Augusta, ME riding??

[BikeMomma]

Hey Northeasterners! Howgozit?

I'm seriously considering a short 2/3-day trip to Augusta, Maine (and maybe Saco, ME too....relatives there, as well), to see my ailing father (who I haven't seen in 23 years...last time I saw him, I was 12...uggh) within the next month or two. It will be an emotional trip, no doubt (scary...but my heart is telling me I need to).

As you all I'm sure can relate, cycling is my cure for stress, and I KNOW I'll need a good anaerobic session after a bit, so I'm asking those in the area, if any, for advice/info on any accomodating bike shops that maybe I can borrow or rent a road bike from for a good hammerfest (I'm an experienced cyclist and I'll bring my own bike clothes, shoes & maybe helmet). Or if anyone in the area has a spare bike I can use, along with the accompanying riding partner? ;) Is that too weird/imposing/assuming a question to ask? :o (I take a 56cm frame) I don't especially want to take my own bike for that short of a trip....

It's just that if I'm already feeling stir-crazy to ride from the stress of the reunion (if you want to call it that), when I AM there, it will be 100x worse! Any help with shops/bikes/routes/weather tips is definitely appreciated. I don't want to go when it's too cold....I'm used to sunny California here.... :D

Thanks a bunch! :)
-BikeMomma

[traveller_62]

I'm not too familiar with biking in the Augusta area because I live further upstate on the coast. However, I suggest that you check out the Bicycle Coalition of Maine web site-- www.bikemaine.org. It is a great organization that supports cycling in Maine and I believe that they list rides/bike shops in the Augusta area.

Also the Dept. of Transportation in Maine has a nice web site geared to bike tours - http://www.exploremaine.org/bike/bike_tours.html

Depending on when you come you can expect it to be a bit cooler than you are used to on the west coast!

Cheers,
traveller_62

[BikeMomma]

Thanks, T62!
Your tips are appreciated! It gives me a nice start, thanks!
(yep, I expect it will be a bit nippy compared to here) :)
-BikeMomma

(Edit: looks like there's a bike rental place in Augusta...purrrfect!) :D

[traveller_62]

Bike Momma,

One more thing. If you can find one, the Maine Dept. of Transportation publishes a free(! :) ) "Explore Maine by Bike" bound set of 25 bike tour maps. I picked one up at my local bike shop.

There is a Saco River tour and a Capital Area tour described in that booklet (complete with route description and maps). The nice thing about this resource is that most of the rides are designed with a short and long route so that you can match the ride with your energy level.

Cheers,
traveller

[Veronica]

If you do the Saco River trip, it goes through my home town of Hollis. If you need food stop at Don's Market on Rt 202. You may get waited on by my mom. :)

Veronica

[BikeMomma]

Thanks T62 & Veronica....

The tours sound wonderful, and V, if I'm around there at all, I'll stop to say hi whether I'm on a bike or in a car....but I don't think I'll have that kind of time (for a tour), as it'll have to be a short trip, like over the weekend only. I can't be away from home too long...kids, home, work responsibilities. I'm mainly just thinking in "normal ride" terms....something to blow off some steam. I don't do well in the sort of situations that I'm going there for, so I'll need the stress relief a ride will provide.

I emailed the shop in Augusta, hoping to get info about their regular group rides on Saturday or Sunday, and then of course, about getting my hands on a bike. I guess a touristy clunker will do, but I was hoping to find something a little more spunky. We'll see....I have a little time still...I'm thinking mid-October.

[oldbikah]

I live about 60 miles northwest of Augusta but have not done much riding in that area. A major road leading out north out of Augusta is Rt 27 and it has good paved shoulders.
Mid-October can be downright nippy, and we have even had snow squalls up here in my area. Come with full gloves, headband, and warm tights, not to mention upper body warm stuff! But on the nice side early October is "leaf peeping" time and the fall colors can be beautiful. Great stress reducer. Good luck.

