Route 1 in New Hampshire – Hampton Beach

Now that we are getting close to home, there are some favorite stops that we know that we always enjoy.  One of these is Hampton Beach.

There’s no place quite like it.  It’s a beach town where the waterfront is a string of arcades, shops, restaurants, and motels.  But the best part is that scattered along the way are walk-up windows of beach food.

They have everything from seafood to burgers to wraps and everything else in between.  This includes all kinds of deep fried wonders.  But more on that later.

The reason Hampton Beach holds such a warm place in our hearts, is that it played an important role in our relationship.  My wife and I would come up here frequently while we were dating.  Long walks along the beach, and a game of mini-golf or two were fond memories of that time.

Yes, it’s crowded in the summer.  Parking is hard to come by, especially on the weekend.  But it’s well worth it.

Cheryl and I enjoyed going down memory lane as we walked down the beach together.  Even though we’d been here many times, Route 1 wouldn’t be complete without this addition.

We could have stayed here all day, but we didn’t.  There was an ulterior motive besides the memories.  I can sum it up with three words – Blink’s Fry Doe.

When it comes to fried delights or fried dough in general, Blink’s wins hands down.  First of all, it’s the shape.  Most fried dough comes in a huge circle.  You need to use two hands or you end up with powdered sugar all over you.

Blink’s is long and only about four inches wide.  It can be held and eaten in one hand.  Of course their dough is the best ever.  It’s a little softer and chewier than most so it doesn’t break apart and make a mess when you bite it.

Then, there’s the flavors.  They have a list of about twenty different toppings for their dough.  If you figure in all the ways they can be mixed and matched, the list is endless.  My favorite is peanut butter and jelly.

This time I got the apple and cinnamon with powdered sugar.  Cheryl’s a purist.  She always gets butter, cinnamon, and sugar.  It was absolutely delicious.  It gave us all we needed to continue on down the road.

This was our last stop in New Hampshire – now onward to Massachusetts…

Questions: Have you ever been to Hampton Beach?  What’s your favorite food destination there?

© Nick Zaccardi 2013

Hampton Beach

Memories

Beach House

Blink’s

Route 1 in New Hampshire – Portsmouth

We now woke up refreshed and ready to continue our adventures in a new state.  We crossed the border into New Hampshire and were ready for a good breakfast.

A few months before this trip I had read a magazine article about a local breakfast place.  Based upon that, we decided to try the Friendly Toast in downtown Portsmouth.  We were definitely not disappointed.

Just walking into the eatery, we knew it was the place for us.  The retro furniture and advertising memorabilia gives it a very fun atmosphere.  To top it off, the wait staff were friendly and welcoming.

The food was just as good as the magazine described it.  Even the bread used for the toast was home-made.

When the omelets arrived, they were fluffy and huge.  Those, along with the toast and home fries, made a meal that had to partially come home with us.  I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone.  Both the food and atmosphere are wonderful.

After breakfast, we decided to walk around the lovely town of Portsmouth.  It has a New England feel to it.  From the little shops to the tree lined streets, it all works together to give you a peaceful experience in a fairly big city.

We found a walkway along the harbor that had stations that explained what we were seeing.  One thing we saw was the construction being done on Route 1.  There was a new bridge being built to take the road from Maine to New Hampshire.  It will be interesting to see it when it’s done.

Also along the way we saw the public gardens.  The arrangement of flowers, with all of their sizes, colors, and shapes was breathtaking.

As we returned to the car we passed by the fictional settlement of Strawberry Banke.  You can tour the colonial period buildings for an entrance fee.  It’s the home of Felicity Merriman of the American Girl book series.

When we were finished our walk, we headed to New Castle, an island just off the coast of Portsmouth.  It’s accessible by bridge.  Along the way we passed an old Naval Hospital.  It had been closed and abandoned for years.  It gave us a creepy feeling – like something out of the Twilight Zone.

The reason we went to New Castle was to see the Coast Guard station.  At the station there was both a lighthouse and a fort.

The fort, Fort Constitution, was originally an English fort in colonial days.  It was the site of the first organized American assault of the Revolutionary War.  The colonists took it quite easily.  The guns and ammo were then sent off to General Washington and played a big role in his victories.

