25 - In My Footsteps Maine Trip - Day 6

Initial Impressions Maine

Day 6 - October 6, 2010

1.  This was my 'go home' day from Maine, as always 5-Hour Energy was the key to getting my mind ready for the 4 plus hour drive.

2.  I forgot to mention from my trip to Lubec yesterday that I went to a gas station that had their prices in Canadian dollars.  It was a bit confusing.  The lady also told me I could pump first then pay which I had not been able to do in years, since gas prices got jacked way up.  I asked for $20 worth, she charged me like $19.10, so I got 90 cents of free gas, don't know how far that got me but hey.

3.  How about this for bookends, it rained on my way up to Maine, so naturally it had to rain on my way home.  I had 4 stops planned, the rain came during the first stop in Freeport.  I got through that one soaked and canned the rest of the stops and headed home.

4.  I did get to go to the Desert of Maine in Freeport which is like someone dumped a beach in the middle of the woods.  Even on a cool, cloudy day it was an awesome sight.  There is a house buried under the sand too, must have sucked to spend your time building it only to have nature come and dump sand on it, yay.

5.  I guess the best way to sum up the Desert of Maine is that there was a farm there but the people did not know how to farm so they ruined the soil which eventually became basically beach sand.  No offense to the descendants of those farmers but they should have looked for another line of work.

6.  Oh yeah and nothing says ‘desert’ like 54 degree temperatures and rain.  However, nothing could stop me from getting my photos of the mama and baby camel statues,even at the risk of soaking my camera.

7.  There are tons of outlet shops on Main Street in Freeport, like a mall only outside.  Too bad that I spent my time running to a couple of historic homes and shooting a photo before running again while getting soaked.  Thanks Mother Nature you really did me a solid there, ass.

8.  I would love to go back when it is nicer, they have L.L. Bean, Nike, Reebok, and other huge companies with shops on the street.  I could see myself losing tons of money shopping there, so maybe it was for the best that it was rainy.

9.  In Freeport they actually had a Chinese food cart along the roadside, normally it is for hot dogs or things like that.  Nope here we have crab rangoons and beef teriyaki at a cart.  Pretty swanky little town huh?

10.  I had to make a stop over in Portland to the Allagash Brewery to pick up some booze drinks for my pal Rob Blake.  His instructions?  ‘Here’s $40, just get the most expensive beer they have.’  My answer, 2 bottles, each $19, they’d better be good.  Oh and I helped myself to an Allagash sticker as compensation for the extra toll I had to pay getting back on the Maine Turnpike.  Turns out the lady did not charge me for it so it was a win-win for me and Rob.

11.  One good thing about the crazy amount of rain is that it sets me up for a future trip to Portsmouth and Rye, New Hampshire since I had to skip both.  Probably a day trip though, just over 2 hours drive for me.  I would have tried to stop even if it was only showers but man it was such crazy downpours I would have needed several changes of clothes for each stop, not happening.

12.  I was surprised by how many people still found it necessary to go insane speeds on the highway as the torrential rain and wind made it impossible to see.  I felt like I was driving a sailboat at times.  No better feeling than nearly being blown off the road and knowing you still have more than 2 hours to go.

13.  Also, be careful when driving alongside an FW Webb 18-wheeler, they decide that it's cool to drift into your lane in the wind and rain as you try to pass.  Hey, FW Webb, you need to hire better drivers, these ones suck.

14.  I can’t believe it costs three dollars to cross the Tobin Bridge, no wonder I choose to set my GPS to the ‘avoid tolls’ option. It would have been cheaper to drive my car through the water, good old 'Tax-achusetts.'

15.  Thought about taking a detour near Boston so I could snag me some Panda Express, but the rain told me don’t stop.  Also there is a place in the Cape Cod Mall with all of the same stuff so the Panda will have to wait for another time.

16.  So that concludes my week in Maine.  The most fun I have had during my travel writing adventure.  Thanks to Steve Davis for allowing me to use his home in Owl's Head, it was amazing and I am so grateful.

Photos of the Day:

Cows at Wolfe's Neck Farm

Panoramic View of the Desert of Maine

Desert of Maine camels as the rain started pouring.