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Published: September 22nd 2012
It's A Bird, It's A Plane...What The Hell Is It, Anyway?
At Home In The Neil E. Michaud Campground - Presque Isle MEOn Tuesday morning, August 21, 2012, I was still savoring the delight of the whale watching trip of Monday afternoon as I readied the Pilgrim for the drive north to Presque Isle ME. The weather was just as good as my mood. I drove back up US 1 to Calais ME instead of taking a slightly shorter route the GPS had offered me. First, I knew US 1 had a good surface and, second, I wanted to see if nicer weather would give me a better impression of the community. It did not. US 1 from Florida north is, for the most part, a great drive. Most of the surface is good, and the scenery between towns is enjoyable. Irene, the GPS, gave me perfect guidance to the Neil E. Michaud Campground about a mile south of Presque Isle on US 1. Traditionally, the weak spot for my GPS has been getting the address in the same zip code as the facility, but this time she was spot on. Since only two spaces were occupied, I was told to take whatever spot I wanted.
As I was setting up the trailer, I heard a flying lawn mower and faintly visualized
Ornate But Unidentified Church
Along Scenic US 1 En Route To Fort Kent ME something in the distance (remember from previous episodes, us old folks have poor vision). As it drew nearer, I could see there were three riding lawn mowers each pulling a parachute. They drew closer, and I could see they were not lawn mowers at all but air boats with wheels pulling parachutes through the skies of Maine. Nobody will believe this – I’d better get a picture!
Wednesday found me following my standard game plan as I made my way to the visitor centers for Presque Isle and Caribou. My first sight of the receptionist in Presque Isle found her with a load of paperwork in her arms. Apparently, she was wrapping up the loose ends for the Crown Of Maine Balloon Fest 2012 hot air balloon festival that I had learned of and that was scheduled for the weekend of my visit. How gracious! It quickly became obvious she was rather busy, so I departed, took my standard familiarization drive around town and headed for Caribou. There were two young ladies in the visitor center/natural history museum who eagerly augmented my “to do” list. In response to my interest in waterfalls, they agreed that the dry summer had
Pleasing To The Eye
St. David Catholic Church - Madawaska ME negatively impacted the splendor of many waterfalls and that my best bet would be Grand Falls in New Brunswick Canada.
Thursday was another one of those days where venturing too far from shelter might create a wet head, so I decided to treat myself to a drive north to Fort Kent ME on US 1/US 1A. Frequently, the alternate of any highway is less travelled and more scenic; however, those routes generally are not as well maintained so I stay on the more travelled road when the Pilgrim is in tow. From Fort Kent, my route continued west on ME 161 to Dickey ME, south on ME 11 and then east on ME 163 back to Presque Isle.
Most of this route is designated as scenic in my atlas, and I already had planned the trip for a one-day trek during my visit to northern Maine. I had hoped for a more photogenic day, and I might have waited had it been a different day; however, it was my birthday – what a great excuse to treat myself to a tank of gas! I got a relatively early start and soon came upon two historic churches. One was
Small But Interesting
Tante Blanche Museum - Madawaska ME exceptionally unique but had no marquee outside. The marquee on the other church identified it as Madawaska’s St. David Catholic Church. This historic church was built in 1911 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
A short distance further north in Madawaska I found the Tante Blanche Museum. A car was parked in the drive and the door was open, but there was nobody in sight. I went inside and looked around for a few minutes. As I was leaving, I noticed a man in the driver’s seat reading a book that, apparently, was quite mesmerizing. In the midst of downtown Madawaska, I came upon Four Corner Park – one of the four corners of the United States – the other three being Key West FL, San Ysidro CA and Blaine WA. This park is themed for motorcycle riders and has a 5-6 foot wide circular “driveway” that passes in front of a monument (for a photo op, I’m sure) heralding the location. In Frenchville, I came upon a roadside railroad display that looked like a museum. Even though the sign announced “Wed. - Sun. 1 to 4PM,” the old depot was filled with debris
and the caboose was locked. I looked around for a few minutes and took a couple of pictures before continuing my journey.
My next stop was in Fort Kent at, tah-dah, Historic Fort Kent. The peace treaty that ended the American Revolution in 1783 had not clearly identified the border between the U.S. and Canada along that area of what now is defined as Maine and New Brunswick. The dispute simmered for over fifty years but worsened after Maine was granted statehood in 1820. The king of the Netherlands was asked to arbitrate the dispute, but the U.S. Senate rejected his decision in 1832, took the ball and went home to pout! When Canadian lumberjacks entered the Aroostook Valley to harvest timber in the winter of 1838-39, an American land agent was sent to dislodge them. I think his name was Barney Fife! The boisterous lot of brawny lumberjacks seized him, and the “war” had begun. Fort Kent was erected in 1839.
