Moving from D.C. to NH in December (most likely Littleton) (Lebanon: live in, shop)

[avlis13013]

There isn't much needed to transition a modern car over to "winter mode". Other than regular maintenance, I just take all the beach stuff out of the trunk and put the snow stuff in. Make sure your windshield wipers are good and top off the wiper fluid regularly.

[mike3513]

It's Official!!! Signed the lease today. Moving in a month from yesterday!

[loveautumn]

Congrats! If you lived in Rochester, then NH won't really be much different. Except I think NH gets more power outages. NH is a beautiful, peaceful place...at least I thought so the times I've visited.

[swanstone1]

Yay for you for taking a leap of faith.....obviously it was something you felt you needed to do. I moved to Bethlehem (outside LIttleton) from Houston when I was 29 and didn't know a soul or have work lined up. Bought a house sight unseen. Ok, that was 1996 and the sprawl is a little more in town but compared to DC??? too funny. Things that used to frustrate you will make you laugh and things that didn't ever cross your mind will frustrate you. I moved on over to VT but if you drop me a line I will take you to the LIttleton Diner for the best hash you will find on the planet! I do so admire people that follow their guts and "just do it"

[Mac_Muz]

Dress warm...... I wish i could see this, but of course you have a car and not a lot more right? A PC, pot, n' spoon right?

Oh yeah dog, and it's dish...

You been there yet, or is this all sight unseen?

I almost motorbiked it up there Monday past, but clouds came so I grabbed another road instead. Betting it runs somewhere up behind Aptor.... Rt 118.

Before you blow a wad on new warm cloths, KNOW that down in N Conway IME and Ragged Mt both have used clothing shops down stairs. Both have hiking boots, x-c boots, down and poly vests, over pants, parka's and etc etc.

I hit these places up looking for wool. You will want a first aid kit, extra clothes, a sleeping bag/blanket plastic triangle; and fire supplies in a car. Everything but water, and a pot for that, just in case.

I am 3 winter hours from there in Tamworth, but until you have a friend or 2, closer, maybe you should dm me and ask for my wife's cell number .... i won't need yours.... Up to you.....

It will be colder there at that time of year and just getting to be serious about it.

That interstate thing will be a joke to you.... There will be times the only other living thing on the interstate will be a moose.

Oh yeah, in the car you should have a few decent NH maps and even if you have GPS. GPS can tell lies out here. it does to get to where I live and if you tried to, you would need 4x4 and to cross a brook, probably upsetting other folks on what used to BE the other end of a road..

Google Earth is also wrong to get to where I am ..........

[mike3513]

Originally Posted by swanstone1

Yay for you for taking a leap of faith.....obviously it was something you felt you needed to do. I moved to Bethlehem (outside LIttleton) from Houston when I was 29 and didn't know a soul or have work lined up. Bought a house sight unseen. Ok, that was 1996 and the sprawl is a little more in town but compared to DC??? too funny. Things that used to frustrate you will make you laugh and things that didn't ever cross your mind will frustrate you. I moved on over to VT but if you drop me a line I will take you to the LIttleton Diner for the best hash you will find on the planet! I do so admire people that follow their guts and "just do it"

Thanks Swan. I just may take you up on that hash offer! I've never found any hash I didn't like!

[mike3513]

Originally Posted by Mac_Muz

Dress warm...... I wish i could see this, but of course you have a car and not a lot more right? A PC, pot, n' spoon right?

Oh yeah dog, and it's dish...

You been there yet, or is this all sight unseen?

I almost motorbiked it up there Monday past, but clouds came so I grabbed another road instead. Betting it runs somewhere up behind Aptor.... Rt 118.

Before you blow a wad on new warm cloths, KNOW that down in N Conway IME and Ragged Mt both have used clothing shops down stairs. Both have hiking boots, x-c boots, down and poly vests, over pants, parka's and etc etc.

I hit these places up looking for wool. You will want a first aid kit, extra clothes, a sleeping bag/blanket plastic triangle; and fire supplies in a car. Everything but water, and a pot for that, just in case.

I am 3 winter hours from there in Tamworth, but until you have a friend or 2, closer, maybe you should dm me and ask for my wife's cell number .... i won't need yours.... Up to you.....

It will be colder there at that time of year and just getting to be serious about it.

That interstate thing will be a joke to you.... There will be times the only other living thing on the interstate will be a moose.

Oh yeah, in the car you should have a few decent NH maps and even if you have GPS. GPS can tell lies out here. it does to get to where I live and if you tried to, you would need 4x4 and to cross a brook, probably upsetting other folks on what used to BE the other end of a road..

Google Earth is also wrong to get to where I am ..........

Thanks for the advice Mac. I am moving there completely blind, knowing only what i've been able to research on the internet. It's a risk, and i've been called crazy by more than one of my friends, but sometimes you just gotta pull the band-aid off quick! I will definitely be getting that stuff for the car. i hadn't even thought about that.

