GAINESVILLE NEVER LOOKED SO GOOD

We had planned some side trips on our way home - when we were leaving Maine on time.  Due to the lengthy delay in getting our motor home repaired, we decided to head straight back to Florida; completing the 1500 miles in 4 1/2 days. 

Once we arrived in Gainesville, we unloaded the contents of the motor home and washed the love bugs off the front of the coach. Anyone who has lived in the south during May and September knows about love bugs and how difficult they are to remove from a vehicle.  We got the motor home free of love bugs at the house, but then had to wash the front of the vehicle again 30 minutes later after we drove the motor home 25 miles to our storage campground!  And, of course, this task was in 90+ degree heat.  Welcome back to Florida!

Our yard is covered with pine bark nuggets, which sounds good in terms of not having to be mowed while we are gone on our summer trips. However, with a record rainfall in July and more rain in August, the weeds thrived higher and thicker than ever. Several of the weeds were as tall as we are.

We have begun the process of pulling the weeds, a hard and sweaty job that tests our leg muscles to the fullest.  We will need the better part of 2 weeks to complete the cleanup.

We were eager to get home to see the Gator Volleyball team play a match against a quality opponent. Florida is currently ranked #4 in the country, and the Gators were playing FSU, currently ranked #17. Here is the view of the court from our seats just prior to the beginning of the match with both teams in a huddle--Florida on the left and FSU on the right. Florida won the match 3 sets to 0, although all three sets were very close. It was exciting to be back in the O-dome cheering on our favorite team in such a crucial "grudge" match against an in-state rival.

The bigger urgency was to be home in time to celebrate Henry's 3rd birthday. Here is our youngest grandson enjoying his Publix birthday cupcake. Look at the purple icing, which soon coated his face and shirt.  Eating Publix cupcakes is one of the joys at the Boekenoogen household.

The only RV trips we are planning for the fall will be to Williston, a small town about 25 miles from Gainesville where we store the motor home, as we have done enough miles of RV driving for a while.  Sometime after Christmas, we plan to move the RV to Sarasota to begin our winter work for the Baltimore Orioles during spring training.

MAILBOAT FERRY RIDE

More days of waiting for our motor home repair, this time waiting to find the new radiator somehow lost in transit from the factory to the truck repair place.  We have made the best of the situation by continuing to enjoy all that the Portland area has to offer.

We had heard from some of our campground guests that taking a ride on the mail boat ferry was a great thing to do.  The Casco Bay Ferry Lines operates several daily mail runs, stopping at several islands in Casco Bay.  This ferry doesn't carry vehicles; just cargo and passengers heading to and from the islands - and tourists who just want a nice ride on the bay.  We both enjoy boat rides and the weather was sunny, although a bit breezy and cool on the bay.

Right before we left the dock in Portland, a school bus pulled up and about a dozen middle and high school students got on the ferry. As we later found out, the schools on the various islands are only K-5, so the ferry provides the transportation from the island the students live on to Portland, where they attend school. Notice how high the 2nd deck, just below the wheelhouse, is above the water which is about 8 feet below the dock.

Paul is checking the map to see what islands we will be visiting. Yes, the weather is cool enough to wear jeans and a sweatshirt even though the sun is shining.

We passed these ocean tugs on our way out of Portland Harbor. The building near the tugs with the slanted roof is the Ocean Gateway Terminal, where cruise ships dock.

Celebrity Line's Summit was in port this day, with over 2000 passengers and nearly 1000 crew members flooding the streets of the Old Port tourist district.

We were able to now see lighthouses near Portland from the water, with a view of Bug Light...

and Spring Point Ledge Light, which we toured in July.

As we passed Cushing Island, we could see what remains of Fort Leavitt. This fort was built for coastal defense in 1898 and remained manned until the end of WWII by the U.S. Army's Ordnance Department.

Cushing Island is now privately owned by a family that operates a Lobster Bake business during the summer months. We could see their large tent used for seating for the lobster bakes as we passed by the island.