Both Maine and New Brunswick activated their militias, and the U.S. Congress authorized a force of 50,000 to respond. President Martin Van Buren dispatched 10,000 troops under the command of General Winfield Scott. Scott arranged for
a meeting between officials of Maine and New Brunswick that averted combat. Both countries agreed to submit the disagreement to a boundary commission, and the Webster-Ashburton Treaty of 1842 settled the matter with nary a shot being fired. Daniel Webster used a map that was said to have been marked with a red line by Benjamin Franklin in Paris in 1782 to convince the U.S. side to accept the treaty. And all this time I thought Webster was a librarian or something! The fort has what appears to be a visitor center that was locked, and the fortress itself was secured; but the kiosk saved this stop from being a mere “leg-stretcher.”
I ventured west from Fort Kent on scenic Maine Route 161. The highway serpentines along the Saint John River and, thus, the U.S./Canada border. Just west of Fort Kent, the imprint of mankind is predominant but lessens with the distance travelled. Soon it was just the logging trucks, the river and me. I think there’s a song hidden there! At the Dickey entrance to some zone where a permit is required, I turned around. The day was moving on, and I wanted to get beck to Presque
Great Mural, Beautiful Sky, Wonderful Day
Along Maine 157 Nearing Baxter State Park ME Isle before dark so I didn’t miss any of the scenery. What a great way to spend my birthday. Mile upon mile of serene landscape interspersed with pockets of civilization.
Friday, August 24 found me driving more scenic roadways – after all, that’s the main reason I ventured to northern Maine. This time I headed southwest from Presque Isle to survey the terrain between Milo and Millinocket and the scenic access routes from the south and the east to Baxter State Park. My only planned stop was the Patten Lumbermen's Museum in Patten ME. Like my previous day’s journey, civilization regularly impinged on the landscape except for the approaches to Baxter State Park. At the southern entrance, I ventured into the park proper expecting to find the fee station where I hoped to get more information about the park for future use. Instead, I found a staffed visitor center where the brain-pickin’ was in season. One of the two rangers even told me that a great photo op for Mount Katahdin was right behind the visitor center.
At 5,268 feet, Mount Katahdin is the centerpiece of Baxter State Park and is the highest mountain in Maine. Named Katahdin,
or "The Greatest Mountain," by the Penobscot Indians; it has been known to Europeans since at least 1689. The area around the peak was protected by Governor Percival P. Baxter (for whom the park is named) starting in the 1930s. Mount Katahdin is at the northern end of the Appalachian Trail and is located near an area known as the Hundred-Mile Wilderness. The rangers told me there is a primitive road that loops through the park and links to the eastern entrance; however, driving the route safely is about a 3-1/2 hour trip without stopping at the many vistas. They recommended I plan an entire day for the drive. I heeded their advice and hope to return for a week for exploring what appears to be a real jewel.
After backtracking to Maine Route 11, I headed north to Patten and the Patten Lumbermen's Museum. Roadside picnic areas abound in this tourist-friendly state, and I took advantage of one along Route 11 as it followed the course of the East Branch of the Penobscot River. A local and his wife stopped shortly after me for a picnic, and their dog introduced us – I believe his name was I
Want To Meet Everybody! Telling him of my origins and agenda brought forth a couple of great ideas for my next operations center in Farmington ME.
I was quite hungry and stopped for some fried clams in Patten after a recommendation by one of the Baxter State Park rangers. Perhaps his daughter-in-law owns the place! By the time I arrived at the museum, I had only an hour to explore. This museum is housed in several buildings and is loaded with artifacts that are well-documented for the most part. With time a factor, I opted to browse the displays and selectively read the documentation. Even with that acceleration of my self-guided tour, the museum curator caught up with me as he was securing the buildings. He graciously asked if I had seen all the buildings, which I had, and we chatted for a bit before I left so he could finish closing for the day. The museum is very well-done, but is quite specific to logging. I believe, for most tourists, it is worth a stop if passing by but not worth a significant detour. From the logging museum, I headed for the east entrance to Baxter State Park
Shingle Saw
Patten Lumbermen's Museum – Patten ME to enjoy the scenic drive before travelling back to Presque Isle.
Saturday dawned with another beautiful blue sky so I decided to drive to Grand Falls, New Brunswick and follow the earlier recommendation of the young ladies at the Caribou Visitor Center. I opted to cross the border east of Presque Isle so I could drive north on scenic Canada Route 2. Upon stopping at the border, I was asked to pull under the canopy and come inside. I complied. Made short, a V-E-R-Y long story goes like this: There is a flag on my name (same middle name and date of birth) from some entity in Sacramento CA (California, not Canada).
The border agent did not know if the record was generated by the city or the county of Sacramento or by the State of California whose capital is Sacramento. All she knew was that the document dates to pre-computerization meaning the record would have to be pulled by hand to identify the cause for the flag. I was told that if I would have had a letter in my possession from the agency that issued the flag stating that the flag had been rescinded, invalidated or
Log Wrestling Gear
Patten Lumbermen's Museum – Patten ME whatever; I could have entered Canada by showing my passport and that letter at the entry checkpoint some thirty or so minutes earlier.
