Off the Maine Road

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Acadia National Park: Where Dreams Come True

January 19, 2015 /

I created Off the Maine Road with a vision to instill a journey in my readers. This is a journey through the Pine Tree State. This is a journey where dreams come true, and here’s where the magic happens.

We’ve travelled very far since we started this journey in Kittery. We’ve left I-95 in Bangor, and are now traversing Route 1A into Ellsworth. Finally, we have taken State Highway 3 into Mount Desert Island. It is the 6th largest island in the contiguous United States, and 52nd largest in the entire United States. Mount Desert Island has an area of 108 square miles, most of which is occupied by Acadia National Park.

It can be said that Acadia National Park is Maine’s crown jewel…and it certainly does not disappoint the 2.5 million tourists who visit the park each year. The park is also host to a running camp based out of Bar Harbor in July. In this post, I’ll focus on Bass Harbor-a small fishing village in the southwest corner of the park. It also has a lighthouse, which was automated in 1974 but is still home to a Coast Guard and his family. Camping is a prominent activity in Acadia, so Bass Harbor Campground is the place to go. Just pack your L.L. Bean camping gear (more on that later) and head out to the harbor!

Cadillac Mountain is located in the center of Mount Dessert Island, and is the highest point on the island. It has gained the title as the place to see the “nation’s first sunrise.” Well I’m here to prove to you that it’s not true. According to a detailed analysis in the 1972 issue of Yankee Magazine by Blanton C. Wiggin, Cadillac Mountain only sees the first sunrise from October 7 to March 6, when the sun rises south of due east. Most of the time the sun rises first in Mars Hill to the Northeast. In addition,  the first sunrise in the U.S. is seen at West Quoddy Head in Lubec, (the easternmost town in the United States) for a few weeks around the equinoxes.

On the day when I went up the mountain to see the “first” sunrise, clouds and fogged infiltrated the area, which made for a desert-type look. The next day I ascended the mountain, only to find the same weather conditions. It is said on a clear day, one can see Mount Kathadin, Maine’s highest peak, but I did not have such luck. Maybe next time.

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A disappointing sunrise atop Cadillac Mountain.

 

I’ll probably talk about this more in a future post, but Bar Harbor is a must-visit place. In addition to having one of 4 Cool as a Moose locations in Maine, Bar Harbor (or Baa Haa-baa as some call it) also features Ben & Bill’s, with their extensive chocolate selection and signature Lobster Ice Cream.

Cool as a Moose in Bar Harbor.

Cool as a Moose in Bar Harbor.

Acadia National Park is one of the many reason why Maine has a special place in my heart. (And it’s apparently also why GMC named an SUV after it). However, the places I described in this post are just the tip of the iceberg. Go to Visit Maine’s Acadia page and check out all of the other cool things you can do Downeast!

Check out the slideshow of pictures I took from Acadia below.

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Are You Adventure Bound?

January 12, 2015 /

We’ve moved way North in our Maine adventure, all the way to the North Woods. We’ve moved from the coast to the mighty Kennebec River. But I promise you…the long car ride was well worth it.

The moose tracks lead us to Caratunk, a small town with a population of just 69 people. Well why did I bring you here? Enter Adventure Bound. Its mission is to create “Maine’s finest youth and family adventures.” There are many activities you can do on their premises, but the main reason to trek up to this secluded town is for the whitewater rafting. It’s both perilous and quite exhilarating at the same time. Adventure Bound has top-notch facilities, from its cabins to a delicious breakfast every morning. On the day that we went rafting, we were given a quick safety briefing, and loaded vehicular transportation to take us up the river by the Harris Station Dam. The Kennebec River is dam-controlled, and this particular dam supplies power to locations as far as Boston! We were told that we would be rafting 12 miles down the river today, with a break in the middle for lunch. The morning rafting was indeed more eventful, as the largest rapids were located in that section. (For more information about Kennebec whitewater rafting and classification of rapids, visit this link). One of the most memorable rapids was called Magic Falls, as its descent ratio of approximately 5:1 (every 5 meters forward, you would go 1 meter downward) makes it quite daunting. After a few more scenes where our lives flashed before our eyes, we stopped at a place along the river bank with only a staircase in plain sight. We then walked up the countless amount of stairs only to be met by two pickup trucks carrying buckets of food. Man, these guys run a smooth operation (in sharp contrast to the roughness of the rapids)! We carried these buckets of raw steaks, salmon, chicken and veggie burgers (don’t forget rice!) all the way back down the stairs and back into the rafts. Shortly thereafter, we “docked” the rafts at a secluded spot along the river, with nothing but a metal fire pit and a log for a bench. The guides immediately got to work and whipped up quite a fantastic lunch. I’m not kidding when I say this, but it was one of the best lunches I’ve ever had. Your choice of freshly grilled steak, chicken, salmon or a veggie burger served with fried rice and a chocolate chip cookie for dessert. It was absolutely incredible.

