Thursday, May 3, 2012

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..... 

9 comments:

  1. Enough said. I would ride 120 miles for a loaf of fresh bread...if I had the free time, and I didn't HAVE to. ;)

    Don't know what to tell you about the foam. Backpack for BRW?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hmmm. I'm afraid if I told my Beautiful Redheaded Wife that she needed to add MORE stuff to the backpack she now wears, that I may wind up wearing some of it!!
    But. I'm resourceful, and remember what my father said. "Never force anything. Just get a bigger hammer."

    ReplyDelete
  3. What a hoot! And it sounds like some crazy, off-the-wall thing I'd do! ANY excuse for a ride will do! LOL

    LL Bean...I am SO jealous...I'd love to visit that store! When I scoot up there we'll have to drop in. (I collect vintage LL Bean outerwear, if you can believe THAT as a hobby!)

    Thanks also for the tip on the saddlebags...So how was the bread? :=)

    Deb

    ReplyDelete
  4. The bread IS to die for, as they say. Sandwiches today..... Whitefish, celery, currants, very little mayo and a sheet of lettuce. Not too shabby. As for Bean's, let me know if you need anything catalogs, ads, etc.
    By the way, did you know they never close? For a real hoot, we can ride up there around 3 AM and stroll through the store, cup a joe and big muffin in hand....
    Now that's an adventure...

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hmmmm 60 miles for a fresh loaf of bread? Sounds perfectly reasonable to me. There is just something about fresh baked bread.

    Not sure what to suggest about the sleeping pad not fitting. Has your BRW thought about her own scooter? You can carry much more on two.

    I agree that camping is much more frugal than the price of motels now days. Just think of how many more miles you can ride without having to pay the hotel bills. There are times when I prefer a motel, but usually just when the weather is really poor or it has been a really long ride and I need a real bed to sleep in.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You know, we hadn't thought about a separate scooter. Perhaps because we have so much fun bantering back and forth while en route. "Bump ahead!", "Great turn", "Need a rest stop, soonest" and other quips back and forth are great fun - at least to us.
      Then again, the BRW may like it. Last summer she rode herself to work quite a few times and came home just as happy as a clam at high tide.
      HMMMMM...
      Agreed, that poor weather is motel time. I spent enough time tenting in the rain. Paid my dues... all the way.

      As to the sleeping pad, stand by, remember that mother's the invention of necessity.

      Delete
  6. Mike:

    somehow I missed this post. I turn myself away from the computer from Friday night until Sunday. This is when I get behind in my readings.

    I liked your idea of the camping and foam mat, and also a 2nd scoot for BRW. I am thinking upon similar lines which I will write about soon. Excellent idea for an upgrade to the 250cc, however keep the 110cc for "you know who"

    bob
    Riding the Wet Coast
    My Flickr // My YouTube

    ReplyDelete
  7. Yeah, camping is the way to go. Especially if you eat out. A cheap motel.... As to the 110, do you know what would happen to me if I tried to pawn the 110 off on my wife?
    Very difficult to scooter while in full body cast!!
    ciao.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Dear BRW:

    "would it be Okay for Mike to give you his 110cc scooter for you to ride ?"

    "It makes more sense to pass it down to you, rather than trading it in for the Aprillia 250"

    He was afraid to ask you for fear of being put into a body cast. But I am too far away for you to hurt me

    sincerly, have a nice day

    bob
    Riding the Wet Coast
    My Flickr // My YouTube

    ReplyDelete