Grass certainly seems greener in the ‘north country’

EDITOR’S NOTEBOOK

By Ruth Luse
   Last week’s account about the beauty and solitude of Baldpate Mountain — known now as The Ted Stiles Preserve at Baldpate Mountain — took on a whole new meaning for me while I was traveling through New Hampshire’s White Mountains last week. This is a trip I hope to take — if I can — at least once a year.
   To live there, for those of us who have become accustomed to the frantic lifestyle we have here in New Jersey, would take some getting-used-to, but that’s a challenge I would gladly accept.
   New Hampshire is 9,279 square miles in size. According to 2006 estimates, 1,314,895 people live within that land area. New Jersey, on the other hand, has an estimated 2006 population of 8,724,560 residents who live in an area of 7,787 square miles.
   What made me wonder about these statistics? It was a question asked of us by a lady who served us breakfast at the inn near Lincoln at which we stayed. She lives in Whitefield, located on the Johns River north of both Franconia Notch and Crawford Notch and northwest of Mount Washington. This is moose country.
   She asked: "Are there many people in New Jersey?" No need to repeat our answer — "Yes, indeed, there are many . . . too many."
   Our waitress also wanted to know if we work to preserve land here in Jersey. Thinking of Baldpate, the St. Michael’s tract and places like them, I said "yes," but that it "might be too late for us." However, on Tuesday, Gov. Jon S. Corzine signed the Green Acres, Farmland, Blue Acres and Historic Preservation Act of 2007 — so the hopes of many for continued land preservation efforts in New Jersey may not be dashed.
   It probably isn’t too late for New Hampshire, not where we were, but the Whitefield lady has fears that the kind of development we’ve seen here could eventually spoil the pristine beauty of her region. I would hate to see that. It would be a tragedy. I don’t know, but assume that zoning laws in the "north country" are stringent. Obviously, the terrain in many areas would be a deterrent to building.
   Although there are deer in New Hampshire, just as there are here, we did not see any running across the road and in the valleys. There, moose are not only an attraction for outsiders, but a source of danger for locals and travelers alike. A moose did cross our path shortly after dusk as we drove south on I-93 from Littleton — one of the very few bustling hubs in the "north country."
   Speaking of moose, after dark we took a bus tour designed solely for the purpose of viewing these "critters," as our guide called them. It seems they like — among other things — to visit muddy wallows along roadways where salts used to make roads safer in winter have become part of the soil. Moose need salt to help them regain body weight and aid in the growth of new antlers yearly, we were told. We saw six of them that night, including one baby, and they are BIG!!! Signs along the winding roads tell of hundreds of moose collisions with vehicles. These are nothing to take lightly and are one good reason why living in the "north country" is a challenge.
   But, what a joy it was to drive on roads where there are no regular traffic jams and only views of trees and mountains in the distance. What a pleasure it was not to have to worry about being hit by vehicles whose drivers failed — as they almost always do here — to yield to oncoming traffic. What a joy to meet people who have time to talk, without being rude!
   They say the grass is always greener on the other side of the proverbial fence, and I know that’s true. There are many lovely places here in New Jersey, one being High Point State Park at the top of our state. This is a somewhat mountainous area where the Kuser family, which once had a home atop Baldpate Mountain, also had a residence years ago. Remains of old structures are still standing.
   Vacations give us time off from work, but they also replenish the spirit. That’s what visits to places like New Hampshire’s "north country" always do for me. If you haven’t gone there, do so. It’s inspirational any season of the year!