780 July 16-17, 2022 Katahdin National Monument

We checked in at Wilderness Edge.  We were lucky because first of all, they were able to extend our reservation and we are staying for a week.  Secondly, Ranger Dave was on the porch.  Tim and Ranger Dave looked at the map for Katahdin National Monument.  Ranger Dave gave very clear directions for reaching the park and lots of good advice on things to stop and see. 

We settled in to our site and then took off to explore a little.  Following Ranger Dave’s instruction, we turned at Dolby Lumber Yard.  This particular hint saved us from traveling all the way back to Medway…it was a secret shortcut. 

This train had 50 cars. The first 35 cars were filled with wood chips…no doubt headed for a paper mill.

We rode on gravel roads for almost 20 miles and easily found the remote primitive campground, Sandbank Stream. We planned to leave the RV in town and come back on Saturday for an overnight stay.

We drove back the way we came.  We had decided on dinner in town and after showering, we went to Scootic In.  I had blackened scallops on rice with salad…so good.  Tim had clam chowder and chef salad.  We noticed that our server was wearing a Jeep T-shirt.  This sparked conversation.  She is a single mom with a 13-year-old son.  The two of them love to take her Jeep out onto the backroads, especially when it is muddy!  Before leaving town, we “ducked” her Jeep.  This involves leaving a yellow rubber duck with a note.  It is meant to create smiles 😊

On Saturday, I drove the Jeep into town and walked on the Michaud Trail.   

Upon returning, we packed the Jeep for our next adventure.  We took the same route that we had the day before…over two sets of railroad tracks, make a right where the road looks more traveled in 1 ½ miles…keep going until the T and make a left. 

Instead of setting up our camp, we took the Jeep on Katahdin Loop Road. 

This was our first look of Mount Katahdin.  The Appalachian Trail begins at that mountain and meanders some 2,200 miles all the way to Springer Mountain, Georgia. 

We walked the short distance to Lynx Pond at Mile 2.

The most stunning views of the day were at milepost 6.  We really were wishing that we could have camped right there!

Scenery along the way.

At mile 12, we parked the car and walked to Katahdin Brook Lean-to.  We had lunch here and then walked back to the car…we did not hike all the way up to Barnard Mountain.

We took a spur, Oren Falls Road and hiked to the ford in the Wassataquoik Stream. 

I took a time out here, sitting cross-legged in a flat and mossy area, just noticing…the breeze, the fresh pine smell, the flowing water, and the tiny pinecones.  Can you notice the little tree?  It is only ½ inch high…the promise of the future of this forest. 

When we got to the car, we saw the first people of the day.  We had traveled the entire loop all by ourselves.  Here, there was another couple getting ready to hike to the falls with their dog. 

We went to Sandbank Stream. 

I went to sit by the water.  I had seen lots of scat and animal tracks.  I was hoping that if I was very still and very quiet, I might see something come to the water to drink.  It was a lovely place to be.  The water was crystal clear and cool on my feet.  The bottom was really silty though and I started to sink!  The temperatures are just perfect in Maine in July.  The lily pads on the water, the wildflowers in a myriad of colors, the birds calling; an idyllic setting.

Tim was setting up camp when I was finished with my musing.  He was having a problem folding the tent out.  The hinge was locked.  There was another couple camped next door who lent Tim a wrench.  He was able to finally get the platform unfolded.  He did some damage to the tent and was mad at himself.

Tim took a bike ride and I sat watching 3 male jays squawking and cavorting.

When it was time to cook our omelets for dinner, I realized that I had forgotten the eggs…no worries.  I offered Tim a choice of blueberry jam and bread or I could make grilled cheese sandwiches.  We hadn’t had grilled cheese in such a long time.  I used the whole grain bread and the shredded cheese I was going to use for the eggs and I made it work! 

As we prepared for bed, we heard a growling noise coming from the woods some distance away.  We heard the noise for more than an hour and more than a dozen times.  We are not alone in these woods! A moose or a bear???  Then, it was quiet and peaceful and we slept well.

This morning, Tim did some yoga.

I walked in the woods.

Ranger Dave stopped at the campground and gave us some more advice about places to visit in the area.  He and Tim pored over the maps.

We decided to return to Millinocket via the road that was recommended only for high clearance vehicles.  It was a pretty ride through thick forest.  We stopped to walk at the water’s edge.

All at once the road was flooded…look for a beaver dam! Sure enough right by the road there was a well constructed dam.