[bikerz]

Hey BikeMomma - I went to high school in Bath, Maine, but that was many many years ago, well before this new biking life of mine, so I don't have any real info to offer, but just wanted to chime and and say how beautiful Maine is, and what a great time to be there, and I hope you can find a way to get some personal relief while you're "down east" - sounds like a difficult time - be sure to take care of yourself, on and off the bike!!

[BikeMomma]

Thanks, Z! It should be an interesting trip....loads of relatives to meet for the first time, too. My grandmother, who is 91 (I saw her when I was maybe 6 yrs old and not since), is also not doing well now, I hear, so it'll be two-fold. I just have to figure out (really soon!) when the best weekend to go will be. I've seen pics and heard how beautiful it is. Can't wait for that part. ;)
-BikeMomma

[BikeMomma]

I live about 60 miles northwest of Augusta but have not done much riding in that area. A major road leading out north out of Augusta is Rt 27 and it has good paved shoulders.
Mid-October can be downright nippy, and we have even had snow squalls up here in my area. Come with full gloves, headband, and warm tights, not to mention upper body warm stuff! But on the nice side early October is "leaf peeping" time and the fall colors can be beautiful. Great stress reducer. Good luck.
Thanks Oldbikah, for the route tip...yep, I was pretty sure I would have to bring those items. I'm looking forward to those fall colors and riding amongst them. ;)
-BikeMomma

[BikeMomma]

Well, I made plane reservations last night. I fly out of San Francisco on Thursday the 13th and come back on Sunday the 16th. Hopefully Momma Nature is nice to me, and that the trip goes how I would like it to. ;)

Thanks again for the tips everyone...
-BikeMomma

[petals]

Some of the trees are starting to turn. In two more weeks we will have nice color and who knows how cold! If you do not get the opportunity to bike look for some hiking it will be beautiful! Take Care!

[BikeMomma]

Some of the trees are starting to turn. In two more weeks we will have nice color and who knows how cold! If you do not get the opportunity to bike look for some hiking it will be beautiful! Take Care!
I might just do that, Petals. Thanks for the suggestion. Can't wait to see the fall colors New England is famous for, and I'm taking the camera, too. Maybe I'll post some here. :) I'm definitely bringing warm weather stuff, all-around, not just for cycling.
-BikeMomma

[mainerider]

Hi BikeMomma - I haven't had time to be on-line much lately. I am psyched to see others from Maine replying to your requests.

We have group rides Saturday and Sunday leaving at 8 am from Cape Able Bike Shop in Kennebunkport www.capeablebikes.com. Cape Able rents bikes. I'd offer to lend you my older Cannondale but it is only a 50 cm frame.

My Saturday ride was a Women's only ride but starting this Saturday Oct 1 it will become co-ed until spring. Too many people automatically put their bikes away for the season so in order to have any kind of group ride I'm inviting all to join in. What we do will depend on who shows up but we do our best to accommodate all abilities and it will likely be a 25-30 mile ride.

On Sunday we generally have 3-5 groups. I lead the "B+" ride which is a 17-18 mph ride, 32 miles in length. Though with extra layers of clothes I expect the pace will start dropping. We have slower/faster groups so you should be able to find a group that you'll enjoy.

Also check out the Eastern Trail www.easterntrail.org for southern Maine and others have already suggested the Maine Bicycle Coalition www.bikemaine.org for additional information. If you can reach Jeff Miller at BCM he is a great resource and he is in the Augusta area and can probably help you find bike shops/group rides up there.

Hope to see you in Kennebunkport and best wishes with your visit with your dad.

Maureen

[BikeMomma]

Mainerider -

Wow! What a wealth of info from you and from everyone thus far! I truly appreciate the help, suggestions, and well wishes, too.

How far and easy is it to get to Kennebunkport from Augusta? I think I'll probably get a hotel in Augusta, because it seems to be central to all the places that I'll be going. I'll be sifting through all of this during the week, making plans, room reservations, & such. The idea of talking to someone in the Augusta area (Jeff Miller) sounds promising.

