Nancy Griffin - 50 Things to Do in Maine Before You Die

NANCY GRIFFIN

DownEastBooks

DownEastBooks

An imprint of Globe Pequot

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Copyright 2017 by Nancy Griffin

Photographs: Dan Tobyne, except photos on pp. 5, 9, 14 (background), 25, 27, 28, 36, 37, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52 (right), 53 (right), 54, 63, 69, 79, 88, 96, 99, 121 (bottom, 135 (right), 144, 146, 147 (top), 150-51, and 152 iStock. com; photos on pp. 127, 133, and 145. Dreamstime; pp. 105 76279890: Bratty1206, pp. 105 76118202: Bratty1206, pp. 69 52265156 Americanspirit, pp. 133 44555444 Marpit, pp. 126 1041246 Kcphotos, pp. 145 30004474 Jinnee, pp. 66 15835767 Tashka, Lynda Chilton, pps.13, 14 top, 18, 20, 78,

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data available

ISBN 978-1-60893-629-8 (hardcover)

ISBN 978-1-60893-630-4 (e-book)

The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information SciencesPermanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992.

Printed in the United States of America

THINGS TO DO

Introduction, 8

1 Drink Moxie, 10

2 Get a Load of Maines Favorite Berry, 12

3 Illuminate Your Life, 17

4 Climb Katahdin, 24

5 Watch for Your Ship to Come In, 30

6 Shop at L.L. Bean, 34

7 See a Whale, 36

8 Spot a Moose, 38

9 Get Lost in the Desert, 43

10 Whitewater Rafting, 44

11 Canoe the Allagash, 48

12 Eat a Potato, 52

13 Learn About the Good Life, 57

14 Watch for Puffins, 60

15 Witness a Whirlpool, 62

16 Pan for Gold, 64

17 Build a Boat, 66

18 Run the Beach to Beacon, 68

19 Go Mushing, 70

20 Dig for Treasure, 72

21 Catch a Movie at the Drive-In, 74

22 Go to the Park, 77

23 Sail on a Windjammer, 80

24 Make Maple Syrup, 84

25 Discover the First Fort Knox, 86

26 Catch a Lobster, 88

27 Get Tipsy on Allens Coffee Brandy, 91

28 Visit the Shakers, 92

29 Enjoy One of the Sweeter Things, 96

30 Soar in a Hot-Air Balloon, 98

31 Drive Route 1, 101

32 Deck the Walls with Art, 104

33 Eat Bean Hole Beans, 106

34 Make the Most of Monhegan, 109

35 Dine at DiMillos, 112

36 Get off the Grid at a Sporting Camp, 114

37 Walk in the Gardens, 118

38 Become a Champion Tobogganer, 120

39 Meet Maines First People, 122

40 Ride in a Seaplane, 127

41 Drive a Stanley Steamer, 128

42 Eat at Moodys, 130

43 Stand in the Clouds, 132

44 Hike the Canyon, 136

45 Take a Driving Tour of the Solar System, 140

46 Listen to Loons, 143

47 Hop on a Bike, 145

48 Explore the Old Port, 146

49 Harvest Ice, 148

50 See the Milky Way, 150

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to Maine, the largest New England state, larger than the other five combined, but only thirty-ninth of all fifty states. Still, its possible to drive for eight hours or more from one end to the other.

More than half the population lives within 25 miles of the sea, on only one-seventh of the land, meaning if youre not in southern Maine or coastal Route 1 in summer, or in the largest city (Portland),

you may have little human competition for spacenot necessarily a bad thing.

If you dont like trees, youre out of luck. Trees cover 90 percent of the land, and Maine is the most heavily forested state.

But if you like water, youre all set. With so many lakes, ponds, and rivers, Maine moves to number twelve in water area, with around 4,523 square miles. And thats not counting the ocean. Measure around the islands and the wrinkled, convoluted coast, and Maine boasts a coastline of 5,200 miles. Plus, there are islands, lots of islandsmore than 3,000. A lot can happen on such a coast, and does, from lobstering to fishing to sailingeverything from tiny sailboats that hug the edge of a bay, up to week-long adventures on Maines fabled windjammer fleet.

LOOKS CAN BE DECEIVING

Maine has so many islands that along certain parts of the midcoast, the Atlantic begins to look distinctly un-ocean-like. The view has prompted more than a few folks from away to enquire, Whats the name of that lake?

All of this means that Maine has enough land and water to supply travelers with a nice range of adventures, activities, and unique sights to see on foot, or from a car, bicycle, hot-air balloon, motorcycle, or snowmobile. Here are our fifty suggestions of the things that must be done if you want the full Maine experience, covering all four seasonsor, as we say in Maine, winter and August. Complete em all and youre a real Mainer... nah, just foolin; the only way to be a true Mainer is to have been born here. But this is as close as you can get.

DRINK MOXIE

Moxie, the soda in the bright orange can with the distinctive (some would say disgusting) flavor, is Maines official soft drink. Invented around 1876 by Dr. Augustin Thompson of Union, and first marketed as a medicine, Moxie Nerve Food was sold as a relief for everything from softening of the brain to loss of manhood. The name is said to derive from the Indian word for wintergreen, an ingredient in the moxie, and the sodas unique flavor may derive from another ingredient, gentian root.

Since it promised to provide the drinker with spunk, the word moxie has worked its way into the lexicon, as in Youve got moxie. Moxie is not actually made in Maine, and sells in only a few places outside of New England, but it holds the distinction of being Americas oldest continually sold, commercially marketed carbonated drink. Its not always easy to find in stores, but the brand is owned and bottled by Coca-Cola.