Our first stop on our "mail run" was at Little Diamond Island. There are about 60 homes on the island, mostly summer rental properties. There are less than 10 year-round residents. The building in the front right with the red roof is called the casino. During the summer, residents of the island participate in many evening activities at the casino.

Here is a view of some other homes tucked in among the trees along the shoreline on

Little Diamond Island.  This is truly Maine's island living, which is the lifestyle tradition of many New England families during the summer months.  No quick runs to the grocery store here!

Along the way we passed this industrial ferry carrying two cement trucks and a dump truck.  Companies with large commercial vehicles must schedule a ferry if they wish to get their equipment to the islands in Casco Bay.

Our ferry often unloaded cargo when we stopped at the various islands. Here, building supplies are being unloaded at Long Island by two crew members--one manning the crane controls and the other crewman on the dock holding a steadying line. No, not the Long Island in New York. This paneling was strapped between two pallets, both of which got broken during the unloading process as the load shifted in the stiff wind when a deckhand lowered the crane to the dock. An indication of the wind strength can be seen as the flag is standing straight out.

The crew also unloaded pallets of food for small stores and restaurants located  on these islands. 

Long Island was a fueling depot for the U.S. Navy during WWII. Huge fuel tanks have now been replaced by homes.

The cargo was stored on the stern portion of the lower deck. Here are a few of crates that have not been delivered, all shrink wrapped with cellophane and sitting on wood pallets.

Mail, the large bag on top of the pallet on the right, is visible as well. These packages are marked with a CH for our last stop, Great Chebeague Island.

Once we got past Long Island, the water became very choppy. Mix the choppy water with the wind, notice the wind blowing the cords on Paul's sweatshirt.  We laughed when we suddenly were sprayed by salt water while standing on the 2nd deck. We wiped the salt water from our glasses and moved to the stern of the ferry where we were less likely to get wet! 

As we came back into the Portland port area, we could see the Summit cruise ship headed out towards the Atlantic. The ferry, seen between the stern of the Summit and Spring Point Ledge Light, is the Machigonne II. This ferry is used to make the trip between Portland and Peaks Island. Machigonne was the name given to the peninsula or neck of land by the Indians. This neck of land is now called Portland.

We watched sailboats from SailMaine, a local sailing school, just off the shore along the Eastern Promonade, waiting for their instructions.

We had a great day on the water observing island life from a tourist's viewpoint. Islanders, whether year-round or permanent residents, need to go into town every so often to stock up on groceries, visit doctors/dentists, etc. The ferries provide the means for transportation between their island and Portland on the mainland.

RIVER WALK

Still in the Portland area, waiting for our RV radiator to be replaced.  Living temporarily in a motel brings on cabin fever, so we went looking for some fresh air and physical activity.

We took a walk along the Presumpscot River on a cool windy day in nearby Westbrook. The Presumpscot River eventually flows into Casco Bay just north of Portland. As many times as we were in Westbrook to shop, go to the bank or do laundry, we had not taken the time to take this walk previously. 

We were surprised to find this river view of several waterfalls with an old warehouse as a backdrop along the side of the river.

And a clearer view from the bridge looking up-river.

The river was flowing fast near the falls above but later it slowed down. Paul is standing on a public dock where a kayak or canoe could be put in the water. Yes, it was cool enough, with a significant breeze, to wear a sweatshirt.

We found nearly 100 ducks just swimming around near the shore in a slower flowing area of the river. Later when we passed by this same spot, there were some children feeding the ducks. Did the ducks know they were in a "handout area"?

We got some exercise and were able to take our minds off the RV mechanical issues and the uncertainty of when we could head towards home.

THE JOURNEY HOME BEGINS -- OOPS!

We have completed our work at the campground, so it was time for us to leave Maine and head back to Gainesville.

As we started home on the Wednesday after Labor Day, we had only gone 2 miles from the campground before a "check cool temp" warning appeared on the dash. Sure enough, the engine temperature was almost at the "H"--not good. Ann drove off in the car to purchase some coolant for the engine. After we added the coolant, we drove 3 miles this time before the warning appeared again. So we headed to the closest Walmart parking lot and waited for an RV emergency road technician. The tech suggested that we had some significant issues and recommended that the RV should be towed to a repair facility to diagnose and fix the problem. How big a wrecker do you need to tow a 35 ft. motor home? This photo gives you an idea. We had gut wrenching feelings driving behind our RV while it was being towed to the repair facility; not knowing what was to come.

