September 22 - Pemaquid Point, ME

Starting mileage - 52348

It was rainy. We drove. More scenic harbors. More picturesque villages. Wonderful roads. Little traffic.

We stopped today at the Pemaquid Lighthouse. What an amazing place! I have never seen such a beautiful section of seacoast. The water was awesome. Crashing onto the rocks and retreating into more oncoming waves. I have never seen such turbulence. That water is all foamy and white. The waves were coming and going in all different directions. It's supposed to be one of Maine's most visited attractions, and I can understand why.

The scenery here is like every postcard and placemat anyone has ever seen or envisioned. Small local harbors with white church steeples and bobbing white boats. The whole seacoast is dotted with islands and long "necks" of land.

I had to drag Bob kicking and whining away from 50 lobster stops. He bought a monster chicken pot pie that takes up half the fridge, so I told him "No more lobstah until that chicken potpie is eaten".

I like chicken potpie. The chicken potpie was really good, but I had to finish the damned thing before she would let me eat more lobster (lobstah).

Campsites are expensive up in Bar Harbor. We are outside Acadia National Park, so they jack up the prices.

It is getting dark so early in the evenings. We haven't been able to go for as many evening walks.

Sept 23 - Bar Harbor, ME

Stating mileage - 52505

We awoke to another rainy morning. The locals are loving it because of the drought this summer, but it's a bummer for the tourists. We have to postpone our bike ride through Acadia National Park until this clears. Luckily it's warm and snugly inside Vinnie so we'll have fresh blueberry pancakes and maple syrple with our morning coffee.

It is very windy. Bob has been doing the coffee every morning, so I made the pancakes today. Quite a challenge---one cup mix plus 3/4-cup water.

We finally left the campground about 11:00AM and headed for Acadia. It was still cloudy, but the rain had stopped. The Visitor Center was good. We watched the movie about the park and headed out. By this time the sky was clearing and we began driving around the park.

We stopped at lots of lookouts and went on some short walks. Once out of the car we always find people to talk to. Chatted with a couple from Roseville, California for a while on the bluff. One trail wiped out the wimps. It was called The Precipice Trail and said "not a hiking trail", but we went up it until I got to the iron bars where I had to pull myself up over the rocks. I never did pull-ups well and decided not to do them here either.

The park is quite striking. Quite an idyllic spot. Blue water, crashing waves, green and rocky offshore islands, and beautiful forests. Plus the long peninsulas that extend into the water all up and down the coast make for quite magnificent vistas.

We did do a short ten-mile ride around one of the lakes, and then drove up Mount Cadillac, the highest mountain on the eastern seaboard at 1532 feet. The view from the top was awesome. The air is so clear here. We're not used to it. It's the best we've seen on the entire trip. You can see forever.

Here is the plug for John D. Rockefeller Jr. He and a buddy bought most of this land intending it to be given to the government for a park. It was the first national park east of the Mississippi and one of the few comprised entirely of donated land. Many of the rich spent summers here, so they were familiar with the area. But the other cool thing he did is build miles of Carriage Roads, but entirely for carriages, bicycles, walkers and now joggers. He specified that automobiles were never to be allowed on them. There are miles of these graveled quiet paths criss-crossing the western part of Acadia. The ride around Eagle Lake was on one of these roads.

Maine is a very progressive state. We decided to have dinner in Bar Harbor, and many of the restaurants are now featuring complete "early bird" lobster dinners for $10 to $12. The progressive part is that for another $5 or so you can get a "Twin Lobster" dinner. TWO LOBSTERS!!! Well! Let me tell you! This was not an offer to be taken lightly. Both Deb and I availed ourselves of this fine idea and had two lobsters each. I got boiled, and Deb got broiled and then we traded one each so we could compare boiled and broiled. They are both good.

Yesterday I gave a very nice couple a tour of Vincent. They were interested in doing the same thing Deb and I are doing so they were quite interested. All day today we kept running into them. So while Deb and I were eating dinner, who should walk in? We just couldn't seem to shake them.

Sept 24 - Bar Harbor, ME

Stating mileage - 52556

It is clear and sunny this AM and no wind. We had a glorious route all planned out. But NO!!!! Vinnie is leaking black water still and now continuously. Quite disgusting. The first RV service business was booked for the day. He referred us to Don's Campers, which said they could take us at 1 PM.

That's my little SM (Sewage Monitor)! Telling the world about our sewage problems. I'm sure everyone wants to know all the odiferous details. sigh

We drove our anticipated bicycle route instead. Yep, it would have been a good ride. More scenery; more harbors; more lighthouses; more friendly people; more crystal clear views.

