One More Day/One More Ride

Wow!  All day we both thought about having only one day left.  The first photo is the calendar that we’ve updated and corrected and redone throughout the trip.  At one point it came off the wall and was sucked, somehow, into and out via the RV slide out.  Joe found it underneath the slide out, outside the RV one afternoon.  That slide out has been an interesting adventure on its own.  But that’s another story.

Joe had a 68-mile ride today.  He’ll be doing half that tomorrow on his last day.  It was a clear, bright, brisk morning.  It was 54 degrees.  He heard loons on the pond/lake! His ride was on a major highway, so it wasn’t as scenic, and the traffic was loud.  But it was the shortest way to get to where he needed to be.  It was not as picturesque as other rides, but Joe called me when he was in Belfast, ME.  He called to tell me he could smell the ocean.  He took a great picture of the boats and bay.  Look at how blue it is! The map software asked him to take a “shortcut” to limit some of the highway.  So, he followed it thinking he’d miss some of the highway noise.  It took him up a hill and there was this house.  The house that he’s pretty sure will end up in the next episode of Ghost Hunters if hasn’t already been featured.  He took the picture and pedaled away as fast as he could. 

We both took the suspension bridge, The Penobscot Narrows Bridge.  It is a cable-stayed bridge that spans the Penobscot River, and it links the town of Prospect with Verona Island. It is also the tallest public bridge observatory in the world.   It is near Fort Knox which is one of the “best-preserved military fortifications on the New England seacoast” according to fortknoxmaine.com. The fort was built in the mid 1800’s.  The site of the bridge is also where the Penobscot Expedition attempted to regain control of Maine from the British in 1779.  It was the US worst naval defeat until Pearl Harbor.  Another very interesting piece of American history that I’d recommend looking into.  I do love the history I’ve been learning on this amazing trip!    

Neptune and I did our usual morning routine.  Neptune channeled his inner Ferdinand and smelled the flowers. As I packed up, I was thinking that this is the last time I will do this alone.  What a lot I’ve learned.  I can do the complete set up and breakdown all on my own.  Including hooking up the sway bars and hitch!  Those 2 took the longest to feel confident.  But now I am always cautiously optimistic that it’s going to go fine.  I still use my list, and I plan to always use it.  It’s been a faithful guide, and I wouldn’t want to forget to remove the chocks ever again.

We both arrived at the same time at our almost final site, Patten Ponds RV Park.  The maintenance person was very helpful and assisted us in finally ending up in a site that we could spend one night with a 29 foot travel trailer and a truck.  Third time's the charm!

We headed out into Ellsworth, ME for a local brew and dinner.  Slainte David!  We ended up at Fogtown Brewing Company and enjoyed a wonderful local IPA, Maine Coastal IPA.  (Had I been interested in a stout I of course would have ordered the Night Nurse 😊) And the pizza!  It was a wood-fired pizza and perhaps the best pizza I’ve ever had. 

Thank you to all the people who have been following us via the blog, Garmin Live Track, shared I-Phone locations, emails, texts, etc.  My mom has been following us with an atlas!  Joe would like to clarify for the millennials that an atlas is defined as a book of maps or charts. We love the support and encouragement, and you’ve kept us going. 

We’re settling into the RV for the night in anticipation for the final ride into the Atlantic Ocean tomorrow.  Our plan is to end up at the Ells Pier in Bar Harbor earlyish afternoon.  We’re still working on logistics, but it’s happening!  We have the champagne chilling (thank you L& B!) and I am hoping even Neptune will put his feet in the water for this momentous event.  But it’s our “lab-mix” so we may leave him to watch from the shore.  We’ll let you know tomorrow!!!!