Further along, the path became impassable. Look at the impressive structure that the beavers had built to make a pond in the middle of the road!

We took logging roads. Using the Jeep’s GPS we knew we were getting closer to Lake Millinocket and so we drove further.  At last, we found a place where we could walk to the edge of the lake.  All the bouncing on gravel roads was worth this spectacular view!

Ruffed grouse or partridge.

We stopped to eat breakfast and realized that we were parked right next to a blueberry bush.  The berries were just beginning to ripen and we grabbed handfuls to eat. 

Another couple had been out gathering blueberries.  They stopped to chat.  They had a camp on the lake and they invited us to follow them home and she even offered to make fresh blueberry muffins for us.  We declined.  We were eager to get back and repair the tent and shower!

Tim worked on the tent and after a trip to the True Value Store, the repair was fine enough for now.  The tent is working better.   Curtis…if you are reading this…Tim definitely thought about using a ten-pound maul to fix it!

Tim cycled to town and back while I worked on the blog and walked the loops in the RV campground.

This evening, we went to River Drivers Restaurant, part of the New England Outdoor Center. This is a swanky resort with lodges and cabins and adventure trips aplenty. The couple we met this morning picking blueberries reommended the restaurant.

I started with a Bluberry Ledges cocktail with bluberry vodka, fresh lemonade. blueberries and mint.

We both had summer salads with blueberries and strawberries and almonds and goat cheese and salmon. The food was excellent!

After dinner, we walked down to the Millinocket Lake. The view of Mount Katahdin was faint and hazy.

We are so lucky to be here doing this.

779 July 14-15, 2022 Bangor, Maine

We left Bethel Thursday, midmorning.  We traveled slowly and gently on Route 2 through Rumford Mills.  This town is the site of a very old paper mill.  The entire economy of the town is based on this mill.

We stopped for a break at a gas station with a large parking area.  Here we saw this horse and carriage…here to fill fuel cans.

We arrived without incident in early afternoon at the Walmart in Bangor.  We gathered supplies, took walks, and rode bikes.

There were a few showers and thunderstorms and we were thankful to be settled for the evening.

The Freightliner shop was a short distance away and we arrived before 7am on Friday.  We had packed clothes and other stuff for a couple of nights, not knowing how long it might take to get the air ride system repaired.

We took the Jeep to the Bangor Riverwalk on the Penobscot River.  This was a great place for me to walk. 

Tim rode his bike on the paved path across the bridge to Brewer where the bike trail continued.

We got a call from Freightliner at 8:30. Our rig was repaired; the air bag was successfully replaced!  We were very happy!

By 9:30 we were on the road.  The coach now drives like a dream. Thanks Jeremiah!

We want to spend time in the wilderness in northern Maine.  We had no reservations because we didn’t know how long we might be in Bangor.   We got on 95N and while Tim drove, I called Wilderness Edge Campground in Millinocket.  They had one site that can accommodate us for five nights, beginning tonight!  Hold that spot!  We are on our way!  Not sure how much cell service or WiFi we will have…will post when we can!

778 July 13, 2022 Mount Blue State Park

I began the day with the chore of doing laundry.  I found a laundromat in town.  I find it easier and quicker to just get all the loads done at once. 

I started washers and then walked around town for the 30 minutes it took to finish.

I went back to the laundromat and switched clothes to the dryers.  I walked a short time but had to return to put more quarters in.  In 1 ½ hours, the clothes and sheets and towels were clean and I had finished my morning walk.

We packed our cooler and drove to Mount Blue State Park. 

The panoramic views were stunning.  We could see the Northern Appalachian Mountains in the distance.

We ate lunch and then hiked the Scenic Trail.  More beautiful vistas!

After hiking, Tim was tired.  There was an Adirondack shelter at the trailhead.  Tim took a nap. 

I sat on the bench in front of the shelter. 

I had great fun watching about 6 nuthatches.  They flitted through the spruce tree gathering insects from the bark.  They also pecked at the wood on the roof of the shelter seeking snacks.  It was extremely hard to get pictures…these little birds are quick!

Some flora.

What a delightful place for a nap and a rest. 

This evening, we went to Sunday River Brewing for dinner.  Tim enjoyed a Jamaican stout and I had some crisp hard cider.  The food was delicious.  We had corn chowder and then brew pub salads. 

Another great day in Bethel.  If we had to be waiting somewhere, this proved to be a great place to stay.  There is still more to see…but tomorrow, we are leaving to get to Bangor for our Friday service appointment.