The help on this forum is truly awesome!

[Mac_Muz]

I might be able to help more if i knew some things. maybe these would be to personal, I don't know.

One might be Year make and model of the car/van/ truck?

4x4 can be good, ftwd is ok. A good battery is key..... In winter run the car on the lowest octane you can with NO Ping.. In winter time you want unstable fuel to explode on cold mornings, and to get the best bang for the buck.

Many days in jan and feb will not get much about the low teens at noon... Nights will tend to be well below 0.

It's colder there than it is in Tamworth with many cold and snow bands between.

Your dog might need boots serious... You will probably find the dog won't much care for boots too, and in that case if he acts like he has stepped on a thorn it will be a ice ball gagged up in the foot that he limps on.

You both will need to drink more water.

Add cookies to the car kit or something else high in carbs for just in case.

There will be places a cell phone might not work.... not sure where in around Littleton but up on the kanc there is a slew of dead ends to phones..

Lots of people are telling you it isn't that cold in NH, I beg to differ and i bet they live south of Concord.

Buy and use driving gloves.... Wet hands on metal in dead winter will remove skin....

I am going to look pretty stupid if we have a winter like the last one was, but i don't think it will be like the last one was.

I think this one will be 13 decent storms and colder. Just a hunch.

What the place is like might help too......

What kind of heat it has, and who pays for it, How old the building is too lends ideas......

I hope it isn't pre 1900 and or brick...

If you ever want to let me know and come to N Conway I will buy you a beer or a coffee...

I could show you around down here a little bit. Only in summer do I get to the Littleton area on the bike anymore.

Once I had friends there, running a store that sold Native American items, but the guy passed on and am not sure where his wife went.

I never really shopped in that area, I know there is town and just Nor-west is a walmart, but walmart won't have any good winter clothes period....

Don't buy cotton long johns, and other cotton killer wear for living up there...... if you can stand poly pro on your skin buy that, if not buy cotton wool two layer duofold longies.

Labonville will have good woolens and loggers clothing which is ok but can be heavy. I wear the jack shirts all winter as a coat but i like the real cold and know how to dress in layers.

You will find out!



I am the old guy The kid was the RMC Gray Knob caretaker that year...... I was once one too as a sub....

RMC does the northern presies, of which you will soon be seeing to your east by south east

May as well have the other one too...



Summit of Jefferson dusting my brother's ashes to the 4 winds....Another part of life.

Oh the mt line in the far distance is where i live, just over the to the south side.

[lady fern]

Mike, we just moved to NH sight unseen (at least for me) and without even having a rental to go to in October from Washington state. We have actually been back in WA the past few days closing up loose ends and getting our kitties ready for the final move. For now, we are renting a place just south of Lebanon in a little town. We are moving from the state capital with tons of ammenities and traffic. I have not found that I'm missing the box stores being just down the road. I do have to plan a trip to Home Depot or a larger grocery store, but I don't mind it. You do need to keep in mind that places close earlier than what you are accustomed to. That has not been an issue for me, but my DH is a night owl and it was not uncommon for him to run to Walmart at midnight to find some item for a project he was working on.

I was pleasantly surprised that nearly every small town we rolled into had a little country store and deli tied into the local gas station. I have found the food I have bought in these stores has been better than anything comparable from a restaurant in Washington! We stayed 2 nights in Lincoln and there was a great market in either Lincoln or Woodstock, I don't remember...but I had the best meatball sandwiches ever!

Another contrast I noticed is that in most towns folks are very friendly. I've never been to DC so I don't know how that is, but in Washington people are pretty reserved with strangers. In NH I had one older gentlemen start talking to me as I entered a little store and we ended up sitting on the porch talking for over an hour. I don't know how easy it is to make real friends, but I haven't had a lack of conversation since I arrived.

I have to say the coffee is lacking in NH, but I am moving from Washington state where the locals can tell Arabica from Sumatra just by the smell. I have been pleasantly surprised that I am enjoying Dunkin Donuts coffee just fine, which is good since I make a terrible cup of coffee.

I did have to change how I dress in the winter already. I was glad I brought a pair of tights to wear under my jeans on a couple of brisk days. I do a lot of snowshoeing up at Mt. Rainier so I have a lot of wool socks and gear already. I would second what Mac said and invest in wool gear. It is chilly and I am over an hour south of where you're headed.

I think you will enjoy driving in NH. I was happy to see that NH folks actually drive in the right lane and use the left for passing (Washingtonians are terrible about parking in the left lane). Even though I am driving further to get places, I am finding that I am less stressed than what I was in Washington.

Best of luck with your move. If you want small town living, I think you will be very happy.

[Aptor hours]

I work in west Lebanon and im super friendly! Stop on at GAP outlet and shop.