The first exploration--aborted!

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...

On the road to the lake overlook

Far view--almost there

Off in the distance...

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.