Maine, a story about trees...

Panoramic coastal views

We have finished our time in Maine. What a time it was… Lets start from the beginning.

The “Border Crossing”! It actually ended up being way less dramatic then we were anticipating. Which was a very welcomed experience, since it seems everything else is full of unexpected surprises. We were in and out, in about 40 minutes. However, the first question out of the guys mouth, when we pulled up was: “Where are you from?”… Well thats a loaded question for us, I mean, I’m “from” Glen Ellyn. But I’m also from “TL” which is what my license says. But my last mailing address is North Hollywood. We are coming literally from Moncton, NB. But the car is registered and “from” Ottawa, ON, which is where Steph is “from”, but she also lives part of the year in Muskoka. So yea I panicked and rattled off a few places and ended up spitting out, “We really don't have a home”, as I was thinking in my head, we are going on this trip to; “find our home, buddy”. So as soon as the “don’t” hit my lips I realized I probably shouldn't have said that. As he came back with, “You don’t have a home?”, and I came back with, “Twin Lakes, I’m from Twin Lakes.” He walked back into his booth for more typing and I received a strong elbow to the side, “We don't HAVE a home?!?!” “Yea, sorry….” He returned with a “You’re ok here, just pull up to the left and finish her packet inside. Thanks.” Stunned, I drove forward and parked.

We got inside, started filling out custom forms. We only needed to fill out one, and Steph had already started it, so I told her I was going to the bathroom, and had to go #1. I was however, told from the gentleman dealing with our situation, that I could not go the restroom and would be told when I could. Well played sir, I will however, be informing you, when you will be cleaning pee off your floor. 

Steph finished our customs stuff. The gentleman that was there before us got processed. A mom and daughter returning to the States from a Canadian shopping spree entered and were processed. Steph did her fingerprints and was told to wash her hands off in the bathroom. Cute. No service on my phone either, to distract me from my situation. She returned. Finally, they ask me a question, I answered and the officer goes, “Oh, did you go to the bathroom yet sir?”. Yea cause thats what I’m gonna do. Do something I have been told not to do, while you process my wife's Visa (that’s been in the process for over a a year now). “No I haven’t, may I?”. “Yes, of course.” She replies. Pfft. “Of course”, like I was an idiot for waiting.

I return, after looking at the dozen or so convicts, terrorists, and missing persons on the cork board in the hallway, convinced I’ve seen at least 2 of them, somewhere.  They call her up, finish everything, tell her all is well and we can go. 

Its a walk you only do when you're leaving, that situation, not fast but not slow, casually glancing at the hall walls and photos, giving a nod to the gentlemen coming in with their hunting trophies and firearms in their trailer, getting in the car and casually driving off. Or maybe it’s like when you didn't get charged for something at a grocery store, you know its not your fault but still wanna just GET OUT OF THERE, before they realize what happened. Either way there is huge fist pumping and raising of the roof, when you're out of visual site of the border. We weren't breaking any rules at all and should never have been nervous for leaving, but its just, SO many hours of stuff and money went into that: “Ok they will mail you your Green Card”, that you just want to get the f%#* out!

Ok now were in, first thing we do, miss the exit for a grocery store and Walmart. Next place to turn around is in 15 miles. Which is basically to where we are staying that night. So lets get there unload and level and then lets go back and get food and supplies.

That first foggy morning in
Island Falls, ME

We did and spent our first night in USA in Island Falls, ME., on Lake Pleasant. It was quaint. The place was a little creepy as it was a cloudy, fall, rainy, foggy evening, making it reminiscent of a Steven King novel. Im sure in July, with tons of other campers, boaters, sun and vacationers, it would have been perfectly normal. We survived, woke to more rain and fog over the lake. Ate, packed up and started the journey south!

Our first stop, Bar Harbor. I’ve been told again and again that Bar Harbor is a “must” by everyone who’s been to Maine. We drove through Bangor, it looked beautiful from the bridge going over the river! The drive out to the islands that make up Acadia National Park was slow and foggy, with intermittent rain. As we emerged onto Desert Island and into Bar Harbor the sun started to peek out and the rain stopped.

We found a place to park, got out to make a bit of lunch/early dinner. Oh Rhonda. I got inside to the center roof vent, off and flapping in the breeze. I could only just barely grab it from inside and hold it while Steph got in position to catch it as I flung it into the wind. ARG! Seriously? It couldn't just be easy could it. Also the “battery low” light was on. All the clouds the last 2 days had not done much to charge the batteries. So we would have to be very careful with the power we used tonight.  So, now what!? We need a ladder, we have a gaping hole in our ceiling! Ok, the YMCA is across the street from us, lets see if the good people there would let us borrow one. They would have, if only, the one person with keys to the work-shed was there, but alas he was gone for the day. Probably enjoying a delicious beer; even more aggravating to me. Ok, so I come outside to break the news to Steph, all the while watching snobby soccer moms scoff at Rhonda as they walk through the parking lot to their Zumba class.

So we chat trying to figure out what to do next ,as we are standing around…Pow! A ladder. Next door behind a community center. Just laying there. Its half an extension ladder, WAY to big for what we need, but who cares. So we set it up, toss the piece back up and  duct tape it into place, so at least the rain stays out.

Ok overnight parking. So the point of this trip is to “see towns” so staying in a  National Park campsite miles away from town, paying entrance to the park and then the campsite is not ideal. We want to stay somewhere where we can hang in town and bike around a bit. So we go in search of the perfect spot of “Urban Boondocking” (“boondocking" basically means just parking “somewhere” and being self-sufficient - not needing power or water hookups. This is where having the solar panels is going to help us a lot). We find it, perfect to us, right by the main dock, close to a few parks and all the pubs and restaurants. We park, level and leave for a bit of food and drinks. We find a restaurant and enjoy ourselves whilst trying not to think about the broken ceiling vent and low battery. Come back, brush our teeth and clean up for bed, when a cop pulls up. A champ of a guy! He did tell us we weren’t allowed to park there, but let us park in a different lot on the other side of town, pretty much where we were earlier - even though that lot wasn't meant for overnighting. He said he would tell the guys on the later shift know not to bother us. Awesome. So, left there,  parked again, and got rugged up for the night without heat, as to conserve the batteries, and passed out.

