buys vacation homes when the financial markets are volatile. But the ones that are ,have been buying the cream of the crop and why not they have the expendable cash to put down. Many are trying to lower account balance's to the point were their money is FDIC insured ($100,000 / account holder- per bank).

Many have decided spending money of a vacation home means spending time with family. Why stress about your up & down portfolios when a long term real estate asset provided a place to re-connect to family and friends and a place to go up & down the ski slopes instead.Recent properties under contract and pending closing: Cash buyers!!

South Peak home $899,900 The Links condo $359,900 Coolidge Duplex $595,000

Loon Mountain Ski Resort Lincoln NH, 2 hours from Boston Massachusetts, 3 hours from Rhode Island 4 hours from Connecticut. Have you seen an up tick in the higher end properties in your market area? Have you seen buyers using 1031 exchanges to purchase resort / vacation rental properties?

Steve@alpinelakes.com / www.alpinelakes.com /custom homes: www.cargillconstruction.com

Covered Bridge in Campton NH connects rte 3

to rte 175, there is a sign over this bridge that

says "five dollar fine for riding or driving faster

than a walk". (I go through this 3+ times a week)

Bump bridge Campton / Smith Bridge Plymouth

On the way to the riding stables and my favorite

farm stand requires me to pass over these two.

Squam Bridge Ashland / Flume Bridge Lincoln

Squam was the site for the movie "On Golden Pond"

the Flume is a foot bridge with in the State Park.

Jack O'Lantern Golf Resort, I'm a member of this

golf course and it's a mile from my house, this bridge

I cross at least 3 times a week (walking or in a cart)

It's funny what we take for granted, walk or drive

through one of 6 covered bridges frequently, but

only really make note of it when someone is with me

that is not from the area. I'm Lucky to see the Real

New England everyday. Welcome to the White Mountains.

800,000 Acres in New Hampshire and western Maine

With 6 million visitors Annually: Backpack, camp

picnic, and drive through beautiful scenic by-ways

The Kancamagus , Mountain Streams & 41 -4,000+ foot peaks

Winter - Spring - Summer - &-Fall

The area offer 1,200 miles of hiking trails - 400 miles of snowmobile trails

160 miles of the Appalachian trail, Major ski areas serving nearly a million skiers /year.

Mount Washington is the highest peak north of the Smokey Mountains and

east of the Mississippi, and Tuckerman Ravine can be skied until July.

Protecting and ensuring the quality of water resources is a forest priority

* 12,000 acres of wetlands * 4,750 miles of streams * 67 lakes

The Flume is part of the State park system in

New Hampshire as is the Cannon Mountain Ski Area, and Profile Lake

in the Franconia state park.

The White Mountain National Forest a beautiful place to visit

in all the seasons of the year (established in 1918) more info

www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/white_mountain.com