We stayed in the truck repair parking lot for the night with no water or electricity hookups.  We had a hint of an additional RV issue when we could not get our generator going to get some power to cook a quick dinner.  One of the repair technicians took pity on us and brought a battery charger to the RV about 8 PM and charged the battery, which allowed us to get the generator going for the night.  

The next morning, the repair technician diagnosed the problem as a radiator with a slow leak. The replacement radiator had to be flown in from the Workhorse factory, our chassis manufacturer. Now we were looking at more time in Portland waiting for the replacement part.

What is out of place in this photo?

You are correct; our motor home sits in a row of trucks at the truck repair facility in Portland awaiting a new radiator. 

Additional problem #1.  While the tow truck operator was unhooking the motor home, he mentioned that we had a flat tire on one of the inner dual tires that can not be easily seen.  Not our top problem, but a need for repair or replacement before we leave Portland. 

Additional problem #2.  While we slept in the RV for the second night, we heard a screeching alarm about 12:30 AM.  We were running the generator for the second night, now understanding that our house batteries were not working properly.  The alarm indicated a carbon monoxide alert - possibly from the generator, but who knows at that time of the night.  So, with safety in mind, we shut off the generator, knowing that we would have no house power by morning.

The next morning, we salvaged the food in the fridge and headed to a nearby suite hotel with a full-sized refrigerator. Here is Paul cooking at "Camp" Marriott TownePlace Suites. 

We made the best of the situation by visiting some sights we still had on our to-do list. First stop was Bug Light, the closest lighthouse to the Portland docks. It is located on the sight where 236 liberty ships were built for the U.S. Navy during WWII. About 30,000 workers were employed here, including over 3,000 women. This huge ocean going tanker was at a fuel depot that now occupies part of this land. Having a ship like this one is another indication of just how important the Portland port is to all of New England.

Bug Light with a tourist schooner and a private sailboat in the background. These sailing vessels are not the same size; just an optical allusion with the schooner so much farther away. 

Bug Light is not very tall. What was interesting is the Roman-like column-like design around the light.

Our next stop was Fort Williams Park, which was a military installation, beginning in 1878 when it was known as Battery at Portland Head. This coastal defense installation guarded the entrance to Casco Bay and was the headquarters for the harbor defenses of Portland, the closest U.S. port to Europe.

Located in Fort Williams Park is the most photographed lighthouse in the Portland area, the Portland Head Light. The large white panel around the top portion of the light faces the land; keeping the light from shining over the homes and businesses on shore.

This "postcard" view shows just how rocky the coastline is. The other buildings are the lighthouse keeper's house, assistant keeper's house and other necessary outbuildings

Portland Head Light is much taller because the light needs to be seen from further out in the Atlantic Ocean to warn ships of the impending rocks.

A plaque on the lighthouse grounds indicated just how close German U-boats were to the U.S. coastline during WWII.  A German U-boat sank a U.S. Navy submarine chaser less than 8 miles from Portland Head Light in December 1945, with the loss of 49 officers and crewmen.

Here is a view of the rocky coastline looking down from above. It is obvious why lighthouses are crucial for safe shipping into the Portland harbor.
  

Despite our challenges with the motor home issues, we found a way to make the best of being "stranded" in Maine for a few more days.    

A SUMMER OF SEA DOGS BASEBALL

During the summer we have been to five Portland Sea Dogs baseball games. The Sea Dogs are in their 20th season, 12th season as the AA affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. Sea Dog home games are played at Hadlock Field in Portland. 

Hadlock Field resembles Fenway Park in several ways. The Maine Monster was built to resemble the famous Green Monster.  Other features are reminiscent of Fenway - a Citco sign and a Coke bottle on top.

In Boston, there is a huge Citco sign beyond the Green Monster and several Coke bottles attached to a light pole above the wall.