Same old stuff. All the small harbors have, of course, white church steeples in the town, and they are surrounded by lots of trees. The water is clear and blue, and the harbor is full of white, bobbing boats.

Bob did laundry while I took Vinnie to the fixer-upper. I needed to know how the system worked. Fixed now. And the guy charged $25 for his labor. Once again we found a very good worker in a small town who did great work for a totally reasonable price. I would have charged way more to take apart a black water system.

Did you notice how I got one small three-word mention - "Bob did laundry". That's the thanks I get. I got stranded in a laundromat stuffing her dirty panties into a washer while she's out driving around town having a good time doing a "guy thing".

Now we are at a quiet campground at Toddy Pond. Friday afternoon on a large lake and in 3 hours we have seen one boat and one jet ski. How many would there have been on an equivalent lake in California?

So today was kind of a slow day, but that's OK. We're having a nice dinner in a beautiful location on a Friday night. The lake is about 30 yards down the lawn, and there are free canoes and kayaks so tomorrow morning we'll probably be out exploring the lake and getting some exercise.

Sept 25 - East Orland, ME

Stating mileage - 52665

Rain started again last night so no kayak ride this AM. It's supposed to clear later so we're going to go to some kind of "Back to Nature" fair where you learn how to make your own cider, can food, etc. This will come in handy when Deb and I get the farm and start growing our own crops. I hope they have information on what to do with goat's milk so Deb will have some idea what to do with it.

We had ourselves quite a time today. We went to the Maine Organic Farm and Gardner Common Ground State Fair. We saw ducks, we saw chickens, we saw a pig, we saw horses, we saw llamas, we saw sheep, we saw goats, we saw tractors, we saw band saws, we saw honey bees, we saw looms, we saw sheep being sheared, we saw many Earth Mothers left over from the 60's, we saw saws, we saw teams of great oxen, and yes, Sydnee, they had gobs and gobs of little furry bunnies. There was enough Mother Nature here to make your eyes water. How to grow mushrooms, how to plant fields with horse-drawn plows, scything demos, tents, natural wood homes, many wood stoves, yurts, and all manner of local crops and foods…. cider, sausage, maple syrple, too many varieties of tomatoes to count, and a zillion kinds of squash, pumpkins, and gourds.

When Deb suggested seeing this I thought it would be kinds of a small, boring country fair. I had to eat my thoughts. It was quite impressive. They had some border collies put on a great demonstration of how to heard sheep. Oxen are BIG!!! My gawd!

You could buy wool for spinning and the plants to make the dye to color it. Herbs, flowers, veggies, beans, etc. Almost too much for a city boy to contemplate.

I had to drag him away. Enough is enough. I am not going to learn to knit or weave my own yarn. I can't imagine Bob out mucking a chicken coop or goat pen. Let him enjoy his fantasy. But …I did really enjoy the bandsaw where the man was making his own lumber and there were some great tractors and rototillers and you can’t believe the attachments……

So…onward to the interior of Maine. I am on moose patrol again. Actually I'm not, since I promised to drive tomorrow when we hit prime moose observation territory. He is chortling and chuckling now over an article he found on moose rutting behavior. This time we will see one. There are more Moose Per Square Mile (MPSM) in Maine than any where else, as I have just discovered. Enraptured Bob will see his moose soon!

The color is starting to be noticeable. Some yellows and orange and red. Some people plant a dramatic, purple maple in their front yards. It will probably just really come on as we leave. This morning we had a low cloud cover with muted reddish light peeping through the clouds to lend a softened light to the landscape. How do you capture these moments?

I want everyone reading this to start saving their Mason jars for Deb. If anyone knows how to make goat cheese, please save the recipe for her. She let it slip today that she knows how to milk a goat. Well! Sounds good to me. Buddy will herd it for her, and then she can milk it. If she milks it near the chicken, she can get the eggs at the same time. Rodney (the Rooster) will certainly get her up in time to do this. I tell ya, this fair has me inspired! We may never have to buy food again.

We are not going to buy a house for a while. We have not decided where we are going to live. We should find jobs first. Bob is not going to have a dog until after the house is purchased and we are settled. Buddy is not conceived nor maybe is his mother. And chickens crow at 2 not 4 and even 4 is too early.

Debbie, Debbie, Debbie! Sigh I kind of have it all planned out in my head. This is a good thing we have going here. I can't imagine Deb not wanting to have Buddy stretched out on the floor in front of the fireplace she told me we had a few days ago. And if the cellar isn't heated the apples, pears, potatoes, and squash should last for quite a while.

