#sneforestour

The final day of the #SNEForesTour had arrived, and the last stops on the schedule were Whole Foods Market in Portland, Maine and a pass through Portsmouth, NH before rounding things up in Boston, MA. 

At 10am, the Forester pulled into Whole Foods, and we were warmly welcomed by both the staff and a few friends of ours from Pape Subaru who arrived to get a firsthand look at the new vehicle before it hit the dealerships.  

Like we had already experienced at the Whole Foods locations we visited during this tour, a steady flow of people came and went over the course of the hour. And while there were a good amount of non-Subaru drivers that wanted to check out what was going on, this particular parking lot was filled with Subies, which you can see from this pic of a Forester trifecta that came together right next to where we parked!

Mary, the owner of the 2007 Forester seen above, is a diehard Subaru fan and after she finished up her shopping at Whole Foods, met us outside and sported her new pink Subie hat in a picture with us! Thanks Mary!

We had a chance to hang out with dozens of great Portlanders who made our time there very enjoyable with their enthusiasm and excitement, and we’d also like to point out the great work this Whole Foods & their customers have done in donating over $156,000 to Maine non-profits and schools since opening in 2007! Simply amazing!

Before leaving Portland we swung by Hadlock Field, home of the Portland Sea Dogs, a Double A baseball team that has developed some very well known players who’ve made it to the Boston Red Sox roster over the years. Also, a cool feature of this particular field is the “Maine Monster”, which resembles Fenway Park’s “Green Monster”, and earned the Sea Dogs a mention in the Yard Magazine for having one of the most unique outfields in Minor League baseball!

Next, it was off to the historic seaport of Portsmouth, NH, where one can’t help but feel as if they have been transported into a time that “once was” in New England. Shops and offices line the narrow city streets, many with aged wooden signs hanging out front rather than large neon lit ones that make up modern storefronts. Homes of notable figures in New Hampshire’s history are peppered in amongst city greens and intersections, reminding those who visit that this place truly has its roots extending back to the very earliest times of America, 1630 to be exact. 

After exploring the main streets of the city, we ventured out to New Castle island, to explore Fort Constitution and the Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse. 

This site was originally known as Fort William and Mary, and built in 1632 to defend Portsmouth Harbor. In 1774, Paul Revere actually rode from Boston to this very location to warn of British forces heading towards Portsmouth harbor, and members of the New England patriot movement seized the British officers and the arms that had been occupying the fort. In 1791, the state of New Hampshire gave the land to the United states federal government and that is when it was renamed “Fort Constitution”. During the 1800s, there were many renovations and the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard was established here as well. Another notable structure located here is the Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse, which is still an active navigation aid for the US Coast Guard, which currently has a base here. 

The final stop of the day is another symbol deeply rooted in New England’s history, the Massachusetts State House. Designed by architect Charles Bulfinch and built between 1795 and 1798, the land upon which this building sits was once owned by Massachusetts' first elected Governor, John Hancock. Just as Fort Constitution had a connection with Paul Revere, so does the Massachusetts State House, as it originally had a leaky wooden dome that was later covered by sheets of copper provided by Paul Revere’s company. Another neat fact that would make anyone a New England trivia buff – the pine cone that sits on top of the now 23k golden dome, is a symbol of the important role Boston’s lumber industry held in early colonial times, and a tribute to the state of Maine, which was a part of the Massachusetts’ Commonwealth back when the original building was built by Bulfinch. 

And with that,  as the 2014 Forester made its way through Beacon Hill and back to the Subaru of New England office, history of a different kind was made as this now marked the end of the first #SNEForesTour around New England.

With three states to travel through and a lot of windshield time ahead, Day 9 of the #SNEForesTour started out in Burlington, VT and came to an end in Portland, ME with a lot of back roads and scenic stops along the way.

The nature of the day’s journey was to keep things “unscripted”, and take in the sights, surroundings, people and places as they came. 

Our first stop introduced us to the “Early Riser” at The Skinny Pancake (Montpelier, VT). In addition to being known for their delicious line up of pancakes topped with local ingredients and flavors, their breakfast crepes are an unbelievable way to jumpstart your morning. 

With the road ahead taking us through Vermont’s rural and picturesque area called “The Northeast Kingdom”, we stumbled upon the Cabot Creamery. The Forester seemed to know the “whey”, and enjoyed a quick stop off to check out this dairy cooperative owned by farmers since 1919.

Throughout the day, the roads we traveled were not just paved with asphalt, but the majority of them were “paved” with snow. Truthfully, the Forester preferred the latter…

Another famous road in New England is one that leads to the top of the highest peak in the Northeastern United States – The Mt. Washington Auto Road. While it was along the way and we had a feeling it would be closed this time of year, it was still worth double checking. (The Forester could have totally made it, but we didn’t want to cause a scene ;) )

Around midday, we tucked in to the Wild Cat Mountain area, and were excited to meet a fellow Subie driver “enjoying his All Wheel Drive” in the parking lot! 

We hooked him up with some free gear and headed over to the lodge to drop off a case of Subaru of New England ice scrapers with the folks there. So, if you’re hitting up “The Cat” in the next few days, be sure to ask them for one!

Before continuing on, it was time to stop for some eats, and we found a fantastic little spot in Gorham, NH that has a great set up, and awesome owners! Foods For Life is an organic, “healthy living” shop that also features a cozy, 6 seat bar where you can grab a variety of wraps, salads, smoothies, and more. At just four months old, this spot used to be a bank, and you can tell from some of the old vaults still alongside the wall which adds great character. Another cool fact – check out the front of the bar. You’ll notice it is an original counter from an old pharmacy, displaying all the old names of medicines, and you’ll be a real “insider” with the owners Natalie and Andrea if you tell them we sent ya! 

The afternoon was filled with hours of scenic travel through Maine, where logging trucks passed every few minutes and there were too many bridges, rivers and snow covered treescapes to count. What’s funny, is en route to Bangor to check out the Paul Bunyan statue, we were coming through Rumford and stumbled upon…another Paul Bunyan statue?!

After 10hrs on the road, and a few hundred miles logged, it was time to hang up the keys for the evening in Portland, Maine which is where Day 10 would start to round out the two week tour.