Trip to Maine - Part 2
#1
09-01-2010, 08:50 AM
Trip to Maine - Part 2
Out trip to Maine – Part 2
Thursday afternoon, July 15 – Sunny and in the low 80s.
We planned to stay at Meadowbrook Camping area in Phippsburg, Maine for three nights and use it as our base to explore Maine. We were greeted by a very friendly staff and directed to our campsite by going around the back side of the campground so I could pull through to our site and not have to back up. As we circled around the back side we came to a very steep downhill grade. It was a rock and gravel drive. As I was about to turn left and approach our camping area I committed the mortal sin of a biker in gravel; I grabbed some front brake. Down I went. Vicki was OK but my left leg was caught under the bike. Once I pulled out I could tell my leg was going to be pretty tender. My shin already had a knot on it about the size of a baseball. Fortunately I could still walk and with Vicki's help I was able to back up to the bike and get enough leverage to pick it up. Miraculously there was not a scratch on it. With Vicki walking the rest of the way to our site I managed to get there without any more accidents. We spent an hour getting our site set up and ready to make it our home until Sunday.
After making camp we went down to the Laundromat to wash our clothes. I was still limping but thinking everything was OK when suddenly I stepped on a rock half buried in the gravel. The rock gave way and so did my left ankle. It twisted to the side in a complete 90 degree turn. As I sat next to the washing machine watching my ankle swell to the size of a softball I was wondering if we were going to have to rent a u-haul and throw the bike & camper in the back so we could finish our trip. Once our laundry finished we made our way back to camp and I iced my leg and ankle. Let’s see what tomorrow brings.
Friday, July 16 – Sunny and in the low 80s
My left leg looks like I have no ankle. But I am able to limp around without too much pain. We decide to take it easy today and stay close to our campsite. Thanks to my riding boots I am able to walk and ride so after breakfast we head off to see Popham Beach State Park which is further out on the peninsula.
We then went a few miles further and explored the Fort Popham State historic Site. It is the stone remains of a Civil War fortification that protected the Kennebec River.
After leaving the fort we made our way up to Route 1 and spent some time in Bath. The first stop was at Wilson’s drug store to pick up an ankle brace and some good drugs! The pharmacist was a very helpful guy. We also stopped at a store called Reny’s. It was a combination hardware and clothing store and was a very unique place. We then stopped at Kennebec Tavern & Marina for a late afternoon bite to eat. This was right along the river. We sat outside to enjoy the view and the food was very good.
When we returned to camp our new credit card was waiting for us (see part 1 of the story). After icing my ankle we turned in for the night.
Saturday, July 17 – Sunny and in the low 80s. I forgot to check my mileage yesterday morning but between then and the end of today we put another 325 miles on the bike.
Today we are going to Bar Harbor. We are on the road by 9:00. Gimpy (that’s me) can’t get moving any faster. My leg and ankle do not look any thinner today but they are getting to be a very pretty shade of purple. Besides, it only hurts when I shift gears. Once we get in to Bath we head north on route 1. We want to at least make the circle around Acadia National Park and do a whale watching trip. We are pressed for time and make the entire run without a stop. It took us almost 3-1/2 hours to get to Bar Harbor. We just made the boat leaving at 12:30. We had a nice time on our whale watching expedition. We did not see any large whales but we did see some smaller ones. According to the guide, this is the most remote lighthouse in North America.
When we got back to the bike I had a parking ticket! Evidently there was a time limit on parking in that area but I swear there was no sign. Oh well, I threw it in the tour pak as we were pressed for time. I will send in the check when we get back home. We made our way out of Bar Harbor and did the mandatory stops around the island. What a beautiful place. We will go back sometime when we can spend more time and I am in shape to do some hiking.
The last 1-1/2 hours of our trip back to camp was after sunset. With all the adventure we’ve had so far, I was really expecting to broad side a moose at any time! Fortunately the worst that happened was the addition of some bugs to my windshield.
Sunday, July 18 – Sunny and in the low 80s. 134 Miles covered from Phippsburg, ME to North Woodstock, NH.
On Sunday morning we broke camp and prepared to leave Meadowbrook Camping Area. With my ankle still swollen and weak I was a little nervous about pulling the camper out to the highway since it was a rock and gravel drive. A fellow biker with a three wheeled Wing offered to pull our camper up to the campground entrance. Some of you may know him as Triker Tom. Tom, if you’re reading this I just want to say thanks and it was a pleasure meeting you. We left the coast and started heading west. We picked up route 302 to take us in to New Hampshire where we got on the Kancamagus Highway. This was a truly magnificent stretch of road. We stopped at the welcome center to pick up a map and get some ideas of where to stop. The lady behind the counter was very helpful.
