The Night Shift

 Day 30 - Saturday, August 13, 2022

Duval's RV Park, Wells, Maine

The main purpose of the Maine Odyssey trip is to visit Patrice and Neel in Boston, and we must admit that a secondary reason is to escape the triple digit summer temperatures in the Houston area.  Then we realized that a bonus is that we could be in North Carolina after the trip to Boston to visit another son-in-law.

Last weekend Patrice and Neel came to visit us at Duval's RV Park, and they have invited us to spend this weekend with them in Boston.  So we leave Wells, Maine, around mid-morning and arrive in Boston just in time for lunch.  The plan calls for them to take us to some of their favorite restaurants.

But first we do some important shopping -- yes they have a Total Wine & More -- so we pick up some 'supplies' to bring home.

Lunch is at Night Shift Brewing, which is a local craft brewery featuring a sprawling taproom with communinal tables and a variety of beer.  Neel introduces us to their favorite brand of craft beer, Santilli, and it is interesting that the brewery is in the nearby town of Everett on Santilli Highway.  I find a monument honoring Lt. Alexander Santilli of U.S. Marine Corp, who was killed in action in WW II on the island of Saipan on July 8, 1944.   He had been awarded the Silver Star on June 22, 1944.

A cooler at the end of the bar displays new releases, lots of Santilli and some hard seltzer, named HOOT.  Oh, I get it -- the logo of Santilli is an owl, and is on all the glasses of draft beer.

On the patio outside we see that it is family friendly with games to play and leashed dogs allowed.   This one checks for spilled crumbs.

I am pleased to see umbrellas over each table, and happy that it is a sunny day.  

There is a food truck at one end of the patio making Stuffed Sopapillas.  "What?" we say, "We know sopapillas as stuffed with deserts."  Actually the menu does have an item of Ice Cream Stuffed Sopapilla.  Everything looks good, including steak or fish or chicken, but I choose PORK AL PASTOR --Pineapple and chipotle marinated pork/pineapple pico/hatch green chile aioli slaw/a squeeze of lime/stuffed in a handmade sopapilla pocket.

I love the mural, and ask to be photographed in front of it.

Note the purple wrist band on Herb's arm -- yes, we were carded, although they didn't have to check our IDs.

Willie of Sweet Georgia Brown,

   and of Walldog and Willie

   Saturday, August 13, 2022

The Wiggly Bridge

Day 29 - Friday, August 12, 2022 - Part II

Duval's RV Park, Wells, Maine

With half a day left to enjoy, we drive to the Wiggly Bridge in York.  You guessed it -- it is a suspension bridge, which spans the brackish York River.  It is wide enough for people to meet while walking single file, but because it wiggles, I held onto the wiggly handrails and walked across when no one else was coming.  I even waited until Herb got totally off the bridge before I stepped onto it.

An artist might call the photo a study in greens.  I really like the intense pastel green of the bridge, set against forest green trees, and a hint of green in the water that is caused by the shadows.  

The original Wiggly Bridge was built in the 1930s and is the smallest pedestrian suspension bridge in America. Legend has it that in the 1940s the bridge got its name from a girl scout troop who said it “wiggles” as they walk over it.

One of the locals told us that the bridge originally was only wide enough for one person at a time to cross, but we have not verified that.  There is a strong current as the river flows through the narrow opening under the bridge and out into the open water.

After this action packed day of seeing the Nubble Lighthouse and getting our thrill of walking on the Wiggly Bridge, we drive back to Wells to settle in for the evening.  But we get another thrill of the interesting effect of the setting sun being reflected on lingering clouds.  Photo is taken at 7:30pm.

Willie of Sweet Georgia Brown,

   and of Walldog and Willie

   Friday, August 12, 2022

Lake Charles and Alexandria LA, Houston TX, and the state of Maine

 Day 29 - Friday, August 12, 2022 - Part I

Duval's RV Park, Wells ME

We love this area so much that we call Paula to pay for another week.  There is still so much to see and do.  Doug tells us about the Nubble Lighthouse in York, Maine, a few miles past Ogunquit.  I find the following as I research for information:   

    The Cape Neddick Light is a lighthouse in Cape Neddick, York, Maine.  In 1874 Congress appropriated $15,000 to build a light station at the "Nubble" and in 1879 construction began.  Cape Neddick Light Station was dedicated by the U.S. Lighthouse Service and put into use in 1879.   It is still in use today.

I am pleased to learn that it is still in use today, and we do see evidence of that during our visit.  Because this is such a scenic area and special to us, we take photos of ourselves with the picturesque lighthouse in the background.

There is so much to see here, and I love the slope of the rocky beach as we watch the blue herons resting over to our left.  Herb doesn't ever get very far from his coffee mug.

Noticing the bench conveniently placed for us to rest and enjoy the view, we stop to see what is going on below.  Zooming in, we see there are people fishing along the surf.

Farther down a couple of guys in a dinghy ferry lumber across the water to the lighthouse, and we assume they are restoring something, or perhaps building the expansion to the Welcome Center & Gift Shop at the lighthouse.  The lighthouse is on an island and the only way to get there is by boat.

A closer look at the area where people are fishing shows divers preparing to dive.  As they get their gear ready, we read the diving rules posted by the walking path.  Among the rules are days that diving is prohibited by Maine law, and that no lobster can be taken from the water while diving.

Safety recommendations include diving with a buddy, using a dive flag, and posting your dive plan in the windshield of your car.

Another sign tells that the University of New Hampshire uses Nubble as a training site and has a robust scientific diving program where students, faculty and staff use scuba to conduct underwater research experiments.  There is a high diversity of marine life under the surface of the water.

Puddles of water are left from when the tide comes in.