Thanks anyway for the thought about your other bike :) Mucho appreciated! Yea....a 50cm frame would be way to small. Me and my long legs! :rolleyes: Hopefully I can find the right size/type (56cm/road) to rent.

I probably won't be able to make the Sunday ride, depending on what time it starts (?). My flight leaves Augusta just after 2:00pm, and then I should get there early, etc. It would just be too much to fit into the morning (wish I could, sounds like a great ride!).

After a stressful Friday, though, Saturday would be perfect...get a ride in, then get ready for a busy day seeing more of my Dad, grandmother, & all the uncles, aunts, cousins I've never met, too. Hard to believe I'm doing this!

Thanks again, so much! ;) :D :p
-BikeMomma

[traveller_62]

I second the motion to try and get in touch with Jeff Miller. He is an awesome guy and does a terrific job of promoting cycling in the state of Maine. He is a very enthusiastic person and always willing to help out a fellow cyclist!

traveller

[BikeMomma]

Thanks, Traveller....I printed out the contacts page from the bikemaine.org site. It has his email on it, and a phone number. I'll find a moment from work tomorrow to give him a call.

I called my Aunt today, spoke to her for the very first time ever. Very emotional for both of us, and I still have to speak to my Uncle (my dad's brother). She offered to have me stay at their place in Scarborough...just south of Portland. So I'll be closer to Kennebunkport than I would have been staying in Augusta. :D :p ;) She says Kennebunkport is about a half hour drive from Scarborough...not bad at'all!

Mainerider -- this is looking like more and more of a possibility, joining the ride at Cape Able bikes on Saturday the 15th. As far as ability level, I'm pretty experienced, so you shouldn't need to show me anything; I can do pacelines, etc. if your group does them routinely. My average speed on rides is usually somewhere in the 16/17/18 mph range (total ride average speed), depending on the headwinds, of course, and I do like to step it up to a lung-ripping pace of 24-26mph, too... :eek: :eek: ....and I can handle a good 50 mile course, if you've got one. But, the road is wide open, so to speak, because really, I'll just be glad to get out on a bike, period...so any ride will be a welcome one. Plus, my head will probably be doing alot of swiveling, looking at the scenery and all, too! The shop's website shows a couple bikes that look promising for me, as well. Hopefully they have my size available, and I'll bring my own pedals if the shop doesn't have Speedplay Zeros (do they?). Already, I can't wait to ride out with you gals. I was checking out the message board on the site...sounds like a good group. Do you still do the pastries afterwards? Yum!

Thanks again, and just a warning....I'll probably be thanking you many many more times in the near future. :D
-BikeMomma

[BikeMomma]

The ride at Cape Able is a "for sure" now....I called the shop and reserved a 54cm Cannondale R900 for Saturday. They didn't have a 56cm, but Brandon (?) at the shop said they'll put a longer stem on it, if needed. Awesome, sounds like a nice bike.

Now if the rain would stop over there....geez. Looks like I'll be bringing my rain gear, too. :rolleyes: Cold, wet, and deliriously happy to ride.

See ya Saturday..... :D
-BikeMomma

[mainerider]

Unfortunately the weather doesn't look great for Saturday. Hopefully it will be better than last weekend (over 5 inches of rain on Saturday and I don't know how much more on Sunday). If it isn't really nasty I'll show up.