I have decided that I am fickle.  When we are with the kids, I love it at home.  When we are in the desert, I love the desert.  When we are on the coast, I love the beach.  I am also really loving the lakes and rivers and mountains.  I am so lucky to be a nomad, loving it wherever we stop and stay!

This quote is from Theodore Roosevelt more than 100 years ago.

777 July 12, 2022 Happy Birthday Tim!

We had planned to take our time this morning.  I wanted to take a good walk around the property at the campground and down to the covered bridge and walk the road beyond the bridge.  Tim brought his yoga mat and was looking forward to some yoga by the river.  It started to rain.  We quickly packed the tent and all our gear.  It really is NO fun when everything gets wet.  The rain quit but we were ready to roll.

About three miles from the campground, I saw a bull moose standing in the marshy area by the river.  We pulled over to watch him but he was easily spooked and walked off into the trees.

Minutes later, we saw a second bull moose at Umbagog Lake.  This guy knew we were there but we were far enough away (about 100 yards) that he allowed us to take pictures.  When he heard other approaching traffic, he would walk closer to the trees.  When cars had passed, he would resume his morning meal.  A moose needs to eat 40 pounds of twigs, leaves, bark, and aquatic plants every day!

We stopped at Moose Cave…no moose here but there is legend that says the moose would lose their footing on the slippery granite and slip into the gorge and river below.

We stopped for our breakfast at Screw Auger Falls.

We had trouble being motivated to work out when we got back…but we did it.  I walked away from town.

I saw two women get out of a car with cameras.  I went to see what they were looking at.  There was a huge crop of low green bushes with lavender flowers.  The ladies were not sure what it was.  Tim and I had seen these fields as well.  Up close, the leaves looked like potato leaves.  I used the plant app and they were…white potatoes!

This evening we had wanted to celebrate Tim’s birthday by going out to dinner.  Most restaurants here are only open Thursday-Sunday.  I had brought along some crabcakes from Santoni’s.  We cooked sweet potatoes and baked the crabcakes and packed dinner and went to a nearby rest area along the river.  The crabcakes were amazing and we smothered the sweet potatoes in cinnamon maple cream…oh my!

We drove to Davis Park.  Here we had maple cream ice cream drizzled with bourbon barrel aged maple syrup…oh my! 

Tim has been using the maple syrup in his gruel, in his coffee, and we have been having it in our tea each evening…oh my!  We are going to have to place an online order for more…or drive to Florida this winter and find Happy Hills at a Farmers Market!

It was a good day.

776 July 11, 2022 Aziscoos Valley Area Campground

On Monday morning, I took the path from the campground that led toward town.

Instead of walking downtown, I headed along the river and then down a country lane.

Tim took his bike for a six mile ride.

We got some groceries in Bethel and Tim saw this sweet car in front of the hardware store. The guy who owns it bought it new in high school!

Look what Happy Hill Maple Farms posted on their site!

We packed the Jeep for another overnight camping trip. We headed north onto 26.

We stopped at Grafton Notch State Park, first we hiked around the Screw Auger Falls.

We drove along further and hiked at Mother Walker Falls.

We took a couple of gravel roads…just exploring!

Such a pretty ride!

Another Appalachian Trail crossing.

Umbagog Lake.

About 3 miles from our destination, I saw a large black bear walking in tall grass along the edge of the woods. By the time we backed up to get another look…he was gone!

We arrived at Aziscoos Area Campground in late afternoon. We had a gorgeous tent site right on the Magalloway River, all by ourselves.

We had another peaceful evening by the campfire. We could hear the river running over some nearby rapids. Lots of birdsong and crows cawing. Omelets for dinner with fresh bread and wine…perfect!

Not a quote tonight…but totally worth sharing!

To the folks who just showed up in the 43ft $200,000 fifth wheel, that costs double my house, you have a beautiful rig.

To the folks who are down in the woods in a bivvy tent, you guys are hard core, awesome setup down there.

To the folks who just pulled in with their 1979 C class with more rust than panel. I can only imagine the memories you’ve made in that thing. I bet that dent has a story.

To the folks that took that last site that nobody wanted, pulled in, put down the seats in their mini van, and started cooking. Your dinner smells delightful.

Y’all, we all camp differently, and we may not agree on it all, but we have to remember the only thing that matters is memories are being made, and you’re getting 120% out of your time with your loved ones. You have to forget HOW you go camping, and remember WHY you go camping. THAT is camping my friends.

