Trial runs are a good thing. They give you a chance to find out what changes need to be made before the final commitment. I spent the weekend doing a trial run. Friday, my first stop was western Maine so I could return my friend Noelle’s blankets that she’d left at a local goat show. By the time I got there after a drive of some 3 ½ hours (I stopped in Bangor first), my back was in muscle spasm. I simply could not travel any further, so Noelle, taking pity on my poor sniveling self, prepared me a hot water bottle for my back, and I stayed the night in her extra bedroom.. Oh, what a relief!
While I was there I had the pleasure of helping her with her goats, particularly Blondee, whom I love. She’s a spectacular doe, big, smooth, long neck, very dairy, and a beautiful udder. Milking her reminded me of milking Beatrice, my first doe and my herd queen.
I milked one of her first fresheners, too, but like most first fresheners, her teats were small. I milked her mostly out, then told Noelle she’d have to take over, as my hands were cramping. I can’t imagine milking 4 or 6 goats by hand every day. Of course, that’s why I got a milking machine!
Next morning, I woke up feeling good, so after the goats were milked and out to pasture, I left for the grand adventure. One of the joys of driving in Maine is that you can take an international trip and never leave the state.
I drove to Peru, then to Mexico, and to give my back a break before I needed to, I looked for a library to get online. My GPS was confused and useless. I’m not sure it even knew which town I was in. I finally ended up in Rumford, but they closed a half hour later. No problem, I continued on my journey.
Noelle had told me how beautiful the Rangeley Lakes area was, so I headed that way, The area is breathtaking, lakes and mountains peeking through the trees, some close, some farther away! Overlooks, byways, hiking trails...
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| On the road to the lake overlook |
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| Far view--almost there |
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| Off in the distance... |
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| Lake overlook |
even wild strawberries eking out an existence on the side of the road.
After taking lots of pictures, I started looking for a campground. Hmm. Nearest one 25 miles away. Really? Here I am in the middle of the Rangeley Lakes area and there are no campgrounds? In fact, as I progressed, there was no cell signal either. That was not good, but at least my GPS was working—sort of.
The GPS had declared that the Rangeley State Park was 8 miles down this road, but as I progressed the dirt road seemed to be getting narrower, and by now I didn’t really trust Garmin to get me where I wanted to go. I turned around and started back. I wasn’t sure I wanted to take my Volvo down a dirt road that might turn into a narrow track that would be difficult, if not impossible, to turn around on. After I headed back, I pulled off the road to take a real walk, not just get out and stretch my back and have lunch. Now, I was actually in an area that I could have just stayed at except for one thing: the sign on the road I entered said, “No bear baiting or beat hunting without a permit”. I’d seen another sign a few miles down the road that asked, “Got Bears? We do!” On second thought, I wasn’t eager to spend a night in black bear territory.
I headed back toward Mexico, heading toward a campground an hour or more away. Now in pain from muscle spasms in my back, I pulled off the road at the overlook I’d been at before, and had a snack, stretched, walked some more, and drove off again. By the time I neared Mexico, all I wanted was something hot or cold on my back. Noelle? Would you like a house guest again? Back I went, and she graciously put me up again. Bless the woman! She saved my life (or at least my sanity) twice in a row!. With ice packs on my back and a comfy sofa to lie on while the cold penetrated, I was a most grateful guest.
Sunday I drove home, a cold pack on my back. I will not take the Volvo for long trips. Killer seats are not conducive to comfort, only to crying. I’m so grateful this was a trial run! I’m home and grateful for that, too. I will leave for my next outing when I have solid wheels and a comfortable vehicle--soon, I hope.