As we watch the divers, we hear a lady calling to her friend who is tossing bouquets of fresh cut flowers into the water, and is trying to film it will her iPad.  So Herb and I also take photos of the flower toss to share with them.  She explains that they cast a relative's ashes previously, and wanted to toss flowers today.

The lady is joined by her cousins and brother, Alan.  Herb tells them he has some photos and shows Alan how to receive the air drop to his iPhone.  As we visit, we learn that the ladies are from Lake Charles, Louisiana.  However, Alan is from Boston and treats us to his famous accent, "I am Alan from Bahston, and I pahk my cah in Hahvahd Yahd."   We love it!  

They ask where we are from and laugh when we tell them it is not far from Lake Charles -- Alexandria and Houston.  What a coincidence to meet in the state of Maine.  

Willie of Sweet Georgia Brown,

   and of Walldog and Willie

   Friday, August 12, 2022

A "Wicked" Good Walk in Ogunquit

 Day 28 - Thursday, August 11, 2022

Duval's RV Park, Wells ME

We get a break from the heat today after a weak front brings in a hard rain.  The early morning temperature is 63 degrees under a mostly cloudy sky.  We drive south on Blue Star Memorial Highway back to Ogunquit for a different access to the beach for today's walk.

At the entrance to the asphault walking path, called Marginal Way Walkway, there is a non-working lighthouse, called Lobster Point Lighthouse.  We notice that it is 'an' entrance, so from this point you walk left for a time, then turn around and walk back past the lighthouse to continue on into the village of Ogunquit.  A sign tells us that the path is restricted to walkers only, and prohibited for dogs, scooters, bicycles, roller skates, and skateboards.  It sounds quite safe to me.

Walking at a fast clip, we do stop now and then to take pictures.  In the photo below a fishing boat is drifting along to allow its guests to cast their lines.  A friend of ours calls these boats 'Head boats,' because of the number of people (or heads) they will take out at a time.  The boat is barely visible, but needs to be zoomed.

We stop to read about the 2007 Patriot's Day Storm that caused heavy flooding from South Carolina to Maine.  Lasting four days, there were homes lost as houses were cast upon the rocks, and there were at least 18 casualties.

The lower part of the monument is about a fund set up and shows 

"Gratitude to all who Rallied to the Call that the Marginal Way Must Endure."  There's a quote by John Muir: "Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and cheer and give strength to body and soul alike." 

I can only imagine what happened in 2007 and what the residents felt.  Herb has read the sign and walks ahead up the steep hill, while I stop to read.

Continuing on, we come to an area where the tide rushes in through an opening between the rocks.   Then a thicket of vegetation where we hear chain saws cutting out invasive Asiatic Bittersweet that kill the existing native plants.  Then they will plant Bayberry, Blueberry, Chokeberry, Sweet fern and Juniper, which will provide food for some birds and mammals.

In case we get tired or just want to sit and enjoy the scenery -- and seagulls -- there are park benches along the way, and the restaurant at one end of the trail provides breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Drinks include Mimosas, and I know someone who loves a Mimosa!

Two things get my attention as we walk near the restaurant at Perkins Cove.  A drawbrige is being opened to allow a boat with a tall mast to pass through.  Also on the left side of the photo are flags being flown from a flagpole in the shape of a ship's mast.  Inside the gift shop of the restaurant are stickers, and my favorite contains 'Wicked,' an adjective widely used in New England.

Making our way back toward the other entrance, I see some berries and wonder if they are wild Maine blueberries.  Some are red and some are blue.

Herb walks ahead carrying the bag with our purchase from the gift shop, while I stop to take more photos.

Some areas of the beach are sandy, with families sitting in their beach chairs,  but other areas are rocky.  A few brave people walk along a narrow rocky ledge and I wish them safety.  A blue flag is flying to indicate that one should swim with caution because of possibly being swept away with strong current.

Willie of Sweet Georgia Brown,

   and of Walldog and Willie

   Thursday, August 11, 2022

Lobstah - in Freeport, Maine

 Day 27 - Wednesday, August 10, 2022

Duval's RV Park, Wells, ME

When in Maine, not only do you eat lobster, you go to the Outlet Mall in Freeport -- but only if you need clothes and/or stuff!  L.L. Bean's store is a must stop.

You make a day trip of it, and of course that includes lunch.  But first we must shop,  so we leave early, driving in misting rain that we don't worry about, because as a friend says, "It is a polite rain."  We do have raincoats if we need them.

Arriving to the mall, we split up in the interest of time and text each other our location as we move from store to store.  My go-to store there is Talbots, while Herb heads to Under Armour.  We visit several other stores before deciding to stop for lunch.

The sign for Linda Bean intrigues me and I wonder if the 'L.L.' if for Linda.   Here's what I learn:

Linda Lorraine Bean is an American businessperson and donor. As a candidate of the Republican Party, Bean ran unsuccessfully for the United States Congress in 1988 and 1992. She is the granddaughter of Leon Leonwood Bean and an heiress to the L.L.Bean company.

So it could be Linda Lorraine, but further research tells me it is Leon Leonwood:

L.L.Bean stands for Leon Leonwood Bean, a hunter and fisher who founded the company in 1912 in Freeport, Maine. 2.   No locks on the flagship store doors. "We have thrown away the keys to the place," exclaimed L.L. in 1951 as he initiated twenty-four/365 service.

How convenient is the Starbucks store on our way back to the parking lot!    To sip on the way home, we choose a low calorie refreshing cold coffee, Strawberry Acai.  Obviously, the photo is the 'after,' not the 'before.'

The highlight of the day is a sign that pronounces lobster the way many folks in the New England area and Massachusetts do.   I just love it.  And when I mimic the accent, those I am talking with love it.

Willie of Sweet Georgia Brown,

   and of Walldog and Willie,

   Wednesday, August 10, 2022