Also on the site is the Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse.  That and the Coast Guard station made for an interesting visit.  You had to walk through the Coast Guard parking lot to get to the fort.  The problem was, you had to park outside the station lot and you could only walk on a blue line that had been painted on the ground.

What would happen if you walked off the blue line that took the long way around the parking lot?  I don’t know.  Maybe arrested for terrorism.  We didn’t try it to find out.

We finished our time in Portland in true road trip style – we stopped at the Lindt Chocolate factory outlet.  After all, it was still early in the week and our stash of chocolate was getting low…

© Nick Zaccardi 2013

Portsmouth

Friendly Toast

Yummy!

Gardens

Abandoned

The Blue Line

Portsmouth Light

Route 1 – Farewell to Maine

The Route 1 Park

In my previous post, I told you about my last day on Route 1 in the state of Maine.  What an adventure it was!  I’m so glad that my wife and I decided to start this trek.  Even though we will be continuing down the road – all the way to Key West, Florida – I want to take the time to reflect back on the 520 mile journey through Maine.

I can truly say that Maine is a state of contrasts.  The northern and southern parts of the state are worlds away from one another.  When we started this trip in Fort Kent, it was like we had entered another country.

What we experienced was so far removed from our part of New England (The Boston area).  It was like we were transported to rural farming communities in the French Canadian provinces.  The beauty of the area is unmatched anywhere else.

For about the next 210 miles it was like this – all the way to Calais.  The potato farms, the pine trees, the tiny communities and the open road devoid of any traffic, all combined to give us a unique experience.

Nubble Light

Then everything changed once we arrived “Downeast” along the coast of Maine.  Now it became fishing villages and rocky coastlines.  The smell of the ocean gave us a hunger for seafood, which we found in abundance in this region.

Down the rugged seaside we continued.  This area of the upper coast was also sparsely populated.  It was like this for 180 miles down to Rockland.  Until then we had basically owned the road all to ourselves.

As a matter of fact, it wasn’t until the day after we were in Rockland that we hit our first traffic jam on Route 1.  It was as we were heading across the bridge into Wiscasset.  Now we were getting into the tourist heavy sections of Maine.

The last 120 miles were definitely the most crowded.  The summer travelers swelled the area.  Of course this meant more choices in things to do, places to go, restaurants to eat at, and stores to shop.  Along with that we noticed a definite increase in the price of lodging.

All in all, I’d say that Maine is a wonderful vacation destination, no matter what you enjoy.  Whether it’s the fast pace resort scene, a quiet view of history, or the enjoyment of awesome scenery, Maine has it all.  We took away a lifetime of memories from this great state.

Question: Have you ever been to Maine?  What do you enjoy about the state?

© Nick Zaccardi 2012

Route 1 in Maine – York

After a wonderful walk in Kennebunkport, we were on our way to our lunch destination.  We decided we wanted a picnic on the top of Mt. Agamenticus.

This part of Route 1 was very familiar to us from past vacations with my parents.  We went through the center of Kennebunk.  Then, it was on to Wells.

There we stopped at a grocery store for our picnic supplies.  Let me just mention Wells Beach.  Even though we didn’t stop there on this trip, it’s a great place to spend the day.  Sand, sun, and a few restaurants make it a nice destination.

Route 1 then winds its way through the town of Ogunquit.  You know you’re there when the traffic comes to halt because of the streams of people crossing back and forth across the road.  It’s one of the biggest tourist draws on this route.

Of course there’s good reason for this.  I’ve been one of the people in the crowds a few times.  In the past, we have parked our car near the center.  Then we took the trolley to Perkins Cove.  It’s a beautiful spot for pictures and restaurants.  From there we would walk along the Marginal Way back to where the car was parked.

Marginal Way is a walking path along the ocean cliffs.  The views are absolutely breathtaking.  This is a place that shouldn’t be missed if you come to this area.  But, as I said, having already walked it a number of times, we skipped it on this trip.

From there we drove on to the town of York.  In the past we’ve spent time on York Beach.  This is another fun family destination.  But today, we took a right from Route 1, instead of a left.  Up Mountain Road we went, following the snaking way up the side of the mountain.

