Roadtrip: Day 9

Day 9: Monday, July 14

Jackman, Maine

We have officially entered the United States, bidding goodbye to our five-day stay in Canada. It was an excellent visit, but it does feel good to now see gas prices by the gallon and not the liter (very disheartening when you see $1.40, and realize that this price is not for a gallon, but for a much smaller quantity), as wel as signs that are in English. Once again, I speak the language that everyone else does. It's a great feeling.

Tonight, we are going to be staying in probably the coolest campsite, although it won't have much competition with the other two that we've stayed in. Even so, it's on the coast of Maine, so that has to count for something.

Some of these views in Maine are pretty spectacular. I've never seen as many trees as I've seen in Maine. I'm pretty sure it is the least-developed state in the U.S. Couple all the green with some stellar mountains, and you've got an environmental party!

The guy at the border of Maine was obviously not a fan of southern boys. He looked at us quizzically, and scoffed at Preston's possible intended major choice of German: "A boy from North Carolina majoring in German? Never thought I'd see the day." Nonetheless, he had to let as through after his thorough search proved to be unsuccessful in turning over any hidden alcohol or weapons. 

We just passed Moosehead Lake, and stopped to take some vid and pix. It was probably the best sight I have seen on the trip thus far.

Bar Harbor, Maine

6:50 pm

Maine is ridiculously beautiful. It is so wild, which makes it scary, but also extremely interesting. The campsite itself is awesome as far as campgrounds go, but it is impossible to get the tent staked into the ground. We set up near a soft area and got one stake in. Odds are the tent will have collapsed on us when we wake in the monring. I'm praying for the best.

The air smells like the sea here, but it is not a sea smell that I have ever smelled. It is fresher, cleaner...happier. Right now, we are cruising over to a rocky coast. Everywhere, cliffsides spotted with green loom up around us. This is truly an awesome place, and I think it beats out the Rockies. Sure, these mountains aren't as enormous, and they aren't covered with snow. But they are so pristine, and the water below is so green, it is hard to not place them above their West Coast rivals. 

I'll be sure to get some pix and vids soon.