white mountains

Although we really liked Bar Harbor and Acadia, it was time to move on. We decided to head east through Maine. Route 2 goes across, more or less straight. What we didn't know is that there was a lot of construction on the road. Lots of construction. Many areas of one lane and many areas of no pavement. But we were not in a hurry and there were not many cars. (I like not having a specific plan. It allows us to be relaxed and not upset by stuff.) The bumpiness did cause some of the cupboards to open and food fell out, but thank goodness nothing broke. I try to keep that in mind as I pack up and put the plastic bottles in the front.

There are major difference between coastal Maine and inland Maine. On coastal Maine it is all about the tourist - B&Bs and antique shops everywhere. Inland there were a few motels, but this was more how the people live. It looked to me like the folks were independent like their reputation. Lots of businesses in the home, from decorating, to construction, to lawyers, to wood carvers. You name it and people were doing it out of their home. I don't know why there are so many people making and selling weather vanes here, but there were a lot of them. There was a beautiful wild flower along the road which I think is called lupine. I had never heard of it before, but it made the drive very pretty.

There were lots of closed businesses and abandoned businesses and houses. Some of the houses were huge and looked like they were really something when taken care of. But they are now empty. The places need paint and nails. The yards need mowing and weeding. Many of the restaurants that we saw were now closed. (I hope it is just because it is still early in the season here, but it will take some work to open them if that is the case.) Almost every one of the restaurants that we saw, except for those in the downtown area of one larger city, were fast food and cheap. This is not an area with a lot of money.

Still lots of water, but instead of coves and inlets it is rivers and lakes. Some of the lakes were so brown after the rain that they looked like chocolate. Others were a beautiful blue.

We crossed into New Hampshire and are staying in the town of Shelburne, right outside of Gorham. We are less than a mile from the parking area for the Appalachia Trail. We are in an area that is very woodsy. We are just a few miles from Mount Washington and the White Mountains. (I had never heard of them before, but this looks to be a beautiful area.) The campgound is still almost empty. School gets out next week and the season starts. The weather is still damp and drizzly, but the weather predictions are that it is getting warmer and dryer (I keep hoping. How many times have I said that on this trip?)

Right now Bob is not feeling very well. I drove the the nearest store and got him some Pepto and we will see if it helps him feel better. He is sleeping and I am in the office building lounge area so that I can stay out of his hair. (The wifi doesn't work at our site so this works out ok for a couple of reasons.) Actually, we have been pretty lucky during this trip on our health. I hope that we stay healthy and that Bob's whatever recovers.