★ Settling In New Hampshire – First Two Days

I figured that it would be appropriate to post a couple of notes with my first impressions of the city, people and amenities as well as covering the cross-country journey to get here.

Photos:
New Beginnings
My New House

It’s not like I’m going to Russia. It’s only a cross-country flight but it felt like a very long day. After an awesome day saying goodbye to friends, I went to bed at 1AM for a flight that leaves at 7:20AM out of SFO. After a call to Yellow Cab, I went to sleep, only waking up 4 hours later to my iPhone alarm clock notifying me that it was time. Clothes packed, stomach empty and teeth brushed. I hopped in the cab and a few tears fell. This was goodbye. It was real. This wasn’t a full on cry but it was there and sadness did fill my heart. I just stopped thinking about it. I glanced at my to-do list that will occupy my mind and distract me from the fact that I’m leaving the home I’ve had for a few years. San Francisco was the city I dreamed of living in since I was 15 years old and now I was leaving. That one last view of South San Francisco as I rode down 280 in the taxi and I felt something new and fresh. I felt a new beginning.

I was Boston bound on Virgin America. I splurged for the flight because I wanted things to be comfortable and problem free. Virgin took me down to LAX for a 2 hour layover and then it was off to Boston. I was seated in the good seats with access to power, Internet, unlimited food and cocktails as well as on demand TV & Movies. The distractions calmed me a bit but the day still felt like I was simply going on a business trip.

Boston was warm, about 25 degrees warmer than San Francisco. The air was humid and families reunited as I waited for my bag at the carousel. There were fears that my 8:15PM Flight arrival + checked bag would make me miss the last bus to New Hampshire that departed at 8:50PM. Luck was still on my side. I made it to the bus with 5 minutes to spare.

I’m no stranger to Boston as a tourist. People are generally pretty cold and keep to themselves. It’s not rude, just hardened. I’m used to it so I kept to myself as well and tried not to smile too much but people knew I was an outsider. I could feel that.

On Dartmouth Coach, I had access to water and free Internet. The seats were comfortable and the bus that departed at 8:50 arrived in Lebanon, NH at 11:45PM. It’s a 3 hour ride from Boston-Logan to my new home town on the bus. This $30 one-way coach goes from New Hampshire to Boston 4 times a day and it’s a line I’ll get more used to as I travel more. The cost savings of driving your own car and parking it in Boston doesn’t compare to the price of that bus so any time I fly out, it’ll be via Dartmouth Coach.

The bus pulled up and it soon hit me in the head that I have no way to get to my hotel. The hotel was 4 miles away and it was midnight and everyone there had a ride. I stood up hoping the New Hampshire kindness would present itself and I said, “I need a ride to a hotel near DHMC. I have no car and I just moved here from California. Can someone help?” Three people offered out of 12 that were on the midnight coach. We’re not in the big city anymore.

The kindness didn’t stop there. I arrived at the hotel and checked in mentioning I’m moving to town and ended up chatting with the attendant for 30 minutes as he told me stories of people who move to New Hampshire just like I do but most people staying there are just people visiting Dartmouth and touring the college.

It took until 1:30AM to finally fall asleep. California time is still in me but I did finally fall asleep right after a text message arrived from a friend in California saying that they miss me. I leaned over, grabbed the phone and replied, “I miss you too.”

My alarm went off at 7AM to that catchy 90s song by a band called, “Chumbawumba” where that guy gets knocked down and then back up again….you’re never going to keep him down. I called Sue who was the mother in law of a guy I connected with online. He had moved to Seattle but left his 1996 Nissan Maxima with her and it was being sold for $1500. The brakes needed checked but everything else was perfect. It had keyless entry, Bose speakers and leather interior and only 165K miles. It was a perfect car to get me through the next 2-3 months of driving. It’s a car that will get me to where I need to go. I won’t be taking any long distance drives with this thing but I’ll need it to get around and take care of business.

After 3-4 miles driving the car with Sue who was telling me stories of her grandkids, I was sold or I guess it’s safe to say that the car was sold. We pulled up to City Hall and I gave her cash. She was patient as we tried to transfer the title but since I don’t have a home address yet, I was stuck. After our chat she caringly gave me the title, shook my hand and said, “It’s signed, just come back here when you get the house and I trust you to transfer it all over out of my son’s name. Just call me next week to return the tags.”

I drove Sue back to her place and headed out to take the car to get maintenance and other diagnostics plus I need a state smog inspection done. After stopping by 5 places, I finally broke down and went Lebanon’s Nissan Dealership. Every car place was all full until next week with Labor Day pre-road trip maintenance making today’s schedule a total mess. Also, my check engine light is on so that was taken care of as well.

