September 9, 2006 (Fri) Brandon, VT to Gilead, ME (182 miles today/616 total) - Man, was it dark around here last night! The rock cliff on one side of us and the heavy forest all around blocked out all traces of light. Looking out our door we could see a point of light from a camp site several yards down the hill but that was it. Quite a change from sleeping under a street light while at Indian Lake.
We left our campsite at about 6:30 (60°) and went down to the parking lot near the lake to eat our breakfast. Before getting on the road, Mark had to access the internet to correct our email setting - a very long process (49 minutes) on a cell phone! Rain is predicted for today but it was partly sunny when we finally took off at 9:30. Although our destination was slightly north of due east, we seemed to do a lot of Southerly driving until the compass finally began to show north and east more often - a beautiful drive though. There were lots of motorcycles (well over 100 before we gave up counting) and bicycles on the road. It seems to be that way in this area.
The three mile approach to the Hastings Campground in the White Mountain National Forest is winding and very narrow - about the width of one lane on an interstate highway - with a yellow line down the center to indicate that it is a two way road. Luckily we didn't meet any trucks coming the other way! The campground is rustic with hand pumped water and pit toilets. The sites are nice though and most are level and long enough for the biggest of rigs. There are only tents and pop-up trailers (and Q) here though. It's so dark because of the trees that we could barely read without lights even in the middle of the afternoon. The approaching rain clouds made it worse and lights became an absolute requirement.
Q032257 Hastings Campground, White Mountain National Forest #22 dry $8.00s B-
September 10, 2006 (Sun) Gilead, ME to Hermon, ME (148/763 miles) - A sunny 48° when we got off at 8:10. We followed US2 across Maine to Bangor. (US 2 is the same road that we took through Stevens Pass through the Cascade Mountains in Washington state in June 2005 and the route we followed east from Montana on our way home from Alaska. We think we have driven more miles of US2 than any other single road including interstates.) On the way we stopped at a Walmart in Rumford to pick up a few supplies. Also, along the way we saw the vanity license plate "GROUCH1"
Last night we were the largest camping unit in the campground and surrounded by trees. Tonight we're the smallest and the trees are small and scarce. The Pumpkin Patch, about 6 miles northwest of Bangor, ME, is a beautiful RV resort and because it's a Passport America park, relatively inexpensive. (Have you stayed here Ed and Kathy?) The spaces are widely enough spaced that another site could be put between each and still be more spacious than many RV resorts we've stayed in. There are two laundry facilities and the rest rooms and showers in the same buildings are spotless.
We will definitely stay here again when we're in the area. We almost didn't this time though! When we turned into the drive we found ourselves at the end of a line of 4 or 5 class A motor homes waiting to register and what we could see of the campground looked about full. We considered going on but Mark walked up to the office - past all the motor homes and their toads - to ask about the situation. "No problem," he was told "These guys all have reservations and there are sites still available. Why don't you pull up to the head of the line and we'll process you right in."
There is WiFi here ($1.00 for 24 hour usage) so we dug deep and bought access so Mark could our financial data and do some other internet maintenance needing a fast connection while Joy did the laundry. It turned out that he was able to access the internet without needing the password he paid $1.00 for. Oh well, we're legal anyway.
Q032577 The Pumpkin Patch RV Resort #67 w/e/i $15.50p A+
September 11, 2006 (Mon) Hermon, ME to Bernard, ME (60/827 miles) - There was frost in some areas of Maine last night but here it only got down to 40°. After showers (great) and breakfast (normal) we got off at 8:25 (46°). On the way through Ellsworth, we stopped at the LL Bean factory store where Joy picked up a $50 dress for $3 (a combination of a couple of good discounts and our agreement to have an LL Beanie credit card).
We got to Dick and Ruth's at about 11:00am. It was so good to see them again after almost two years. Ruth finds it difficult to fix meals these days so we all went out for lunch in Southwest Harbor. While there, Joy went to a wonderful yarn shop and bought yarn to finish a pair of socks she's working on. In the late afternoon, we went into Bar Harbor for dinner at Galyn's where we've eaten before. It was a great meal with a beautiful view of the harbor. The rest of the day was filled with much visiting and friendship renewal.
Q032637 Dick and Ruth's driveway
September 12, 2006 (Tue) Bernard, ME to Camden, ME (87/914 miles) - After breakfast we went in to say good bye to Dick and Ruth, then set Q on a course for the mainland (Bernard is on Mount Desert Island off the coast of Maine). Before leaving the island, we stopped for gas and paid the least we have for a long, long time - $2.49/gal.
The Big Chicken Barn is a used book and antique place outside of Elsworth that we've wanted to explore from the first time we saw it. Today we did. A wonderful place with many books and interesting odds and ends. We brought in some books to exchange - they took about half of them - and bought some future reading. On the way through Searsport, ME, we saw a sign for BlueJacket Ship crafters model ships. It turned out to be a place that sells model ships, model ship kits (good ones - not plastic) and fittings. Joy hopes that Mark will be inspired to go back to working on the model he started 40 years ago. He picked up a catalogue - a good start.
In Camden, ME we called an old friend and went to her house for a short visit. It's been over 20 years since we've seen Sally.
September 13, 2006 (Wed) Camden, ME - Camden Hills State Park has 50 some wooded - though not as dense as the National Forests are - spacious sites and 6 in a mown grass field. We opted for the field so we'd have the benefit of the warming sun during the day. Our site backs up to the woods so we can see them out our dining room window and lawn out the living room window.
When we were here in 2004 we hiked up Mount Battie, one of several trails in the park, this year we hiked down into Camden. By the time we'd perused several of its many shops (touristy and otherwise), had lunch and walked back to the park we'd covered 5 1/4 miles. This afternoon we napped and read.
Q032724 Camden Hills State Park #55 dry $13.00 A (x2)
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