Leaving Maine

We left Maine today...
but this post is of our last stay in Maine.  We found a Passport America park off the beaten path.

Meadowbrook Campground was a nice place to stay... once we got there!  The center picture above is the road to the park... and that picture is certainly not the worst part.  The road surface is really bad and the road is very narrow with lots of blind corners.  But once there, it was quiet, spacious, with good Wi-Fi and plenty of TV Antenna channels.

Saturday we set out to go kayaking and enjoy some beach time.  Popham Beach is a popular Maine beach, and only 8 miles from the campground.  BUT... the man at the entry booth suggested we NOT put the kayaks in there... and although the beach from a distance looked nice, it was a little chilly AND they wanted $12 for us to visit their beach... even if only for 30 minutes to walk along the beach.  That's just Crazy.  So we didn't stay.

The "man in the booth" had suggested that we go down the road to Fort Popham, to put the kayaks in.  So we followed his directions.  It DID look like a good place to put the kayaks in... IF we could park!  Apparently someone was having their wedding there.  Oh well... we would hope to get our kayaks in somewhere else soon.

Fort Popham was built in 1861 for use during the Civil War.  Modifications were made and the fort used again in the Spanish American War and World War 1.

 So with the plan of Kayaking out of the picture...  We decided to go to Boothbay Harbor.

But on our way we spotted a flea market!  I really enjoy flea markets and garage sales... but usually it doesn't seem like our location and/or timing is right for finding them.  I found several little things I wanted, and all for just $6.00!  Then for no charge, this man sang us a song!

Most vendors were packing up by the time we got there, and this man (on the right above) had packed up his stuff... but when he saw our Harley attire, he told us of how he wrote a song for a bike friend of his many years ago.  He wanted to sing it for us, and waited till he had our full attention.  He still had a really good voice, and the song was entertaining.  You never know what you will get at a flea market.

 

Boothbay Harbor

 

We found us a seat on a dining patio and watched boats of all kinds come and go.

 



and we walked around the little harbor town...

visiting some of the shops, which of course are there for the tourists to buy souveniers.

 



 

 

Brunswick 

 

The next day we made a trip into Brunswick, Maine. 

When we took the exit for Brunswick, straight ahead was another flea market!  At one entire corner of the large building were tables and piles of stuff!  We like to buy DVD Movies, if we can get them for cheap, since we don't have satellite or cable... and they had lots.  We picked out a stack of movies, and worked a deal.  But we chatted, and when they found out we were all the way from Oregon, they said "throw in another movie"... then they threw in 2 LIFE magazines that Jeff had picked out from 1965, when his brother was in Vietnam.

 These 2 guys are Franko and Moses, and they are "pickers". 

I said to them "watch out you may end up with your own TV show".  They knew what I was talking about, and I guess the guys from "American Pickers" had contacted them.  So they let us in on all about how that worked.  But for them... they are content just picking and selling.

 

 

 

  We had read of Historic Maine Street in Brunswick... but it wasn't really much. 

Partly because nearly all of the shops were closed!

But driving further down Maine Street,  we saw Bowdoin College campus.

Established in 1794, it was a beautiful campus to tour.

 

 

  

So we left Maine this morning, and traveled just 115 miles, and landed at Salisbury Beach SP in Massachusetts.  While in New England, we've stayed near the water, and taken day trips to bays and Atlantic Ocean beaches... but we haven't really BEEN on the Atlantic Coast. 

So I had found Salisbury Beach SP on the Atlantic Coast in Massachusetts.  It's on the border of New Hampshire, and we haven't spent any time in New Hampshire either, so this will be a good stop for both reasons.

And we're confident that we can resolve our Kayaking withdrawals while here.  We have a  river on one side of the park, and a nice beach on the Atlantic Ocean on another.  AND we have some great weather in the forecast!  so we are in for a good time!

 Thanks for checking in on us!  We appreciate it.



Got Lobstah??

What has Jeff been talking about for the past year, every time we mentioned traveling to Maine?

 

Maine Lobster!

 

Steve and Jeff all excited about Dinner

We are staying on Mount Desert Island off the Coast of Maine.  We met up with our friends, Steve & Roberta here at the park.   So we've been having fun together.
Monday after a tour of Acadia NP, on our way home we turned in at a sign for Lobster to go. 

There were large pots boiling inside this shack, that we were sure had lobster in them.  They must have, because the lobster guy told our guys he would have some ready for us in about 20.

After some playing and admiring... the boys got down to business. 

I certainly wasn't doing it... and neither was Roberta!

Roberta and I share the same "feelings" about lobster.  We don't care much for eating them.

The day before, we stopped for a beer in Bar Harbor, and "enjoyed" some coastal appetizers.

The guys ordered Mussels and Calamari (squid).  Roberta agreed to try a Mussel... then Roberta agreed I would try a Mussel!

