Tuesday, July 19 Well established for the next three days, we ate breakfast while looking at a map and making a tour plan of the area. First on my list – the L.L. Bean Flagship store, just five miles away. The store opened at 9:00 and we were there by 9:15. It is big -- with hallways, staircases additions and annexes all attached to the main building. Tom and I each got a button-down shirt. We walked the “Freeport Village Station” and surrounding streets enjoying the distinct little shops with ocean-side/Main themes. There are lots of parking lots in Freeport, and parking is all free! We found the Bow Street market and stocked up on a few things we didn’t really need and headed back to the camper for a light lunch. With Pippa on board, we headed out again for a little driving tour of the area and the town of Brunswick. We found Bowdoin College and a statute of Lawrence Chamberlain -- a professor of rhetoric who joined the Civil War in a Maine unit. We also stopped at a pet store that advertised “Meowijuana” – Pippa didn’t get any – and shopped a few more stores. Route 123 headed south along a “neck” of land for 10 miles to the final stop where the road meets the sea a Harpswell. We were never very far from the coast, although it was well-hidden as we twisted through the small settlements on the tree lined road. When we reached the southern-most “Potts Point” the sea scene was spread out in front of us with views of the different “necks” that project out into the ocean. A sign said Harpswell was a “working” town – and it sure looked picturesque with beautiful coastal, Maine homes. Our thoughts turned to lobster again, and we made another trip to the Harraseeket Lobster Pond – two large lobsters (1 ½ pounds each) for $27.00. We also bought a watermelon to slice up and share with friends! John and Suzie had also bought lobster, and we were able to coordinate a sit-down time of 7:45! Corn, watermelon, and wild rice added to the menu! In the evening there was a group pow-wow to talk about riding on the Intercoastal mail boat! Leaving at noon, it is a 3-hour trip, and weaves through the little Islands to deliver mail – you can take what-ever-you-want for eats and drinks. Tom and I opted out. Wednesday, July 20 I slept late, but by 9:30 we were on our way to explore. We located the Pet Pantry that we had failed to find yesterday, and found it a very comprehensive pet store. Just 20 miles away Bath was a nice little shopping/eating/touring town, and we walked those streets up and down all the way to the waterfront, and back up to the Main Street on top. The drive from Bath out along the “neck” was freshly paved . . . most of the way. When it ended – it was abruptly dirt road, and in another ½ miles it was just OVER; barely a place to turn around! We got the message that people were planning another lobster cook for the evening, so we stopped at our source and got three lobsters – 2 to eat tonight, and one to cook and use to make lobster salad for future lobster rolls. It is always tricky to plan a “lobster drop” among people camped in different campsites! John stood in the middle of the road and signaled the drop into the boiling water – and 15 minutes later we were all around the table eating! Today was the “first day of corn” in the area, (so said the lady at the farm stand) and we all enjoyed corn with the same butter we used for the lobster! It was hard to tell what was best -- the lobster or the corn! This iThursday, July 21 Only 45 miles away from Augusta, we set out for a visit at 8:30 for the Capital city. Route 24, a 2-lane road following the Kennebec River, took us through small towns with a Maine flavor. The State Capital building rose up unexpectedly – not really in the middle of a downtown. The population of Augusta is just 18,000, and the Capital building is downsized, too! To our great surprise, dogs were welcome in the Capital Building and we got to tour the inside with Pippa Joy! She made friends with all the officers on duty both on the way in, and the way out! The Capital building is not fancy, and not even very pretty. There are some really nice elements (marble, staircases, brass railing, historical paintings, portraits of past dignitaries) but nothing that was a stand-out. This is not to say it is not a grand building for the affairs of state because it certainly is. In fact, it was much like the little towns we had been through – it was just an everyday working building! And, on this mid-week day, it was not at all busy! Tom tried for a circle-route back to Freeport for a different view – but some road closures confounded that. At the sweet little town of Richmond we saw a small, hometown restaurant with shaded outdoor seating. We ordered a crab roll and a lobster roll and split them. They were good, but the lobster was not the quality that we have been eating! In Freeport we did a run of the LLBean outlet store – I scored a shirt. A kitchen-gadget outlet was very interesting, but I have repeatedly sworn I am NOT going to fill every nook and cranny of the Airstream with gadgets! We also stopped at the Market to a few items we needed. Back at the camper we put the awning up and all outdoor stuff away as a storm was predicted to come through. We cleaned the inside of the trailer, took showers, and gave Pippa a bath. There was a brief meeting called by John where plans were made for morning dumping and lining-up to caravan to . . . . Fryeburg and the International Rally!
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Your travel blog is a symphony of discovery, and I wanted to express my deep appreciation for the beautiful music you create. Your posts are like the notes of an adventurous composition, and I eagerly await the next movement. Your travel guides have been the guiding stars in my journey, and your travel tips are the harmonies that make my trips unforgettable. Keep composing your travel masterpieces!
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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 |