Beginnings; A Pipe and a Ten Speed

9 June '75

Spent a pleasant night in the field, wondering and starting at every little noise like the city slickers we are, and headed into Lubec in the morning; a pretty town where the people are very friendly to strangers. It would be a nice place to live. We met Mike Sweeny, the town signcarver, who moved all the way from California to make signs here in upstate Maine, and loves it. He does very nice work with an electric router - the signs look hand-carved (now I want an electric router).
Acadia ark was as nice as it was two years ago. Really the most beautiful park (place!) I've ever been. Rode to the top of Cadillac Mountain, took the loop road, and exclaimed over the flora and fauna of tidal pools. We city slickers are easily impressed by small animals, such as shrimp and raccoons. Beautiful land and picturesque little towns and the wonderful rocky coast of Maine!

10 June '75

It was sprinkling lightly when we awoke, and since we did not immediately pop up and strike camp, it was soon pouring down. We wend and had our first real breakfast of the trip (pancakes and sausage rather than a doughnut and milk) and returned to dismantle a soggy campsite.
We are definitely getting into he thought of small-town life - all the of the little towns just look and feel great to us. Rennie and Barbara's place is all animals - I learned to kick geese in the head today. For diner, we had $2.39 lobsters (the smallest available, which were as big or bigger than $5.00 - 7.00 restaurant lobster), steak, rolls, clams, and homemade blueberry pie. I still can't believe it.
Rennie said that Rockefeller's, Kennedy's, and the like own some of those big homes on Mt. Desert Island ( Acadia). He says Maine land prices and taxes are rising rapidly.

11 June '75

Had enormous breakfast and lunch (by standards of this trip), kicked at the geese some more and pushed off for the White Mountains. Inadvertently retraced my 1972 route through the White Mountains, which are dramatic and beautiful - some of the best scenery so far. The ride along 118, 4, and I-9 through New Hampshire and Vermont almost belied my last sentence - the prettiest towns and hills imaginable; I could live anywhere along there. My thoughts are full of investing in Maine real estate and sending for books on alternative construction methods advertised in my Mother Earth news. Ran out of Parrot House cigars.

12 June '75

Spent night in Brattleboro, Vermont and left for Deerfield, Mass., written up in June, 1969 Nat'l Geographic. No Williamsburg, but it's pretty nice; met a gravestone rubber in the old burial ground - now I want to usd gravestone rubbings in paintings and drawings. Next we drove to Highland Falls to visit Aunt Mae and the grave of Geoff's namesake grandfather at West Point. Central Mass. and Conn looked mighty cluttered and ugly after northern New England but western Conn and NY were better. The Hudson Palisades from cliffside route 218 were really beautiful. Aunt Mae kissed Geoff and joked about needing a handsome man about the house; an amazingly spry '78er.
The trip was over when we reached the NJ TPK. For two weeks I've heard almost no radio, seen almost no TV or traffic lights (or Blacks, as I suddenly realized in Highland Falls). Thank heavens it was midnight in DC and very little traffic. If feels like hell to be back.

13 June '75

If still feels like hell. I'm glad we're in Springfield - It'll really be a drag to be in Mt. Rainier, riding in the car today I didn't turn on the radio (reliving the trip as best I could?) I must follow Geoff's advice and buy a pipe to give me a lift. Also a ten speed bike.