I voluntarily withdrew my application to visit Canada, was given a copy of her documentation and was told to show that document to the U.S. border agents. While I chatted with one agent, another agent probed his computer to find just cause for the placement of chrome plated bracelets on my wrists to no avail. He reported he could find nothing whereupon I was given my passport and drove into Caribou. A quick jump ahead to Monday and another V-E-R-Y long story made short finds me on the phone with the robo-operators and subsequently agents from the California Department of Revenue, California Bureau of Justice, Sacramento County records and Sacramento City records to no avail.
Not knowing which agency had generated the flag, I have no inkling of which agency to ask for an emancipation letter. I have no plans to ask every conceivable flag-issuing agency for a letter of relief; but when I return to Florida, I plan to visit the Canadian Embassy, Consulate or whatever for guidance. Within reason, I will comply such
One Of The First Two-Man Chain Saws
Patten Lumbermen's Museum – Patten ME that the flag is removed so I am not denied entry into another country that might have received the same flag; however, I refuse to jump through hoops so I can drive through Canada to Alaska (I’ll fly) and, instead of spending my tourism dollars in the southeastern provinces of Canada, will spend them in the U.S. In the end, I am extremely grateful this glitch happened on an elective day trip instead of surfacing after I had done the research for the Alaska trip and then found I could not cross the border. That would have been a real bust! One more question came to me after I had left the border agent’s company, “How did I get onto Campobello Island, New Brunswick the week before?” Interesting!
Saturday morning my alarm sounded reveille at 5 AM so I could have coffee and complete my other morning rituals before heading for the fairgrounds in Presque Isle ME to attend the Crown Of Maine Balloon Fest 2012. If the focus of the hostess at the visitor center when I stopped there on Wednesday was any indicator, it should be a well-orchestrated event. Mass ascensions were scheduled for several days including
Pretty Balloons All In A Row
Saturday Morning Balloon Mass Ascension - Crown Of Maine Balloon Fest 2012 - Presque Isle ME morning and evening on Saturday. I have been fortunate enough to attend the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta on two occasions and have experienced a hot air balloon ride albeit about thirty years ago. No, I was not expecting nearly 1000 pilots to drive to Presque Isle for the event and, actually, was quite surprised and impressed with the showing of ten balloons. The crowd was small numbering only about 50-75 spectators.
One owner of a local eatery had the ambition to vend coffee, hot tea and muffins but others slept in. As soon as the launch was completed he picked up his “booth,” and by the time the balloons had dwarfed themselves on the horizon the parking lot was almost empty. Home for some more shuteye I suppose! I went home as well, made breakfast and wondered what was happening only feet from my Pilgrim. A peek outside revealed a crop duster was applying something to the field next to the RV park. Hoping it was fertilizer that might positively impact my thinning hair, I stepped outside. The pilot put on quite a show, but it didn’t compare to the air show at Owls Head ME a couple of
They ARE A Beautiful Sight
Saturday Morning Balloon Mass Ascension - Crown Of Maine Balloon Fest 2012 - Presque Isle ME weeks ago!
Late afternoon found me back at the fairgrounds for the second scheduled mass ascension of the day. This time there were lots of people, and all the vendor booths were open for business. I wandered the grounds looking at the merchandise and found nothing I couldn’t live without. A tethered hot air balloon was offering rides for a nominal fee, and another partially inflated balloon was offering tours of the inside of the balloon; but the lines were long for both.
Needing to eat soon and not wanting to substitute a sandwich for my camera during the mass ascension, I worked my way back to a booth offering pulled pork for what looked like my best choice. Was it ever! It might be because it was later in the day and the operators of the booth realized that ninety percent of the crowd would depart as soon as the launch was completed leaving them stuck with a lot of leftover meat or it might be because of my charm and good looks; but, that sandwich was HUGE! A megabun gave the foundation for a half pound (my estimate) of very tasty pulled pork. Stomach happy, I
A Low Pass At The Field
Crop Duster Spraying Field - Presque Isle ME waddled back to the launch area. For some reason, only five balloons launched. Perhaps the others had headed home even though another morning launch was scheduled for Sunday. It was breezy and perhaps wind impacted the pilots’ decision. Who knows?
In spite of my rebuff at the Canadian border and learning what it is like to be “guilty until proven innocent,” I had a pleasant experience in the northern reaches of Maine. I have been intrigued by the area since childhood and now know first-hand of what I had heretofore only known through books. The area is not as desolate as I had envisioned, but that image was implanted when I was in grade school and the footprint of mankind that the author conveyed was much smaller than what I experienced firsthand. While I would like to explore Baxter State Park some day, I doubt I’ll be back to the northern reaches of Maine because there are other areas of New England I’ve enjoyed more. With summer being so short, I’ll probably be spending the available time further south. That being said, I’ll still depart with fond memories of the area and, especially, the people. Now, what’s the address
Slightly Windier In The Evening
Saturday Evening Balloon Mass Ascension - Crown Of Maine Balloon Fest 2012 - Presque Isle ME of that Canadian Embassy!
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