In terms of “states” I lump New Hampshire in with Vermont. There’s something about the people in the region that blurs the border; you cannot tell when you’ve crossed from one state to the next, save for the signs or by checking your position on a map. Their defining feature is the piles of garbage in their front yards, as natural to the landscape as rocks. The half-built cars, the half-destroyed cars; the falling-down outbuildings, roofs covered with blue tarps, one after another; the metal monstrosities, talking about like “oh let’s take this snow groomer, and strap an airplane body to the top, leave it in the front yard for the next sixty years.” And this is just what you can see from the road. These are houses with curb appeal. The real weird shit is at the houses and dilapidated outbuildings that you can’t see from the road. Gotta get three or four locals together to make a full set of teeth. YMMV.
Most of Vermont and NH is nothing like this. I’ve lived there, near Brattleboro (which is literally on the border with NH), in the upper northeastern part of the state near NH in the middle of nowhere, and in Montpelier. I drove around VT and NH pretty extensively.
I also had a girlfriend that lived in Hanover, NH so was driving up there a lot; Hanover is admittedly unique in NH. I ski, MTB, hike, 4 wheel, snowmobile, hunt, and fish, so I’ve truly crawled around a large majority of the entirety of both states.
There are extremely rural locations in both states that look like many rural places anywhere in the United States – in fact, much nicer than many of the rural places in the US I’ve been down south and in the upper Midwest. I’ve literally never seen “piles of garbage” in front yards during the thousands of miles I’ve traveled around the states. I have seen trucks and ATVs being worked on in in various stages of disassembly in yards in the backwoods, but that’s how it is in the backwoods. You’re not exactly going to bring it to a mechanic.
That said, there is a very clear difference between NH and VT. While many parts of NH are quite nice, I would agree that there are some parts of NH that mildly fit your description. There are less places like that in VT, but I suppose if you looked hard enough, you’d find them.
But overall, your characterization doesn’t fit either of the states. They’re both beautiful New England states. I intend to move back to Vermont in the next few years because it’s so pleasant.
Where are you living in NH/VT? I find your descriptions completely bizarre.
I only vacation there and usually only to rural places for wilderness activities, hunting or fishing, exploring, though I think I’ve visited most of the cities. I should have said I was not talking about the cities. And yes, absolutely, lots of great towns mixed throughout both states. I think it’s the fact that I’m mostly looking for remote places when I visit.
Have you been there?
In terms of “states” I lump New Hampshire in with Vermont. There’s something about the people in the region that blurs the border; you cannot tell when you’ve crossed from one state to the next, save for the signs or by checking your position on a map. Their defining feature is the piles of garbage in their front yards, as natural to the landscape as rocks. The half-built cars, the half-destroyed cars; the falling-down outbuildings, roofs covered with blue tarps, one after another; the metal monstrosities, talking about like “oh let’s take this snow groomer, and strap an airplane body to the top, leave it in the front yard for the next sixty years.” And this is just what you can see from the road. These are houses with curb appeal. The real weird shit is at the houses and dilapidated outbuildings that you can’t see from the road. Gotta get three or four locals together to make a full set of teeth. YMMV.
Most of Vermont and NH is nothing like this. I’ve lived there, near Brattleboro (which is literally on the border with NH), in the upper northeastern part of the state near NH in the middle of nowhere, and in Montpelier. I drove around VT and NH pretty extensively.
I also had a girlfriend that lived in Hanover, NH so was driving up there a lot; Hanover is admittedly unique in NH. I ski, MTB, hike, 4 wheel, snowmobile, hunt, and fish, so I’ve truly crawled around a large majority of the entirety of both states.
There are extremely rural locations in both states that look like many rural places anywhere in the United States – in fact, much nicer than many of the rural places in the US I’ve been down south and in the upper Midwest. I’ve literally never seen “piles of garbage” in front yards during the thousands of miles I’ve traveled around the states. I have seen trucks and ATVs being worked on in in various stages of disassembly in yards in the backwoods, but that’s how it is in the backwoods. You’re not exactly going to bring it to a mechanic.
That said, there is a very clear difference between NH and VT. While many parts of NH are quite nice, I would agree that there are some parts of NH that mildly fit your description. There are less places like that in VT, but I suppose if you looked hard enough, you’d find them.
But overall, your characterization doesn’t fit either of the states. They’re both beautiful New England states. I intend to move back to Vermont in the next few years because it’s so pleasant.
Where are you living in NH/VT? I find your descriptions completely bizarre.
I only vacation there and usually only to rural places for wilderness activities, hunting or fishing, exploring, though I think I’ve visited most of the cities. I should have said I was not talking about the cities. And yes, absolutely, lots of great towns mixed throughout both states. I think it’s the fact that I’m mostly looking for remote places when I visit.