Sunday, February 24, 2013

"Damn the torpedoes…"

Sez Tom (of Scooter by the Sea fame),

"We're going riding".

I tried to remind Tom that Farragut said that, 

1) While being lashed to a mast with no danger of falling down, and

2) while being in the deep south where snow is as rare as palm trees in Maine, and

3) I went to Farragut Junior High School and didn't enjoy it, so "Good Ole" David wasn't my favorite person to quote.

But, it didn't get through.  So, To market, to market….


Of course, Tom's right… After all, Winter is a fact of life in Maine, and if you waited for "good" weather, your bones would meld and fuse together; your scooter rust away – plastic parts and all.

Oh, well, half a league, half a league, half a league onward.

But then, winter, I'm convinced, is why we have little, wonderful "Mom & Pop" breakfast joints scattered throughout the state.  Fortuitously, they happen to be just far enough to enjoy a ride and close enough so that you don't get cold while getting there.

Neat, eh?

Sunrise Cafe.

Delightful little place, on Route One, almost in Freeport.  (Actually, it IS in Freeport, but not IN Freeport, if you catch my drift).  Here, you can stuff yourself with a big eggs-and-bacon-and-potatoes and all that kind of stuff, for less than 6-bucks… A cuppa Joe – refilled a few times, and a muffin, Thhiiisss Big, came to $2.49.  Can you live with that?

And, it's a cozy, little place…


With little "thingys" on the wall… either on shelves, or painted right on…


One of those almost-gone places where you can sit and linger without getting dagger-stares from the staff…


In short, it's Tom and my – and anyone else with the proverbial "Ounce of Brains," kind of place.


Once fortified, and ready to go, we headed back south to the Freeport Book Shoppe, a BIG house stuffed (no other word) with any and every kind of book you could ever want.  Now, here was a stop worthwhile.


Tom picked two books.  I couldn't decide between 15 different books all of which were screaming at me to "Buy Me!, Buy Me!", which resulted in my leaving the joint sans anyone of them.  Ahh…. wot kin I say?


Our last stop before heading home, was at the home of The World's Largest Globe: "Eartha", located at the fabulous Delorme Company building.  But don't walk in there without a goodly amount of cash, or a fresh credit card.



A 41 and a half feet in diameter, three-dimensional globe, that is tilted just-right and rotates…. Now, what more could you ask for, except...


 Books and maps of every conceivable city, state or country...

 Globes of every size and shape - including inflatable globes… and a never-ending assortment of travel equipment from GPS receivers to computer programs that allow you to take a trip, track it on your GPS, then download it onto a map so others can follow where you went.


Enough!

Our trusty steads were getting antsy, so we left, mounted up and zoomed away...



It was such a bee-you-tea-full day, that I couldn't resist stopping along the route home and taking some snapshots that, in some small measure, helps one understand why you never leave….







Heigh Ho Honda…. Away!


Sunday, February 17, 2013

It's Snowing again.










 So, I figure I'd enter some previous events that revolved around, snow, cold, wet, unpleasant conditions to which I have gleefully, if not to intelligently, immersed myself….





You know, come to think of it….

What's a little Snow?


Thursday, February 14, 2013

I'm Not Saying Anything…

Ya Know What I Mean?

I Mean, You Know…

What Can You Say?

I Mean, It HAS Been Cold, And Stuff HAS Frozen…. Solid.

So, Why Not Sand?

Why Not.

Thing Is, I HAS Been Warm Lately, And

Lots Of The Snow Has Melted,

And There Were Lots of Puddles Where There Was Snow/Ice This Morning….


But….

I'm Not Saying Nothing, Even Anything,

Ya Know What I Mean?





What Ya Want To Do, Is Go Here…. Then You'll Know The Rest Of The Story…..



Me?  I'm Mum's The Woid….




Tuesday, February 12, 2013

July 27th, 2013

The Great

Ski's Shrimp Run

The Rally gathers at the Sea Dog Parking lot in Topsham, Maine at 10 AM, after which, at Noon, everyone rides up to Richmond, Maine and the Old Goat Tavern.

The ride to Richmond is a short 32-miles, so it will probably take no longer than one-hour.  From then on it should be one heck of a good time.

In order to make it a perfect day, we've put together a route up to Brunswick that will take us through the wonderful small lanes and roads that Maine is famous for: a wandering, enjoyable ride that eschews main roads, preferring beauty to speed.

Take a look…..

