Lake Traditions

JG1222 · 01-02-2007, 12:20 AM

Fantastic thread!

My wife's family (parents, sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles, etc. - about 20 in all) vacationed together for thirty years during the same two weeks nearby in Gilmanton. Each of the individual families had their own "first night of camp" traditions, but my wife's family would come down the hill into Alton and have dinner at Pop's.

I've been coming to the lake since I was five years-old. My parents would rent a cottage just before the Black Cat Island bridge on Moultonboro neck. Just to make the long trip from Burlington, MA even LONGER - when we were ALMOST there, my father would stop to fill-up our plastic jugs with spring water from this little building on the side of the road. I'm sure the whole process took only a few minutes, but when you're young, and almost "at vacation" and have just spent the past 2 hours crammed in the "way back" of a 1976 AMC Pacer with a black & white TV pressing on your bladder the entire ride, it seemed like it took forever for those jugs to fill.

I accidently stumbled on the "Spring Water Building" about 15 years ago on a little road trip I took after I graduated high school. I saw it out of my peripheral vision as I drove by it, but the memory of it "clicked" as I passed it. I remember locking-up the brakes in my Olds Cutlass Supreme, taking a picture and just hanging out there for a while reminiscing.

+1 on Franken Sundae, by the way (although my love for Common Man Ale and Rock Crab Cake Sandwiches at "The Town Docks" has far since replaced my ice cream cravings at my age).

mets3007 · 01-02-2007, 04:04 PM

My ice cream fix has lead me to Lilikulani's at Weirs area and sometimes JB Scoops or Dairy Queen.

Weirs guy · 01-02-2007, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JG1222

My wife's family (parents, sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles, etc. - about 20 in all) vacationed together for thirty years during the same two weeks nearby in Gilmington.

What part of Gilmanton? My folks had a camp at Valley Shores for years and we used to camp there weekends. Funny, between that camp and the Weirs, growing up in Franklin, NH I spent a lot of time "vacationing" a half hour from my house!

JG1222 · 01-02-2007, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Weirs guy

What part of Gilmanton?

They were on Manning Lake. I was lucky enough to be able to join them for three years before the cottages went from two to 6-week rentals to make it easier on the owners.

Waterbaby · 01-02-2007, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JG1222

I've been coming to the lake since I was five years-old.

Just curious, to put it into perspective!

JG1222 · 01-02-2007, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Waterbaby

So How Old Are You Now? Just curious, to put it into perspective!

I just turned 33.

01-02-2007, 12:20 AM	#1
JG1222 Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pelham, NH Posts: 347 Thanks: 14 Thanked 4 Times in 2 Posts	Great Thread Fantastic thread! My wife's family (parents, sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles, etc. - about 20 in all) vacationed together for thirty years during the same two weeks nearby in Gilmanton. Each of the individual families had their own "first night of camp" traditions, but my wife's family would come down the hill into Alton and have dinner at Pop's. I've been coming to the lake since I was five years-old. My parents would rent a cottage just before the Black Cat Island bridge on Moultonboro neck. Just to make the long trip from Burlington, MA even LONGER - when we were ALMOST there, my father would stop to fill-up our plastic jugs with spring water from this little building on the side of the road. I'm sure the whole process took only a few minutes, but when you're young, and almost "at vacation" and have just spent the past 2 hours crammed in the "way back" of a 1976 AMC Pacer with a black & white TV pressing on your bladder the entire ride, it seemed like it took forever for those jugs to fill. I accidently stumbled on the "Spring Water Building" about 15 years ago on a little road trip I took after I graduated high school. I saw it out of my peripheral vision as I drove by it, but the memory of it "clicked" as I passed it. I remember locking-up the brakes in my Olds Cutlass Supreme, taking a picture and just hanging out there for a while reminiscing. +1 on Franken Sundae, by the way (although my love for Common Man Ale and Rock Crab Cake Sandwiches at "The Town Docks" has far since replaced my ice cream cravings at my age). Last edited by JG1222; 01-03-2007 at 08:42 AM. Reason: Spelling

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01-02-2007, 04:04 PM	#2
mets3007 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 170 Thanks: 3 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	My ice cream fix has lead me to Lilikulani's at Weirs area and sometimes JB Scoops or Dairy Queen.