[BikeMomma]

Unfortunately the weather doesn't look great for Saturday. Hopefully it will be better than last weekend (over 5 inches of rain on Saturday and I don't know how much more on Sunday). If it isn't really nasty I'll show up.
Maybe I'll PM you tonight with my cell number, so that you can call me if you're not going. Will anyone else show up even if you don't? I've been watching the forecasts for the area. If it's a light rain, I might still do it. Otherwise, I'll have a pretty rental bike to admire for a nice fee. :p

[BikeMomma]

Hey gals,

A few of you have expressed interest in my pending trip report, and I just want to say "it's coming!"....but I have been sooo busy since getting back to California, and then I have a mid-term in my Philosophy class tomorrow night that I am -- uh -- supposed to be studying for (at this very moment), another mid-term in another class, and then a paper to write for another. I've posted to other threads since getting back, but I've been putting off the trip report for a time when I have a few extra moments to spend on it, because I want to take my time and post some pictures with it, too.

Thanks for your patience and interest... :)
-BikeMomma

[BikeMomma]

Hey Everyone -

Well, I finally got a few minutes to mess around with the photos I took in Maine. I wanted to post a few of them to share with my experiences, but as I need to figure out how to make them smaller, I'll have to add them later.

First though, let me say that going to Maine to see my Dad was one of the most important decisions and experiences of my life. Even though I'm 35, I feel that I did a lot of growing up along this whole process by helping to soothe my "demons", for lack of a better word, regarding my relationship with my father, or lack thereof. All the memories I have of my father before this were in bad circumstances, as my parents were divorced and I only saw him during his court-authorized visitations, which almost always ended badly, with yelling, sometimes police, etc. Long story short, I got a letter notifying me that he had very nearly died earlier this year, that he was still very sick. The fact that I could have lost my father without ever seeing him again affected me deeply, and I knew that I had to see him one more time, at least, before it was too late. It had been 23 years since I had seen him (I was 12), and I so much wanted to just see his face again.

So here goes.....I'm so jazzed to be able to share it with you. I'll try not to get too wordy, but no guarantees. I might grab a tall cup o' joe and get ready for a good long read, if I were you.

Ok, well first of all, this was my first plane trip anywhere, ever! What a doozy, huh? And let me just say, I have found something ELSE I want to do with my life (as if the list isn't long enough)....take flying lessons...I LOVED flying, even the rough flight from Boston to Augusta! I knew I would, as I've always been interested in airplanes. Anyway, the flight from San Francisco was the red-eye (10:45pm), so I didn't see any land except by moonlight, and THAT was neat! The lights of the cities below were like tiny little clusters from 35K feet above the earth, and the Great Lakes looked huge even from that height, with the moonlight reflected off their surface. So cool. My seatmates were perfect - a young couple from the Bay Area. My bad luck got the aisle seat, but after they found out it was my first flight, they insisted on giving me the window seat. Another plus about them -- he used to be on the UCLA Cycling Team a couple years ago....so we had some good conversation about bikes, in between snoozes.

After the plane landed in Boston friday morning, I met up with a high school friend of mine that I had emailed a couple weeks earlier to tell her that I was going to be in Boston, albeit for only a couple hours! Seeing her was one of the high points of my trip -- it was so awesome to see her, and she's still the same beautiful person she was back then. ;)

I took a little propeller commuter plane over from Boston to Augusta, which was really neat. It was completely differently from the big jetliner I had just been on. You could feel every bump of the rough air currents, and I could feel the plane dropping and lifting, and the tail wagging back and forth, as the weather knocked it around a little. I had every confidence in the pilots, though, and totally enjoyed the flight. There was only three of us on board.

As soon as we landed and taxied over, I looked over and saw my aunt and uncle, whom I had never met, over at the gate waiting for me. I knew it was my uncle as soon as I saw him; the tall, lanky, slim body structure definitely runs in the family, as do the blue eyes. I nearly cried before I even got out of the plane, because the realness of what I was doing was suddenly right there in front of me. I went inside and immediately got a hug from my Aunt and a memorable smile from my Uncle. What a moment....I instantly felt loved and welcome. Awesome.