Maintenance was just under $600. Not bad to get the car inspected and a lot of work done. it was nearly 2PM so I had to drive and check out the cabin that I found on Craigslist 5 weeks ago. The owners were friendly and had saved the place for me this entire time. I lined up 4 places that day but really only planned on looking at one.

After a 20 minute drive, I pulled up to the new home that will be mine for the next year. This log cabin in Canaan New Hampshire is on 5 acres of land and the property line ends at the river running behind it. There’s a garden, hot tub, fire pit, back deck and large drive way big enough to have a baseball game in. There’s a garage which will mean I don’t have to shovel snow from around my tires every morning and everything about this place is brand new from the wood floors, to granite countertops to the gazebo and man-made beach overlooking the river. The owners live in one of the two cabins on the property and the main cabin is a tree level house where two apartments are on the bottom and I have the entire 2nd floor to myself where the basement is used for storage and the wood stove that heats the house.

Walking up the stairs to my apartment and I’m in a screen enclosed porch that overlooks the woods and could fit two pool tables. I walk through the door and a large kitchen with island and a spacious living room with stairs leading up to a loft that I can use for storage. Three bedrooms and an office is the space I’ll have to stretch my legs and I can have a roommate if I want but, at $1400 a month, it’s a place that’s 10 times as big in property and 5 times as big as what you’d get in San Francisco for the same price.

I knew this place is what I wanted upon seeing it but I had to think it over mostly due to the 20 minute commute to work. Back in SF, it took me 2 hours each way but this was driving and I was concerned because inviting friends to my place may be met with, “man you live too far out in the woods.” If I wanted this place, it was mine.

TomTom has a 1st Friday of the month happy hour. Most of my future colleagues were there. I met everyone, chatted it up and every one of the 50 people that introduced themselves said, “I read your blog.” It turns out, my simple blog post about moving to New Hampshire was passed around for a few weeks in the company. I’m pretty sure that my face got red every time someone told me that. I had some beers with my new coworkers and afterward, me and Mary went to Murphy’s on The Green for that amazing Albacore Tuna Salad that I had when in town for my job interview. We chatted about the company and my past. It was good to meet a colleague on a personal level and make a new friend.

Afterward, I hit the Canoe Club and ordered a scotch to do some people watching. Ended up chatting it up with a few nurses from the medical center and Daniel (aka the best bartender in the world) recognized me from when I was in town last and asked if I decided to move here. I finally, headed to EBA’s diner to chat with Hillary, the waitress who’s kindness convinced me that New Hampshire was something special and I saw a few more coworkers.

I laid out these details because I went to 4 different places in one night and each time, someone was there that I knew and who knew me as well. It’s a small town but the ability to hop around town being recognized and becoming a local even after 2 days in town is powerful. It’s a great feeling and something I can grow accustomed to very quickly.

Once this post is up and my photos are published, I’ll be moving into my new house. My suitcase is full of clothes, a soap and an air mattress. That’s all I have until my furniture and things arrive in a week from the moving company. To be honest, I can do without that stuff assuming the air mattress holds air.
A bit about Lebanon / Hanover. I’m very happy with the area. Hanover is full of locally owned places to hang out. The school gives this town an international flavor and the pricey entry point to eat and hang out here makes for a good experience but it’s still cheaper than SF or Vegas which is great! I can eat some pretty awesome food here for less than $15. Lebanon is exactly the opposite. It looks like New England. Houses are on hills surrounded by pine trees and there are covered bridges and everything is affordable. In West Lebanon, there is a plethora of big box retailers (take that San Francisco!) I have a BJs wholesale, Walmart, Staples, Office Max, Panera Bread, a mall, Home Depot and more. There are commercial retailers that simply don’t exist in San Francisco and this makes me happy. I can drive 5 miles from that stretch of “evil corporations” and be sitting on a lake front with my fishing pole in the water. Another mile out and I’m at TomTom’s Lebanon office where 300 employees are changing the world every day and another mile and I’m at Dartmouth college where 10K of the brightest ivy leaguers study and learn about the world and another mile will take me to the Appalachian trail with backpackers making their way up north with their full bears and worn shoes.

The whole area is so diverse and everyone is trustworthy, friendly and genuinely interested in your life as much as you are about there’s. In 3 weeks, the trees will be turning orange and the annual pumpkin festival will take place. 3 weeks after that and snow will start falling and I can learn how to ski. It’s an incredible place to live and I’m happy to be here.

Of course, these are just first impressions but I’m confident this is going to be a great home for me. Of course, I’ll keep you all up to date with what happens next. Thanks for following!