Day 75 Nobleboro, ME-Belfast, ME

Kevin Day 75 Nobleboro to Belfast, ME. 46 miles. A short day today! Clear skies greeted us this morning as we left our camp at the Duck Puddle Campground. First stop of the day was at the factory and showroom of Lie-Nielsen Toolworks in Warren. We spent some time and some money here, and I exercised restraint and kept my purchases to under $200. From Warren we stayed on the ACA route until Camden, where we stopped at the Sea Dog Brewing company for lunch and a beer. Along the way we had really nice riding and saw a small herd of Belted Galloway cattle. We also reached the Atlantic Ocean today. Camden is a very attractive city, but very busy. Must be due in part to it being peak leaf peeping time! After lunch, we left the ACA route upon the advice of Alex, our host for tonight. He is a cyclist also, and after getting clipped by trucks twice on Route 52, he believes the ACA route is more dangerous than the busier Route 1. Turns out the ride on 1 was quite good. When we arrived in Belfast, our day's destination, we found the Front Street Pub-a locals place and relaxed with a beer. Janet and Jo were across the bay eating lobster, so we were on our own for dinner and ate there at the pub. We had good conversations with the locals, including Walter, a 25 year lobster fishing veteran. We learned all kinds of stuff about the trade! A quick ride took us to Alex's house where he provides camping, bathrooms and showers for traveling cyclists. Alex is an interesting guy, and loves to talk. Fast cars, bicycles, motorcycles, and a bad divorce have been the main topics of conversation so far. We will see what the morning brings! Haha. Tomorrow is our last day on this ride. Another 60 miles or so, and we will dip out front wheels in the Atlantic, marking the end to this part of the adventure, and the beginning of another!

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JO Day 75 (Oct 14): After a rainy night we woke up to a bright sunny morning at the Duck Puddle Campground on Pemaquid Lake in Nobleboro, Maine. Alan and John pitched their tents under the red pavilion last night...it's nice to have a solid roof over your head when it's raining...and it's nice to wake up to bright blue skies. We were parked under the oak trees so in addition to the rain drops we occasionally heard loud "pings" from the falling acorns...loud enough to wake me up! Last night John couldn't remember where we had started from that day, but he said he felt much better when no one else could remember either! LOL. Kevin, Alan and John took off for their 46 mile ride today. This morning when I was taking pictures, one of them was either bending down or looking down, so it took four tries to get my group picture. Sheesh, you'd think after 74 days they'd know the paparazzi routine. Today was the first time Janut and Bob saw the Atlantic Ocean. We enjoyed more spectacular fall colors along the road. Janut and I ate lobster rolls at The Zach Shack in Thomaston, Maine. They were good, but nothing special (are we becoming lobster roll connoisseurs?). We drove through the town of Camden, a cute looking coastal town but the awful traffic made you want to high tail it outta there...so that's exactly what we did. The guys said they'd be at Alex's House in Belfast, Maine at 4:30pm, so we had an hour to kill. We decided to drive around Belfast and look for...look for...lobster rolls! I found a place called Young's Lobster Pound that wasn't too far away, just on the other side of the bay. We talked to a man in line and it turns out it's where the locals go for lobster. The first floor has the fresh seafood tanks and giant boil pot and picnic tables outside, the second floor has picnic tables inside and outside. Instead of lobster rolls, we decided to get 2 boiled fresh whole lobsters (1-1/4 lb each)...we watched them take our lobsters out of the tank. We told Kevin, Alan and John that they were on their own for dinner! Hahaha. Our lobsters were mmm...mmm...good! John ate lobster rolls for both lunch and dinner today, what a riot! We are staying at Alex's House tonight in Belfast, Maine. Alex has opened up his house and yard to traveling cyclists. He's a really nice guy with a gray coon cat named Misty. Alex has many stories and talents (army medic during the Vietnam War, woodworker, mechanic, formula fords & 5000 race car driver, cyclist, motorcycle dude, etc). Alex, we thank you for your hospitality and generosity! Vince: Where are you? Vince was going to try to meet us here tonight, I hope Vince makes it to Bar Harbor this weekend. Our last night is a chilly one, we are all bundled up...might even get frost in the morning. Bar Harbor, here we come!