From the airport, we went to eat at a deli nearby as it was lunchtime there (still morning on the West Coast!), which gave us a chance to get to know each other and talk about my dad, since we were going straight over there to see him. What they had to tell me was pretty sobering -- he's a sick man, physically (emphysema and a serious heart condition) and mentally (bi-polar disorder and some mild paranoia). We also talked about the condition of my 93-year-old grandmother, whom I was also going to visit on Saturday.

Seeing my dad for the first time in so many years was...I don't know...strange. He looked sortof the same, but the years have taken a toll on him, and he looked so much older than I was prepared for. I can't count the number of times I welled up with tears while looking at him. He's able to get around and walk, but always with an oxygen tank, and he has a bad knee, so it's slow going. We had a good visit, though, and it went well despite both mine and my uncle's concerns about how he would react to me. He enjoyed the pictures I brought of my three kids - his grandkids - and laughed very hard at a couple of them (my kids are crazy, especially in front of the camera :D ). That laugh I'll remember forever. ;) I also brought a few of my two brothers, and he was amazed at how much we've all changed over the years. In fact, he didn't even recognize me when I came in. My uncle asked him if he knew who I was and he replied grumpily "Well I dunno, the new nurse???!" Ha! It was toooo funny. Then when he realized who he WAS looking at, he was nearly speechless and somewhat embarrassed/sheepish at the state he was in. I assured him, though, that I knew what had happened to him, and was only there to see him and let him know I cared. It was a great visit, although I was a little guarded through it, and I left feeling good, filled with emotion, but strangely free, like a huge weight had been lifted. I had felt every emotion one could feel, all at the same time - dread, timidness, fear, deep sadness, happiness, elation, regret, pity, humor, relief, wariness....the list could go on.

After we left, we drove through Saco, where my dad grew up, to Kennebunkport where the Cape Able bike shop is and met my new friend, a lovely blue Cannondale, Ultegra-equipped (I'll call him Mr. Blue, for lack of a better name). They put my Speedplay Zero pedals on for me, put on a longer stem, and made sure it would work out for me, and I took the little guy with me (I say little, 'cause it was a 54cm frame, when my usual size is a 56cm). Nice shop! And it was cute -- out in the middle of seemingly nowhere, in the woods of the Maine coast. Very nice, beautiful locale and perfect for cyclists.

From there, bike loaded, we drove back up to Scarborough where my aunt and uncle live, they let me get settled in to my neat little room upstairs, take a shower, and get cleaned up before we went out to dinner (pasta!!). We looked at some pictures they have of my dad when he was little and they had some of my mom and dad's wedding. As she's taken all of hers out of the photo albums, I had never seen any before....they looked so happy.

With all of the activity and emotion of the day, I was completely exhausted. I went to up to bed, and used my cell phone to check my email, intending to set the alarm to wake up by afterwards. Well.....I was sooo tired I fell asleep with the phone still connected to the network and never set my alarm. I woke up at 6:55, when I meant to get up nearly an hour earlier, and started groggily putting on my cycling stuff and looking out the window at the weather (yukky!!). Just then my cell phone rang - I didn't hear it at first, since I hadn't even adjusted the volume from the flights and the hospital visit. It was Mainerider calling to see if I was going on the 8:00 ride back at the shop. I called her right back, and together, I do believe we let the reeeally WET weather chicken us out. But, she said she hadn't had anything planned, so we agreed to wait for a break in the weather. Guess what I did....went back to sleep! By the time I finally got up and fed, though, the "break in the weather" had been very small and pretty much had passed us by. The forecast called for heavy rains in the afternoon, so I called up Mainerider to see if she wanted to chance it, and lo and behold....she was already getting that heavy rain. So...alas, she and I never met up. That was a downer...I was looking forward to meeting up with another TE member! Next time, Mainerider...as I'm thinking of going back....I met lots of family that I'd love to see again, and who knows, my dad might hang on for a couple more years. He's stubborn enough. :D

