The cue sheet for today's ride can be found at Freeport-Brunswick cue sheet, or click on ride description for a starting point.
When I left the house I thought I was going to do the Portland lighthouse tour today, but then I realized how cool and windy it was and changed my plans. The Freeport-Brunswick tour is inland, with occasional views of the water, and the lighthouse tour is (of course) on the coast. I think the wind may be the remnants of Hurricane Gustav, which passed off the coast yesterday. I'm really glad I wasn't out riding in the intense winds of yesterday! The temperature was only supposed to get into the 60s, and the wind was supposed to die down late in the day. Given the cool temps I thought it would be better to stay a little inland.
The ride started at the visitor center in the middle of Freeport. There are a number of parking lots there, so I had my choice of parking spots. I don't know what the parking situation would be there on a summer day, but today it was no problem at all. I stopped at the visitor center to use the bathroom and to pick up a Freeport map, Then I unloaded the bike and took off. The ride started with a loop through South Freeport, then headed north to Brunswick, then back to Freeport. There was a small chunk of road that I was on in both directions between Freeport and Brunswick, but for the most part it really was a loop. The roads were rolling and quiet, very few cars, and very pleasant. And it was a crisp early fall day. I'm not ready to give up on summer yet, but I do enjoy the fall in New England - especially when it's sunny out.
On the way back to Freeport I passed a farm with a sign that said they raised registered Belted Galloways. I was disappointed that there weren't any cows within sight of the road or in any distant but viewable fields. I'd never heard of these cows until last week when I saw a mention of them in Dave Moser's journal. [November 11: I'm been meaning to add a note to this page for a while now... I was driving with my friend Barb on a back road in central Massachusetts one day last month when I looked over and saw some black & white cows in a field. When I said to Barb - hey, those are belted Galloways - I think she thought I was going crazy. But as we drove by the farm there was a sign saying that yes, they were belted Galloways. It's amazing what odd things we learn as we're out exploring on our bicycles. If Dave Moser hadn't mentioned them in his journal, I wouldn't have known what I was seeing...]
Unlike my southern coast ride, I didn't pass by too many commercial establishments today. It was an energy bar and Gatorade day, at least until I got back to Freeport. I locked the bike in my car, and took a stroll through town. I'm not much for shopping, but how could I be in Freeport without stopping at LLBean? I was ready for some food first, and decided that ice cream would be a good idea. I stopped at a Ben and Jerry's ice cream store and had a dish of mint chocolate chunk ice cream. Delicious! Then I headed into LLBean. As I passed into the store I noticed that there are no locks on the doors - probably because LLBean is open 24 hours a day. Someone I worked with years ago always planned a middle-of-the-night Christmas shopping trip to LLBean every year. Guess that's a good way to miss the crowds.
Freeport was pretty quiet in the morning, but by the time I returned in the afternoon the tour buses had descended on the town. I'm always amazed that there are tours to visit factory outlet malls. Freeport isn't a mall - it's a New England town that has been turned into an outlet town. I'm sure the permanent residents aren't too thrilled with their downtown area, but I suppose the stores provide a tax base and income for the town.
After my quick run through LLBean (didn't buy anything, don't need anything...) I went back to my car and drove to Portland. I had made a reservation at the Inn at Saint John (http://www.innatstjohn.com). I wanted to stay within walking distance of the Old Port area, preferably in an inn or B&B, and the Inn at Saint John fit the bill. It is a lovely place, built 100 years ago when the train came in across the street at Union Station. The current train station is just a mile away, and the airport isn't too far either. My room was small but charming, with a private bathroom across the hall. (No need to bring a bathrobe though, because one was supplied in the room.) I settled in, showered, and dressed to wander. I picked up a map of Portland at the front desk, and had one of the inn staff point out the Old Port area on the map. Then I headed out on foot. I know, I know, I had a car and a bike with me, but I still prefer to walk to dinner.
The Old Port area of Portland is a 6-block area of old buildings containing mostly cafes and boutiques that borders a working waterfront. I walked through the area and checked out the many restaurants before I settled on dinner at the Bakehouse Cafe. If I lived someplace other than the Boston area I probably would have opted for a seafood restaurant, but since I have easy access to fresh seafood I opted for something different. The Bakehouse Cafe had an interesting menu, with several entrees that looked interesting to me. The dish that really caught my eye was the polenta with sauteed vegetables (summer squash, asparagus, and broccoli) on a bed of fresh tomato sauce. Now that was delicious!