Rocky Gorge scenic area - Kancamagus Highway
Sabbaday? Falls - Kancamagus Highway
As evening approached we started looking for a campground and found a real gem called Maple Haven Camping and Cottages. It was just west of North Woodstock, NH on route 112. When we arrived their sign said they were open but when I walked up to the office there was a note on the door saying that the proprietor was out for the evening and we should just pick a camp site and settle up with them in the morning. We chose a site that was right by a little stream. It was Sunday evening so most sites were open and I was able to scrounge up fire wood left by weekend campers. Later that evening I walked down to the office. The owner was in and I settled up with him. His daughter was visiting from Boston and we all talked for quite some time. Very nice family and I would highly recommend this place. Facilities were clean and very reasonably priced as a bonus.
Monday, July 19 – Cloudy with rain on and off throughout the day. Temperature was in the low 80s. 141 miles today.
We rode 112 until we hooked back up with 302 on the west side of New Hampshire. We stayed on 302 in to Vermont until we picked up I89 at Montpelier. At this point the rain started coming down steady as we rode the slab in to Burlington. We intended to pick up the ferry at Burlington and take it across to New York but when we arrived we discovered that it would not go out again for another 2-1/2 hours. The attendant told us we could catch the ferry at Cedar Beach, which ran every half hour. So off we went heading south on route 7. As we approached Cedar Beach the rain let up and the sun actually peaked out and the rain held off for our crossing of Lake Champlain.
We left the ferry with every intention of reaching Lake Placid before nightfall but a few minutes from the dock the rain started again. We picked up route 12 to route 9 and as we were coming in to Elizabethtown the rain started coming down so hard that we had to pull in to a gas station where we could take shelter at the covered pump island. It was at that point that we decided this would be a good night to find a motel. The station attendant suggested a place just up the road called the Cobble hill Inn. He must have been related to the owners. I will say that we stayed dry and the room was cheap. I’ll leave it at that.
Tuesday, July 20 – Partly sunny and in the low 80s. 275 miles today.
We left the cobble Hill Inn and continued towards lake placid on routes 9N and 73. This was a very scenic drive.
We spent some time wandering around downtown Lake Placid.
We then went west on 86, picked up route 3 west and followed that to 30 south. At Long Lake we stopped to eat lunch along the beach and watch the float planes take off and land.
We then followed 30 to 28 and back over to Interstate 87. Once on the Interstate we went south until it was time to start looking for another campground. We stopped at the Indian Ridge Campground in Athens, NY. The owners (three couples) were fellow motorcycle riders and that evening several of them stopped by our site to visit. It turns out that they bought this campground after the previous owners went bankrupt. They have done a lot of work to the place and it is a top notch campground which I would highly recommend.
Wednesday, July 21 – Mostly sunny and in the high 80s. 275 miles today.
After leaving Indian Ridge we continued down 87 to Newburgh where we stopped to visit OCC.
After looking through the store we ate a picnic lunch in their parking lot before heading to the Woodstock Center at Bethpage. The museum was very interesting and again I wish we had more time so we could have viewed all of the short movies and documentaries that were offered. It was still early in the afternoon and we wanted to get through the Delaware Watergap National Rec. Area and be well in to PA before we called it a day.
It was nightfall when we finally climbed in to bed at a hotel in Reading, PA.
Thursday, July 22 – Mostly sunny and in the high 80s. 65 miles today.
This morning we visited the Harley Manufacturing plant in York.
After that we spent the remainder of our day at Gettysburg. We toured the battleground by taking one of the bus park tours offered by the National Park services. Someone told us that would be the best way to tour the park if we only had a few hours and I can’t imagine they were wrong. The tour guide was very good and the air conditioned bus was a nice plus.
After leaving the park we got in to Maryland before finding a camp ground at Cunningham Falls State Park; Houck Area in Thurmont, MD. This was a really nice CG and we met some very friendly campers. The cost was $31 for a site with electricity. Water was just a short walk away at a common area. I asked if all Maryland State Park campgrounds were this nice and I was told they were. I think we will be going back to Maryland in the future.
Friday, July 23 – Sunny, upper 80s in the mountain and upper 90s in the lowlands. 370 miles today.
After leaving Maryland we picked up Skyline Drive at Front Royal, VA. We rode this to the Route 33 Harrisburg exit and dropped off to visit our daughter who works at James Madison University. We then got back on Skyline Drive until we picked up The Blue Ridge Parkway. We dropped off the Parkway on route 60 and stayed the night in Buena Vista, where our daughter and her husband live.
Saturday, July 24 – Sunny and in the mid to upper 90s. 277 miles today.
Today we jumped on to 81 and went south to Roanoke. We spent the morning visiting with our youngest daughter. After that we spent the balance of the day on the slab so we could be home before nightfall. We needed Sunday to recuperate before going back to work on Monday. All in all it was a great trip and we put just over 3,200 miles on the bike. It is 5 weeks later and my ankle is still slightly swollen at the end of the day, but I would do it all again. Ride safe everyone.