The afternoon consisted of floating in inflatable kayaks, and just simply drifting down the (slightly freezing) but peaceful river. Finally, we pulled the boats out of the water and headed back to Adventure Bound for an evening under the stars. All in all, it’s was quite a well-coordinated operation by every single member of the extremely friendly Adventure Bound team, delivering the signature Maine hospitality (more on this to come in a future post).

Ok, I’m running quite high on my word count. If you’re in the mood for a fun, adventurous way to spend your weekend/summer/beginning of school activity, Adventure Bound may be the place for you!

I’m Adventure Bound. Are you?

(Note: You may notice that in the above gallery, there are absolutely no pictures of the actual rafting experience. This was because at the time, Off the Maine Road did not possess such sophisticated waterproof photography equipment. However, Adventure Bound had us covered. Guys in inflatable kayaks showed up at random locations along the river, taking pictures of us. It honestly felt like the paparazzi. Literally 20 minutes after we arrived back at the lodge, they had a slideshow full of pictures and videos from the day’s trip. They’re crazy efficient.)

New Beginnings at Kittery

January 4, 2015 /

Hello again! Happy New Year!

Off the Maine Road has been on vacation for the past two weeks, but we’re ready to bring you more exciting posts!

In the spirit of the New Year, I thought I would devote this post to talk about Kittery. When one crosses the border from Portsmouth, New Hampshire into Maine, the first place that they see of I-95 is Kittery. It’s a new beginning in one’s pilgrimage to Vacationland. Indeed, Kittery is the first blast of Maine goodness one gets when entering from the South. It’s a small town that if you’re in the mood for a detour (or a bathroom break!), it’s worth the visit. Beaches, cobblestone streets and a lighthouse are what makes this town “The Gateway to Maine”. Two of the best spots there are the Kittery Trading Post (in order to get stocked up on all your outdoor equipment) and Robert’s Maine Grill, if you need to get that first bite of lobstah in preparation for many more.

Although not in Kittery but just outside, Flo’s Hot Dogs are a must(ard)-eat (see what I did there?). It definitely has a real cult following, and is only open during lunch hours. Its house-made relish is available in various locations across the state.

(Tip of the hat to Barbara N.)

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The “Welcome to Maine” sign on I-95 around Kittery. Photo taken from Flickr and used with permission.

Well, that’s it for now. I hope to get back into the swing of things and start digging deeper into the Pine Tree State’s must-visit places. Please remember that any suggestions are welcome, so please fill out the form on the “Contact” page!

“I’m Gonna Make this Place Your Home” – Maine Summer Camps: A Second Home for Kids

December 17, 2014 /

There are over 100 different summer camps in Maine, giving kids ranging from ages 6-18 the summers of their lives. Maine and summer camp have gone hand in hand since the beginning of time (well, not really). Many summer camps have created a second “home” to campers during the limited amount of time they are in Maine. To quote Philip Phillips’ song Home:

“Just know you’re not alone
‘Cause I’m gonna make this place your home.”

Some kids and teens are obsessed with their summer camp. As they do consider it their “second home”, they live the 10 months of the year waiting for summer to roll around, so they can be with their friends at camp (and be in Maine of course, since that’s what OTMR is all about). They change their Facebook profiles to say, “Works at Camp ____” and “Lives in ______, Maine”.

The idea of home is an interesting one. It’s kind of a philosophical issue, really. In order to dig a little deeper into this, we must first understand the difference of “house” and “home”. A house is a structure, where one goes home to every day and sleep there. A home does not necessarily have to be one’s house. People can have multiple homes (and multiple houses too, but that’s another matter). If you spend so much time with your grandparents, you may consider their house to be your home.

