12 States/1 Province - all to run 3.5 hours in Maine

Hi Dad,

So in some crazy moment months ago, I decided that it would be cool to run a 25 km trail race in Maine with some friends of mine.  And so I signed up, without checking into the route, elevation change, etc.  Simon and I had planned to fly to Hartford, drive to Boothbay Harbor, ME, then Standish, ME. Well, the night before we had a 5:50 am flight, he informed me that he was having floaters in his eye.  Too late to see an eye doctor, we ended up canceling the flights, figuring it was best to get his eye checked in the morning. Well, thankfully, it wasn't a torn retina or something serious, so we decided to drive... through Ontario, NY, VT, NH, and finally into ME.

As we traveled down two-lane highways in Vermont and New Hampshire, I told Simon stories of our many camping trips in Vermont when we were all so much younger.  (BTW, he wanted to take the train to the top of Mount Washington and hike down. But alas, we were too early in the season - which was fine with me.  I didn't want to hike down the mountain two days before a major race).  We picked up some VT cheddar cheese in a small gift shop - reminded me of Cabot, VT. Oh, we had so much fun on those trips, didn't we?  Thought of you and Mom when we went through Laconia - well, yes, I wasn't there, but I vividly remember the photo of you and Mom.

We stayed three nights on Sebago Lake.  It was serene and beautiful - a relaxing break from the stress of work - but too cold to swim in!  Ah, Maine!

On Saturday, several of us went for a short run in the morning then I had hoped to give my friends a tour of the Maine coast. Well, they wanted to go to LL Bean, so we did that, after we picked up our race packets.  We never made it to the coast, but at least my friends had Maine lobster and then on the way back we found this

very interesting swinging bridge in Bath, ME. We enjoyed the stop and had experimented to see how much the bridge really swung - quite a bit.

Sunday was race day. The start for the 50km race, which several friends were running was 8 am - not too bad of a start time. It was 10 am for the 25km race. The race was held at a place called Pineland Farms. I expected some little farm stand, but no, the grounds were massive. There were several large brick buildings on the grounds also.  Turns out it was a "home for the feeble minded" (yes, seriously, that was what it was called).  Its now a beautifully kept conference center, however, when a friend of mine told me about the course, I wondered if I was the feeble-minded one!  Yes, the course was brutal - about 2800 ft of elevation change, with some hills so steep I walked down them.  Nevertheless, the course was brutal and I have to admit I was glad when I was done and thankful I hadn't let my friends convince me to do the 50 km race (two laps of the 25k). 

I wanted to see Mom as we were back east and it was only an additional 2 hours to drive to the house on Monday, stay overnight, and head to Michigan on Tuesday morning.  Besides, we'd beat much of the holiday traffic if we did this.

So on Monday morning we headed first to York, ME as I had promised Mom I would bring her a Maine lobster.  And then I promised Steve I would bring him one as a birthday present.  Besides he needed something to cheer him up as he was so disappointed he wasn't able to get the Model A started for the parade.  (You would be so proud of Noah - he watched everything you did with the Model A and could explain exactly how to start it.  Steve is planning to drive it in the 4th of July parade).  So we stopped in York and picked up three cooked and cooled lobsters, lobster meat for Paulette so she could make a lobster roll, and several quarts of clam chowder. 

Well the lobsters were a big hit. Steve ate two of them and Mom enjoyed hers.  Paulette was very happy with her lobster meat.  And the clam chowder was enjoyed by all over the next few days.

So let's see - I said 12 states: well Massachusetts, Connecticut, NY, and NJ on Monday and then on Tuesday: Pennsylvania, Ohio, and back to Michigan.  Yes, 12 states and one province to run 3.5 hours in the woods!  Steve said Simon has the patience of a saint for doing this with me (and driving most of the distance).  You'd probably agree (so do I).

Love you,

Susan