08-Oct-2023 -- I've followed the degree confluence project for a while now but never got out into the field myself. But an opportunity finally presented itself!

My wife and I decided to go and visit the fair in Fryeburg, ME. Living in southern New Hampshire, it's always nice to head north to the White Mountains to see the fall foliage. It was a beautiful day for October to visit the fair! The weather was cool with the breeze but the sun helped to keep us warm. Seeing all the farm animals was the highlight, and of course eating food you can only find at a fair!

I knew from following the DCP that there is a confluence point just over the border in Conway, NH. I decided before heading home to make the quick stop to claim this as my first confluence visit.

It's amazing how technology has made confluence hunting easier. I've read the accounts of visits 20+ years ago that would require paper maps, laptops, and cameras requiring enough memory for photos. Now I can use Google satellite maps, a GPS app, and the camera all built into my smartphone to easily navigate and document the point! In addition, thanks to the accounts of previous visitors, I had more than enough information to find it.

After leaving the fair, we drove on Route 302 west across the border and pulled off to the side of the main highway near the end of the driveway of the confluence property. My wife didn't really understand the project and decided to wait in the car. I was a little nervous doing this for the first time and didn't want to stress my wife walking on a stranger's property, so I decided to document the visit at the end of the driveway, ensuring I was well within the 100m threshold after accounting for the margin of error.

The point is behind a white house with a red rood just north of US Route 302. At the end of the driveway I was standing +/-83 meters southeast of the confluence point. The foliage around the property is still quite green with a few parts of leaves turning color. It was in the low 60s, partly sunny with the clouds moving in, and breezy. The highway was pretty busy with traffic both heading towards and home from the fair.

After the visit, we headed into Conway and south on Route 16 towards home. It feels good to finally join the DCP project!