https://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Cumberland+county+scooter+portland&daddr=Middle+Road,+Cumberland,+ME+to:Portland+Street,+Yarmouth,+ME+to:S+Freeport+Rd,+Freeport,+ME+to:Pleasant+Hill+Road,+Brunswick,+ME+to:Sea+Dog+Brewing+Company+Topsham,+Topsham,+ME+to:Bowdoinham,+ME+to:The+Old+Goat,+Main+Street,+Richmond,+ME+to:Bowdoinham,+ME+to:Foreside+Rd+to:Foreside+Rd+to:Foreside+Rd+to:Maquoit+Rd+to:Flying+Point+Cemetery,+Freeport,+ME+to:Bow+St+to:ME-125+N%2FME-136+N%2FMallet+Dr+to:Route+9,+Cumberland,+ME+to:43.7461103,-70.2958515+to:Allen+Ave+to:cumberland+county+scooter+portland&geocode=FVCdmgIdaCHP-yGyHL26tJxobynfTEgGAJuyTDGyHL26tJxobw%3BFYfQmwIdtLDQ-ylbKRychoSyTDFBofWQWwThXw%3BFSI0nAIdT_vQ-ynPEGzus4ayTDHk7FFBlZU_Jg%3BFZCynAIdIi3S-ykFLVzJkYCyTDFzP9ISZ7GraQ%3BFdSxnQIdLr7T-ymJdtb0Zn-yTDHkU9TpfZ4Cqg%3BFWYzngIdp23U-yFpvxCsYkTMfindFGZBd4etTDFpvxCsYkTMfg%3BFd6GnwIdQ3XV-yk_eeVLI4qtTDE06pPrW5uzVg%3BFey5oAIdne7W-yFbSGRK5yfe9ym7fGb-1PStTDFbSGRK5yfe9w%3BFd6GnwIdQ3XV-yk_eeVLI4qtTDE06pPrW5uzVg%3BFYg0ngIdIQPV-w%3BFX7ZngIdwnXV-w%3BFb06ngIdhbTU-w%3BFVBgnQId8_3T-w%3BFWH6nAIdJvzS-yFaZgopzpiXUClbDT3S7n-yTDFaZgopzpiXUA%3BFVg3nQIdSn7S-w%3BFXJXnQIdvDXS-w%3BFYwSnAIdMvPP-yl92PErWNetTDFO_y_KV3lxLQ%3BFT6DmwId1V7P-yk5iTeiE4WyTDHrGY7-u_vDmw%3BFdLKmgIdAnrP-w%3BFVCdmgIdaCHP-yGyHL26tJxobynfTEgGAJuyTDGyHL26tJxobw&aq=0&oq=route+26&sll=43.868693,-70.08728&sspn=0.363841,0.936584&vpsrc=0&hl=en&dirflg=h&mra=ltm&via=17&ie=UTF8&t=m&z=10

We start at the Scooter Shop, leaving at 7:30 AM, which will allow for a leisurely ride up AND enough time to have breakfast.

Our route will track I-295 up to Yarmouth, crossing over onto Route 1 for a second before turning onto South Freeport Road.

A quick jog into Bow Street, then onto Pleasant Hill Road – aptly named for the wonderful vistas, gentle curving road and far-ranging farmland.

A few jigs and jogs and we will arrive at Jen's Place, where those so inclined can chow down.

Jen's a fun place BUT, they don't take credit cards…. cash on the barrelhead, as the saying goes.  There is another location in Brunswick that would also do the trick: The Inn at Brunswick Station.  A bit more pricey, but cards are accepted.

Here's Jen's Place… 


Here's The Inn….



Whichever place you eat, the ride to the Sea Dog Parking lot is a snap.  A few blocks and you're there.

I've also charted the ride to Richmond, even though it will be difficult to get lost: follow the scooter in front of you.



The ride home will also be an enjoyment-filled event.

Route 24, the road we will ride to Richmond, is a wonderful scooter road BUT, even more enjoyable is Foreside Road, a two-lane road that veers off, skirts the Baxter State Forest and rides alongside Merrymeeting Bay: now thick woodlots, now broad farmland, and nary a house to be seen.  We will ride down Foreside on the trip back.


In addition to that little change, we will also ride down Maquoit Road – south of Brunswick, and take a moment to take in the view and enjoy the little sandy beach where the road meets Maquoit Bay.


Flying Point Road, another 2-lane country road of sparse development, leads us into Bow Street, but rather than head south, we will continue west until we reach Route 9, which we will follow, more or less (jogging a little for some additional scenery) back to the Scooter Shop.

A perfect ending to a perfect day.

Sunday, February 10, 2013

I'd like to report that today dawned bright and sunny, clear and warm.

Warm in the winter in Maine, has different meanings than anywhere Away.

I didn't believe it myself, but it's true.  Twenty, thirty days of 15, or 20-degree days makes you immune to what folks from away think is cold.

I'd like to report that today, the first of January, 2013, dawned bright and sunny, warm and clear….

January 1st, 2013.


I'd like to report that today, the seventeenth of January 17th, 2013, the day dawned bright and sunny, warm and clear...

January 17, 2013


I'd like to report that today, the tenth of February, 2013, the day dawned bright and sunny, warm and clear...

Well, it did.  Okay, maybe not warm exactly, but, and this is true,

In Maine, in the Winter

20 degrees is considered a pretty nice day.  You forget to zip your coat, your gloves are carried, and your hat is just poised loosely upon your head.

And so, today we did what every Mainiac does on a bright, clear, warm Sunday morning…

Cleared the front steps enough to get by….




Assessed the street (both ways) scouting for near-future snow deposit spots….

Cleared a path for the cars….



Sent the BRW to the "top" to stabilize our growing mountain…


Then, all things accomplished, retired for some hot cider and home-made bread…


I'd like to report that today dawned bright and sunny, clear and warm.

So it did.  Maine warm.  So reported.

Saturday, February 9, 2013

I'd like to report that today dawned bright and sunny, clear and warm...


But it didn't.

I'd like to report that today I awoke ready to ride hither and yon…



But I didn't.

I'd like to report that it was a typical Maine Winter Day….



And, it was.  Well, almost.


There was just a wee bit more snow than usual…



I said a wee bit more…





I'd like to report that I am going riding today….


But it wouldn't work…



And, so…


Tornero al cuoco a casa e mangiare.