Very quickly we arrived at the summit parking area on Mt. Agamenticus.  The first thing that struck us was the views.  There was 360 degrees of unobstructed sights to see.  Then, we saw all the picnic tables scattered over the area.  We knew we had made a good choice.

Our lunch consisted of tuna salad sandwiches and chips.  The great views, cool breezes, and food all combined to make it a memorable time.  The only complaint we had was over a dog.  But, actually, it wasn’t the dog’s fault.  He was friendly and wanted a bite of our food, not realizing that we didn’t feel like sharing.  It was the owner that didn’t keep him on a leash that we were disgruntled with.

When we were finished our meal (the owner of the dog eventually took control of him) we started exploring the area.  We saw all the way into New Hampshire.  We could see the Ossippee and White Mountains.  We saw all the way up and down the coast of Maine for many miles.  It’s an amazing place.  There were a few platforms to give you an even better view of some directions.

When we were done on the top of the mountain, we drove to York Harbor.  There we walked on a causeway over a pond to see the Wiggley Bridge.  It’s a small suspension bridge over the pond.  While there, we watched some teens catching crabs.  It was quite interesting.

We finished up our York adventure with a side trip to Cape Neddick.  There we saw one of the most photographed lighthouses in Maine – Nubble Light.  It’s set on a hill across the water.  The caretakers could only get to it by riding a wooden box that they had to pull across on a cable.  I don’t know if I would be comfortable in it.

York definitely created a lot of memories for us.  It was a well worth the time it took to seek out these sights, even though they’re a little bit off the beaten path.  When we were finished, it was time to get back on the road…

Question: What do you like doing in the York area?

Agamenticus View

Nubble Light

Caretaker Cable

Nubble View

The Causeway

Wiggley Bridge

© Nick Zaccardi 2012

Route 1 in Maine – The Kennebunks

Having spent a refreshing night at the Biddeford Motel, we were now ready to return to the road.  We started down Route 1 and had a quick bite at the Dunkin Donuts.  Yes, I like donuts and coffee for breakfast.

We were now in familiar territory.  My parents used to own a summer home in Kennebunk, so we spent many weeks in the summer up here.  On this trip my wife and I wanted adventure.  So, even though I might mention the bigger tourist attractions, that’s not where we were headed to.

There are so many beautiful spots in this area.  We decided to leave Route 1 for a side trip to Kennebunkport.  Along the way we saw the Wedding Cake House.  It is interesting, but there are many beautiful, old houses in this area.

What we were mainly looking forward to was a walk along the ocean on a cliff walk called Parson’s Way.  Just parking the car, we were met by an incredible view.  It stretched from where we were, all the way along Kennebunk Beach, with its grand hotels, down the coast to Wells and beyond.  The day was cool and clear with a moderate breeze off the water – a perfect day for a walk along the edge.

As we started up the hill, we were impressed by the huge homes that were in this area.  I would probably rather call them estates.  Of course, right along this shoreline you will come to the Bush estate – and yes, I do mean the family of the former presidents.  You will know it by the gate out front and the black SUV’s around the property.

As we approached the top of the hill we came to St. Ann’s Church.  This is truly a hidden gem of the area.  I have driven on this road many times in the past, but until we took this walk, I had never noticed the church before.  The grounds are an oasis of peace in this busy part of the world.

The church itself is a beautiful New England stone building.  It was finished in 1892.  When we were there, the church was open and we were allowed to view the interior.  It’s just as lovely on the inside as it is outside.  The carved beams and the ornate workmanship speak of a bygone age.  We just don’t seem to have an eye for this kind of detail anymore.  We felt privileged to experience this wonderful place.

That’s not all that we saw there.  The grounds themselves were just as impressive.  There’s an outdoor chapel that overlooks the cliffs down to the Atlantic.  The day was clear.  We could see out across the Gulf of Maine.  Mt. Agamenticus was off in the distance in York.

It was so peaceful, that we took the time to just sit and meditate as we looked out at the beauty of God’s creation.  It is definitely something you need to experience if you’re ever in this part of Maine.