As I'm my stubborn dad's daughter :rolleyes: , I wasn't about to let a good rental bike go to waste, so I went out for a ride anyway, knowing I was in for a wet one. My uncle told me of a pretty simple route through Old Orchard Beach (deserted because of the off-season), past an old beachside amusement park, and through marsh and wooded areas. They said I'd eventually come to a spot where I could go no further -- no chance of getting lost, just rained on! Well, it was sprinkling lightly as I left, but I didn't care. The scenery was beautiful, and I relished the experience of riding in Maine. What a beautiful state! As I rode though, it started raining harder...still didn't care about getting wet, but becoming more concerned about drivers being able to see me through the heavy rain. So, although I wasn't ready to stop riding, my better judgement stopped me from going any further, and I turned back. The roads were already starting to get flooded, too. I found my way back to the house and rode up and down their quiet street for a few minutes, still not ready to get off the bike, and realizing how good it felt to blow off some of that stress. But, looking at the time, I had to get the bike back to the shop by closing time, so my relationship with Mr. Blue had to come to an end as quick as it started.

We took the bike back to Kennebunkport, took some pics of ol' Mr. Blue and the shop, and then went for a little drive before going to see my grandmother. About four years ago, she began to get very ill, and now due to her heart not supplying enough oxygen to her brain, does not have much of a short-term memory, and is "in and out" on the long-term things. She knew who I was at first after being told it was me, but there was a few moments where she was trying to figure out again who she was looking at, and then she needed reminding of my brothers' names. So sad....my uncle cried when we left. He says he never has cried like that. I only regret not getting to see her while she was strong. The last and only time I saw her, I believe I was maybe five years old.

During the course of the day, I had made a huge mistake. I hadn't eaten after my ride, and had only had a bowl of oatmeal in the morning, so as we drove around seeing the sights (Walker's Point where Prez Bush goes for time off, family sites of interest), the lack of food combined with probably the stress of the trip, I developed the mother of all migraines. Too late, we stopped for something to eat, and I knew after eating about half of it that I was in for it. We got back to the house, and I was quietly sick. I managed to make it back out to see my grandmother, though, and one of my cousins had come over to meet me. We went out to a restaurant for a New England-style lobster dinner, and I just couldn't eat, much less sit there for more than ten minutes without having to visit the porcelain facilities. This was one of worst migraines I had had in probably years, and I felt so bad to do it, but I excused myself to go lay down (as much as I could) in the car outside. As soon as we got back to the house, I got into bed, and didn't get up (except to be sick again) until about 2am. Finally, I felt well enough to keep something down. So, comically, there I was in the middle of the night, groggily nibbling on leftover mashed potatoes from my uneaten lobster dinner. :D

Sunday, I saw my dad again, and this visit was much more emotional than the first, because I knew that it might be the very last time I saw him. Again, the visit was good, which almost compounded the emotion. It was so hard leaving him, but I had to catch the plane. He told me he loved me, that he was sorry, and hugged me many times. I had told myself before I left home that what I wanted were those things that he just said and did, so even though I was a sobbing mess upon leaving, I was gratified at the same time. I felt that the whole visit was completely right, and that he felt the same. I could see that he meant everything he said and that it meant alot that I had come all that way just to see him.

I met another cousin and his family (I have 2nd cousins too!! :D ) at the airport in Augusta, where I found out that my flight was delayed due to maintenance issues...and then cancelled due to the weather. Another night in Maine! But it gave me a chance to get to know my cousin and his family better over an early dinner, so it was a blessing in disguise.

I got up at 3:30am (12:30am on the West Coast!) to be able to catch a bus in Portland to go to the Boston airport. I didn't see much of Boston since it was dark, but saw plenty of the airport. :D The flight back was awesome, and I was like a little kid looking out the window at all the sights below. Way cool. I had another good seat companion - this time, a really sweet English woman, and we had lots to talk about, as my mother is English (that's the next flight I need to take). I snapped pics of the Boston skyline and harbor as we banked away from the city (tea, anyone??) and the Great Lakes, saw the farmlands of the Midwest, the peaks of the Rockies, the flats of Utah, and as a plus, flew right over Yosemite Nat'l Park. Of course, that was my last picture. And it turned out!

