Blowing In to Acadia

Not wanting to sit around again this weekend, we decided to head for Acadia National Park for a stamp. A stamp you say, well this stamp shores up the Northeast corner of the US for the National Park Tour Silver Certificate. While we have til August next year to grab this, better now than letting time get the better of us. After all it is only 300 miles away.

We didn't leave early, but we did get under way by 9am. First stop was Giff's garage to check the air in the tires. Good thing because it has been 3 weeks since we really rode the FJR. Both tires we in the 30's.

Our charted course takes us to Portand, ME via Slabs. Having made this trip a million times (a slight exaggeration) and sun time being limited, wanting to ride up the coast after the traffic congrested areas and grab some historic places, the slabs seemed like a logical choice.

Being still Foliage Season (mayber), we called a couple of motels in Ellsworth to see if what the general availability would be. Priceline was no help to us this time. The Ellsworth Hotel was full, but they are only 59 and if you mention you saw them on the web you got 20 off. We ended up making reservations at Jaspers, just in case places were full. As it turned out we would have been fine. Having to go from city to city at the end of the day is no fun and we almost got stuck once in this area. Something about a lesson learned.

The weather was suppose to be sunny, but for the most part on Saturday, it was cloudy.

One very very sad note. I got a call from one of my kids to tell me they were taking my brother in law, John, off his ventilator. John have been fighting various cancers and heart problems for the last 10 years or so. He was placed in the hospital about a week ago. It was indicated then that this was his last go around. I did not go to see him, because I choose to remember John for who he was from the last time I saw him sitting at his dining room table versus him lying in a bed with tubes and machines hooked up to him. Then came the call Saturday night and I knew what it was for before I even picked it up. John died around 930pm Saturday. While I am saddened by his departure, I am glad the pain he was suffering is gone now.

Back to the trip, I didnt even bother to take the camera out until we got off the Maine Turnpike in Brunswick for our first photo op. The US Custom House in Bath Maine was built in 1858.



In Wiscasset we grabbed a few more pics.

Little Red Schoolhouse



US Customhouse



Now this is a first for me. Red's Eats with no lines. Reds always has a line that stretches to almost the bridge. All for their lobster roll. I am glad I am not into lobster roll, so I have not had to wait in line at Red's. You will find this place in the book 1000 Places To See Before You Die.



This could be a new chase object for me. Fort Edgecomb is just over the bridge from downtown Wiscasset. As soon as you get over the bridge, hang a right. It was built in 1808 1809.



Got to have at least one water shot while traveling up the coast



In Waldoboro we grabbed the Town Pound, the Theater and the Custom House. These are all on the National Register of Historic Places.







Had some coffee at this Moody's. Now this is suppose to be a Maine icon. I had one of the worse breakfasts I have ever had here. Today, I bought one of their cups for my Diner Cup Collection and the person handling the register was about as good as that breakfast I had here 5 years ago.





We blew right thru Rockland ME. In Camden, we grabbed this fellow creating some inspiration for someone.



We didn't stop and get a pic of the squirrel with the nuts, but did flic the button for Floyd.



Crossing the bridges over to Bucksport. The bridge behind the Penobscot bridge is on the National Register, the Waldo Hancock Bridge. If you ever get a chance, take a ride up to the observatory and visit Fort Knox. The observatory is the tallest public bridge observatory in the world.



Sun dropping, temps dropping and just wanting to get to our night destination we put the cameras away, I fought my need to keep stopping at places and we arrived at Jaspers about 6pm. Just shy of 300 miles, but set up in a great spot to hit Acadia tomorrow.

Breaking Water on the Maine Line

Maine seems so far away, but in reality it is no further than New Hampshire. With that in mind I told MeAsWe we were getting up early to head for Maine for some water. Of course she asked how early is early, I said 5:30. She said are you serious, to which I said very softly, No. I still woke her up at 6, so we could be out and about by 8 thou.

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