Dan and I got out on the Kennebec River this evening for a 2 mile paddle down to Halloway and back. Going downstream was easy and took about 30 min. Coming back took an hour and my arms are happily sore from fighting the current. I wish I had some shots of the 4ft Sturgeon breeching the surface the whole way, a truly magnificent scene.
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I've had the pleasure of being invited to stay in Augusta, ME by my friend Dan Emery. Dan and I met in Spokane last fall while he was riding his Ruckus to 48 states in 48 weeks promoting hunger awareness and food issues through the American Community Project. The small capital city of Augusta lies along the banks of the Kennebec River and boasts a hilly grid of streets leading to the quaint downtown on Water St. Fur trading and fishing originally brought Pilgrims in the 1620s followed by nearly 100yrs passed before English trading companies popped up along the banks of the river followed by the growth of timber, shipbuilding, ice production, granite quarrying and millwork. Bass splash in roiling waters and Ospreys clutch fish in their talons returning to their nests. It will be a nice break here to hang out with Dan and Tina, catch up on my journal, edit the blog and order some parts down the road. For Father's Day, Dan and his Dad, Mike, invited me to pick up lobsters for the afternoon meal from the coastal town of Rockland.. The dark clouds poured bucketfulls as he backed the truck down the weathered wharf between stacks of metal wire lobster pots and buoys. There we met Junior and his son Kyle, two lobster fishermen the family has been going to for years. Their thick Maine accents were enjoyable to listen to, filled with the sounds of harsh winters, forgotten r's and the unique dialect of this sometimes harsh land. Kyle raised the 23lb of lobsters he caught earlier in the week from the dark waters and winched them up to the upper level where his Dad stuffed them in the cooler. "These ah Shedda's" he later told us, soft shell lobsters who just shed their old shell. The smell of a fishing wharf is ripe with rotting bait and dead fish smell of the coast. Opening the bait cooler room door, the putrid scent radiates from open boxes of silver bait fish ready to be hauled down to the boat. I'll be sticking around town until Wednesday most likely then heading north. WIth my recent belt breaking, it was important to secure a brand new backup belt as my remaining two both have considerable wear on them. The odds were slim in town here but a scooter shop in Quebec City happened to have the Polini aftermarket belt in stock and would hold it for me unitl I get there. https://scootertuning.ca Great customer service over the phone and a bunch of neat scooter enthusiasts. It should be fun to stop by and check out their shop while cruising through in the next week.
The course of the last week I had a wonderful time exploring the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The many hiking trails and access points makes it a very popular park for backpacking. Unfortunately the dual sport riding around here isn't the best but I've made up for in finding some great free campsites and some interesting hikes during the day. The fishing here is great and I revel the many ponds and mountain lakes by the roadside. It poured a few days but most of the week has been sunny and warm (great for bathing ).. While washing up in a creek yesterday , a family of bears stumbled out of the woods, we were all bear naked! I'm now heading to Maine in search of lobsters and coastlines. Come follow along!
According to the rules of the auto road, no vehicles without a clutch or first gear may travel. Having conquered the Going to the Sun Road, Haul Road and Continental Divide, I'll keep my $16 entry fee. I've already got the sticker from last time.
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Mike SaundersIn May 2014 I quit my job to ride a Honda Ruckus over 69'000 mi and counting. Wild camping most nights and cooking most of my own meals, I keep the costs low and the landscape changing. Archives
April 2018
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