The trail then proceeded further up the coast.  We passed a place called Spouting Rock.  Unfortunately, the ocean was so calm that it wasn’t spouting.  Eventually we made it as far as we wanted to go and headed back to the car.  This was worth the stop, but now Mt. Agamenticus was calling…

Question: Do you know of any other scenic ocean walks in New England?

Kennebunk Beach

Outdoor Chapel

St. Ann’s

© Nick Zaccardi 2012

Route 1 in Maine – Saco

We started our 2012 Route 1 road trip by driving to Scarborough, ME.  That’s where we left off last year.  We actually went to the same restaurant we ended with last year – Dunstan’s Schoolhouse Buffet.  It was a great way to start the trip.  For our review of this restaurant, click here.

From there we drove through Saco and on down to Biddeford.  There, we checked into the Biddeford Motel, right on Route 1.  It was a friendly place with clean rooms and a reasonable price.  Because of the proximity to Old Orchard Beach, it’s hard to find a nice place for a good price in the summer.  We’re glad we stopped here.

Obviously, we weren’t the only ones to find it.  Soon after we stopped, a tour bus pulled in and they took most of the rooms.  But, as nice as the accommodations were, that’s not why we stopped here for the night.

If you have been reading my blog, you might remember my adventure in Madawaska last year.  We wanted to go to the drive-in movies, but were turned away because of the weather (supposedly).  Now we had another chance.  The Saco Drive-in was right down the street from us, on Route 1.

This year we were not disappointed.  We arrived just before dusk and had our pick of many great spots.  We tuned our radio to the right channel and were on our way.  They were showing a double feature – Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days and Total Recall.  No, I don’t know how those two movies go together either.  But, I made it through the Wimpy Kid to get to Recall.

If you go to this drive-in, you need to be ready.  The night was cool, so we rolled down our windows for air.  There were a couple of bugs, but we didn’t think they were annoying.  Of course, Cheryl was raised near the woods and I enjoy hiking.  Bugs don’t bother us too much.

However, at one point I went to the snack bar to check out the food situation.  Suddenly a young man ran in looking for mosquito repellant (which they had), exclaiming, “I hope this works.  I can’t take the bugs.”  So, depending upon your tolerance, you may or may not want to take your bug spray with you.

We had a great time.  The screen was bright and clear.  The movies were in focus.  The sound had a great quality to it.  This was just what we were looking for in a drive-in theater.

Since we had gone to a buffet for supper, we weren’t in the mood for a lot of snacks.  Between the two movies we got popcorn.  It was fresh, crisp, and delicious.

All in all it was a wonderful time.  Especially since we don’t get to a drive-in very often.  After the movies, we went back to the motel and had a good night’s sleep.  We needed to be well rested for our new adventures…

Question: What’s your opinion of drive-in movies?

The Motel

© Nick Zaccardi 2012

Restaurant Review – Dunstans, Scarborough, Maine

We started our Route 1 road trip for 2012 this year in Scarborough, Maine.  We went to the place where we ended last year – Dunstan’s Schoolhouse Buffet.  It actually is in an old schoolhouse.  This makes for a very unique eating experience.

When you enter, you’re seated in one of a few different school rooms.  Each is decorated to look like a classroom – only with tables instead of desks.  After we were seated, a welcoming waitress came to take our drink order.  She was energetic and always made sure that we had everything we needed.

Now, I know what you’re thinking; “It’s a buffet, how good could it be?”  I understand the skepticism.  I would be too.  I have an OCB in the mall down the street from my house.  That’s my parent’s restaurant of choice for some of the holidays.  So, I know about the trays full of boring food.

I’m glad to say that isn’t the case at the Schoolhouse.  First of all, for an added $7.95 you could get a fresh cooked Maine lobster added to your meal.  We decided not to, because the buffet was good enough.  Speaking of which, theirs is some of the best buffet food that I’ve had because of their unique selections.

