Day 17 - Freeport, ME to Manchester, NH

A little bit of a late start today. On the road at 8:58, after a stop for oatmeal and bagel. We spotted a Starbucks in Freeport the night before and had cups in hand by the time the car was pointed south on interstate 95. A short drive and we crossed the Piscataqua River into New Hampshire.

Two interstates later we arrived at our motel and were able to check in at just before noon. Tinker’s Seafood was recommended for lunch by the desk clerk and he certainly knows of what he speaks. We shared one each clam and lobster chowder. Both were excellent and we may just show up for dinner.

Next on the agenda was one of the reasons for visiting this part of New Hampshire, so off we went to Forrest Hills Cemetery in East Derry to find the graves of my earliest ancestors in America. Searching such a large cemetery is made a little easier because the really old gravestones are more thin slabs than the monuments you see today. With rain threatening, we set off in opposite directions in what had to be the oldest part of the cemetery. An hour passed before we were both calling out. I had found a group of gravestones that included my 6th Great Grandfather Samuel Houston (1692 – 1757) and my 7th Great Grandparents David Cargill (1661 – 1734) and Jennet Smith (1664 – 1745), along with several others. Barb had found the gravestone of Benjamin Houston. Took photos of all and we headed back to the car to warm up. Did I mention it was cold?

Next door in the town of Derry residents can look back with pride to the year 1719, when the first potato was planted in American soil. Take that Idaho.

What to do with the rest of the day. I thought, well why don’t we head out to the coast. Maybe find a seafood place on the Atlantic. Like Gloucester, New Hampshire, which has been a fishing port since the beginning of time. Thirty miles down the road I figured out that the GPS was set on maximize freeways, which meant we were going south to Boston and then north to Gloucester. This was going to be a very long trip. We turned around and headed back to the motel. There will be time for the coast when we go to Boston. The little excursion did add Massachusetts to our list of states, so we should be up to 17.

So instead of having a seafood at the coast we elected to return to Tinker’s and what a great choice that turned out to be. Barb had shrimp, while I went with the scallops. Both broiled and as good as we have ever had. Going to be tough to stay away tomorrow night.

And speaking of tomorrow, we will probably start with local historical societies. After that who knows. 234 miles today.