Helmets and Maine (Saturday)

Saturday  

We rode through Massachusetts, New Hampshire (all 15.5 miles of it), and into Maine. As we cruised we noticed most were wearing helmets but occasionally someone would cruise the other way without one. We got off I-295 in Brunswick and picked up route 1, this is the coastal, every town along the way route. I will take traffic lights, traffic and tourist joints over an interstate every time.

The Carlton bridge in Bath used to have an upper level and a lower level, the upper section was for autos, the lower carried the railroad.

Traveling through there on Saturday I found that the road section has been cut and a new bridge runs along the side of it.

We made a stop in Woolwich for Lunch at the "Taste of Maine".

The next stop was in Wiscasset, this was actually an effect of traffic not desire, for some reason there is an ice cream shop next to the bridge and everyone slows for it, it was packed both days. Unfortunately, the bridge I was looking for was the Singing bridge, the bridge over water used to be steel grate which moved you all over as you drove across it and produced a whirring noise from the tires. Once again I was let down, that bridge was replaced in 2014 by a concrete bridge.

Both the old clipper ships have also been removed after they slowly, year by year, rotted and collapsed into the bay.

From there we rolled through Newcastle, Damariscotta, Nobleboro, Waldoboro ,where Doug found Waldo, not to be confused with Steve finding Dobby at the Taste of Maine,(he was up above between the bar and the kitchen). We rolled through Warren and Thomaston into Rockland. Here we pulled over to check the route and I noticed another helmet-less rider, we confirmed with Steve's Harley Trip guide and it shows Maine as a helmet state. I was happy to see there is a Clan MacLaren Pub in Rockland. not as good as McLaren, but it will have to do.

 In Rockland the direction changed, we were moving more north than east as we traveled along Penobscot bay.

We rolled north along the shore through Rockport, Camden, Lincolnville, Northport, and a slight westward kink as we passed through Belfast, then it was Stockton Springs and Bucksport where we rounded the horn and turned east. Bucksport is also where routes 1 and 3 converge. It is also the location of Fort Knox and the Penobscot Narrows bridge. This is the tallest Bridge observatory in the world.

After making a stop in Bucksport we headed to Ellsworth where we decided to stay at the Colonial Inn inside the Arcadia crossing. (Two way streets made one way).  After checking in and discarding our luggage we headed down route three into Bar Harbor for Dinner, We visited the waterfront, took some photos then headed for dinner, which we enjoyed as a fast thunderstorm passed, (a bit of rain, one flash, and one thunder rumble). After eating and doing touristy things we headed back to the Inn. I won't mention that on the ride back I followed the signs and arrived back at the motel and the others....went to the Home Depot. It was rather like pulling into a Convention center when you are looking for a Service area. But.....I won't mention that either.