July 9-10, 2022 Maine Lakes And Mountains Region

One of the very best things about this campground in Bethel is the variety of options there are for morning walks. On Saturday, I chose to walk west toward the airport. There is a paved walking path that crosses beneath the highway and winds around to the small airport and then through woods to a pollinator garden. It was a lovely walk.

We went to the Bethel Farmers Market and collected some zucchini and squash and heirloom tomatoes.

We spent the morning packing the Jeep for a potential overnight in the wilderness of Maine. We were going to take a scenic road and see if along the way, we might find a place to camp in the tent.

We stopped at Coos Canyon to explore.

We stopped at Height of Land to admire the view.

The Appalachian Trail crosses the highway here. We saw lots of hikers with loaded packs.

We found a logging road and found a place to camp for the evening. It was incredibly quiet. There was occasional birdsong and we heard a woodpecker in the distance. The wind rustled the trees…but it was otherwise silent! We spent a relaxing evening by the fire. We watched for bear and moose with bear spray close by…no visitors.

On Sunday morning, we decided to continue our drive through the Maine Lakes and Mountains Region. We stopped along the Rangeley Lakes National Scenic Byway.

Maine blueberries…not ripe yet!

We spent lots of time traveling on logging roads and roads that were barely roads, looking for another camping spot. We were thwarted at every dead end…but we did see lots of beautiful and remote wilderness.

Moose tracks…but no moose!

We did find a nice private campground with large sites by a river…we will write more about that on Tuesday because we intend to go back there tomorrow night and stay.

We got back to the RV in midafternoon. We rested and then I walked and Tim did his workout. We decided this evening to walk on Hastings Island. The campground has a suspension bridge that is 50 feet above the Androscoggin River to its own private island.

The trail is a one mile loop around the perimeter of the island. It started off okay and then we were more than halfway and there was a tree to climb under and then at points the grasses were as tall as I and the trail was nearly impassable….but we trudged through. Another downed tree took us way off course and again we waded through giant weeds…it was a little creepy! Finally we made our way back to the bridge and home! What an adventure! I thought this might be a good place for my morning walk tomorrow…but I will NOT be going back!

Yesterday, we found the Good Foods Store. We bought dark chocolate almonds and maple flovored yogurt and both were delicious. Today I went back and bought white lasagna for our dinner. It tasted homemade and was so yummy with chicken and prosciutto and spinach and red peppers in a savory sauce and topped with cheese. A perfect meal.

774 July 8, 2022 Bethel, Maine

I took a walk bright and early this morning. I walked on winding narrow country lanes. I saw this bear carcass beside the road.

At 8:30, we were scheduled for our tour at the sugar house.

We met Lisa and her son, Michael. Michael gave us an excellent tour and education on the production of real maple syrup. Happy Hill Maple Farms harvests sap from 21,000 tapped maple trees. Much of the work involved is maintaining the lines that direct the sap from the forest to the bottom of the hill. Lines are often damaged by wind and storms and fallen trees. Animals including squirrels, bears, and moose also wreak havoc. The lines must be vacuum sealed in order to use suction to draw sap from the trees. The bulk of the harvest occurs during an 8 week span in March and April. The first sap draws are lighter in color. As the ground warms, the minerals are drawn from the soil and into the sap, producing richer and darker syrups. In a single season, Happy Hill collects about 325,000 gallons of sap. It takes 40-80 gallons of sap to produce one gallon of pure maple syrup. The process is highly technical and involves the use of reverse osmosis and boiling. We love staying on working farms. It is enlightening to learn where our food actually comes from. This family is hard working and even though the harvest is for a very short time, there is a lot to do during the other months of the year.

Lisa did a tasting with us, allowing us to try the various grades of syrup. We tried some syrups aged in bourbon and whiskey barrels and we tried syrup infused with lavendar. This farm has a deal with a bourbon distillery in Florida. The distillery provides bourbon barrels to age syrup. When the syrup has been bottled, the farm takes the barrels back to the distillery to use for maple flavored bourbons. The farm also makes maple creams. These are more solid spreadable forms of the maple sugars.

Log Cabin syrup and other similar brands are NOT real maple syrup. They are made from artificial ingredients and chemicals meant to taste like maple. When you buy real maple syrup from a store, it only has to contain 2% real maple syrup to be labeled REAL. When you buy pure maple syrup from Happy Hill…it is the REAL deal. It is costly to produce and expensive to purchase. We also learned that pure maple syrup has a lot of antioxidants and minerals.