My clear favorite was the grilled swordfish.  Yes, swordfish on the buffet.  It was cooked wonderfully and had an incredible, smoky, wood grilled flavor.  I also enjoyed the steak tips which were in what I believe was a burgundy sauce.  They were pink in the middle and very flavorful.  Another favorite was the scallop alfredo pasta.  It tasted great, even though the scallops were cut very small.  My wife, on the other hand, liked the shellfish.  She had a plate full of mussels and clams with plenty of melted butter for dipping.

Did I forget to mention the roast turkey?  I’m not talking about the turkey roll that most other buffets use.  I mean a whole roast turkey.  I am fond of the dark meat and at the Schoolhouse I could get all I wanted.

Of course, you have to be careful to leave room for dessert.  There are no frozen pies and plastic brownies here.  Everything on their dessert section looks and tastes homemade.  I couldn’t decide, so I had a slice each of their Maine blueberry pie and their coconut cream pie.  I still can’t tell you which was better.  The blueberry pie was bursting with succulent fruit.  The coconut pie had a rich, dense center with a light and fluffy whipped cream on top.  They had many other baked items as well as ice cream.

Overall, Cheryl and I had an excellent time here and it was a great start to our 2012 road trip.  For the two of us, including tax and tip, it came to around $40.  The quality of the food we had, and the friendly service, was well worth the price.  If you are ever in southern Maine, along Route 1, we highly recommend Dunstan’s Schoolhouse Buffet.

Question: Have you ever been here?  How was your experience?

Dunstans

The Schoolhouse

Our “Classroom”

© Nick Zaccardi 2012

Disclosure of material connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post.  I have no material connection to the brands, products or services I have mentioned.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Route 1 in Maine – Portland

Once we got to Portland it became painfully obvious that we were now right in the middle of civilization.  Crowds, traffic, city smells and the like are what greeted us.  We were tired and wanted to stop for the night.  Unfortunately, we only saw a string of no vacancy signs.  Either that, or the only rooms left were presidential suites beyond our budget.

Then we saw the Maine Motel.  It was a nice looking little place with a friendly staff.  We asked if they had a room.  We were told that they only had two left.  The manager showed them both to us.  They looked clean and comfortable – our only two requirements.

The price he quoted us was a little over our budget.  We would pay it if we had to, but we asked if that was the best he could do.  Just then, another couple was pulling up to the office.

“I’ll tell you what”, he said, “If you don’t tell this couple what I charge you, I’ll give you a lower price.”

Needless to say, my lips were sealed.  On thing that I do wish, is that this Motel had a restaurant.  I say this because the manager was of Indian descent (I believe) and right after we checked in he began to cook out on his grill for his family.

The smells were exquisite!   The aroma of chicken, curry, and other spices cooking over a charcoal flame is wonderful.  I almost wanted to invite myself over to join him.

After a good night’s rest, we awoke the next morning to our last day of this road trip.  We had a quick breakfast at Dunkin Donuts and were on our way.

It turned out that this was to be the day of lighthouse exploration.  We set a new record for finding lighthouses in one day – seven in all.

We started off going to a park where the Liberty Ship Memorial was located.  This was to commemorate the over 300 WWII ships that were built in Portland for the US and British fleets.  It was a beautiful park where we could observe the sailboats out on the water.

While we were there, we saw the cute, little lighthouse known as Bug Light.  The actual name is the Portland Breakwater Light.  From there we could see an island where the Spring Point Ledge Light was placed.

We then drove to Fort Preble, which looked more like a series of bunkers.  While there, we saw the Spring Point Ledge Light.  It was out on a breakwater.

Next, we went to Fort Williams.  This was obviously more of a tourist destination with gift shops and snack bars.  The fort itself was active until 1964.  So it was manned fairly recently.

The highlight of the area is the Portland Head Light.  This is a historic spot.  This lighthouse was authorized to be built by President George Washington in 1791.  It was the first lighthouse to be commissioned after the United States was established.  That makes it one of the longest lights in continuous operation.

This is probably one of the most photographed lighthouses in Maine.  I know that since being there, I have seen pictures of it in many magazines and calendars.  From that point, we could also make out Ram Rock Light, out in the harbor.

To continue our whirlwind lighthouse tour, we made our way to Two Lights State Park.  This was a tough place to visit.  The narrow streets and limited parking make it a spot for only the most stubborn of tourists.  I saw more that one car full of people turn around and leave without ever stopping.

