MAINE HIGH ADVENTURE
July, 2008
We left the hall, with canoe trailer at about 8 AM for the usual tour of the I-95 corridor, stopping for a hot dog and beans lunch prepared on an outdoors table at a McDonalds along the interstate in northern New Jersey. We then proceeded to Fahnestock State Park on the Appalachian Trail near Newburgh, New York. We set up camp next to a camp set up be the locals to give AT through hikers a break (real food, solar showers, some music, fireworks, etc.). We heated up barbeque chicken and cooked rice and peas for dinner. The AT folks settled down at about 10:30 and we had
a good night.
In the morning, Blender-Finger Chris orchestrated perfect pancakes for breakfast. We packed quickly, and got on the road to see how we’d play in Poughkeepsie. Actually we blew through Poughkeepsie, but made an unplanned stop in Hyde Park to tour the Franklin Roosevelt house and grounds. We still had time, so we went to the Vanderbilt house and grounds on the Hudson and ate cold-cut subs with all the fixins in the parking lot. From there we went to Old Rhinebeck to see the airplanes and watch the air show.
After the air show, we beat feet to Chicopee, Massachusetts where we camped at the Westover AFB recreational facility courtesy of the Massachusetts Air National Guard. Dinner was MRE’s, which are every bit as amusing as nutritious if scouts are involved. As we ate, BFChris opined that the weather was clear and that he was going to spend the night in a hammock with no fly. Larry caught up to us from his Caribbean diving trip just at dinner. At about 9 we broke out some crackers, cheese, and sausage for a snack . At this point, one of the adults pointed out that there were no stars and that the weather might be chancy, BFChris proclaimed his confidence and further, the youngest of our company Ben aka Pinecone aka Alvin aka … announced that he was
spending the night in a green trashbag. That worried me a little so I had Charlie shake Ben (not to be confused with Bob whose mother thinks his name is Ben) down again to make sure he had all the required gear. We all turned in and about 2AM it poured and poured. I listened for scouts out of tents, but heard none and went back to sleep. When I got out of the tent at 0645, the adults were giving Chris and Ben a hard time about sleeping under my 4WD pickup. ”What would have happened if Mr. Reed decided to drive over to the bathhouse in the middle of the night?” BFChris was ready with, ”We slept on the driver’s side so he’d see us.” Dave observed ,”Driver’s side in what country?” Thus, Troop 1785 ‘s first two recipients of Brain Surgery Merit Badge. Full breakfast was at the Air National Gaurd cafeteria.
Jamie had arranged for us to tour one of the humongous C-5A’s that the ANG operates there. Aside from the Patriots (football) markings, the planes and the tour were fantastic. As an extra, there was a NOAA U-2 being readied for take off and they talked to us about the plane and their mission and we saw and heard it take off.
We knew we were getting close to Brunswick Naval Air Station when I saw the Orion P-3 (submarine hunter) cross the highway on final approach. The Navy kindly let us use their cafeteria for a full, hot dinner. After dinner, we visited LLBean in Rockport and everybody tuned their kit for a week on the Allagash - some lures, microfiber towels, a small hatchet, and Bob’s DEET (not Ben or Bob). Back to the NAS recreation center (Gym). The problem there is that the gym is open 0450 to 2245 so with just a little fooling around with roundball, it’s gonna be a short night. Next morning, we’re up early, wait for the NAS chow hall to open, and breakfast.
On the road, an hour in, the guy pulling the canoe trailer (and probably others) hasn’t had enough sleep or caffeine. Doug comes almost awake momentarily every 5 minutes to ask if I want him to drive and Bob (Ben in his own troop) is out cold in the back. So we hit a rest stop, raid the vending machines for Mountain Dew, and my son hands me his CD copy of Steppenwolf’s Greatest Hits and says, ”Here, you might need this!”
Born to be wiiild! …
All’s right with the world. As we proceed north on route 11 we see Mount Katahdin in the distance to the left and in a big open field area a black bear and 2 cubs cross the road. A little further on is a general store and we stop for a rest and drinks. Somehow Bryan and I got it in our heads that we were within a half-hour of where we’d spend the night. The next day being Zach’s birthday, Bryan ordered a cake to be made and insisted on paying the lady in advance (fortunately). 3 or 4 hours later we’d secured permits and driven on unimproved roads into the campsite at Churchhill Dam. Hope somebody enjoyed the cake. We camped alongside the Allagash at Churchill Dam. The night was clear and a little frosty. The moon and Jupiter could be seen double in the sky and the river.