Aug 4, 2024 – Downeast Wells, ME
The morning started out with hard rain that finally let up about 9:30. We were headed to Riverside Family Campground in Wells, ME, but made a stop in Freeport. The plan was to only visit the Patagonia store. But we were waylaid first by the Vineyard Vines store who did score a few purchases by us. Patagonia was next and, finally, North Face with no purchases at either place.
We’d heard about Lucky Pigeon Brewing, a dedicated GF brewery in Biddeford and that sounded like a reasonable lunch stop. For the first time in years, Sandy was able to try a flight of beers! Bill tried the closest thing they had to an IPA and it wasn’t half bad. We also each had a double dog, two steamed hot dogs on a single bun; a rather forgettable experience.
After setting up at Riverside, we settled for leftover pizza, humus, guacamole-by-Bill and crudités for dinner.
Aug 5, 2024 – Downeast Wells, ME
We’re at the western end of Downeast Maine at this point and the wonderful peninsulas of earlier weeks have mostly petered out. This area is now becoming more like a resort beach environment. It was a pleasant day with temps in the high 70’s.
Of course, we did tour the area. We first stopped by York Harbor Beach. This part of Maine has some really nice “sandy” beaches but they are packed and crowded, just like our Jersey beaches
But the fun stop in the area was at a small park at a small tidal mill pond called Barrell Mill Pond. Enhanced by man made earth works, an opening in the dam channeled the water to once power a mill. That mill is gone, now, and the opening has a pedestrian bridge known as the Wiggly Bridge. Like all small suspension bridges, it bounces. But the ends of the bridge, though contained, aren’t fastened so they can move a bit as well. All in all it allows the bridge to move more than most. We also walked the nature path through Steedman Woods Nature Preserve on the other side of the bridge. We snagged a parking space along a small piece of beach in a cove and Sandy spent some time soaking her feet in the cold water while Bill read under a tree!
Next stop was Nubble Lighthouse. Set on a small granite island just off shore from a small point near York Beach, it’s a beautiful lighthouse accessible only by small boat or a chair suspended on a cable.
Rather than driving the main highway north, we followed Shore Rd to the town of Ogunquit. This is a high end town with a traditional theater, lovely small hotels and inns. We headed toward the beach but there is very little parking and that was full. Most beachgoers appear to walk to the beach from wherever they are staying.
Next up the coast is Wells Beach. It has a couple of few hotels along the southern part of the beach and was crowded with sun worshipers. Beyond that it stretched up a long barrier island with modest homes and rental units. There was no way off the island except to reverse our route.