If you can find a place to park – legally – this is a very pretty place.  I stayed for a while, just sitting on the rocks by the water.  I watched the waves breaking on shore. There is something about places like this that I find very relaxing.  That is, after the stress of finding a parking space.

After a full day of sightseeing, Cheryl and I were tired and hungry.  We ended our day in Scarborough, at the Schoolhouse Buffet Restaurant.  Usually buffets are mediocre food that’s stale from sitting out too long.  I must say that the Schoolhouse was a step above the average buffet.  The food was excellent.  We were very glad we stopped here.

Actually, I was pleasantly surprised by their desserts.  I found that their pies were really delicious.  They were almost as good as the ones we got at Helen’s (see my Machias post).  Almost, that is.

It was a great place to end a great trip.  From there we went home, our heads full of all the wonderful adventures we had on this trip.

Now that I have finished posting about my 2011 road trip, we are especially looking forward to our next adventure when we continue down Route 1 in 2012.  More to come…

Bug Light

Liberty Ship Memorial

Portland Head Light

Route 1 in Maine – Yarmouth

Today, we were headed somewhere we had been looking forward to for a long time…the Yarmouth Clam Festival.  As you can tell from our posts, we enjoy good seafood.  So this was something we were looking forward to with great anticipation.

But there were still two more stops along the way.  The first was at an old Maine landmark.  It was a 40 ft. high statue of a Native American.  It was quite impressive.  I am told that this was the site of a former “trading post” souvenir shop.  Now it’s a restaurant parking lot.

The native tribal people lived on this land long before the Europeans arrived.  I guess that makes this a historic site.  There was only one problem that I observed.  The statue represents a member of the tribes found in the Midwest plains, not coastal New England.  Oh, well.

The next stop was something I had heard about a while ago.  As a roadie type person, I love looking at maps and travel guides.  Anyone who knows maps has heard the name DeLorme.  The headquarters of the DeLorme company is in Yarmouth.  It’s the Mecca for map lovers everywhere.  Not only does it have a huge outlet store, but it’s home to the largest Earth globe in existence.

Affectionately dubbed “Eartha”, this incredible looking world map is a sight to see.  I believe it’s about three stories high.  (At least I had to go to the third floor to see the top of it.)  The workmanship is great and I’m glad I got to experience it close up.

There was one other perk that we didn’t expect at DeLorme.  When we pulled into the parking lot, we were informed that they had a free shuttle bus to the Clam Festival.  Parking is one of the things I hate about “festivals”.  I know that the better the affair, the more people show up.  I just don’t like having to search for a spot to park my car.

The free shuttle was just what I needed.  When we were done with Eartha, we hopped on the bus and were brought right to the festivities.  It was everything we wanted and more.

There was live music, craft displays, wagon rides, and a multitude of other things to keep us busy for the day.  But it was, after all, the Clam Festival.  Let’s get to the food.  There was a whole line of booths.  Each one serving a different delicacy.  None of the waits were very long so we took our time deciding what we wanted.

Cheryl started off with a bag of steamers and melted butter.  They were juicy and delicious, according to her.  Next, we both went for the homemade clam chowder and cornbread.  I had never thought about eating cornbread with chowder, but it turned out to be a good combination – one that I will be sure to have in the future.

Then it was time for the main course.  Cheryl went for the clam cakes.  Okay, so don’t judge me.  I know it’s the Clam Festival – seafood – I get it.  But, I’m Italian.  What can I say.  I got the Italian sausage sub with peppers and onions.  Fuggedahboudit!!!

The only down side of the whole thing was one of their rules.  Each booth has the exclusive right to serve the items on its menu.  I wanted fries with my sub.  The problem was that they only came as a side to a meal at a different booth.  You couldn’t get French fries all by themselves.  But, I was able to get over it.

We had a great time.  The people were friendly.  The food was incredible.  When we were done there, we were wiped out and ready for sleep.  Onward to Portland for the night…

Far From Home

Eartha

Good Chowdah!

Clamtastic!

