We are in search for water, which Maine has a bunch, but this was to be a day trip. Of course we will ride thru New Hampshire and might as well grab some New Hampshire State Markers. When all said and done the list of 9 out of the way towns, grows to 20+ places to stop. 20 waypoint stops is a very full day, and not always doable.
I am getting very used to the Nuvi, however it does has it limitations in waypoints and routes. The 2720 Street Pilot will be the GPS of choice for our western trip, I will still probably pack the 855 as a back up. By 7am the Nuvi is all loaded with the trip and waypoints. Sure hope I remember how the SP works. It will come back fast.
A quick shot up 495 to Exit 34 has us headed north to New Hampshire for our first stop. As we are gliding up 495, I begin to think of all the things we have to do before 8/1, the day the bike gets shipped to Salt Lake City. New tires, oil change, check the brakes, and maybe wash the bike. Then there is finalizing the routes and daily plans, to make sure we can accomplish what I got marked for the day. Then there is the trip to Joisey to grab some more water. This kind of thinking makes the first 50 or so miles just zoom by. Oh the sky is as blue as blue gets, the temps are near perfect, the humidity is almost non existent, it is a PERFECT day for a ride.
My new knees have fully acclimated themselves to riding again. No longer is it painful to drop a leg down when having to stop at a light or sign. No longer do I have the fear my leg may not plant itself on the ground and be out of sync with stops. I can drop and drag the leg for stretching them out or stand up on the pegs to really flex the muscle. I am sure MeAsWe prefers the dropping of the leg. I can imagine what her visuals are when standing on the pegs.
First stop (as a side note, while writing this I realized we really missed our first stop...go figa) This is New Hampshire oldest meeting house in original condition, built in 1760. It will be a good tag some day.
Last time I tried to grab this place there was construction going on.
Now it is off to the Maine purpose of the trip Water towns. Springvale, ME Post Office was going to be a difficult to show the name, so we grabbed this right across the street. We also snapped off a shot of the Post Office for Waymarking (now that I look at the PO, there is no problem with reading the sign)(at that particular moment there was some logic to my decision)
Our most northern and inland spot was North Waterboro, ME. I found this amusing and snapped off a shot. Modern day Lil Rascal club house ?? Potential tag, if so location is N43 31.933 W70 43.113. (if google does it part, the clue will be Hog Pen, The Future is Not Today)
From here we head toward the shore line in Maine for Pond Cove IGA. But first we stopped by a new shiny diner. Not quite like the old ones I am so fond of but it does have a neat neon sign outside. Back in the Nomad days I got hooked on neon signs, I don't stop for every neon, but do stop for quite a few. There is something about neon that makes me smile.
Pond Cover IGA turned out to be a bust. The only sign was not attached to the building and it has to be ON THE BUILDING to count. Oh well.
As we move closer to the ocean the views become more scenic.
In Ocean Park we were suppose to grab the PO (PO almost always have the name on them, except for the new ones they are building, becoming very generic and sanitized ) Ice Cream Parlors work too, as long as the name of the town is on a building.
There are 2 key words in An Affair with Water that are hard to find, Hydro and Pool. Maine has a Pool.
There is something so serenic and scenic about the ocean.
Of course that serenic ocean attracts traffic and people that can make you scream, but today I actually enjoyed watching the folks scurry all over York Beach. We must look like ants to someone out in space.
As we roamed along RT 1 and 1A, seeing the people enjoying the cool waters of the ocean, I expected to see some scantily clad young women. I found out why there were none. We were in the area where I would be allowed to go. (as I write this we will be heading off to the Joisey showa, I am sure there will be some scantily clad women)
York Harbor I thought was going to be a washout. I had 2 motels to find and hoped the name was on the building. I didn't find a Post Office for York Harbor. MeAsWe said we passed a PO going to this place.
Another shot of the ocean
With Maine done, we are headed to Hampton Falls and Seabrook, I caught this out of the corner of my eye and promptly made a U Turn. This will lock in the State of Maine for Smoke Chasing 2011.
Last stop of the day and we are headed out of New Hampshire into Mass on 495 and home.
The trip
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