Tuesday, August 26, 2014

8/25/14

I got up and rode into Bar Harbor and walked around there for a bit. Really cool harbor full of sail boats, with awesome views to multiple islands.
 Once it warmed up a little I rode over to the west side of the island to Echo Lake. There was a cool beach there, crowded with swimmers. I swam for a bit, the water was cold but felt amazing! And I needed a bath anyway after being on the road for a couple days haha.
 I took the scenic route back towards the campground. I bought another bundle of wood and went back to camp to make some food. I rode up to Bar Harbor to get cell service so I could talk to Alyson while she was on break from school.
 I've been have some issues with my headlight, and since I'm riding a lot at night, I figured I should take care of it haha. I pulled the bulb out and cut the connector off, and wired in a new one I bought yesterday at a Auto Parts store. All fixed and working properly! It was colder then the previous night, so I made some food, mapped out the next days route, and sat by the fire before turning in for the night.



   ^ Bar Harbor.
   ^ Echo Lake



   ^ Campground repair.
   ^ Gourmet.

8/24/14

I woke up around 7 and looked outside and Tim's car was gone. This trip is really restoring my faith in humanity haha! I packed up to head farther into Maine. Thanks again Tim from Connecticut.
 I was in no rush so I got off the main highway and cut over to the coast and road the Atlantic Highway 1. It was about 60 miles longer then taking the main highway, but I was in no rush, and the coast was way nicer.
 I got to a town called Bucksport, and saw an awesome bridge up ahead. I pulled over and took some pics, and read a billboard for Fort Knox that was just inside the narrows from the Bridge. I never knew there was a Fort Knox in Maine, and I gues its older then the one in Kentucky. It was hardly used and was never fully armed. It awesome walking thru it. Lots of long dark tunnels, and staircases that went to underground rooms and tunnels.
 One of the towers on the bridge is a 420' observation tower. I took the elevator up, and went to the top. The view was incredible, overlooking the fort one way, and out into the Atlantic the other.
 I got into Acadia National Park, and rode to the south east side of the island to Seal Harbor. I rode the park loop around the east side of the island as the sun was setting, it was amazing. I got a campsite at Blackwoods Campground. I rode up into Bar Harbor to get some Firewood, and hung out for the night. Its been getting pretty cold up here, so a fire is definitely nice!


   ^ Bradbury Mountain State Park.







   ^ 420' up in the bridge tower.






   ^ Fort Knox.

   ^ Seal Harbor, Acadia National Park.
   ^ Eagle Lake, Acadia National Park.
   ^ Firewood delivery!

8/23/14

Got up and went to this donut shop with Mike called Union Donuts. We got Bacon Maple donuts, that were AMAZING. I took off and headed up the coast.
 The inner lip on the rear pulley on my bike separated from the pulley. Nothing happened other then it was making a loud annoying noise while I was riding. And worse case the belt could potentially slip off the pulley, which would not be good.
 I started calling around to different bike shops in the area. A shop called Sin City Motorcycles referred me to Paul, a local Harley Mechanic. I called him and explained my situation, he said he thought he had a pulley and to head over to his place. When I got there it was exactly what I expected. Paul was a big scary dude covered in tattoos, and there were Hells Angels stickers and posters everywhere.
 He was nice as could be, and wanted to help. We pulled my saddle bag off and put my bike up on the lift...... and realized the pulley he had was the wrong one. He called around to Harley dealerships, and some shops, but no luck. I had been riding with it like this since NY, and I had broken the ring off that was making all the noise. So I figured I'd keep going and hope for the best, I mean what could go wrong?!
 Turns out I was in Lynn, MA. which is where Alyson grew up, and her dad lived literally around the corner. She told him where I was, and he rode is motorcycle over. I met him (John), and we talked for a few. I told him I was headed to Salem, and he said he'd take me there and buy me lunch. I told Paul thank you and took off to Salem.
 John took me to his favorite restaurant in Salem, which was where he used to take Alyson as a kid. We ate and talked about motorcycles for the most part. Super nice guy, no wonder Alyson is such a sweetheart. He took off and I walked around Salem for a bit. There's a really cool 'Salem Witch Trials Memorial', and a graveyard with headstones dating from the late 1600's into the 1800's. I walked around and took some pics before getting back on the bike.
I rode up into Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Pretty cool little town. I left there and headed into Maine. It started getting pretty cold, which is a nice change from the heat of the south, and south west!
 Maine is absolutely beautiful. I rode past Portland, and went a few miles into the hills above Freeport to Bradbury Mountain State Park. I Parked at the front gate of the campground since it was closed. I walked thru the whole campground, not one site open. I went back to my bike and was looking at the map to find another campsite when a guy walked up and asked if I was looking for a site. He said he was camping by himself and that I could put my tent up in his site. I went and got setup and talked with him for a bit. Super cool guy, from Connecticut, but had been in Brooklyn for the last few years. He said he had to get up early and take off so he turned in. I stayed up and made some food before hitting the sack myself.

   ^ Thanks Mike for the hospitality!








   ^ Bradbury Mountain State Park

Monday, August 25, 2014

8/22/14

  I woke up around 4 am and sure enough, it was raining pretty hard. I woke up again at 6:30.... still raining, 8:00, still raining haha. I hid out in my tent until about 10:00am when it finally stopped, and the sun started showing.
I packed up and rode to Plymouth. It was really cool walking around there, I went to see Plymouth Rock.... which is just a small rock with '1620' etched in it, and apparently may or may not have been the rock the pilgrims rowed to to walk onto land...... since the Mayflower was anchored about a mile off shore because of the shallow waters. Either way its a significant land mark. There's a lot of cool statues and monuments near there. The history in New England is so cool. It was really awesome to finally see all the places that I've been reading and learning about since I was a kid. I paid, and walked thru the Pilgrims Hall Museum. 100% worth the money, it was amazing. They also had a temporary Civil War exhibit up which was really cool.
 I rode up to Boston, and parked. Apparently I was parked in a loading zone and didn't realize it. I walked across the street and a homeless man sitting on the sidewalk stopped me. He started talking to me about motorcycles, I had about a dollar in change, and gave it to him. As soon as I handed it to him, he noticed the meter maid looking at my bike. I ran over there and told her it was my bike. She told me I was parked illegally, I told her I didn't realize it was a loading zone, and that I would happily move my bike. She asked me where I was from and about my trip. I told her I was going to walk around Boston for a bit, and grab some food, she told me to leave my nike there and that it was fine! Ventura, and Los Angeles Cops take note....... You can be a cop AND be nice to people.
 I had a Philly cheesesteak, and clam chowder in a bread bowl, watched some of the street performers and walked around downtown for a bit.
 I rode up to Danvers, MA to Olive Garden where I met Mike. A guy from Instagram that offered to put me up for the night. When he got off work I followed him to his house and hung out with him and his friend Nick.

   ^ The rain isn't so bad when I'm not riding in it haha.
   ^ Shwame-Crowell State Park. Cape Cod, MA.




   ^ Pilgrim Hall Museum was awesome!
   ^ The Mayflower II. A crew of 33 men, sailed it from Plymouth, England to Plymouth, Massachusets in 1957.
   ^ Massasoit.


   ^ William Bradford.





   ^ Some cool old gravestones in Boston.