The pavilion in right field is supposed to resemble the Green Monster seats at Fenway. The Coca Cola pavilion is a large picnic area with seating for several hundred fans. These areas were empty when the photos were taken, about an hour before first pitch. The crowd was later announced as a sellout.
   

Slugger, the Sea Dog mascot, enters the field on an ATV during the first inning.

A bit of baseball action caught on film.  If you look closely, you can see the batter's bat shattered when he hit the ball in the photo below. A piece of the bat can be seen in the center of the photo. 

To keep the crowd entertained between innings, many minor league teams do various contests involving fans selected from the stands. One such contest is unique to Hadlock Field. Four Sea Dog promotions staff are dressed in yellow lobstermen rain gear. The object for the fans holding the lobster trap is to catch at least 5 rubber lobsters as they are tossed by the lobstermen using lacrosse sticks. If you look closely, you can see at least one red lobster in the trap but many more lying on the grass. Hint: The trap is heavy and difficult to move quickly to catch the flying lobsters.

Later in the game, Slugger gets on top of the 3rd base dugout to lead the crowd in the song YMCA. Slugger is wearing his "Handyman Rental" vest, the sponsor of this event. Notice the tools on Slugger's belt.

The Milwaukee Brewers are famous for their sausage race, where different types of sausages race from left field to the front of the 3rd base dugout. The Sea Dogs do a similar race where potato, pine tree, blueberry, and lobster mascots race from right field to a finish line in front of the 1st base dugout. Did you know Maine is second to Idaho in potato harvesting, famous for blueberries, is known as the Pine Tree State? Who do you think will win the race?   

Below, Lucy Lobster dives across the finish line for the win.

When a Sea Dog player hits a home run, a lighthouse emerges from behind the center field wall with sparklers shooting out its sides. We only saw two Sea Dog home runs in the 5 games we attended.

We went to two of the games with Mike and Lorraine. Here are Paul, Mike and Lorraine viewing the game from our seats.

What would a baseball game be without food and drink!  Hadlock Field excels most, however, in its selection of micro brews. If you have been following this blog, you know that microbreweries are common and very popular throughout Maine. What would a baseball game be without a cold beer, especially a chilled micro brew.

However, the Sea Dog signature item at the concession stands is the Sea Dog Biscuit. Vanilla ice cream is stuffed between two large chocolate chip cookies. Mike says having a Sea Dog Biscuit is a Maine tradition. Paul skipped this tradition in favor of a cold brew.

It has been great to watch baseball games in a friendly relaxed atmosphere at a ballpark that is only a 15 minute drive from the RV. And of course, with a cold beer in hand.

NUBBLE LIGHT--A PICTURE POSTCARD

One of the most photographed lighthouses in Maine, if not all of New England, was a sight we did not want to miss.  A very famous view, one of the pictures in the standard Microsoft "United States" screensavers. So off we went to visit the Nubble Lighthouse near York Beach, Maine. Paul is shown standing on rocks that are exposed because of the low tide. The Atlantic Ocean is just off to the right.

We hiked along the rocky shore to take more photos. Here is one of the postcard photos of Nubble Lighthouse. The sky is blue and there is enough of a breeze, see the flag almost standing straight out.  That long sleeved t-shirt I wore that day was a good choice, as it was a bit cool out by the water.

Postcard #2, a vertical look at Nubble Lighthouse.

Our next stop was in Kennebunkport, where we visited Federal Jack's for lunch. As the sign in the window says, this was the birthplace of the Shipyard Brewing Company before their need for expansion and Shipyard's move north to Portland. You may remember, we toured the Shipyard Brewery during our first month in Maine.

Federal Jack's is on the 2nd floor of the harbor side building. We enjoyed another lunch with a view, with a glimpse of the harbor out the windows.

Here is the view of the harbor, looking towards the Atlantic Ocean.

And here is the view looking towards the quaint town of Kennebunkport.

After lunch, we walked around the town of Kennebunkport and did some window shopping. Even though the sky was now somewhat filled with clouds, it was another picturesque day along the Maine coast. We will definitely miss the scenic Maine coast once we head south towards Florida.