Thursday afternoon, July 15 – Sunny and in the low 80s.
We planned to stay at Meadowbrook Camping area in Phippsburg, Maine for three nights and use it as our base to explore Maine. We were greeted by a very friendly staff and directed to our campsite by going around the back side of the campground so I could pull through to our site and not have to back up. As we circled around the back side we came to a very steep downhill grade. It was a rock and gravel drive. As I was about to turn left and approach our camping area I committed the mortal sin of a biker in gravel; I grabbed some front brake. Down I went. Vicki was OK but my left leg was caught under the bike. Once I pulled out I could tell my leg was going to be pretty tender. My shin already had a knot on it about the size of a baseball. Fortunately I could still walk and with Vicki's help I was able to back up to the bike and get enough leverage to pick it up. Miraculously there was not a scratch on it. With Vicki walking the rest of the way to our site I managed to get there without any more accidents. We spent an hour getting our site set up and ready to make it our home until Sunday.
After making camp we went down to the Laundromat to wash our clothes. I was still limping but thinking everything was OK when suddenly I stepped on a rock half buried in the gravel. The rock gave way and so did my left ankle. It twisted to the side in a complete 90 degree turn. As I sat next to the washing machine watching my ankle swell to the size of a softball I was wondering if we were going to have to rent a u-haul and throw the bike & camper in the back so we could finish our trip. Once our laundry finished we made our way back to camp and I iced my leg and ankle. Let’s see what tomorrow brings.
Friday, July 16 – Sunny and in the low 80s
My left leg looks like I have no ankle. But I am able to limp around without too much pain. We decide to take it easy today and stay close to our campsite. Thanks to my riding boots I am able to walk and ride so after breakfast we head off to see Popham Beach State Park which is further out on the peninsula.
We then went a few miles further and explored the Fort Popham State historic Site. It is the stone remains of a Civil War fortification that protected the Kennebec River.
After leaving the fort we made our way up to Route 1 and spent some time in Bath. The first stop was at Wilson’s drug store to pick up an ankle brace and some good drugs! The pharmacist was a very helpful guy. We also stopped at a store called Reny’s. It was a combination hardware and clothing store and was a very unique place. We then stopped at Kennebec Tavern & Marina for a late afternoon bite to eat. This was right along the river. We sat outside to enjoy the view and the food was very good.
When we returned to camp our new credit card was waiting for us (see part 1 of the story). After icing my ankle we turned in for the night.
Saturday, July 17 – Sunny and in the low 80s. I forgot to check my mileage yesterday morning but between then and the end of today we put another 325 miles on the bike.
Today we are going to Bar Harbor. We are on the road by 9:00. Gimpy (that’s me) can’t get moving any faster. My leg and ankle do not look any thinner today but they are getting to be a very pretty shade of purple. Besides, it only hurts when I shift gears. Once we get in to Bath we head north on route 1. We want to at least make the circle around Acadia National Park and do a whale watching trip. We are pressed for time and make the entire run without a stop. It took us almost 3-1/2 hours to get to Bar Harbor. We just made the boat leaving at 12:30. We had a nice time on our whale watching expedition. We did not see any large whales but we did see some smaller ones. According to the guide, this is the most remote lighthouse in North America.
When we got back to the bike I had a parking ticket! Evidently there was a time limit on parking in that area but I swear there was no sign. Oh well, I threw it in the tour pak as we were pressed for time. I will send in the check when we get back home. We made our way out of Bar Harbor and did the mandatory stops around the island. What a beautiful place. We will go back sometime when we can spend more time and I am in shape to do some hiking.
The last 1-1/2 hours of our trip back to camp was after sunset. With all the adventure we’ve had so far, I was really expecting to broad side a moose at any time! Fortunately the worst that happened was the addition of some bugs to my windshield.
Sunday, July 18 – Sunny and in the low 80s. 134 Miles covered from Phippsburg, ME to North Woodstock, NH.
On Sunday morning we broke camp and prepared to leave Meadowbrook Camping Area. With my ankle still swollen and weak I was a little nervous about pulling the camper out to the highway since it was a rock and gravel drive. A fellow biker with a three wheeled Wing offered to pull our camper up to the campground entrance. Some of you may know him as Triker Tom. Tom, if you’re reading this I just want to say thanks and it was a pleasure meeting you. We left the coast and started heading west. We picked up route 302 to take us in to New Hampshire where we got on the Kancamagus Highway. This was a truly magnificent stretch of road. We stopped at the welcome center to pick up a map and get some ideas of where to stop. The lady behind the counter was very helpful.
