Rain Rain Came to Maine, Willie wants it to go Away

Last night we had pizza delivered for dinner. Initially MeAsWe ordered a 16 inch, but I made her change it to the 20 inch. She was right, when we woke up this morning the extra 4 inches was still in the box. I was up early, and logged onto the NER site. OSJ had started a new tag game that circulates the tags between the 6 New England states and he started it off with a tag that was not too far from here. With that I went to work in MapSource to see if it would work it into our schedule.

Since we got the Four Corners Memorial , we made a left out of the motel parking lot and head north on US 1 toward Fort Kent.  Not too far from Madawaska, right around Frenchville,  we pulled over and put our rain gear on. It wasn’t raining that hard when we pulled over, but as we were donning the gear, the rain seemed to sense this and accelerated it’s spit.

 

 

 

 

My Frogg Togg jacket’s (the one I left home) zipper is for shit. Giff gave me one virtually brand new and identical to the one I had. As I zipped up the jacket, that zipper went to  shit as well, so I had to do with the snaps, which worked fine. Neither of us put the pants on.

Past Frenchville and into Fort Kent turning before we hit the northern terminus for US RT 1. We have been here a couple times, and it was a fleeting thought. Our first stop is Ashland, ME for the USA Tour. Stopped here for breakfast.

 

 

Our decision at this point is to head south on ME 11 or head east toward Houlton and pick up OSJ new tag.

I just couldn't resist and the site was kinda of neat to boot. This site commemorates the first successful transatlantic crossing in a balloon. It took more than a century of previous tries, but in 1978 the Double Eagle II launched from Presque Isle, ME and landed in Miserey France 137 hours and 6 minutes later. More info HERE.

The rain has picked up a bit and we head for Smyrna, Staceyville and Sherman about ½ down to Augusta and just west of Houlton. We have been using I-95 as our major route, because of the rain. From Houlton all the way to Augusta, the posted speed limit is 75. I haven't seen posted speeds like this since we left the west a year ago. It had me looking around for the Welcome to Montana signs.
I assumed the +7 to 10 over rule applied and found myself hitting those speeds, only to remind myself it was wet out.


 

In Howland we got off for gas. We ended up at the 95 Diner and decided to dry out a bit and have some soup as a break. This was a good time to put the rest of the rain gear on as well. .

All Natural Bike Wash

 

A nice hot bowl of corn chowdah

Picked up 2 more USA towns Stillwater and Albion.

 

We had one last scheduled stop, South China, which proved to be a bust. The rain has been up and down all day, with the occasional brightening of the sky, giving on a sense the rain is almost over. As we got closer to Augusta, the rain got heavier and definitely not over. Finally pulled into the Best Western Plus and called it a day.

 

 

Connected to the hotel was Roosters, comfort food, specializing in pizza.

 

 

Had a couple of these

 

 

Causing MeAsWe to do silly stuff like this

 

 

 

And listened to SomeGuyOnABike, Steve Chadbourne. He was really quite entertaining, cover a whole gambit of music. His Johnny Cash songs were really really good. We were sorry we watched that movie before dinner now and missed most of his performance.

 

 

Moseying to Madawaska

We let the sunrise come up by itself today. No photo shoot for me. It is going to be mostly a running day. Once we leave the coast there are not many BBQ joints or USA Towns until we get to the northern part of Maine. That will give us plenty of time to visit places.

The roads are pretty darn straight up this way. Provides good visibility to moose and deer, I suppose. Actually the roads become reminicient of alot of the roads out west.

As we get closer to our first stop, those little cat feet seem to get a hold of the ground. Of course where this road goes it is qutie twisty.

Quoddy Point Lighthouse is the eastern most point in the US. I am glad I did not choose this place for a sunrise. The foghorn was in a sounding mode while we were there and is actually quite soothing.

The view down of the water

The visitor center was not open. If it was I am sure I would have purchased a Lighthouse Society Lighthouse Passport, which just might have the start of another IBA Tour.

On the way into the lighthouse these flowers grabbed my eye. I just had to stop for a pic. Please click the pictures to see them bigger.



The little cat feet has decided to move on. This is the same road we came in on.

I have been doing National Park Tours since 2007 and Campobello Park has eluded me. With a new Passport book in hand, we just had to stop. This was the summer cottage for the Roosevelt's. I am not sure what defines a cottage versus a mansion, but this place does not look like a cottage to me. I must travel in different social circles.

This place is visually stunning.

Inside the Cottage

 A view of Eastport ME. The Roosevelt's would take the train from Hyde Park, NY to Eastport, ME and come over by boat.



Back thru Customs. We had no problems, other than MeAsWe likes to talk to the authorities a tad too much.

An interesting sight along the way

Half way between the Equator and the North Pole. This one is in Perry, ME

Since we stopped in Acadia for a stamp, we had to stop here as well



A view of St Croix Island

We were going to take RT 2 in Canada up to Houlton, but the line at the Canadian border in Calais was just too backed up so we headed up RT 1. Right outside Calais was the Moosehorn Wildlife Refuge, so we headed in to get a stamp. Stamps are good

Exciting road

Along RT 1 right around Presque Isle in June or July the mustard fields are in full bloom. It is unbelievable sight. This is a picture from a previous trip.

By the time we got there they looked like straw.

Beginning in Houlton with Pluto, there is a scale model of our solar system. Each planet is correct in size and distance from the sun, which is located in Presque Isle at the University of Maine. This is a Jupiter I took in 2009 on my Connie

We grabbed Stockholm, Sinclair, St Agatha and St David just outside Madawaska for the USA Tour.



Finally pulled into Madawaska. If you are doing the SCMA 4 Corners Ride, this is the post office you mail your envelope from Madawaska

 At first we were going to get the 4 Corner Memorial tomorrow, however since we passed right by, we turned in and got it today.

 The track of the day