Head of Tide

[Editor’s note: I attempt to post pictures that correspond to each blog post. Please visit the photos section of the website to view them. Photos]

I took geography in school so I knew where Maine was located on a map but knew nothing about it other than its location. I guess growing up predominately in the South didn’t provide me with the education I needed about those states above the Mason Dixon line. As it happens, my family actually had some of its roots in Maine. I don’t remember anyone in my family talking much about Maine, with the exception of seeing a picture of the house my great grandfather built on the Atlantic Ocean near Cape Elizabeth. The house had long been sold before I was told about it and my father never mentioned visiting. Maine for me was this place with no real attachment until I started looking closer at my family history. It turns out that my great grandfather and his brothers had all grown up in a town called Gardiner. Some of the extended Maxcy family lived in Gardiner for about 100 years. Realizing this, and that the state was actually gorgeous, we decided a trip to Maine was warranted. We called ahead to a KOA (a nationwide campground franchise) and scheduled a stay during the months of August and September 2021. Whatever expectations I may have developed about visiting Maine were far exceeded by what I found when we arrived.

A few weeks before we left Colorado for the trip east, we realized we hadn’t planned a trip to Acadia National Park. When we decided to go, all of the campgrounds close to Acadia were booked already so we ended up in a private campground on the far side of Bangor, Maine. Our campground was roughly an hour and a half away from Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park.  The road from Bangor to the coast was under construction, only two lanes, and extremely busy. It was not a fun drive but we made the best of it.  During our week long stay in Bangor, we made three trips to Acadia, Bar Harbor, and the Schoodic Peninsula. Every long trip was worth the effort.

At this point, I need to give an overall impression of the geography of the state with the caveat that my experience is limited to where we spent most of our time. We were near the coast from Bar Harbor in the North to Portland in the South. Maine is phenomenal! The natural beauty is subtle at first but continuous. The countryside inland is not spectacular but it just keeps coming. Every bend provides something new. I ended up wanting to drive every road in every direction but of course, we could not. The rivers, lighthouses, green-spaces, bridges, villages, they just keep coming, Then there is the coast. Rugged, stony, but the seas were often still when we were there so a gentleness pervaded. The islands were numerous and too many to count.

As to our experience, we ate fresh lobster and haddock. Whenever possible we sat outside and watched boats because they are everywhere too. Maine is fishing and sailing and every romantic thing you can do around the water…and it is so much more. In addition, the people we encountered were pleasant and helpful. I love Maine.

[Next: Maine – Part 2]