Rocky Gorge scenic area - Kancamagus Highway
Sabbaday? Falls - Kancamagus Highway
As evening approached we started looking for a campground and found a real gem called Maple Haven Camping and Cottages. It was just west of North Woodstock, NH on route 112. When we arrived their sign said they were open but when I walked up to the office there was a note on the door saying that the proprietor was out for the evening and we should just pick a camp site and settle up with them in the morning. We chose a site that was right by a little stream. It was Sunday evening so most sites were open and I was able to scrounge up fire wood left by weekend campers. Later that evening I walked down to the office. The owner was in and I settled up with him. His daughter was visiting from Boston and we all talked for quite some time. Very nice family and I would highly recommend this place. Facilities were clean and very reasonably priced as a bonus.
Monday, July 19 – Cloudy with rain on and off throughout the day. Temperature was in the low 80s. 141 miles today.
We rode 112 until we hooked back up with 302 on the west side of New Hampshire. We stayed on 302 in to Vermont until we picked up I89 at Montpelier. At this point the rain started coming down steady as we rode the slab in to Burlington. We intended to pick up the ferry at Burlington and take it across to New York but when we arrived we discovered that it would not go out again for another 2-1/2 hours. The attendant told us we could catch the ferry at Cedar Beach, which ran every half hour. So off we went heading south on route 7. As we approached Cedar Beach the rain let up and the sun actually peaked out and the rain held off for our crossing of Lake Champlain.
We left the ferry with every intention of reaching Lake Placid before nightfall but a few minutes from the dock the rain started again. We picked up route 12 to route 9 and as we were coming in to Elizabethtown the rain started coming down so hard that we had to pull in to a gas station where we could take shelter at the covered pump island. It was at that point that we decided this would be a good night to find a motel. The station attendant suggested a place just up the road called the Cobble hill Inn. He must have been related to the owners. I will say that we stayed dry and the room was cheap. I’ll leave it at that.
Tuesday, July 20 – Partly sunny and in the low 80s. 275 miles today.
We left the cobble Hill Inn and continued towards lake placid on routes 9N and 73. This was a very scenic drive.
We spent some time wandering around downtown Lake Placid.
We then went west on 86, picked up route 3 west and followed that to 30 south. At Long Lake we stopped to eat lunch along the beach and watch the float planes take off and land.
We then followed 30 to 28 and back over to Interstate 87. Once on the Interstate we went south until it was time to start looking for another campground. We stopped at the Indian Ridge Campground in Athens, NY. The owners (three couples) were fellow motorcycle riders and that evening several of them stopped by our site to visit. It turns out that they bought this campground after the previous owners went bankrupt. They have done a lot of work to the place and it is a top notch campground which I would highly recommend.
Wednesday, July 21 – Mostly sunny and in the high 80s. 275 miles today.
After leaving Indian Ridge we continued down 87 to Newburgh where we stopped to visit OCC.
After looking through the store we ate a picnic lunch in their parking lot before heading to the Woodstock Center at Bethpage. The museum was very interesting and again I wish we had more time so we could have viewed all of the short movies and documentaries that were offered. It was still early in the afternoon and we wanted to get through the Delaware Watergap National Rec. Area and be well in to PA before we called it a day.
It was nightfall when we finally climbed in to bed at a hotel in Reading, PA.
Thursday, July 22 – Mostly sunny and in the high 80s. 65 miles today.
This morning we visited the Harley Manufacturing plant in York.
After that we spent the remainder of our day at Gettysburg. We toured the battleground by taking one of the bus park tours offered by the National Park services. Someone told us that would be the best way to tour the park if we only had a few hours and I can’t imagine they were wrong. The tour guide was very good and the air conditioned bus was a nice plus.
After leaving the park we got in to Maryland before finding a camp ground at Cunningham Falls State Park; Houck Area in Thurmont, MD. This was a really nice CG and we met some very friendly campers. The cost was $31 for a site with electricity. Water was just a short walk away at a common area. I asked if all Maryland State Park campgrounds were this nice and I was told they were. I think we will be going back to Maryland in the future.
Friday, July 23 – Sunny, upper 80s in the mountain and upper 90s in the lowlands. 370 miles today.
After leaving Maryland we picked up Skyline Drive at Front Royal, VA. We rode this to the Route 33 Harrisburg exit and dropped off to visit our daughter who works at James Madison University. We then got back on Skyline Drive until we picked up The Blue Ridge Parkway. We dropped off the Parkway on route 60 and stayed the night in Buena Vista, where our daughter and her husband live.
Saturday, July 24 – Sunny and in the mid to upper 90s. 277 miles today.
Today we jumped on to 81 and went south to Roanoke. We spent the morning visiting with our youngest daughter. After that we spent the balance of the day on the slab so we could be home before nightfall. We needed Sunday to recuperate before going back to work on Monday. All in all it was a great trip and we put just over 3,200 miles on the bike. It is 5 weeks later and my ankle is still slightly swollen at the end of the day, but I would do it all again. Ride safe everyone.
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