Day 80 Sprinter Bangor, ME-Pembroke,ME

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Janet 10.19.16 Day 80 Bangor, ME-Pembroke, ME

Today is best described as Walmart to Waterfront. After getting our morning coffee from Dunkin Donuts located inside the Bangor Walmart, we headed east and back to the Maine coast. (Yes, we are still heading east because there are lots of things we want to see!)  We elected an alternate route which avoided Ellsworth (seen enough of that town) via ME 9 east and then dropping down to the coast on ME 193 towards Cherryfield.  On our way we saw fields of red blueberry plants.  It turns out that Cherryfield is the blueberry capital of the world.  Wonder why they named their town after cherries?  Back on US 1 rejoined us with the Maine coast which is quite spectacular.  In the town of Machias was a McDonalds Cafe.  It looked like all the same food as a regular McDonalds maybe it's a marketing ploy.  Believe it or not but this is the first time we have eaten at a McDonalds in the last 80 days.  Next stop, Eastport which is the most eastern city in the USA. Hey, I can see Canada from here. LOL!  Eastport became the sardine capital of the world and at one time had 18 sardine factories (1876-1983).  Fishing fleets in this area had to contend with "Old Sow" the largest whirlpool in the Western Hemisphere with a diameter of 250 feet.  We enjoyed the statues of Eastport as well - the giant fisherman holding a sardine, the free spirited mermaid and the sardine caught in a lobster claw.  Speaking of lobster, today is the first day Jo and I did not eat any lobster. We kinda of are lobstered out.  Anyway, back on the road to find our free campsite near Pembroke, home of the Reversing Falls.  Down a dirt road to what they said is a park maintained by the city with free dispersed camping.  What a jewel!  We are camped right next to the water and can watch the 24 ft tide difference from the comfort of our sprinter home.  And just around the corner and a short walk down a trail is the Reversing Falls which looks more like a raging river as the tide goes out tonight.  It is fun watching the shoreline change.  Low tide was around 8 pm so we didn't get to see it at its lowest before dark, but there is always tomorrow.