Steve selected the "perfect" Mussel for me... Roberta force fed me... I savored.
 

 We always have fun together... lots of laughter!

Where did Summer go? 

Our visit to Acadia National Park was COLD!  It was a cloudy day with a cold breeze.

 

Our Coastal Island Home for 5 Days


 

Bar Harbor 

More Roaming Around

I really think everything is better when the Sun is shining... and unfortunately we didn't get much any of that while we were here.  We haven't had the Kayaks in for more than a week.

We left Mt Desert Island this morning. And of course, the Sun was shining brilliantly!

We took the Coastal route South, and have landed near Brunswick, Maine.  This park wasn't the easiest to get too, so now that we're here.... we will stay 3 nights.  We can see some more Bay's and Harbor's while we're here AND put the Kayaks in.  And we can visit Brunswick and even make a trip to Portland from here. 

This will be our last stay in Maine.  From here we will go to Massachusetts.... or as Jeff says "Mattasutchets" (or something like that).

HAPPY TRAVELS ALL!   And Thanks for Following us!



Welcome New RVer Blogger

I keep forgetting to introduce the new blog of new RVers, Cliff & Patty.  I had mentioned meeting them in Ohio a couple weeks ago on their FIRST day out.  They have started their RV Travel Blog, so please Welcome them to RV life and Blog land.

Here is their Blog:

http://ourwanderinglifeandtimes.blogspot.com

Whirlwind Travels!

We have at last reached our furthest point East for our travels.  We're at Mount Desert Island in Maine, which is home of Bar Harbor and Acadia NP.  Much to see here... and we've met up again with friends, Steve and Roberta.  So better get going.  Here goes what came before here!

9/21
We've been moving along way too quickly.  We've felt ready to move along, each place we've stayed and left... but probably because we know we don't have a lot of time, yet we do have a lot of places to see.  Moving along at this speed, I seem to lose track of where we've been, as soon as we leave.  Hopefully that will change soon.  Tomorrow we will be in Bar Harbor, Maine for 5 nights.

We found that many places in New England, especially Maine, close between October 8th and 15th.  So we thought we had better move along!

Tonight we are staying in a Wal-Mart parking lot in Newport, Maine.  I think this is only the second time we have stayed at Wal-Mart.  It's great!  I can shop, then go back when I remember everything I forgot!   And we can rent a Redbox movie and just walk it back!
 

We took Scenic Route 2 from Bethel, Maine to Newport, Maine today

The route involved a lot of speed limit fluctuations, as we traveled through many tiny old towns.

But other than that, the road wasn't bad, and we enjoyed the drive.

Last night we stayed in Bethel, Maine

The park was Bethel Outdoor Adventures, a PA park... but we didn't get the PA rate because it was the weekend.  Seems a little crazy, since the park was nearly empty.
 

This park was along the river with a convenient canoe/kayak launch, and a bicycle path out of the park.  A perfect place for us... if only we had the time.

Prior to Bethel, Maine we stayed in Marshfield, Vermont for 2 nights at another PA park, Groton Forest Rd Campground.  It was very quiet and comfortable.  but I neglected to get pictures of our site!  so here are some I took while Jeff was dumping on the way out.  We were parked in the grass next to the office and laundry room.

While there, we went on a back road scenic tour.



 First on the tour was Bragg Maple Farm.

 

 There are several Maple farms around, but this one interested me most because they are the only farm around that still does it the "old fashioned way".

They still tap the trees and hang buckets to collect the sap. Then boil over wood heat.

Did you know... it takes FIFTY gallons of Sap to produce ONE gallon of pure maple syrup?

 

 Next in line on our back road tour was Grandview Winery.

It's a very small family Winery.

We did a taster of the 5 bottles they currently had open.  I liked most of them, even though I normally do not like wine... because they are not the usual.  They were wines like black currant, berry, pear...

The final "attraction" on our scenic tour was the Cabot Cheese factory (Creamery)

They were not making any cheese when we were there, so we didn't do a factory tour.

We DID however, enjoy the free grazing at their cheese sample table!

There were cheeses for every palate (trust me).

 

Prior to Marshfield, VT we stayed near Middlebury, VT for 2 nights.  It was another PA park... Lake Dunmore Kampersville.  They gave us a spacious corner pull-thru site.

From there, we visited Middlebury, which we soon identified as a college town.  The layout of this old town made no sense... at least we couldn't figure it out.  But I suppose when the town was being formed starting in 1784, it made perfect sense for them then!

 

I took these 2 pictures from the internet, since I forgot the camera that day!

The next day we set out to visit a local brewery and the Waybury Inn... the setting for  the show "Newhart" where they operated the Stratford Inn, which was probably the first time I wanted to go to Vermont.  After that, there were the movies "Funny Farm" and "Baby Boom" that reminded me I wanted to see Vermont.

