Monthly Archives: July 2020

Today would not be a day with an early moose hunt – we slept relatively late (which means later than 6:30!) This is to be our last day at Moosehead Lake so we wanted to make the most of it.  There were lots of options but the only one that really appealed to us was to take on one of the tallest heights in the area: Big Moose Mountain. It is the sight of the first mountain based fire tower built in 1905.  (History lesson complete.)

We had our typical fortification – fried egg on toast with sausages – before heading out for the challenge of the week.  This would be the most ambitious hike yet:  only 4.2 miles long but the elevation gain would be more than 1800 feet.  But my hiking motto is “when in doubt, go up!” so off we went.  The first mile or so was pretty tame with only a slight incline and a few rocks.  At about 1.3 miles, there is an abandoned ranger station and then the climbing begins.  It wasn’t like the sheer rock scramble on Mt Kineo on Wednesday, but instead was more like the worlds longest stone stair case.  At times we were convinced that the trail would never end.  But eventually we made it to the top and the views were spectacular.

We took our time on the trek back down – elapsed time 3.5 hours with about 2:45 in actual hiking time.  It was invigorating and humbling at the same time.  We finished about 1:30 so it was lunchtime!  Back into Greenville for more crepes – today was the Roma for me (mozzarella, tomatoes, olives, spinach, and pesto) and the club for Frank (tomatoes, ham, spinach, turkey, russian dressing) – outstanding yet again!  Then we popped into a few shops for the obligatory touristy items that had moose or Moosehead Lake emblazoned on them.  The clouds were looming dark and threatening again so we headed back to the flat to do some laundry and wait out the rain.

Which never materialized.  We got the washing done and played some cards but the clouds brushed past with nary a drop unleashed.  Then back to Kelly’s Landing (really the only decent restaurant in town) for their Friday Fish Fry including GF haddock and sweet potato fries for me!  One last moose stalking trip to sit patiently by the Shirley DOT station at dusk (a rumored favorite of the lumpy brown creatures) but alas we were disappointed again.  The drive home was glorious and we ended the day with wine and ice cream while we packed.

Numbers for today:

• Minutes waiting for moose to appear: 23 (ADD takes it’s toll!)
• Hikers we met on the trail today: 12
• Pieces of fish Frank had on the “all you can eat” fish fry: 4
• Percent of people NOT wearing masks at the restaurant: 50 (so sad)
• Moose sighted: 0

One of the most annoying things in life is waking up earlier than you have to and not being able to get back to sleep.  It is doubly annoying when it happens on vacation!  But sometimes it happens and today was one of those times.  Wide awake at 6:30, Frank announces that it was time to go stalk moose.  {sigh} Okay, sure, why not?

The sky was bright and sunny but the air was chilly but nevertheless the couch on wheels headed west along route 6/15 to an area we had been told was usually good for moose spotting.  For the first time possibly ever, Frank was trolling along at 30mph on a 55mph road watching carefully for large lumpy brown animals.  He did see a small one disappear into the woods so there may have been a sighting but like before, we have no photographic evidence.  So back for breakfast we went.

Fried eggs on toast and a couple of sausages later, we headed out again along the same road.  This time we were bound for Moxie Falls, supposedly one of the hidden gems of the region.  It is probably a pretty short hop as the crow flies but roads are scarce commodities around here so we had to drive for about an hour to reach our destination. It was a short hike to the falls – more like a walk really since several others we saw did it in flip flops – but well worth the time.  The scenery was beautiful.  I can only post the pics from my little portable camera but Frank took plenty on his big new DSLR Canon that he got as an early birthday present.  We’ll definitely post those as soon as he figures out how to get them off the camera…. 😦

We scrabbled around along the bank of the river and found a lovely quiet spot at the water’s edge to just sit and watch the smaller parts of the falls.  For about 5 minutes.  Then a family with 4 small children plopped themselves down right next to us and spread out their towels and blankets while the kids shed layers and prepared to jump into the pool at our feet.  When I got up to go, the mom said (somewhat coyly) “I hope we aren’t kicking you out.”  There is no polite way to honestly respond to such a disingenuous comment so I made no response.  It’s funny because in general I have found people to be very polite and almost hesitant to take liberties given the current pandemic.  Case in point:  the family yesterday atop Mt. Kineo who were happy to let me take as long as I needed on the fire tower before they ascended so as not to crowd me.  Today was nothing like that.  Not enough to spoil the day but it did take the glow off just a bit.

