I drove to Brunswick today.

That's 30 miles.  One way.  So, let's see... 

That's 60 miles round trip.

Now, if I had to drive up there, I'd have a fit.  But scooter up?  No problem.


Now, for what reason, you might ask, Would I drive 30 miles, no, make that 60 miles?

To buy a loaf of bread.

Okay, not just any bread, but 6-grain bread, baked fresh at

Wild Oats Bakery.  Yum.

Truth is, I'd not been out of the house in two days, and I was pretty much climbing up the walls.  So, when we finished up the last of the bread today, I looked at the sheet of paper stuck onto the refrigerator  and said, "Hmmm, looks like they're baking 6-grain  today.  I think I'll go up and get a loaf."

And off I went.  And, as a friend of mine's son used to say, when questioned: "I went out.  It was fun.  I came back.  That was fun too."

Now, Route 1, to Brunswick, also happens to run right through Freeport, which is perhaps the most famous town in the country - although hardly anyone thinks of it.  Freeport's the home of L. L. Bean.  Everyone's heard of, or bought from L. L. Bean.  Even folks in Joice, Iowa: population 245.

And, if truth be known, Bean's is where I really wanted to go.

The biggest expense for us, if we go away for one or two days, is hotel costs.  In Maine, in the summer, you count yourself lucky if you can get a "stripped bare, no-nothing comes with it motel (NOT Hotel)" room for less than $175.  Get a room for $150 and you think you've just been blessed.

So, my BRW and I have come up with a plan: Camp the night away.  Not really camp, all we need is a place just to sleep.  So, our plan is to get a tent and just sleep in, so to speak.  Something like this:  Leave home, have fun, eat out.  Find campground, setup tent, sleep, get up, shower, pack and head for breakfast.  In that way, we can get a two-night trip in and save - at a minimum, $300.  You can buy a lot of spaghetti for three big ones.

So, on the way home, my bread clutched firmly to my breast, I dropped in a L. L. and picked up a closed foam sleeping pad for my BRW.

Tossed it into my "luggage compartment" alongside the bread and headed home.

At home, I stowed the bread

And put the pad into the saddle bag.  Correction, I attempted to put the pad into the saddle bag....

Hmmm....

Clearly, this is going to call for a bit more thinking.....

More to come.... Stay tuned for the next exciting Chapter....

*** Note to Deb, who is the proud owner of a Honda Elite - which is what I have - DEB: I saw you bought saddlebags.  If they attach as mine do (with straps that secure them on top and have them free-hang alongside the body) buy some soft material and attach it to the side of the saddlebags - between them and the body.  They don't move much, but they do move just enough so that after about one month, the paint on the body is all pretty much rubbed off.  Not pretty.....