Route 1 in Maine – Freeport

We continued our trek down the coast of Maine.  The increasing crowds and traffic assured us that we were entering the more “touristy” areas of this state.  We finally arrived at the town of Freeport, arguably the hub of tourist activities.  How shall I describe it?  Think of a large shopping mall.  “How large?” you ask.  Think of a mall as large as a small town, with no roof, that you can drive through – now you get a picture of downtown Freeport.

It all started with a small sporting goods store called L.L. Bean.  It was the first store of that brand.  It continues to operate to this day – open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.  Today there are over 170 other name brand stores and outlets in this small community.  Talk about shopper frenzy – this is the place for it.

Our goal for the day was to head to Yarmouth for the annual Clam Festival that we had heard about.  But what happened to me next is what can only be described as an epiphany.  As we were driving through the main business district of Freeport, my mind started to turn toward a new direction.  One of the things I like to do is to watch the Food Network and write down any interesting restaurants I see.  That way, if I ever visit those cities, I can try them out for myself.

Along this trip, I hadn’t even thought about the Maine restaurants on my list and I was a little disappointed.  Maybe I missed one that was along our way.  Then it hit me.  I suddenly remembered a place that I knew was along the shore, but I wasn’t sure where it was.

I turned to Cheryl and said, “I didn’t even think of finding out where Wicked Whoopies was so we could find it along the way.  We probably missed it days ago.”

Wicked Whoopies is a bakery that specializes in the Maine delicacy of Whoopie Pies.  A Whoopie Pie is two chocolate cake disks with a mound of marshmallow crème frosting between them.  Think an oversized chocolate yo-yo with frosting instead of string.   Maine is the birthplace of the Whoopie Pie.  (My apologies to Pennsylvania who also claims this title.  I will make a final decision when Route 1 takes me through that state.)  The important thing to realize is that I am disappointed and dejected over the prospect of missing them.

All at once, as if a ray of sunlight shone down on me from heaven, I looked to my left as I was driving.  My eye was caught by a colorful little building I was approaching.  Then I read the sign – WICKED WHOOPIES!!!  Oh the joy that spread through my being.  I feel bad for the car behind me.  I’m sure I swerved a little back and forth on the road as I searched for a parking space.

Soon I was entering the Mecca of sweet toothes.  The sights and smells were intoxicating.  They had over a dozen different flavors to choose from.  How could any human being make a choice like that?  The only solution – eat one there and bring a half-dozen home.  The one I chose to eat in was a double chocolate whoopie.  I was in sugar heaven.

But that wasn’t the end of it.  I saw something I didn’t even know existed.  I held a five pound whoopie pie in my hand.  I tried to convince Cheryl that it was a necessity for our continued journey, but she didn’t agree.  So I said goodbye to my little friend and we were soon back on the road.

Our first stop in Freeport was about as far from a mall as you can get.  We decided to visit the Desert of Maine.  You might not think that there is a desert in the State of Maine, but I can assure you that there is.  This desert has it all – sand dunes, sun, and heat.  It was definitely a tourist spot, but it held our interest for quite a while.

While we were waiting for the jeep ride through the desert, we visited their butterfly area.  This was a large cage filled with all different kinds of butterflies.  The colors were beautiful and we thoroughly enjoyed it.

Then it was time for our desert trek.  The desert itself is an amazing place.  You would never expect to see anything like this in a state known for its wooded areas.  But there we were, right in the middle of a full fledged desert.  We were told that it was actually created by a farmer who didn’t know that all this sand was just below the topsoil.  He also didn’t know or practice good land conservation techniques.  As the topsoil eroded, more and more sand appeared and slowly began to take over his farm.  Today there are even some buildings buried under sand dunes.  It turned out to be a very interesting look at the nature of the area.

One thing that did amaze me as I stood in the desert, was how hot it was.  It was actually ten degrees hotter over the sand than it was anyplace else.  Maybe it’s because the white sand reflects the heat up, so that you feel it from both directions.

So, whether you like shopping, eating, or touring, Freeport is a great place to see.  We had a wonderful time there.  It whet our appetites for more adventures still to come…

The Desert of Maine

A Gallery of Whoopies

PLEASE!!!