How does this relate back to Maine? Ah, yes. Summer camp. The joyous time of the year, where kids congregate from around the country (and the world, even) and spend their summer on Maine’s lakes and in Maine’s forests. Summer camp is a place for kids to “make themselves at home”. And as cliché as that sounds, these summers become a defining moment in the futures of these kids and teens, as this is an experience that they will never forget.

You can expect more about Maine summer camps in future posts. In the meantime, check out Maine Camp Experience’s website, representing a community of summer camps dedicated to finding the perfect summer camp for kids. It has some valuable and interesting information to all past, present and future Maine campers.

Camden Hills: Coastal Sightseeing at its Finest

December 15, 2014 /

You may notice that this blog has been following a linear track up Route 1. First Portland, then Freeport and Brunswick, and we have now arrived at our next destination on our whistle-stop tour of Maine’s coast: Camden. I describe many towns in Maine as quaint, and Camden is no exception. Main Street is teeming with shops and small restaurants (and an active harbor), but I would like to take a quick look at shop selling frozen treats. Throughout my travels in Maine, I have had the opportunity to sample many different ice cream shacks. On this blog, you will hear about many of them. Camden has its own clear winner on the ice cream front – River Ducks Ice Cream. It’s a simple shop in a quaint town – just the way people like it.

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River Ducks Ice Cream in Camden.

All that aside, I would like this post’s focus to be on Camden Hills State Park. Located slightly outside of the Main(e) thoroughfare (I know…too many puns), the Park (as its name suggests) is on a hill. One of the camp’s primary features is a pristine campsite, suitable for both tents and RVs. However, the signature place to be in the park is atop Mt. Battie, with a 26-foot tall stone structure. This was originally constructed in 1921, and designed by Camden summer resident, Parker Morse Hooper. A plague in front of the tower reads: “In grateful recognition of the services of the men and women of Camden in the World War, 1914-1918.” One can still climb this tower, and after reaching the top of the spiral staircase, the views are incredible. To quote the old Broadway musical:

“On a clear day, you can see forever.”

This quote is certainly true from Camden Hills, as the views are endless. Camden, Penobscot Bay, Isle au Haut, even Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park – you name it, it can be seen from Mount Battie.

This little gem on Route 1 (basically Maine’s equivalent to Route 66) is definitely worth the detour (Off the Maine Road…get it?) on your trip up to the ultimate pilgrimage site: Acadia National Park. But more on that later.

Structure atop Mount Battie, which visitors can climb.

Structure atop Mount Battie, which visitors can climb.

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Penobscot Bay from the top of Mount Battie.

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The town of Camden from on top of Mount Battie, with its working harbor.

 

Off the Maine Road Update

December 13, 2014 /

It’s been 2 weeks since I started this blog and I have some exciting things to share. First, Off the Maine Road has now been moved to its own website at offthemaineroad.com! Check back often to see new posts in our new home. On the writing front, we will be featuring exciting new content on everything Maine, including some posts by guest writers. I look forward to these fantastic additions to this blog. Please fill out the form on the “Contact” page if you have any suggestions, questions, or comments. Thank you all for supporting Off the Maine Road!

Bowdoin College Quad in the fall. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Bowdoin, Bates and Colby: Not Just Colleges, but Quaint Maine Hangouts

December 12, 2014 /

Congratulations to the newest members of the Bates, Bowdoin, and Colby College families! I thought I would talk a little bit about their surrounding areas, as these are the places where many students will be spending the next 4 years.

(Thanks to Simone for her valuable picks in this post!)

Bowdoin College – Brunswick, Maine

Bowdoin College Quad in the fall. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Bowdoin College Quad in the fall. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Located 26 miles north of Portland and on the Androscoggin River, Brunswick is very much shaped by the Bowdoin (pronounced Bow-den for all you non-Mainers) College community. In addition to its 215 acres of campus and extensive art museum, Brunswick’s Maine Street (get it?) is filled with small shops and restaurants, one of which is the one and only Gelato Fiasco‘s flagship store. It’s also home to another Cool as A Moose location. A few other nice sports are Wild Oats Bakery & Cafe, which is on Maine Street. It has some delicious salads, sandwiches and pastries. I’m always on the lookout for Asian restaurants, so Tao Yuan is also a good choice. El Camino is a Mexican eatery featuring locally grown meats, produce, and seafood. Although quite off the beaten track, Gurnet Trading Co. is known to have the best lobster around, located in a small seafood shack on the Androscoggin tidal section. On the services front, there’s an Amtrak station right next to the campus with Downeaster service to Boston, and a few movie theaters nearby.