Waybury Inn

The website told of the pub/casual dining in the back room, where everybody knows each other, and if they don't they will by the time you leave.  Also, there were pictures taken from the Newhart set.  Well... we were sorely disappointed.  We found the man behind the bar to be very unwelcoming, and it was clear that they were annoyed by people who came there because of the show Newhart.  We had planned to have lunch, but Jeff drank a beer and we left.

Prior to that experience, it had been a great day.

Otter Creek Brewing

What a great time we had there. 

I had gone for their Pumpkin Ale, but decided on a Sampler tray... and they were all good!

 

 

Sara, the gal behind the bar, was very friendly and when Jeff told her we collect Brewery Coasters, she set us up!  even with bumper stickers!

 

 

When we arrived, there was a car in the parking lot with New Jersey plates.  So once settled at the bar, I asked the couple there, if they were the New Jersey plates.   They were... they were just on vacation.  We chatted a little, then another couple came in, and we struck up conversation with them.  They were RVers , originally from Indiana.  Then another couple came in and sat on the other side of us.  They were Harley riders from Florida.  What a fun time meeting other travelers from all over!

 

We made sure we put a pin in our home town.  Funny... there were already two pins pushed in to Grants Pass, Oregon.

 

I've gone about this blog post backwards... so now we are entering Vermont!

 



and what a WELCOME they gave us at the Welcome Center.

They got out the maps and brochures and showed us where to go and what to see.

Carol had entered a baking contest and won with her maple nut cake.  She gave us a delicious sample, and they wanted us to try Pure Vermont Maple syrup as well!

So that has taken us backwards to the end of the last post, when we were headed for Vermont.

 

The trip through New Hampshire was brief, as it is only 35 miles wide at the top of the State.

but we got a picture of the sign!

 

 

We will see a portion of lower New Hampshire on our way down from Maine.

 

We have now arrived at the furthest point East that we are traveling.

We are on Mount Desert Island, visiting Bar Harbor and Acadia NP.

From here on out we will be heading South and West.

 

 

Erie, PA and Niagara Falls!

 

I feel like we are experiencing things so fast that I'm losing track of where we've been as soon as we move on.  It's all very exciting and new!  I don't want to miss posting on a place... so I better get something posted before I have even more to share.

Our stay at Erie, PA was the place I was to post about next.

 

The best part about our time there was Presque Isle SP...

which is a 6 mile long Peninsula into Lake Erie and forming Presque Isle Bay. 

 

 

The RV park we stayed at was at the entrance to the Peninsula/SP... so we were able to ride our bicycles from our site to the bicycle trail, where we rode the entire Peninsula on the 13.5 mile bike trail. 

It was amazing!  There was plenty to see along the way, and with history to tell.

so we made many stops along the trail.

 

 

It was also amazingly exhausting!  It a very humid day in the 80's.

We aren't in great shape (we're working on it)

The last 3 miles I was really pushing myself, but we made it home.

 

 

 

We also did our other new favorite activity while there...

We put the Kayaks in Lake Erie!

 Actually, it was the bay we put the kayaks in... and even in the bay, the water got VERY rough when we got far out... in fact a wave came right over the top into Jeff's kayak.

Our arms definitely got a workout getting ourselves back to shore.

 

Here is the shore of Lake Erie (not the bay).  Them's some waves for a Lake!

 

 

So that was our stay at Erie, Pennsylvania.

 

Next up was NEW YORK!  and NIAGARA FALLS!!

I've wanted to see Niagara Falls for a long time...

 

but just as exciting, was that we were going to meet up with RV friends, Steve & Roberta.

We met in January 2012 in Southern California. 

We traveled together for a bit, boondocking near Yuma, AZ and goint into Mexico together.

 

It was SO good to see them again!

We met up at Cinderella campground, where we all stayed 2 nights.

 

It was so awesome... they had been in the area a few days, so they had already been to the falls and knew their way around... so for 2 days they did the driving and gave us a tour! 

 

 

 

 

We went to Niagara Falls, New York, the afternoon we arrived.

 

Those are some incredible Water Falls!

But...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday we went to Niagara Falls on the Canadian side...

Now THAT was Wow Incredible!

 

 

 

 

The view from the Canada side is just a lot better... same falls, just a different view.

Now we've done it... We've seen Niagara Falls!

 

The next day we parted ways, but headed in the same direction (sort of)

We both travel without a whole lot of planning, and like to be free to change our route.

We will meet up again on our way to Maine,

but for now, they went to Alexandria Bay and we are in Saratoga Springs.

We will both be in Vermont, tomorrow!

Vermont is another place I have wanted to see for a long time.

 

I'll be sure to get pictures!