On Thursday morning we just plain slept in! After an early breakfast we fell back asleep… Leaving the outskirts of Boston at about 9:30 AM. Lots of traffic on the I-495 with some real slow downs… But never actually had to stop for any length of time. By the time we hit the Maine border we were in need of gas for old blue… With the warning light fully engaged. However, located a station easily and began thinking about some lunch!
I’d scoped out the local “Clam Shack” style eateries in Maine and lots were sourced, so I copied a few down. It just so happened that the Fisherman’s Catch Restaurant was among them so we angled towards their front doors! Opening at 11:30 we were perfectly on time. To save complication we requested a Seafood Platter for Two! We’d behaved pretty well in regards to eating, so this one was the splurge! Whole clams, haddock, scallops, and shrimp with coleslaw and fries. Some good old comfort food! We enjoyed the meal, service and the flare of the rustic seafood diner. Great stop!
In our bedroom there is a print of an Edward Hopper work of a lighthouse… A wedding gift from the Mt A boys. I figured it’s actual location was somewhere in New England, and before leaving home I researched its history. Turns out, the name is Portland Head Light and a visit seemed easy enough to incorporate. We took on the drive there in the hopes we could get a walk in and feel the coolness of some ocean breeze, in what was a very hot afternoon reaching 35 degrees at times on the highway. Upon arrival we parked and checked out the facilities… Great set up with walks, a supervised beach, Fort William/Lighthouse museums and superb views of the nearby islands and waterways South of Portland. We got a photo that we think is pretty close to the site of the Hopper painting. Nice visit.
Then full on to LL Bean in Freeport. This is the company’s flagship store… And is a mammoth piece of infrastructure. All of Beans finest… Clothing, camping, hunting, taxidermy, and even trout ponds… But none on sale according to Janie! It’s a bit more of an event than a place to shop for any kind of deal. After a couple of finds and some free wifi we made a hasty retreat with 2 1/2 more hours driving time before our lodging at the Brooklin Inn, Brooklin, Me.
Shortly after 6:00 PM we arrived in beautiful, tiny Brooklin… Such a contrast from the suburbia of Boston where the day’s events began. We got access to our room, had a glass of red, then shuttled ourselves into the “Pub”, which essentially was a renovated portion of the cellar of the Inn. It was quiet as we made our way in… But the bartender/waitress/chef/cashier Mary Anne made us feel at home and kept the drinks flowing. We enjoyed an excellent pizza fired in the brick oven behind the bar (as if it wasn’t warm enough) and had a great evening using our teacher ears to overhear the many conversations around us. ‘Twas hopping when we left!
We’d managed wifi before bedtime and did some last minute preparations before Great Spruce Head Island. Firstly, we secured a 2:00 PM connecting time to meet with Than on Friday in Blue Hills for a supply run. Checked things out with Peter at home as well… Also did some banking and finally web updates! Great evening!