It was time to find our midday repast so back towards Greenville we went.  The route was more direct but involved lots of unpaved roads and bumps and dust. We managed to come out unscathed and found a parking spot in the middle of town right in front of the crepe truck – lunch was at hand!  The crepes were fantastic – Frank had something spicy with cheese and jalapenos.  My was GF and dairy free with turkey, brie, walnuts, and raspberry jam.  Yummy!  A quick pop into the outdoor gear shop to get Frank a hat to save his forehead and nose from the sun and we were ready to take on the next challenge:  a short hike to see the wreckage of a B52 bomber that crashed in 1963.

This would normally be where I wax historically about the story behind the memorial we hiked to except for the part where we didn’t get there.  The logging company that now owns the land with the access road to the trailhead had closed the road.  So no second hike for us today. Hmmmm, what to do on a sunny summer afternoon?  Time for a swim!

We headed back to the flat for a quick change and then found the same spot of grass at the edge of the lake next to the same folks we saw there yesterday.  It’s funny but we are finding ourselves running into the same people over and over.  Today at Moxie Falls, we chatted with an older couple who hiked Kineo at the same time we did yesterday.  At the public beach we ran into a mom and her small boys who had been seated near us at Kelly’s Landing the previous evening.  It was no surprise that we saw the same people swimming at the same place today since they told us that they are there every day.  But they were pleasant enough to not complain when we sat down nearby (we asked first BTW) and we wound up having very pleasant, socially distant conversations with them over the course of the afternoon.  Then the skies darkened and the “scattered thunderstorms” we had been promised decided to arrive.

Tonight was a very quiet night with a gourmet dinner of frozen pizza and beer (GF Freschetta is very good BTW!)  One last moose search at dusk – just in case but no joy – and it was time to enjoy that last glass of wine and some local sea salt caramel ice cream before turning in.

Numbers for today:

• Road work areas involving flaggers: 4
• Miles of unpaved road traveled: 35
• Number of leaks discovered in cooling system: 1 (small)
• Miles hiked: 1.5ish
• Hikers on trail with us: 20,000 (okay more like 20 but too many)
• Cool waterfalls: 1
• Moose spotted: 1 maybe?

We awoke relatively late to a beautifully sunny and clear sky.  Today’s plan was to ferry over to Mt Kineo (small island in the middle of the lake) and hike to the top. The shuttle boat leaves every hour on the hour so we had planned to take the 10am shuttle which gave us plenty of time for a leisurely breakfast.  On the menu today:  fresh berries, Skyr and GF granola.  Plus some bonus pan au chocolate (GF of course – when you find a new Shar’s product you just gotta try it.  Verdict:  yummy!)

Because we are staying 5 minutes from the boat dock, there was far less preparation necessary for today’s departure.  We only had to dress for the hike and grab the bare necessities since we could easily return to the flat after the hike.  We got there in plenty of time and joined other hikers, and a few golfers, for the 10 minute trip.

Half of island is private property with houses and a golf course and half is a state park with a mountain that peaks at about 1800 feet.  The total height is a tad shy of the 2100 feet for Little Moose Mountain from Monday’s hike but the vertical climb is steeper: 905 feet basically straight up.  Or at least that’s how it felt.  Which meant that I was in heaven – when you have the choice, go up!  We chose to climb the Indian trail on the way up as it was shorter but steeper. (Note to self:  when choosing a trail where a significant portion is scrabbling up sheer rock, your hiking poles are pointless. ) The views along this trail are amazing so it seems a little anticlimactic when you get to the summit and you can’t see anything for the trees.  But there is a fire tower – it’s only 60 feet up old steel slatted stairs to a small wooden observation deck.  You are correct:  Frank didn’t make it.  His vertigo was having none of it.  Even I had a bit of a hard time and I’m not afraid of heights!  The view was outstanding – the photos don’t do it justice.  And there aren’t enough of them because the camera ran out of memory right as I started taking pictures and I didn’t want to spend more time at the top than necessary.  Fellow hikers we had been passing intermittently on the climb up had arrived and they were being kind enough to give me my space so I didn’t want to take too much time. (There would be NO chance for social distancing on this platform!)

So back down I went and we headed back toward the lake shore along the Bridal Path which is much less steep and rocky (my knees were grateful!).  We arrived in time for a quick stop at the bathroom in the golf clubhouse before catching the shuttle boat back to the shore. We headed home for lunch – great use for leftovers! – and they proceeded to change into swimwear and went in search of a great place to swim.

