Sunday June 24 RU...

I have been to many states in this country, north, south, east, west and the middle but Maine belongs in the category of being one of the most beautiful and unspoiled ones, especially the sight of its coast takes your breath away.

Oh I hear on that note. I'd love nothing more than acres and acres and neighbors I have to drive to see.

We entered the US at the Thousand Islands border crossing. We headed down through NY state and stopped at a state camp site. Now we are from "supernatural" BC - where individual campsites are large and surrounded by huge trees, so you don't usually even see the next camper. There is usually no electricity - so you don't hear the next camper's ghetto blaster, etc. It is peace and quiet and lots of birds and wildlife. And toasting marshmallows and eating hot dogs.

The NY state campsite was on some famous lake - Champlain or something. It was a nightmare. Honestly, it was a huge lawn with no more than five feet between tents and trailers. Everyone seems pleased as punch - we thought it was deplorable. And no campfire either.

However, we were very pleased to go to Maine and find BC style state parks. It was great.

Very true. It's like Alaska or some of the huge Western states in that respect. Sorry for sidetracking the RU thread!! Make sure you guys get a group photo!!

Maria, thats a lovely compliment, but if you had seen the coast after the last Nor'Easter it would of definately taken your breath away! It really was awful, but it's slowly getting repaired and only enhanced it's rugged looks. I do love the coast most of all, it has beauty, serenity, wildlife, and color with Mountains and ocean all in the same place, what more could you ask for? Oh Lobster.....don't forget the best lobster and bluberries around!!

Love the Acadia area for that reason. Has it all in one place.

This year we can't travel far from home. But maybe you can recommend camping spots in Maine for next summer, pixie?

I agree w/you on that Victor, Acadia is one of my favorite places in Maine. I usually go to Sand Beach and free climb the rock cliffs, there is a cave in one that can't be seen from the beach, only the ocean. Very peaceful and private but you need to leave before high tide or your stranded for 12 hrs.!

Wow - I would love that. How far are you from Acadia?

The farther North you go, the more rustic the campsites. I love Greenville, Rockwood area. Rangely is beautiful too......those are in the Western and Northern Mountains of Maine. Baxter State Park is also a beautiful place to camp with an abundance of wildlife. If you want the ocean and the Mountains than Acadia National Park has it all. There is horseback riding, beach, mountain, fresh water lakes, fishing, mini golf, go-cart track, gardens, zoo, shops, ect......all around it.

I live about 100 mile away from Acadia...takes 2.5 to 3 hours when the tourist are here.......less when they aren't.

Pixie

I was last camping on a ocean site and it was an 80 degree August day and man was that water COLD. My DH , sons, and chocolate lab were in like it was bath water but I could not make it past my knees, ouch!

I am from Upstate NY, the real UPSTATE, 30 miles from Canada and grew up swimming, actually life-guarding, in Lake Ontario and the St Lawrence River, but the ocean in Maine beat me.

Seandor--NY has old small open campsites at some of their parks, yuk. NY also has state parks with large, private sites, covered with trees, adjacent to a lake, river, or pond, that are wonderful...try Wellesley Island Park in the Thousand Islands or Rollins Pond in the Adirondacks for example. I hope you get a better site if you come again.

Tough to beat Popham Beach in Maine. Cold water but one of my all time favorites beaches in the whole US! I could walk there for miles...in fact I did.

Rose

Rose, thats my favorite beach too! I walk and walk and never get tired, sand dollars are my favorite treasure to come home with from there!

Every State I have been to has its beauty but my favorites are the NW and the NE ( North East) perhaps their snow capped mountains remind me of my Austria.

Maine isn't far away at all, Victor! We take the 7 AM ferry from New London and we're in Portland by noon.

Yes, well the three plus hour eastern head-start you have on me comes in handy!!

..............but you don't have to spend an hour and a half on a ferry or the wait to get on and off. NO excuses! It's worth the trip!

No argument!

We took our last several vacations in Ogunquit, had one of my best ever in Acadia. Maine is beautiful. I don't think I could handle winter there though.

Pirl, Is that the high speed ferry? You take your car?

We take the ferry from Orient Point (the eastern tip of Long Island) up to New London, CT. From there it's less than 3 hours to the Outer Cape of Cape Cod or, going directly up either 395 or 495 just 3.5 hours to Maine. We've never taken the ferry from Maine to Nova Scotia but we have been in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick (and all the Maritime Provinces) many times. It's beautiful and the people are wonderful.

I consider dinner out on my deck "camping". I love to look at the great outdoors, but not live in it. when I have gone camping, every mosquito has my name on it.
Sigh.
Martha

We have taken the ferry from Maine to Novas Scotia and I aggree with you Pirl, people there are just great, also in lovely Prince Edward Island

I have been in Ongonquit and I aggree... it's really beautiful!

