Down East Chowderhead
@whitney-farm
Mainer. Husband. Ex-rancher. Red Sox fan. AT thru-hiker (SOBO is best-bo). Advocate for rail, livable towns, grassy tram tracks. Grower of lowbush blueberries.
According to Maine IFW, Maine‘s moose population has doubled in the past quarter century. This fella was on the Queen Bee Bypass north of Haymock Lake in Piscataquis County a few mornings ago.
Land use and transportation topics are almost always rattling around in my head when I’m in Maine. That’s been the case since I was in my teens, and I’m not so sure it’s the healthiest situation. Maine has SO much potential! And SO much pressure! Here‘s a pic of Jasper Beach in Machiasport.
Back in Washington County on (kind of) the way back to Belfast from the County. So, of course, I had to walk part of my favorite rail trail this evening. Dennysville, Maine.
Armistice Bridge in Belfast, Maine. The car free masterpiece over the Passagassawakeag River.
So many people out enjoying the Belfast Rail Trail this morning!
Aubs hanging out in the shade of a tree I planted just before I moved out west, which was not that long ago. Plant trees! Even in New England! And, yeah, I get the “fuck lawns“ paradigm. It’s organic, and it won’t still be a lawn in the near future.
The harbor seal population in Maine may be declining, but the dog-who-looks-kinda-like-a-seal population is evidently rising.
The Kimball Terrace Inn is the sort of nothingness you’d expect from a motel built between 1970 and 1976: it neither contributes to nor detracts from Northeast Harbor’s character. Car parking is behind the building from the marina, but its presence here has always been sterile and … nothing.
This route is, indeed, hourly. I must have been looking at the offseason schedule earlier!
… less than hourly service. Service was more frequent in past years but is still okay. The bus stop has a bench, good lighting, and a dedicated bus lane for layover parking and departures. Connections to the ferry service to the Cranberry Isles have never been well coordinated. 2/2
The Island Explorer bus #6, in Northeast Harbor, Maine. This free bus (donations appreciated! and supported by LLBean) operates from NEH through Seal Harbor to Bar Harbor. NEH is probably the least popular terminus in the system. It used to be served by two routes, but now only one with 1/2
Islesford, Sutton’s, and Mount Desert Island from Thrumcap, Great Cranberry. A cool breeze on a warm morning. Just the sound of waves and a few boats.
One ferry ride and one bike ride later, we have the whole beach to ourselves. Great Cranberry Island, Maine.
These kayakers at Ducktrap did *not* know how to paddle. Maine is kinda fun because people, both locals and those from away, do outdoorsy stuff they’ve never done before and learn. Also, my wife told me that we greet each other with “How ah you?” and I’d never noticed it before, but we do, a lot.
Why would any resurrected train route (or platform, etc., or basically anything else for that matter) need an EIS when cars can park on a beach? This is new to me. Beautiful night practically ON Penobscot Bay at the mouth of Ducktrap River, in my car.
My alcohol-free Fourth with Rox and @athleticbrewingco.bsky.social Sometimes it’s good to grow up…
Happy Fourth! Started the day hiking the Belfast, Maine, end of the Hills to the Sea Trail. This is a fairly new hiking trail that stretches about 45 miles over primarily private land through Waldo County to Unity. I forgot Aubs’ water dish, so an early turnaround back to City Point.
Aubs at Sandy Point, marking the end of a hot beach day. She’s been calmly but steadfastly celebrating the anniversary of our victory over the traitors at Gettysburg.
Stunning Gulf Hagas. I hadn’t hiked the whole Rim Trail (approx 8 miles round trip) in almost 20 years. So glad I did it today! Hot, but amazing. Plenty of parking on the KI side for a late 10am start.
I am an idealist when it comes to transportation and planning. THIS is perfect: a road with a parallel but separate active transportation greenway. THIS instead of wide paved shoulders as an excuse for bike lanes. THIS instead of ripping up the Mountain Division for a rail trail. Enjoy the day!
In Maine, I am constantly surrounded by the friendly ghosts of loved ones who are gone. But I have a deep sense of peace here, a warmth that I cannot find elsewhere.
So much of Belfast (Maine) seems so perfect on a day like this. It’s too bad that the urbanized part of the city (inside the Route 1 bypass) is illegal to build almost anywhere now. Crosby High School. Featured in the film “Peyton Place”. Moved slightly out of town around 1962.