We hit several public “beaches” and by that they mean a bumpy area where water laps in a way conducive to walking into the lake.  None of them were quite our speed (too much flotsam or jetsam collecting nearby – my OCD was having none of that!) so we soldiered on and found ourselves back to the dock area where we got the shuttle earlier.  Across from the boat launch was a lovely grassy area with a pebble entry to a pretty deep part of the lake.  A circle of women chatting over their Corona seltzers while their kids swam was our sign to investigate.  The water was cool and clean and the swim was absolutely fabulous – just what the doctor ordered after a strenuous and sweaty morning.

Then it was time to shower and head out for dinner.  We chose a restaurant in Monson that we had driven by several time yesterday but didn’t realize that they were good for GF options.  By the time we got south of Greenville, the puffy clouds had turned ominous and we got the top up on the convertible just before the torrential downpour began.  We sat in the restaurant watching the rain come down while enjoying soup (Frank says it was the best French onion soup he’s ever had) and sandwiches (a GF reuben for me please – delish!).

The skies cleared just as we left and headed north to do our daily moose stalking.  It was a bit later than was ideal and things were getting pretty dark by the time we got to a stretch of road where a sighting would be likely. As I fiddled with my phone trying to find some music that we hadn’t heard a dozen times already (cell service is pretty spotty here), Frank quietly said “that was a moose”.  WHAT?  Where?  Turn around!  We found a place to turn around on the dark two lane road and head back to where he saw the dark shape with eyes that “looked right at” him.  But alas, on our return we could find no moose.  Our hosts did confirm that the area of road where we thing the sighting occurred is frequented by a young female so that seems to support Frank’s assertion.  But we have no photographic evidence so the hunt will continue tomorrow!

Some interesting numbers for today:

• Number of people on the ferry: 19 (each way – weird)
• Number of people without required mask on ferry: 1 on return
• Miles hiked: about 4
• Incline: 905 feet over 1/2 mile
• Hikers on the trail today: 14
• Time engaged in friendly conversation with hosts: 30 minutes
• Moose sightings: 1 maybe?

Today we awoke early despite our best efforts.  This morning’s repast was blueberry pancakes: because Maine!  We even had local syrup for the feast although the origins of the berries were suspect:  the sign in the store said the town in Maine where they were from but the label said the distributor was in CA and there was a little map next to it marked MI so who knows!

We were glad to get out relatively early today since our destination required an hour’s drive.  The weather forecast called for scattered thunderstorms and the clouds looked ominous so we tried to outrun the rain and headed to Little Wilson’s Falls south east of Moosehead Lake. (Love me some waterfalls!) We tried to plan better today bringing a change of clothes and snacks – just in case.  (Of course we forgot the water which meant some doubling back and a stop at a convenience store but who’s counting!)

We had to park about 3/4 of a mile from the trail head because the road was so bad that it was impassible without four wheel drive – which the convertible definitely doesn’t have!  It added a bit to the hike but we were undeterred!  The trail was very well marked today as well and we headed through the mostly pine forest over slate and slippery tree roots up the 400ish feet to the top of the waterfall.  We had the whole trail to ourselves until the very last minute when we found other people at the top of the falls.  Grrr….

It turns out that these falls are actually on the Appalachian trail so we did end up seeing others who were probably not through hikers but would have been easily mistaken for some!  The waterfalls are gorgeous and the peacefulness of the place was balm for the soul. We sat and snacked (and Frank snapped some pics) and then back down the hill we went.  We had avoided the rain but the humidity was intense so the change of clothes was most welcome.

And it was time to explore: Munson, Abbott, Guildford, Dover-Foxcroft, Sangerville.  This is rural America.  Now Dover-Foxcroft is a bustling metropolis – they have a Dunkin Donuts! – and we stopped at the Shaw’s market for the makings of a picnic lunch which we ate by the river.  The sun was fully out now so we continued to explore the countryside before heading back north.  A quick stop in Greenville for a drink at the Stress Free Moose pub before completing the day’s trek.  We opted to shower and do some laundry before heading back to Kelly’s Landing for a lovely dinner lakeside while watching the sunset.

We left about dusk with express intent of trawling known moose hangouts.  We even stopped by a field that was a noted moose spotting site only to find cars from NJ and FL parked and waiting for the same thing.  That was enough for us – it was time to call it a night.

