Monday, Aug 8 Destination Fort Kent, ME – 60 miles North and ETA 11:30. It is the confluence of the Fish River and the St. John River, and the northern terminus of U.S. 1. It is home to an Olympic training center that attracts biathletes from around the world. It is also known for the Can Am Crown International Sled Dog Race – a qualifier for the Iditarod. The Fort is another American border outpost from the “bloodless” Aroostook War and is right beside the St. John River – across the river is Canada. The Fort is a national historical landmark, but also the local headquarters for a Boy Scout troop who seem to be in charge of maintaining it. On the Fort site is also the Trading Post – which is the location of the Scout Troop meetings. The downtown of Fort Kent is not at all a tourist town, but a National Scenic Highway leads out of town west along the St. John, with views of Canada across the river, to the “end of the road” and a little town called Dickey. It was a 30 mile drive, rarely reaching 35mph, with sparse little towns, nicely maintained homes with manicured lawns, all of which we now associate with Northern-most Maine! Back at the camper Tom wrote the kids some postcards (he does that regularly!) and then walked into town to the post office. I put Pippa on the picnic table for a groom session. I have neglected to say that we are staying at a city park campground right off the town main drag – electric, sewer and water, but no bath houses. Supper was the last few pieces of our lobster, BBQ Ribs and Roosevelt beans (from the freezer), and blueberry pie that Tom purchased while on his walk! As overnight came rain moved in, and we settled down in the Silvermine for the evening. Tuesday, Aug 9 It rained lightly most of the night. Our site was a small crushed gravel pad and thick, green grass, so there was no problem with mud or puddles. Tom cooked a big breakfast, and we headed out for the west end of the National Scenic Highway. It was very much the same as yesterday’s drive, except that it took us to the town of Madawaska -- the northern-most town in main. A small downtown “Four Corners Park” commemorates its location as the most northeastern town in the contiguous United States! With a population of just over 3,000, 83% of the people speak French at home! Almost the whole drive we could see Canada across the St. John River and at Madawaska there was a very small Customs office to go across the bridge into Canada. Two things we noticed yesterday and today on our border-patrol drives: This area displayed American flags high up on every/other telephone pole – 30 miles yesterday and 40 miles today! Also, flowers are a part of the landscaping in almost every yard – large plots of tall wildflowers, and enormous hanging baskets of amazing color. We drove to the last town of Van Buren on the Scenic Highway, and then turned around and came back! It was only 65 degrees with light sprinkling rain on and off most of the time. Back at the Silvermine we gathered up laundry – including bedding, and headed into Dinah’s Laundrymat. What a treat that turned out to be. Dinah (owner of the laundry for 38 years, greeted us and escorted us (with her heavy French-Catholic accent) to the washers. She had us fill the washers and then “go to the bathroom to wash your hands really good.” (Later I saw one of her old-time customers come in and put laundry in a machine, and then march to the bathroom with her hands bent up at the elbows --- like a surgeon going to scrub!) She added up the total for the washing and drying and we paid her and then she supervised while we added detergent, and she started the machines! Born here, left town shortly to become a nun, returned as it appeared that was not her calling – and started her laundry business. The other closest laundry is in Caribou 60 miles away!
Back at the camper, still sprinkling we put laundry away and made a brief trip out for a few grocery items. Tomorrow we turn south, and I guess we can say that we are beginning to head home.
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October 2021
We don’t go camping any more . . . we go ‘streamin’ ! The “SIlvermine and His” is our 2018 25' Airstream Serenity with Salsa interior and front twin beds., and ‘streamin’ is the name we use to describe our adventures. Stream along as we document everything from weekend trips to longer summer excursions and full-blown vacations. You know what they say: if you’re not in an Airstream – you’re just camping!
Tom & Ella Brown |