A fall weekend in New Hampshire led to rescues of injured hikers and crashes involving ATV drivers from Massachusetts and Rhode Island, officials said.
Conservation officers responded Sunday to Edmands Path in the White Mountain National Forest for an injured hiker who was about two miles from the trailhead, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department said.
Kyleigh Burns, 25, of Somerville, was heading up the trail when she slipped, fell, and injured her lower leg, officials said. Her fellow hikers tried to treat her leg but Burns couldn’t put any weight on it.
She called 911 around 12:15 p.m. and while waiting for rescuers to arrive, she was able “to descend by assistance from her hiking companions and by scooting herself down the trail approximately 1,000 feet,” officials said.
Advertisement
Burns was placed in a rescue litter and carried to the parking lot, arriving around 4:30 p.m. She declined an ambulance ride and was taken by her friends to an medical facility, officials said.
Get N.H. Morning Report
A weekday newsletter delivering the N.H. news you need to know right to your inbox.
Conservation officers and 22 volunteers from Androscoggin Valley Search and Rescue (AVSAR) and Pemigewassett Valley Search and Rescue took part in the rescue.
On Friday night, a Bellingham woman needed help while hiking Mount Chocorua, officials said. Calie Bridges, 25, injured her ankle but tried to continue her hike with her three companions, officials said.
Advertisement
“She did continue hiking with the injury but her progress was slowed. The group called for help when they realized that their phones were running low and that their lights were failing,” the agency said. “Calie was nearly 2.5 miles from the trailhead when darkness forced her to stop walking.”
Two conservation officers arrived to splint Bridges ankle and provid the hikers with lights.
“Calie was then able to hike slowly out to the trailhead,” officials said. “She arrived back at the trailhead shortly after 3:30 a.m. and was driven from the scene by her friends.”
Conservation officers also responded to ATV crashes over the weekend. On Sunday around 5 p.m., officers were alerted that Nicholas Arsenis of North Reading had crashed the ATV he was driving on private land in Raymond.
Arsenis “lost control of his ATV and rolled the machine” and was taken to Elliot Hospital in Manchester. His injuries were not life-threatening, officials said.
Advertisement
“Based on the preliminary investigation the primary causation of the crash was operator error,” officials said. Arsenis was not wearing a helmet and was cited for driving an off-road vehicle without written permission from the landowner.
On Saturday around 5:30 p.m., conservation officers responded to an ATV crash on the Presidential Rail Trail in Gorham where emergency personnel were providing first aid to John Allen, 39, of North Kingston, R.I.
“Allen was traveling first in a group of three machines on his way back to the parking lot in Gorham,” officials said. “While riding down the trail, he failed to see the reflective gate across the Presidential Rail Trail designed to keep motor vehicles off the trail.”
To avoid hitting the fence, “Allen locked up his brakes and steered his machine to the side just before running into the gate. His machine did not collide with the gate, however, Allen was thrown over the gate, striking his lower body against it.”
His companions made an emergency call. Allen was taken to the Androscoggin Valley Hospital in Berlin, the agency said.
Advertisement
“Investigators believe that inattention and speed for the combined conditions are the primary factors in this crash. Alcohol and drug intoxication are not considered factors,” officials said.
John R. Ellement can be reached at john.ellement@globe.com. Follow him @JREbosglobe.
Sunflowers are my absolute FAVORITE flowers. I truly feel like they have magical uplifting abilities. Hence, why I’ve always kept fresh sunflowers in my house, brightening up my kitchen table or even my TV stand.
Obviously, it was a dream of mine to have my maternity photos taken in a sunflower field. They reflect sunshine and exude happiness.
Not to mention, one of my favorite quotes is about sunflowers! “Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow. It’s what sunflowers do.” Helen Keller
A beautiful reminder to keep an optimistic outlook on life and not dwell on the negative.
Advertisement
So, you can imagine the joy I felt when I learned that New Hampshire had its very own Sunflower Festival at Coppal House Farm in Lee!
Coppal House Farm via FacebookCoppal House Farm via Facebook
About the Sunflower Festival:
During the summer, the farm transforms into a sea of golden blooms, giving visitors the chance to wander through thousands of sunflowers, snap photos, enjoy local food vendors, artisan crafts, listen to live music, and experience one of New Hampshire’s most beautiful summer traditions.
Other unique activities on the itinerary? Sip-n-snip! Guests can enjoy a cocktail or mocktail of their choice and cut their own fresh bouquet of flowers.