Coastal walk in Bar Harbor, ME

Woke up to beautiful blue sky. We moved to where we could park for the day with no dramas, set the solar panels up for the low sun and explored the town! It really is a cool place. The colors were beautiful, a little late in the fall  for the color prime-time, but awesome none the less! It’s a small quintessential New England town. Seaside, a few parks, lots of restaurants and hotels. A lot was “closing for the season” so not sure how much work would be around during the winter months. Also would be very touristy in the summer I’m imagining. Good for business though! Some beautiful homes and great scenery.

We leave that evening on our way down to Brunswick and Portland! Overnight at a Truck Stop. Our first time!! $10 for a shower, total for us both. Pretty clean facilities actually. Filled our fresh water tank. Found a spot in the lot with a plug, so we had power all night with heat! We set the solar panels up for the morning sun, made dinner and went to bed! Got up, ate and made our way to Brunswick, ME. Diving through some cool river side towns, Augusta, and the Capitol building!

So this whole time we have had this weird thing going on with the grey water tank. Side note: the grey water tank is the one that catches water from the sink and shower. The white water tank is the fresh water, and the black water tank, as you might guess, is the toilet. Back to our grey water tank - I’m not sure what the previous owners did to it, or why they did what they did, but there is some illogical drain plumbing going on. Also, someone before us bottomed out pretty hard I guess, and there is a few big cracks that have started to leak pretty bad at this point. So we find a Motor Supply Company and grab some fiberglass and plastic epoxy. We arrive in Brunswick and Steph goes off to find us some
costumes and candy to give out for Halloween! I talk shop about solar with our Boondocker Host - Larry. Larry and his wife Jean are retired and live in a quaint 1950s-era neighborhood, and we are parking in their driveway for the next 2 nights. Back to the grey water tank! I finally get to work on it. On my back under trailer with about 10 inches of clearance from the ground and I get what I believe is all of the leaks with all the epoxy and fiberglass I can. We eat candy, hand out candy, drink beers and wine and enjoy all the kids coming by for Halloween!

Rising Tide Brewery - "A rising tide lifts all boats"

Sunday is Portland day! We first headed “Land’s End” on Bailey Island. Awesome drive! Really cool island grouping, small towns and homes. Then South to Portland. We found a cool breakfast place, The Portland Pottery Cafe. We smashed some food and made a plan for the day! We found a good central place to park (we are without Rhonda today, she is safely parked in Brunswick) and headed out walking for the afternoon! Portland, is kind of how I imagined it. Looks like it was a very gritty, industrial city with lots of fishing; now, taken over by artists, foodies and breweries, with I'm sure tons of fishing still at its heart. Our kind of place! Spent the day checking it all out. Easy city to walk. Lots of brew pubs and found Rising Tide Brewery. Which was in a bit of an industrial area and next to a distillery. We went in and got 4 x 4oz glasses of our choosing and one full size. Great beers and cool people! Then a bright green "brewery tour" bus showed up and some people got off. We both looked at each other and immediately went to our phones. It’s exactly what it sounds like. A company, The Maine Brew Bus, that basically takes you around to all the breweries and some food spots for an afternoon, and is your DD. Pretty cool idea.  Also the #1 attraction on Trip Advisor for Portland! They all got a little tour of the brewery as well. All in all a cool city and one that I would love to get back to! 

The town of Brunswick where we were staying was beautiful as well, we didn't get to go out much there as we were a bit busy with Halloween and such. It has Bowdoin College which has a really cool campus and vibe to it. The town itself is very green, with lots of trees and a river through it. Seems like a great place as well. 

Cape Elizabeth Lighthouse, ME

Our last day in Maine was spend driving quite a bit. We got to Cape Elizabeth which was awesome! Lots of little inland streams and rivers that would be great for paddling if it had been a bit higher tide… and warmer! We did stop for our last Maine Lobster. We had a Lobster Roll and Crab Cake Sliders with some Roasted Butternut Squash & Maple chowder at Pine Tree Seafood & Produce. AMAZING!! Then off to NH and Mass!

Maine in a nut shell.… Man I really loved it! I am more blown away by how much forest there was! I never really thought too much about it before, but the whole state is a giant forest. Literally. I mean being from Illinois, we have “forests” here and there, but nothing like it is in Maine. Haha, maybe that sounds weird or obvious to some but it wasn't to me, and I love it.  I do love the architecture here as well. I’m sure that will be a theme throughout our drive of the NE coast, as I love all of the Colonial, Cape Cod and Georgian style homes. The field-stone fences and house facades are some favorites as well. Anyways, I'm no architecture major by any means, but I like what I see! Maine will definitely be someplace I would love to come back and explore further! We live in a pretty amazing country!!

Uff, well Im sitting here in Hingham, Mass, writing this, enjoying a Harpoon IPA. We are bit behind the blogging 8 ball as you can tell. Lots to do everyday, and it kinda feels more and more like we aren't really staying and enjoying one place very long. I hope that changes. We got a bit of a later start so I think we are trying to stay ahead of the freezing temps, so as not to have any more plumbing or heating problems… RHONDA! 

Ok kids, Thanks for staying till the end!  If you want more pics, we started an IG to photo-journal our trip - @_theroadtohome_ - check it out! 

Cheers!

J