With the sugar buzz well underway, we went shopping. We chose the grade A dark color syrup with a robust flavor, we chose some bourbon barrel aged syrup, and we chose some cinnamon maple cream.

We stored our purchases and got on the road. Before we left, I had noticed that the rear of the RV seemed to be sitting a little lower than normal. Tim noticed that the air gauges were not reading as they normally did. Once we were traveling, we noticed that our ride was rougher than usual. We thought we had a problem with our air ride suspension.

We found a deisel mechanic shop in the town of Gorham. The guy there took the time to help diagnose our problem. There is definitely a leak. His shop was not able to have the parts we might need and they suggested that we call Frieghtliner in Bangor, Maine and in the meantime to drive carefully. They did not charge us at all and they wished us well as we left.

We are staying at Bethel Outdoor Adventure and Campground in Bethel, Maine. Tim was able to call Freightliner but they cannot see us until next Friday. They have however, ordered the parts we might need and will have them there when we arrive. Until then, we will stay here in Bethel. There seems to be a lot to see and do in the area and it will be nice to have this as a springboard to explore!

This evening, we went to Brian’s for dinner. We had a delicious meal!

We will NOT be here this winter to verify this statement but the weather is perfect right now!

773 July 7, 2022 Happy Hill Maple Farms

It was in the 50’s overnight. It was chilly and it felt luscious as I took my morning walk.

We took Route 9, the Molly Stark Byway, a scenic route across Vermont. It was hilly and again a stream curved along the roadside with lots of cattails and tiger lilies and areas of dense forest. There were sections of rough road with construction too.

We traveled into Brattleboro where we found a place to fill the propane tank on the RV.

91N took us to our destination.

We had found Happy Hill Maple Farms on the Harvest Host website. Our hosts were not available this afternoon so we wiled away the time, relaxing and reading by the babbling brook. This is such a peaceful place.

772 July 6, 2022 Woodford State Park

My morning walk first led me to Cutler Botanic Garden, a hidden gem in an area otherwise filled with hotels and gas stations.

When I walked in the other direction, I found a Starbucks. All around it was a great kickstart to the day!

We took 88E to Schenectady and Albany and there we made our way to 7 across the remainder of New York. It was my intention to work on the blog but the scenery was just too pretty! We crossed the Susquehanna River several times. The hills were rolling with lush vegetation. Cattails and wildflowers flanked the roadside. We rode through small towns and saw lots of red barns and silver silos. Church steeples were tucked in amid the towering trees. The clouds were dramatic with just bits of blue sky peaking through. We had a smattering of rain showers as well.

We crossed into Vermont on Route 9 and passed through quaint downtown Bennington with a compass painted on the road in the main intersection and an old time clock on the corner. Gorgeous old churches and hanging baskets dripping with colorful flowers added to the charm of the town.

The road contined to meander along a stream. We saw wild turkeys strutting along. We made a plan to camp at Woodford State Park in the Green Mountain National Forest.

We were in bear country. The rangers informed us that a bear had been rooting through coolers in the campground about 10 days before but that there had been no sightings in the past 4-5 days. Nonetheless, when we hiked around the lake later in the day, we played music as we walked. The trail had lots of root and rock obstacles and a couple of fallen trees that we had to climb over. It was good work!

We spent the evening enjoying a glass of wine by a campfire. We are back in our groove now; relaxed and loving this life!

771 July 5, 2022 Binghamton

We wanted to wait until after the July 4th holiday to leave. I felt bereft as I drove away from mom after our last visit. I was also saddened to say goodbye to Kyle and Allison.

I have said that more than one thing can be true at the same time…while partings are always hard, we were also eagerly anticipating this trip. We were getting restless and we are ready to explore new places and see new things.

This is the life we have chosen and while we are always at home when we are with our children our “true home” has wheels!

Today we head north to destinations truly unknown.

We drove through Worthington Valley to 83N to 81N to 88N to Binghamton, New York. We found a Cracker Barrel near the interstate where we could overnight. We were not in the mood for a heavy homestyle meal and so we just fixed tomato sandwiches.

We were lucky that the parking lot was adjacent to a Regal Theater. We hadn’t been to the movies since well before COVID.

I have seen the original Top Gun many, many times and it is a favorite. We went to see Top Gun Maverick and I just loved it! It was a good way to pass the evening hours and it was a great movie to see on the big screen.

Tomorrow…onward!