After an enjoyable day in the White Mountains, it was time for the long drive to Cooperstown (5 hours, 260 miles). There's no great way to get there from rural New Hampshire; a decent part of the trip is country roads. But we arrived by 4pm; enough time to enjoy the town.
I love Cooperstown. Its main street is classic Americana. The shops plentiful and baseball-focused, from cards to hats to jerseys and other memorabilia. Outside the main drag, beautiful homes and tree-lined streets abound. I could spend a few days strolling (and shopping).
The next day, we were ready for the Hall of Fame when it opened its doors (at 9am). The museum recommended allowing two hours to visit; we were done in an hour and a half, going at a decent pace and enjoying the exhibits (but not reading everything). The 19-minute movie at the beginning was . . . nostalgic but not great (it gave no history, but featured players talking about how they love the game and showing some iconic moments). But the rest was excellent—they have exhibits on the game's origins, select players of note (like Babe Ruth and Jackie Robinson), the African American League, the Woman's League, team displays, baseball cards, and more. At the end of the experience (they recommend seeing the museum 2nd floor—3rd floor—1st floor, oddly) is the Hall of Fame itself, where almost 350 people have plaques with paragraphs describing their achievements. The latest four slots had the background marble (with player signatures) but no plaques, yet—they are to be inducted in a week or so.
After the Hall, it was time to drive home (5:30, ~340 miles). It was (mercifully) mostly highways.
The Trip in Total
It was a whirlwind, but an enjoyable one. We spent five of eight days driving for five or more hours, but got to enjoy plenty of beautiful scenery, amazing weather, wonderful friends, and some history to boot. The entire journey (below) was more than 1500 miles, though. It's good to be home and get some rest.
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