Coppal House Farm via FacebookCoppal House Farm via Facebook
Or maybe you’re a yoga fan? You can join a 60-minute sweat session from Lee, New Hampshire yoga instructors right in the heart of the flower field.
And because the farm grows oilseed sunflowers for culinary oil (which they harvest in the fall months), the flowers only stay at their peak for a brief window, making the festival a limited-time experience, according to the festival organizers…
Advertisement
What makes this event even more special is the reason behind it. The festival started as a way to share the beauty of the sunflower fields, but it has grown into something much bigger. Organizers say the event has raised more than $90,000 for Make-A-Wish New Hampshire over the years and now shares a portion of its proceeds with several local nonprofit organizations serving the Seacoast community.
Anyone who knows me knows that paying it forward is something that’s incredibly important to me. It’s right up there with my love of sunflowers because both fill my cup in the best way. So, when I found out this festival celebrates my favorite flower and gives back to the community, I knew I had to share it.
Sunflower Festival Details:
This festival only runs from Saturday, July 25th until Sunday, August 2nd. You can get the full list of activities and more on the Coppal Farm website.
Daily Field Hours
Advertisement
10:00 AM – 6:30 PM (last admission at 6PM because fields close at 6:30) Weekend Tickets (prepurchased online – day before) $12 per person ages 13 & older $10 per person ages 5-12 $10 per person Seniors (65+) & Military 4 yrs & under are always free Weekend Tickets (purchased day of – online or at farm): $16 per person ages 13 & older $14 per person ages 5-12 $14 per person Seniors (65+) & Military 4 yrs & under are always free includes: access to sunflower fields, craft fair, food vending area, tented shade area, picnic area, farm animals, & live music
Weekday Tickets (prepurchased online – day before) $8 per person ages 13 & older $6 per person ages 5-12 $6 per person Seniors (65+) & Military 4 yrs & under are always free
Weekday Tickets (purchased day of – online or at farm) $12 per person ages 13 & older $10 per person ages 5-12 $10 per person Seniors (65+) & Military 4 yrs & under are always free
What tickets include: Access to sunflower fields, food vending area, tented shade area, picnic area, and farm animals
READ MORE: A Classic Fairy Tale Comes To Life At Portsmouth’s Prescott Park This Summer
Advertisement
This festival might just leave you smiling long after you leave the fields!
What Flowers Thrive in New England
See what flowers thrive in New England weather: Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.
Gallery Credit: Logan
14 of the Best New Hampshire Farms Offering Locally Grown Strawberries
14 of the Best New Hampshire Farms Offering PYO Strawberries
Ed. Note: If this was you and you are interested, please email [email protected] so I can put you in touch with OP.
“Dear PoPville,
I was biking home from a doctor appointment a little before noon on Friday, and stopped at a red light on New Hampshire & L st nw. There was a woman across the street who was looking fine in her dark blue (I think they were) scrubs. I might be crazy, but it felt like we kept checking each other out. By the third time,
if we were in a romcom, one of us would have waved. Sorry I didn’t, but if you are reading this and date men, reach out to the Prince if you are interested in that man on the bike. Have a great weekend!”
Ed. Note: If this is you, please email [email protected] so I can put you in touch with OP. PoPville is not affiliated with either party, please proceed with any potential connection at your own risk using caution as you would any online encounter. For those curious about past missed connections, many have been made and when possible I’ll try to update when/if more are made.
A New Hampshire motorcyclist who had been missing since the Fourth of July was found dead in Shelburne late Thursday night.
State police say they received a request from the Berlin Police Department just after 7:30 p.m. Thursday for help locating 41-year-old Wesley Grondin — the Berlin man was last seen riding his motorcycle on Saturday, July 4, and had been reported missing.
Troopers received a call a couple of hours later, around 10:10 p.m. Thursday, from a concerned resident who had been out looking for Grondin along Route 2 in Shelburne. The person told police they had found Grondin dead, along with his Harley Davidson.
According to state police, a preliminary investigation determined that Grondin was riding his Harley on Route 2 westbound in Shelburne when, for reasons that remain under investigation, he crossed over into the opposing lane, struck a post, and came to a final rest in the wood line.
Advertisement
The crash is believed to have occurred just before midnight on July 4. At this time, police say there’s no indication that another vehicle or person was involved.
All aspects of the crash remain under investigation, however. Anyone with information that may assist investigators is asked to contact Trooper Hunter Newsham at Hunter.P.Newsham@dos.nh.gov.