II told him today that if he ever plans on having a dog-in-the-house that he would have to learn vacuuming skills including moving the furniture to get underneath it. He shook his head …"No, no, no". Maybe we won't get Buddy.

Buddy is a given. We'll just have to make a decision when the time comes. Deb, Buddy, Deb, Buddy, Deb, Buddy…

Here we are today, only 3 days short of a one-year anniversary and he is choosing between a hypothetical dog and me.

We were just thinking how far we've come in one year. A year ago we had good jobs, a secure future, and a nice home in a good community. Today we are unemployed, homeless, and far from family and friends. How did we do this?

Sept 26 - Skowhegan, ME

Stating mileage - 52760

The temperatures they are a droppin'! It was cold last night. The woman with whom I am sleeping wouldn't let me turn on the heater. It got down to 39F. This is good for the color of the leaves, but it's bad for a freezing Bob. We'll have to get out the extra blankets.

But the morning is clear and bright. We are camped at the confluence of some small river and the Kennebec. There are many birds along the bank, and last night we saw a muskrat playing in the water. The campground location is gorgeous, and the river here is clear and clean. Now it's time for breakfast - Pancakes! With - you guessed it - real maple syrple! And then it's off to find the elusive North American Moose. I cry for happy.

We went out for breakfast. It is Sunday, you know. We actually found a very good café and had a scrumptious meal for under $8 for both of us including juice and coffee. Small towns are great.

We meandered through the hills. Now that we are a little farther north some color is appearing. Instead of simply a random branch now we have full trees in array of fall colors. Most people put out chrysanthemums and the yellow marigolds are still in full bloom, so with the backdrop of the green lawns it is once again "quite scenic". We had driven through miles of countryside until we came upon a sign that informed us we are now entering a "Maine Scenic Highway". We were sure glad they informed us.

We found a campground on Lake Cupsuptic and they had a vacant spot overlooking the water. At about 4 PM the wind died and the lake smoothed over. It is so clear that you can see the bottom way out. Bob rented a canoe for tomorrow. He wants to be out before the sunrise.

Our fire is warm, but whichever side is facing away quickly chills. I'm glad the wind dropped. Looking out over the lake we can see the stars reflected off the water. It is so still and flat. Wailing loons off in the distance.

Nights like this are the nights you remember forever. We are camped at a lake in the western part of Maine. It's a small lake. But it's clear, clean, and the wind has stopped. There are four loons playing and diving. We built a campfire, and the fire is reflected in the surface of the lake. The loons are calling to one another. It's a spooky sound. But it's a sound most people wouldn't forget.

Sept 27 - Cupsuptic Lake

Starting Mileage 52,865

Before the morning sun had arisen into the misty morn we were out in the canoe. A mere 36F did not stop Bob. Silently paddling into the fog. Sounds carry many miles in the dawn. No moose. They tell us we have to go farther into the mountains. This is not remote enough.

Deb was somewhat dismayed to find that the dew on the canoe seats was no longer a liquid. It had frozen. We have no ice scrapers so I had to go out and scrape off the "dew" with a spatula. It worked quite well. Meanwhile, back in Vinnie, Deb was suiting up for an extended polar expedition. I had no idea any one person could wear that many layers of clothing. It may take her a while to get used to these brisk and bracing mornings.

So we paddled off into the mist. It was almost surreal… gliding silently over the water. The campground soon disappeared behind us. The sun was rising, but all you could see was a big yellow light in the east trying to melt away the mist.

We just did a quicky paddle out, then came back for breakfast.

Now about this moose thing… The magazines all tell us that the moose are supposed to be charging around the hills rutting like mad. Then the campground lady says that they are way up in the hills rutting away like mad, and they are rarely seen at this time of year. We're getting two stories. I am not happy. I want to see my moose.

They are replacing the water heater at the campground so there was no hot water this morning. This makes for a miserable Bob.

So after breakfast during which Deb ate three of MY pancakes, we headed out for what turned out to be a four-hour canoe trip. What a great ride! On the outward leg the lake was like glass, and there were no motor boats. There were a few other canoes and some kayaks, but no waves or loud noises. The trees are beginning to turn so it was quite idyllic. The shore is absolutely clean. Just trees and rocks right to the water's edge. There are some houses on the lakeshore, but mostly it is a beautiful, clean forest. We went part way up a river and stopped for lunch at an old riverside campsite someone had built. The wind increased slightly while we were out so the way back was quite a bit more strenuous that the way out. But we made it.

This canoe trip was different than the first two. Deb even let me drive the whole way. We seem to be getting better coordinated, and I learned a few tricks on keeping the canoe going in a straight line so we paddle much more efficiently.