Bates College – Lewiston, Maine

Located up the river from Bowdoin and 34 miles from Portland, Lewiston and its adjacent town Auburn are full of action. They’re actually sometimes referred to as the “Twin Cities”. Like Bowdoin, Bates also has an art museum to complement its liberal arts curriculum. If you’re around mid-August, The Great Falls Balloon Festival is a “hot” scene. Lewiston is also home to the Maine Music Society, so if you’re interested, stop by for a performance. The Androscoggin Bank Colisée has some hockey and other sporting events. More Asian Fusion? Why not! Orchid Restaurant has you covered. Fish Bones American Grill has blown Lewiston’s seafood scene out of the water. Shops are spread out on both sides of the river, but if you’re in the market for a bike, Rainbow Bicycle can get you on the road.

Colby College – Waterville, Maine

It’s interesting how all 3 of these schools are located along the banks of a river. Colby is no exception, being located on the Kennebec River and 78 miles northeast of Portland. And what would a Maine liberal arts college be without an art museum? Colby has another art museum to suit your artistic tastes. One of the coolest attractions is the Two Cent Bridge, which spans the Kennebec River to connect Waterville and its neighboring town Winslow. It is one of the oldest surviving wire-cable steel suspension bridges and is considered to be the last known extant toll footbridge in the United States, although the toll was abolished in 1960. There’s really nothing on the shopping front that surpasses Maine Made and More. It literally has every Maine creation you can think of, from Stonewall Kitchen Blueberry Jam (more on that later) to t-shirts and lobster bibs. It’s well worth the visit, especially if you’re wondering down Main Street. More Asian food – Pad Thai Too takes Thai classics and puts on a Maine lobster twist. Finally, Holy Cannoli has some Italian favorites.

Well, that’s it for now. It should provide you students and tourists with a good list to start your college visits/Maine visits. These 3 towns really bring out the quaint soul of Maine, so I encourage you to go Off the Maine Road and take a trip!

(Cover photo is of Bowdoin College in the fall, and is from Wikimedia Commons.)

Are you as Cool as a Moose?

December 10, 2014 /

During my first few summers in Maine, I was in search of a simple piece of Maine apparel: a t-shirt or a sweatshirt that said “MAINE” in big letters on the front. My problem was solved when visiting the small store Cool as A Moose, known to some Mainers as CAAM. Here’s a trivia question for all you Mainers or want-to-be Mainers: which 4 towns in Maine (and there are only 4) have CAAM locations? Read to the bottom to find out!

Cool as A Moose locations are in towns that are quite touristy, yet have that unique, Maine charm. All of these places will definitely be featured in future posts. Their products are the all-in-one package for the Mainer or Maineiac: everything that you could possibly put the word “Maine” on. T-shirts, sweatshirts, lobster hats, water bottles, stickers, moose antlers; you name it, they have it. Although not as comprehensive, their online store has some of these products available to order. But like most places on this blog, you have to see it in person to believe it!

To learn more about Cool as A Moose, visit http://www.coolasamoose.com

One of the Cool as a Moose Locations.

One of the Cool as a Moose Locations in Maine.

Answer to the 4 locations of Cool as A Moose: Unscramble the following words:

prefero; patroldn; rab rahorb; bricksnuw

The British Came: Bridgham & Cook in Freeport

December 8, 2014 /

The British left Maine a few hundred years ago, but they left one reminder of their past presence on Main Street in Freeport: Bridgham & Cook, Ltd. This “posh” British emporium sells uniquely British gifts, home goods, British treats (figgy pudding, anyone?) and of course, genuinely British teas.

(From time to time, I’ll post short posts like this, briefly mentioning local businesses to add to our Freeport directory. Although I haven’t seen much of this shop compared to shops like Gelato Fiasco, I think it’s worth a visit!)

A Big Ben Sign from Bridgham & Cook in Freeport.

A Big Ben Sign from Bridgham & Cook in Freeport.

Click on the link below to find out more:

http://www.britishgoods.com/1/

An Ode to Gelato Fiasco

December 5, 2014 /

I wanted to start this post with a piece of contemporary literature I wrote, written in a historical form.

Holy (sort of)* Sonnet 1: An Ode to Gelato Fiasco

By Benjy R.

In the heart of the Old Port it is located,

The red spoon stands tall.

