24
July 2010
We didn't quite need gas right away, and it was muggy, so we wanted
some air moving through our suits as soon as possible.
On to the Mass. Turnpike, where we didn't have to pay getting off last
night, speculating that the shortness of the travel was the reason. We
got gas at the Blandford service area and headed for Springfield. At
this exit, we'd been on the 'pike for 45 miles, and still didn't have
to pay! What's with that?
Finding the armory was a bit of a challenge: as we rode past the
complex, the gps said "Turn here." Through a fence? At the next
intersection, we turned to circle the campus; half way down the block
was an entrance, and careful observation revealed a sign pointing the
way. We circled around and eventually found the building housing the
armory, parked and went in, only to be greeted by stares from
everybody.
To be fair, "everybody" was a team of "correctional custodial workers"
shepherded by a ranger or two. Still, we were the only voluntary
visitors, and a cursory tour revealed a vast display of firearms of all
types, dating back to matchlocks, and all the way forward through
Springfield rifles and Tommy Guns to the present--there must have been
a thousand guns in display cases. Would that we had more time!
But no, back on the bikes, and wend our way out onto the 'pike again.
North of Boston we ran into our first traffic jam of the day, where a
two mile stretch took 10 minutes, then just before crossing into New
Hampshire, another one where we finally had to pay a toll: $2.40. We
thought that the toll plaza was the reason for the jam, but no! It was
even worse after! We crawled along for another dozen miles before the
road split, with some of the traffic heading off into the wilds of New
Hampshire while we opened up toward Maine.
Once into Maine, I saw a sign that said "extensive construction on
I-295--use alternate route." What alternate route? I made a snap
decision to stay on I-95, and took that most of the way around/through
Portland, but decided to get back on 295 after, since it looked like 95
was heading more westerly than we wanted to go.
Wham! Smack dab into the middle of a construction zone, where we stayed
for about three miles and 25 minutes. Maybe 95 would have been a better
choice, it does merge back in up a ways. But eventually we got out of
it, and only had to contend with low speed limits and boring green
scenery.
The road out to Bar Harbor was also under construction (although not
actively) for several miles, with some dirt sections, delaying our
arrival into town to after 1700, which meant that the various traffic
anomalies cost us about an hour and a half--our original projected
arrival time had been 1530. We'll get the Acadia NP stamp in the
morning, before we leave, since it's only about five hours up to
Madawaska tomorrow.
We found the Best Western Acadia Park Inn, where Boyd had made
reservations, and checked in, soliciting the manager's advice on where
to eat. She noted a lobster shack just up the road, and a "meat place"
a bit further, so after we'd unpacked we hiked out to the "Bar Harbor
Lobster Pound" and had a lobster each.
That didn't fill either of us up, so over to the "Mainely Meat BBQ"
where we each had a pulled pork sandwich and I had an ice cream cone.
That'll do.
Oh, and it's not hot and muggy here--more like cold and clammy.
States: Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine
next
home