The Season of the Witch

Another Trip Reveal & a Reader Question

And so begins the season of the witch.

Today, the Monday of this three-day weekend is always a watermark for us. It’s been a crazy few days— frenetic, choked, and boisterous from the crowds. The traffic is always the antithesis of why we live here, as crowds flock to the White Mountains for the stunning leaves.

The 45-minute drive along the length of the scenic two-lane Kancamagus Highway took a friend five hours on Saturday. And we don’t even think about heading into North Conway from Friday at noon until later today. The roads are paralyzed.

Strangely, I have always enjoyed the madness of this weekend. We treat it as we would a snowstorm, get everything done beforehand, and hunker down in the coziest ways. My heart beats calmly but with warmth for what is about to be.

By 3 pm, the nearly five months of crowds, which has reached a crescendo with the peak of fall foliage season, comes crashing down. All the angst, frustration, and hurry on our roads falls still. Quiet replaces the roar of…