After our canoe trip we took a short ten-mile bike ride into town and watched the local fly fishermen for a while. No fish. When we returned the shower was repaired so we took showers, made a fire, and had dinner by campfire light. It's beginning to get a bit chilly in the evenings now.

It was much warmer this evening. It may have been a perfect evening. Still on the water. Loon cries over the lake. Stars bright. And Bob.

Sept 28 - Cupsuptic Lake

Starting Mileage 52,865

Today is our one-year anniversary. We're still speaking to each other after four months living in ten square feet so I'm taking that as a good sign. It's 8:30AM when I'm writing this, and the lake is still covered in fog and is dead calm. Only the ducks are making ripples. But the sky is clear, and it's warmed up to 62F outside so we should be on our way soon. I think we're heading for New Hampshire or Vermont to stock up on maple syrple. We only have one-half gallon, and we'll need more to make it through the harsh winter in Erie.

Today was the day! No, not the anniversary. That was going to happen no matter what we did. Bob finally saw his moose! All day I drove through prime moose country. But it was daytime and we didn’t expect to see one. We did find tracks of them, so we now knew that there were some in the state, but not where we were.

So we selected this circular route that would take us through the dotted line (scenic) route through some of Maine's colorful "moose country". By this time, however, I am completely discouraged and am convinced that moose are fictitious animals invented by the tourism boards of the various states as a means to entice tourists to their states.

It was a great drive anyway. Color has really started to appear. We cruised along brooks and streams and rivers and stopped at overlooks of some of the region's lakes. The State Park or Highway Department has obligingly cut some of the trees down alongside one of the scenic highways, so the tourists can view the vistas without all those blasted trees getting in the way.

The color is getting quite spectacular. I thought we would be too early, but many of the trees in the higher elevations are changing, and with the clear, clean air it's very impressive.

Since it is our anniversary we decided to get a room. Not such good deals on the local motels, so we went with the quaint Victorian-like B&B. It looked out over the lake and was within walking distance of a fine dining establishment. After determining that they wouldn't be closing the restaurant at 6 or 7 PM, we went back out on Moose Patrol.

We got "The Pink Room" which is not what a manly man would select, but it was the only room with a private bath so we took it. A manly man would select something like "The Gunpowder Magazine" or "The Arsenal Room". Why are these rooms always named to appeal to women? When do the guys get to name the B&B's? If I had a B&B, I'd name it "The Gunnery Range B&B" or "Ed's Transmission and Auto Repair Shop B&B. The rooms could have themes like "Wanda's Cat House", "The Ammo Pouch", "The Power Tool Room" or how about "The Chicago Slaughter House"? But I digress…

Finally! A big bull along side the road. Bob leaps out with his camera clicking as it sauntered off the road and slid back into the underbrush. On our return at dusk I spotted another. He again leaps out of the van. I am following. The moose suddenly turns for the bush. Bob is waving me back like I am scaring this animal. It turns out he was standing in the middle of the road with his arms flapping singing "Moose, moose" and surprisingly the moose took off.

So… All day long Deb had been telling me that today would be the day that we saw a moose. I didn't believe her. I will admit that I became more hopeful when we finally spotted some moose tracks, but nobody we talked to would give us much encouragement. They all said they were high in the hills this time of year. I was morose. So about 5:30 we started off down the road. As an anniversary gift, Deb drove so I could watch. I watched, and I watched. No moose. And then FINALLY! After we had pursued the vision since Michigan almost two months ago, there, in front of us, stood a veritable visual orgasm… The Mighty Moose! And not just a mom or a calf, but a full-grown bull, massive rack and all. I was no longer morose. I jumped from the van and managed to get two or three pictures before it wandered into the woods. I was not about to go after anything that large. They get kind of "edgy" during mating season.

We tooled around the roads some more and finally turned around to drive back. It was starting to get dark. And then we found another one, even bigger than the first! Once again I jumped out of Vinnie and took off in pursuit. This one was tramping along the tree line on the other side of the road. It was much closer than the first one. So I'm running up the road grunting "Moose, Moose". This thing hears me and takes off at a faster clip. I'm running after the moose, Deb is following me in Vinnie, and the poor moose probably just wants to find a female moose but now finds himself being chased by some nut in a baseball hat who is in turn being chased by a large white thing with headlights. He finally escaped into the forest.

We finally got back to town and got ourselves a cold martini and a very nice anniversary dinner with a tasty and zesty glass of wine. It was a good day for many reasons. It was nice to finally see a moose, but I still wake up smiling every morning because I have Deb beside me.

End of Week 20