Dave, I think CT would be great... I love the idea...

We can plan our next gathering at your house!

Martha, every mosquito has my name on it RIGHT now... tonigh I was potting some clematis and mini roses and I can't tell you how many bites I have in my legs... really bad looking now...

sound good to me... I am so looking foward in meeting you wonderful people... too bad not EVERYONE will be here... but it's just the beginning!!!!

Kassia, put some 'Off' on!!!!!!!!

Dave47, I ate "lobster" pie at the Wells Diner near Ogunquit last week while in Maine staying in Prout's Neck. Oqunquit is a very nice area. I also went to Fore Street cafe for a fabulous dinner in Portland. I love that town. I use to go through S. China on the way to BH (my DS lived there for 3 years) and would try to hit a great truck stop near Bangor on the way. Maine is so diverse and beautiful. I love it out of season. One of my favorite nurseries is Surry Gardens near Blue Hill for seedling perennials, cheap! And before leaving Maine, I hit Flo's for dogs with hot onion relish and celery salt on RT 1. They have been selling nothing but dogs there 6 days a week for 60 years in that spot, so I can't drive by. And I don't really love hot dogs, but it is sort an essential old time institution that must be preserved. Patti

Patti, You remind me of my Aunt. She grew up here in Maine but moved to Manchester, Conn. when she got married. She lived there until 10-15 yrs ago when she retired to S.C.
Anyways, she comes to Maine every year and has to have Bolley's Hot dogs and chocolate donuts with out fail. She actually buys 2-3 box of donuts to take home with her and the hot dog place has been on the same street in the same spot, same town since she was a kid. She calls me up when she's in town and says "How bout we meet at Bolley's?" LOL

I am not a beach person - but the best beach north of Virginia is at a provincial campsite in New Brunswick near the Centennial Bridge that links the mainland to Prince Edward Island. We stumbled upon this by accident.

The campsites are not that great (not a parking lot - but not a forest of huge trees)

But the beach is to die for (if you are a beach person). Prestine sand - almost no people - and the warmest water north of Virginia - just a fluke of geography.

Honestly - even I would go swimming in the water - it is really warm! Well - I have never been to Florida, so I don't know if it is tropical warm - but, really it is very, very swimmable. Much like a heated pool (well warmer actually).

Kassia,
I have one medium sized table and 2 chairs. Please count me in even though I won't be able to be there for the whole shingdig.....
Deb aka tamberlin

bbrookrd - YES, to Fore Street. Great food. Loved the Higgins Beach restaurant, too. Maine is as diverse with food as it is with scenery. Great Thai up near Ellsworth and just down the road great Blueberry frozen yogurt. We love PEI! The Lobster omelets on Cape Cod were fine, too!

My inlaws have a seasonal site at cape nettick and swear by, "Flo's Hot Dogs" on RT1 in Wells. Last year when we were there they were open from Thursday thru Sunday. We were there on Tuesday. We are going back up this year. Has anyone tried this place.
Chuck

My parents have a house on Drakes Island Beach in Wells, but my Dad grew up in Sanford and still owns my great uncles farm in Acton, ME (home of the Acton Fair in August). He is an old time Flo's fan! We try to stop by a couple of times each summer for hot dogs with the works when we visit the folks. I used to waitress at The Whistling Oyster in Ogunquit when I was a kid. Did anyone ever eat there?

In my heart, I wish I could take my garden and put it in at my Mom's house, because Maine is the most beautiful place I've ever been, summer or winter!
Deb

We haven't been to Flo's! Shame on us. We have traveled far out of our way for Lobster rolls at the Friendly Diner at the southeastern part of Maine. Heavenly.

So I googled Bolley's and I now a bead on that, but where do you get the chocolate donuts in Maine? In Hallowell too? I see from trying to find them I will have to try Congdon's Restaurant famous donuts in Wells. And where do people who want non chain food eat in the Framingham area? I hear there is now a big Brazilian community there which must mean a good restaurant. My perfect day includes a visit to a local nursery or two or a botanical garden, eating great food at independently owned establishments from grand to stand plus hitting a few antique stores or a museum and a visit to a real bookstore, new or used, but not a chain. Oh I forgot to mention a good cup of coffee with some well crafted bakery item (donuts count) that don't have a brand name. Patti

Patti - sounds just like the kind of days we enjoy, too!

Meeting in CT sounds fine with me, too. Just let me know where I should report to. :-)

dave

Dave, the CT idea was for a possible Fall get-together. The one on the 24th is still at Kassia's.

Ahh, okay. :)