Some statistics for today:

• Number of hikers encountered on trail today: 8
• Number of children encountered on trail today: 2
• Number of children who didn’t make it to the falls today: 2
• Number of miles of countryside traversed: 180
• Number of moose spotted: 0

You may be aware that I have a thing for moose.  They are like my spirit animal:  they are big and seem kinda slow and dumb but if you get in their way they will crush you.  My children and my Canadian friends have been enabling this fetish for far too long.  I have moose jewelry, moose clothing, stuffed moose, etc.  I have seen moose up close:  one fabulous weekend of dog sledding and snowshoeing in northern Minnesota we saw nearly a dozen moose over the course of 4 days.  Frank, however, has never seen one in person.  Even though we made countless trips to Vermont when Jesse was at UVM, we never saw a moose.  We saw a camel (don’t ask!) but no matter the season, we never saw a moose.

So it was not a coincidence that I chose Moosehead Lake for this trip.  In this region, moose outnumber people 3-1 (or so all the tourist brochures say) so we are ready to see a moose.  Frank even got a new camera for his birthday – 6 weeks early! – so he can be ready to photograph the mythical moose. This is a warning that there will be lots of “moose hunting” references should you choose to read more than one of these posts.

Today was to be our first “activity” day of the trip.  And by that I mean, we spent more time out of the car than in it.  This is the first trip in memory where I have nothing planned.  And I do mean NOTHING.  Other than where we will be sleeping each night, I have made no reservations or arrangements of any kind.  (The planner in me is being squashed by the part of my spirit that is SO happy to not be in the house.  My inner Sybil will have a reckoning at some point!)

So after a good night’s sleep, we cooked a lovely breakfast (scrambled eggs and sausage with GF toast), had some locally roasted coffee and did some research.  The weather forecast was not looking great (chance of severe storms in the afternoon – yippee!) so we decided to stick close to home and hike Little Moose Mountain.  The chances of a moose sighting there would be slim but still the trail had the right name.  Apparently this used to be called “Little Squaw Mountain” but apparently Maine got woke a while back and renamed it.  The planned hike was a great first day activity:  about 3 1/2 miles with 600 feet elevation climb (mantra: when given a choice go up!) with fantastic views of Little and Big Moose ponds.  There was only one other car at the trailhead so we would get some real peace and quiet.  And off we went.

First point about today’s hike:  the people that maintain this trail are AWESOME! Well marked and well cleared with planking over the worst of the marshy bits, it was so nice to not have to be overly concerned about getting lost or sucked into massive mud bogs. Of course they didn’t manage to get rid of the flying annoyances.  Grrr!  We were well covered in bug spray but apparently midges are immune.  They spent most of the morning trying to land on our eyeballs – why is that? – and a few actually managed to settle under the eyelid.  Ugh.  Otherwise the hike was serene and the scenery magnificent.  We had the entire trail to ourselves until we hit the overlook at the top and met the folks from Massachusetts who’s car we parked next to.  (Small world item:  their daughter is a student at St. John Fischer in Rochester!)  We took in the breath taking views and enjoyed the stirring breezes until we realized that with the wind came the rain.

We started back to the trail to finish the loop as the skies opened up.  We had enough canopy to keep deluge at a trickle but there was no staying dry.  The rain kept the midges away for a little while but they never really left us.  We finished after a couple of hours just as the rain let up so we could put the top on the convertible down and try to dry off a little on our way into Greenville for lunch.

We pulled in to Kelly’s Landing right behind an ATV whose riders were covered in mud so we knew we couldn’t be the worst dressed people in the place.  We picked this particular restaurant because it had a good selection of gluten free items and I was not disappointed.  I had a FRIED haddock sandwich on a GF bun with sweet potato fries.  They have a dedicated friar and use GF breading.  Heaven!!!  Frank had his first Maine lobster roll – the proper way with mayo not that butter stuff.  What an excellent lunch!

Then it was time to explore the town a bit.  Greenville is one of the largest towns nearby situated at the bottom point of Moosehead Lake.  There are so many kitschy shops with moose on everything.  We picked up a few things for fun, hit the grocery store again and headed back to the flat just as the skies opened up again.  We contemplated going out to dinner tonight but the weather is crap and we are staying in the middle of nowhere. We picked a rental apartment that is out of the way on purpose because we are trying to avoid people as much as possible.  So instead we dined on spaghetti with clam sauce (even the canned clams are local!)  with a bottle of unoaked chardonnay and a Caesar-style salad.  Then some cards and an early bed.  Gotta get up early cuz who knows what we’ll be doing tomorrow!

Statistics for today:

• Miles hiked: 3.5ish
• Midges removed from eyes: 3
• Ratio of Trump 2020 signs to “any functioning adult 2020” signs: 2-1
• Number of TV ads per hour for the Maine senate race: 6
• Number of moose spotted: 0