On to the Boothbay area

I didn’t think I would ever say I was excited to do laundry, but I couldn’t wait to get set up in our new campground and start a load!  Not that we are running out of clothes as much as running out of space to put the dirty ones!  And I am tired of taking GI showers and being so carful to not fill our tanks, as we have not had sewer.   Pretty spoiled!  

It was not as cold overnight, but it rained a lot, with that rhythmic beating on the roof.  There was a predicted break at 9AM, and  we hurried to hook up the car and pull out before it started up again!  Not a long drive, we got into Shore Hills campground on the Boothbay peninsula, passing a couple of cute little towns that I have on my list to explore,  and set up in time for lunch. 

 I discovered the Boothbay Railway Village was practically across the street, and the rain had stopped, so we had lunch and went for a visit.  What a neat place!  We took a  ride on a narrow gauge train to the other side of the property and then spent several hours exploring all the buildings containing one man’s accumulation of not only train collectibles, but antique cars and farm equipment, outboard motors, combustion engines, toys, and even salt and pepper shakers!  Not to mention the cool old buildings and train depots, dismantled and rebuilt on the property.  The town hall and chapel are still used in their new location!  

Narrow gauge steam engine

Our visit included a ride on a narrow gauge passenger train, pulled by an (Edaville RR engine on loan from MA!), and we boarded the closed car due to temps, and got some photo ops of the pretty car. 

The cars were chosen for their significance in history, and were beautiful. 

 One of the many buildings of the village was this cute gas station.

I loved the Richfield pump, mainly because my Dad's Atlantic Station became Atlantic Richfield. 

One building contained a  model train layout, where I spotted this miniature of the huge fisherman we went to see!  Here he is in his original state, with sardine can, rather than the lobster trap he now holds. Clem enjoyed not only the layout, but chatting with the folks who were there working on it. 

On the layout....almost looks real in the photo! 

Another train depot, which contained some interesting history of the railroads and Maine.

Really old salt and pepper shakers!  Makes me want to get my collection out!

An interesting little tid bit about Mary's Little Lamb mounted in a one room school house! We had visited the supposed site of the schoolhouse, as well as the birthplace of the author, in Massachusetts, but apparently the authorship is questionable!  Who knew?!

We were pretty excited to be able to watch the evening news!  Then we took a walk around the campground and discovered it is quite large, and has some beautiful sites in the woods, which go all the way down to the river's edge! We chatted with a woman walking her dog who is here from Arizona  to find some cool temps, and had last week been to Eastport, where we stayed two stops ago.  I asked if she had met “Bob”.......oh yes!!  He tried to talk them into staying longer because her husband liked to take photos!  Too funny!  

Last Days in Searsport exploring with the Reichardts.

Saturday was rainy and one of those ugly days, and we stayed in and read and relaxed.  But Sunday Jim called to see if we wanted to do something, and of course we were ready to go!  Jim drove us on familiar roads, but to places we had not seen, like Lookout Point, high on a hil, where we could see far and clear and lots of islands and towns, including Camden harbor. 

 Then a stunning winery , the Cellar Door.  Wine, tastings, gifts, and  stunning decor and views.....would be a great place for a celebration, were it not in Maine!


 As the story goes, a hobo, a traveler looking for work nearly 100 years ago, visited our farm in Lincolnville. He was welcomed. He felt safe. Upon his departure, he carved in the barn door a “hobo symbol” to let fellow travelers know they would find hospitality here.

       We went to the harbor where Andre the seals statue is located, as well as remainder of lime kilns, which were once a large part of the industry in the area, and trains dropped the raw material down into the hoppers from above. 

 Andre the seal, abandoned at birth, raised and trained by a local, and forever memorialized as the honorary harbor master!  















Next camei my idea for a tiny detour, to search out marker for where Captain Hanson Gregory was born, which is now in a church yard!  We never would have found it, had I not had a map on my Roadside Attraction app! Jim found this one interesting enough to send photos to friends, and I bet it will be on his tour from now on!!

Legend has it that Capt. Gregory invented the " donut" because he liked to snack on dough, and would impale the blob on the rungs of his ships wheel.....hence, the doughnut!  

A man came out of the chapel....it WAS Sunday Morning!!!....and asked if we had taken our photo with it, and heard the legend.  We came to find it, I said.  Well.....you have!!  

Lunch at the Whales Tooth, a cute little place in another quaint harbor town, was delicious, and Jim regaled us with tales of the ruthlessness of lobster men, who fiercely guarded their territory, and some went missing mysteriously!

After we left Jim and Joan, we took a quick side trip to Bangor, really just  to see the Paul Bunyon statue, but we also visited a garden cemetery, said to be modeled after the famous one in Boston, and walked around for a while until Clem had had enough!

Last day before our departure,  and the overnight temperatures had dipped VERY low, causing me to find another blanket in the night, and bundle up in the still cold morning!  But it finally warmed, and Joan wanted us to see friends Carolyn and Larry’s lake house, which  they built themselves, so we did that, then all to Finz for dinner before saying goodbye.  It has been a fun time, and a great visit in Searsport, but we will be glad to have sewer and wifi and better cell reception at our next stop!