We’ve been in Maine for a week and a half. In that time, we have purchased a mattress, television, a set of twenty (twenty!) pyrex containers, a few loads of groceries and a cord and a half of firewood. It is amazing how quickly one can accumulate things if one has the space. And we have the space! Our 1800 square foot rental on the banks of Phillps Lake feels like a mansion. A mansion filled with camp chairs, a card table, and a make-shift desk, but a mansion nonetheless.
View overlooking Phillips Lake from the living room.
The most notable differences between our last home -The Great White Buffalo (our camper) – and our new rental house in Maine:
While taking a shower, we do not have to worry about how much water we are using, nor do we have to turn on the hot water heater in order to take a toasty shower.
We do not have to visit the RV dump once a week to get rid of our shower / sewer water – awesome!!!
When we want a change of scenery, we can’t just close the slides, hook up to the truck, and take off. I miss that.
When the cold wind blows, it stays outside. I suppose drywall and insulation go a long way to help with that.
6 Potters Drive is a log cabin-style home nestled in the trees and overlooking the northern, narrow part of Phillips Lake. This particular area is a community-within-a-town – we are in “Lucerne-In-Maine” which is part of the town of Dedham. Yes, Lucerne as in Lucerne, Switzerland. I still don’t know why it’s called that (lots of Swiss people here?) but I will get to the bottom of it and report back to you.
A view of the house from the trail that runs along the lake. Taken by someone else during a nicer time of year. It’s really cold and snowy here now! Eight inches of light, powdery snow fell the other night.
Our favorite room is the one with all the windows and the views out on to the lake. It is light and bright and, once we get the wood stove going – toasty warm.
Thanks, once again, to Craigslist for putting us in touch with the right people for the right things! It took a couple trips but we secured a cord-and-a-half of wood.
On a side note, did you know that a “cord” is a unit of measurement for wood? It’s a stack of wood that measures four feet high, eight feet long, and four feet deep. I have no clue how much wood we will go through before Spring hits. We’ll see how long a Cord Point Five keeps the cold at bay.
There’s a retired railroad track that runs along one side (our side) of the Phillips Lake. It’s pretty awesome to have access to a trail right from your backyard. Myra and I have gone on a few snowy, exploratory runs so far. Railroad Running is not for the careless runner – the uneven ties force you to pay attention to each step. One false placement or “lazy lift” (not raising your foot high enough) and you will be sporting railroad rash for a solid week.
During our last grocery outing, Stephane bought some birdseed and filled up the empty bird feeder that hangs out on the deck. A few hours later, the entire contents of said bird feeder were covering the snow below. We have a very fat, bold squirrel neighbor.
The town of Bangor is on the banks of the Penobscot River, which flows out to the Atlantic Ocean. Bangor is bigger than Montrose and definitely has more of a “city” feel. It does, however, have a waterfront park with a vibrant music scene, a beautiful old library, a quaint downtown with local shops.
One of several mini tributaries that flow through the city and meet up with the Penobscot River.
It’s not Backstreet Bagel, but it’s still pretty good.
Bangor’s library is housed in a beautiful old building.
Absolutely no clue what this store is all about but the building looked cool. So there you go.
Myra, with her trusty favorite shoe (dad’s), is acclimating to the snowy cold and loving being back on the trails again (as am I).
All in all, a good first week in Maine. Next week we hope to check out Acadia National Park, Camden (cute town on the coast with great trails in the hills), Clifton Crag (rock climbing), and hopefully find a little ice to climb.
Maine actually let you in:? Not very fussy are they.
FYI Cord of wood: If you make a frame 4x8x4 and fill it with cylinders (wood) so they fill the width and height exactly (2 4-foot dia, exact stack of 8 1-foot dia etc.) the number and size will not matter, all provide the same amount (mass) of wood.
I think that was Fermat’s last theorem. And my first. tom
The Grizz (Winnebago View - active duty)
1,800 miles and counting
The Hungry hippo (Popup camper - retired)
1,200 miles
The Gruffalo (Tow behind camper - retired):
12,000 miles and counting
The Baby Bison (Tow behind toy hauler - retired):
7000+ miles
Maine > New Mexico + adventures in between
The Great White Buffalo (5th wheel camper - retired):
3,000 miles
Free Range (Slocum 37 sailboat - resting; getting overhauled in Nova Scotia):
Traveled 2,400 nautical miles from Oriental, NC > Antigua (end of the road).
Maine actually let you in:? Not very fussy are they.
FYI Cord of wood: If you make a frame 4x8x4 and fill it with cylinders (wood) so they fill the width and height exactly (2 4-foot dia, exact stack of 8 1-foot dia etc.) the number and size will not matter, all provide the same amount (mass) of wood.
I think that was Fermat’s last theorem. And my first. tom