For in this building Italy is created,

Its recipes never escaping the walls.

People flock from near and far,

To have a taste of this rich cream.

Mainers park their cars,

And purchase some frozen treats, excited they seem.

From cookies to chocolate and other toppings,

The gelato has been made fresh each day.

For some of the flavors may seem kind of shocking,

But the customers devour them, and go off on their merry way.

This Old Port haunt can be quite a fiasco.

Of course you can also eat al fresco.

*Although it (mostly) follows the rhyme scheme of a Shakespearean sonnet, it lacks iambic pentameter.

The Gelato Fiasco has long been one of my favorite places in Maine. But before we start, let’s get our gelato facts straight. According to Instant Portland’s article The Gelato Wars, “Gelato is not simply “Italian Ice Cream”. It is a frozen treat which shares common ingredients with ice cream, but which typically has a much lower percentage of butterfat and a higher percentage of sugar than American ice cream. It is denser, smoother, and often more flavorful than its more familiar counterpart.” Well said.

Gelato Fiasco (known to Mainers as simply Fiasco) has 2 locations: their flagship store on Maine Street (clever, right?) in Brunswick, and one on Fore Street in the Old Port. I have regrettably only been to the one in the Old Port, but I am planning to make a spiritual pilgrimage to this holy site. When entering the store, you are greeted by Maine goodness. Let me explain. Fiasco’s gelato is not “health food”. However, founders Josh and Bruno (known as Gelatieri) had a vision to bring Italy’s creation and combining it with fresh Maine ingredients. They explain: “We source 100% of our whole milk and cream from Maine dairy farms.” Of course, they use fresh Maine “wild blueberries from down the coast”. Now let’s look at one of my favorite flavors (out of over 1500 ever made) from this local haunt. Maine Wild Blueberry Crisp Gelato. Let’s break it down into its components: Milk from Maine dairy farms, homemade oat streusel (as usual, made fresh daily) and fresh blueberries from Down East. What more Maine goodness could you possibly want?

Gelato Fiasco’s Old Port location.

 

Fiasco’s staff are also very “nice” (and they’re working crazy store hours of 11am-11pm). In order to illustrate this, let’s look at example 2: The Waffle Cone. Now when people go to Gelato Fiasco, I highly recommend that they order their treat in a waffle cone; it’s totally worth the extra $1 or $2. I strolled into the store this past summer, and was disappointed to learn that no waffle cones were left. (You see, they make their waffle cones fresh in some complex piece of machinery, with waffle batter.) They said to come back in 20 minutes, and sure enough, the waffle cones were ready. I had already had my gelato, but I gladly accepted the waffle cone for consumption on its own. That’s how good they are.

Gelato Fiasco’s Waffle Cone.

As you have read in the “About” section of this blog, I live in New York. When I left Maine this past summer, I was worried that indulging in such a treat would be a challenge, and would leave me constantly craving Fiasco. Problem solved, thanks to Fiasco’s hand-packed pints sold in a grocery store near me. That’s right. Hand packed in Brunswick, Maine, and brought right to my kitchen. Since this life-changing discovery, I have been able to keep the Maine spirit alive by having Maine Wild Blueberry Crisp Gelato and Strawberry Balsamic Sorbetto (another one of my recommended flavors) in my home. Well done, Fiasco. (You can also order pints through their new delivery service, where dry ice is used to keep the gelato and sorbetto frozen.)

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Maine Wild Blueberry Crisp Gelato, pint-sized.

 

A few days ago, I sent a message to a few Mainer friends, saying that I acquired new gelato from the grocery store. One of them (who actually lives over an hour away from the nearest Fiasco) responded back saying, “I was just at Gelato Fiasco actually!!” And we conversed about their latest creations, which is basically what all of our conversations boil down to. See? Gelato Fiasco induces unity between Mainers and Non-Mainers.

You’re probably tired at the end of reading these 709 words that this post has turned out to be. You’ll hear more about Fiasco in future posts. But now I wanted to leave you with a quote by its founders Josh and Bruno.

“Food and service should not be a static experience. We explore tastes, people, and culture with a spirit of discovery and within the parameters of the pursuit of excellence.”

Well said, Fiasco. Well said.

To learn more about The Gelato Fiasco, visit their website at http://www.gelatofiasco.com, or watch this YouTube video below.

All photos in this post (as with most of them on this blog) are taken by me.

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