Thursday, May 3, 2007

Up the coast to Maine - May 1st and 2nd


We loaded us back in to the RV, and managed once again to finally get going about 11. The first priority was to find a place for an oil change which we finally located - hung out in their lobby and watched some TV which they fixed it up. Then, tried to bypass as much of the Boston traffic as possible, then got back on the I-95, and meandered through New Hampshire (for all of the 16 miles or so that the route passes), and then into Maine.
Immediately upon entering Maine, Barbara was taken by a strange compulsion to immediately find and eat as much lobster as possible. We pulled off into a tourist information center about 5:30, and found the center closed, and all of the information locked up behind bars which we though very strange, since I can't imagine there is a huge black market for tourist pamphlets. Looking around, we found a button with a sign "For after hours information, press this button"... We pushed it, a bell rang, and a minute later the janitor wandered out of the bathroom, gloves on hand - "Can I help ya?" We told him about wanting lobster, and needing a place to camp, and he wandered off, then returned with a few maps held in his still gloved hand. We were a little worried about what things might be on the maps he handed us, but it was the best info we could find. Baby wipes are good things.
Started questing for both lobster and camping. After stopping at a few restaurants, we discovered that it is a little early in the season for lobsters - and in fact it would turn out we are early in the season for everything. Maine's tourist industry is highly seasonal, and we aren't in the season yet. After a while, managed to find a tavern that had Lobster, and we proceeded to feast - with the best lobster that either of us have ever had.
Then we started questing for camping. There are HUNDREDS of camp grounds in Maine, but most of them don't open until mid to late May - a few weeks off yet. We pulled into one place that seemed like it might have been open - since at least the shower lights were on. We drove through the park, and found that even the other trailers in there were dark - not a light any where. Spooky feeling place - we decided to just move on, and eventually found a KOA that had just opened.

On the 2nd, we continued up the coast, again looking for a camping place that was open. As we went further up, we found the opening dates of camp grounds moving even further out to early June. Even the KOAs that we had considered a safe haven weren't open yet. We thought that we would have to find one of the few hotels that had opened yet, but through a fortuitous series of events, we found not only a camp ground, but one that accepted one of the discount cards that we have - making it the cheapest night of camping yet. Much pretty country. Today, on to Acadia National Park.

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