Tuesday, July 23, 2013

2013 Blogger to Blogger Tour - The last day for me

I woke up as usual before every one else.

I crept to the powder room and did my best to be as quiet as a mouse in the house.

A little later on, Bob crawled out of his sleeping bag and began his day too.

We had camped on Mike and Rebecca's living room and dining room floors respectively.  I can't speak for Bob but I had a nice restful night's sleep.  There were two cats in the house, but for whatever reason my allergies never really kicked in.

I packed up my gear, and loaded up the Vespa.  Karen and Bob were staying on for another day before heading up the coast towards the maritime provinces, but I needed to be home, hopefully before nightfall.  The last couple of hours of my day's ride would be in farmland and urban areas, but before that there would be very long stretches of woodland.  Dusk in the woodlands brought with it the risk of deer and moose on the road.  I wanted to get out of the woodland stretches well before dusk.

The plan for today in Portland was for Tina, Kevin and Tom to drop by for breakfast, and then for Mike and Tom to lead us all on an abbreviated tour of local sights.  My hope was that we could be rolling by 9:00 a.m.

Karen had set out bright and early and had picked us up a huge batch of bagels to share. Needless to say, breakfast was great, but we got a late start.

Tom took the lead as we headed out.  We got separated by the world's longest traffic signal.  No worries though because Mike was sweeping with Rebecca as a pillion, so we were in expert hands.

As will see, we eventually caught up at the Portland Head Lighthouse.
We soaked up the views at this stunning park.
Mike pointed out landmarks for me on the horizon and explained the military defenses that protected what was once a strategic 18th and 19th century port.
Bob obliged us with one of his famous group pictures.
We saddled up and followed Tom southward.  The destination was Old Orchard Beach.  The only time I had gone there was when I was four or five years old with my parents.  My Dad had a 1950 Ford Prefect.  That's all I remember.

Susan and I have a love affair going with Ogunquit, Maine.  We just keep going back every few years.  We may wander as far north as Kennebunkport, but we never make it to Old Orchard Beach.

We may have to change that though, because what I saw, I liked.
More crowded than Ogunquit to be sure, and there's a hustle and bustle to Old Orchard Beach that sets it apart.  But I can see us having a nice time with a day trip here, the next time we're in Maine.
I glanced at my watch, and even though it was only a little past 1:00 p.m., I had that Cinderella feeling.  My time was running out.  If I was going to avoid dusk in the forest on the way home, I had to giddy-up and ride off on my own.

I bid farewell to all my new friends, and my old ones.  I knew that they had more fun in store.  I'd have to follow on their blogs.

The ride home will require yet another post.

I'll also add an epilogue to the 2013 Blogger to Blogger Tour posts with lessons learned from my first major long distance moto camping experience.  Other aspiring Vespa tourers may be able to learn a thing or two, and be in a position to leap at a touring opportunity if and when one presents itself.

Stay tuned folks.

7 comments:

Trobairitz said...

Great pictures David, such vivid colors at the beach.

I think you may have put up the wrong video for the first one. No lighthouse to be seen, but it did make me chuckle. I couldn't help but laugh along with you.

Glad you made it home safe.

David Masse said...

Thanks Trobairitz. You're right, problem solved and the right video is now in its place.

I got very lazy and used only my iPhone and GoPro on this trip. I only took my SLR out on one occasion I think.

As for the vivid colors, I'm not responsible. The responsibility lies somewhere between what the creator provided and what the Camera+ made of the scene based on the filter I used (I think it was the 'beach' filter). I'm a red-green colour blind person so I'm not the best judge of colour.

RichardM said...

Nice beach pictures though the crowds would probably drive someone like me away. I really like the lighthouse and have thought that a great trip would be to visit all of the lighthouses on the right coast.

David Masse said...

Richard, that would become a very long trip. There are a lot of lighthouses. It's a great idea though. That lighthouse at Portland Head should make the list, as should the Nubble Light in York. I am sure that there are many more in Maine alone that would make a visit worthwhile. If you stuck to Maine, it could be relaxing too, since I would be bet that you could get your fill of lighthouses without covering too many miles.

Coop a.k.a. Coopdway said...

David,
I'm staying tuned.....any trip that's more than going for a liter of milk on a scooter is a good trip to me!

Unknown said...

Trobairitz:

I'm behind in my readings. WiFi is on an off. This is my 2nd attempt

I love raspberries and blueberries a close second. I also love your shadow photo.

I wished we had our hot weather back, better to sweat than what we are enduring here, right now

bob
Riding the Wet Coast

Deb said...

What a day! Even your ride homeward sounded fabulous!

So enjoying watching you all enjoy!

The copyright in all text and photographs, except as noted, belongs to David Masse.