Back in California, it was back to a different reality. I had a paper due in philosophy that night (I was making revisions to it during the flight...never ever thought I'd be doing homework in an airplane!), so I hit the ground almost literally running. I got home after driving back from SF at about 3:30pm, made the changes to my report, and then scurried to class. I was awake almost 24 hours that day (remember, I had gotten up at 12:30am Pacific time!). I slept well!

I know this was long, and most of you may have only been interested in the part about the bike and the ride, but to me, the trip was so much more than that. It's unbelievable how I struggled with the decision of going, and then I actually did it, and now....now I feel like I have a family over there in Maine, I feel like I have a father, and I have the reassurance that he loves me, my family loves me, and that they all think about me as often as I think about them. This was the best and the biggest thing I think I've arguably done all my life, and it turned out wonderfully.

Thanks for reading, everyone. ;)

[bikerz]

Hey BikeMomma - I was wondering how it had all turned out - what a complete range of emotional and physical experiences you had! It's too bad the rain kept you off the bike so much, but it really sounds like you more than made up for it in the new and strengthened family connections. Thanks for sharing such a huge experince with us!

[BikeMomma]

Thanks, Z. It felt like home - there was family history everywhere. I'm told a descendent of ours was on the Mayflower! I've always been so disconnected from my dad's side of the family, all these things I've never known. Strange, I know. But, I think those doors are open now. I can never thank my aunt and uncle enough for the acceptance, compassion, and understanding they showed me. It was a truly special experience, all the way around. I think it was for my dad, too. I think he had been doing alot of thinking about me, and maybe even his life, on Saturday when I didn't go to see him. He seemed much more thoughtful about things on our second visit. We definitely made a connection.

Ok, I'm babbling now! Just so glad I went!

[bikerz]

Thanks, Z. It felt like home - there was family history everywhere. I'm told a descendent of ours was on the Mayflower! Well then, we may be related! My mom's dad's family is descended from John Alden, and they eventually settled in Rockport, Camden and nearby areas (the ones who didn't head up to Nova Scotia when the revolutionary war broke out, that is!). I lived in Bath for 3 years during high school, and have always hoped to end up back in Maine someday. It's like home to me too! Such a beautiful state.

That's great about the connection you made with your dad - it seems like one of the worst things about losing a parent would be to have regrets about not having made some sort of peace (if there was distance, that is). And you met a great set of other relatives to boot!

[traveller_62]

Hi BikeMomma,

I'm glad you wrote about it all and not just Mr. Blue and the blustery day. Your experience just reminds us all that as long as we are alive, reconciliation and renewal is always possible.

You were right to have confidence in the pilots of those little prop planes (Beechcraft 1900) out of Boston to Maine. I know a number of the pilots given the amount of travel I do. They've gotten me home from Boston to Bar Harbor in some rather interesting weather over the years ;)

I do hope you make it back out here at some point soon. If you do, please let me know. I'm about 2.5 hours from Augusta but would be happy to drive down for a nice long bike ride. My niece lives down that way so I could visit her at the same time.

I'll close for now. I've got to get up early to catch one of those bumpy plane rides to Boston :) Thanks for a great post.

traveller

[BikeMomma]

Thanks girlz!

Traveller - I'll most definitely look you up next time I come. ;) You and the other Maine TE ladies, maybe even the upper Mass ladies too. Might be fun to create our own ride. I doubt Mr. Blue will be around still, as he was for sale, so I'll hook up with another fine little guy, Cape Able style. :D Hopefully better weather, too.

BikerZ - my maiden name is Nickerson, and the Nickerson name is everywhere up there in Maine. My aunt & uncle got into our family geneology really heavily and in doing so, discovered that fact about the Mayflower. Pretty neat about your connections, as well.