Day 20: Newbury, MA to Yarmouth, NS
Sat 29 Jun 2024
Miles ridden today: 255
Up with the dawn light, and a quick check of the NWS marine forecast discussion for Bar Harbor told me that I'd better take the ferry today rather than tomorrow. Seas on Sunday from 2 to 4 feet rather than the 1 to 2 feet normally? I was worried about the motorcycle sloshing around on its side on the vehicle deck, unstrapped down, taking out all the other bikes and a few minivans.
A quick check of the Radarscope radar at 6:30am as I was packing said "leave now, leave now!" so I shoved my stuff sacks in the side cases and poked Ken and Jon and said "See ya later!" and hit the road north.
I texted Erik in Portland--I hadn't seen him since the Lone Star patio in 2002--and said "let's get a breakfast bite, but not lingering, I'm off to the ferry". I really flew north to Portland (ahem, the scooter just purrrrrrs at 85 to 90mph, but really I'm just keeping up with traffic, which I was on an empty I-95 early on Saturday morning)... and got to Erik's place just after 8. Called the ferry company, rescheduling was free and easy and the agent confirmed my weather doubts with 'good move', then Erik suggested "let's go to Brant's bakery".
Well, Brant's bakery is happening, and he showed me around--this is where the treats are made, this is what I had to do to convert it from a Christmas ornament shop to someplace that prepares and cooks food and serves customers. It's very blatant that he's put in a ton of work and effort in making it thrive, and the line of a dozen people wanting to get treats at 9am on a Saturday demonstrated that I wasn't the only one appreciating his work.
I said goodby to Erik and Brant and Aaron, and puttered north through some light drizzle for the first few miles, wondering if that was the last use of my E-ZPass (can I use it in Michigan on the Mackinac Bridge?) and quickly got to Bangor in two-ish hours, then crawwwwwwwwwled along US 1A into Bar Harbor ugh. I'm kinda happy that I skipped the Maine coast, truth be told. So many campers and minivans and sightseers and just a place that feels overtouristed even though I never even got that close to the main attractions--not that I was enticed by the continuous display of roadside vendors of jams and jellies and fudge. I was curious about the place that offered "family lumberjack lessons" though, and the restaurant that called itself "Chow Maine" probably deserved a stop.��The scenery was interesting, a combination of pine forest and tidal flats and rocks, vaguely like Pebble Beach, and then boom I was at The Cat ferry. Showed my passport, got an Express Boarding hangtag for my rearview mirror (heh), and chatted with a dozen other BMW motorcycle riders. They're all heading up to Nova Scotia with the New England Riders for a weeklong trip (!) and are staying in the same town I am on Tuesday night (!!!). Fun fun fun, and we talked about great rides and routes.
Boarded the CAT, strapped down the scooter (it's on the kickstand, straps attached to engine guards) and headed upstairs for a leisurely 3 1/2 crossing to Yarmouth. In the lounge at the bow of the ship was a really good guitar/mandolin player--I usually hate that kind of live entertainment, but the company of other riders and the feeling I was sailing off like Arya Stark to some distant adventure made me goosebumpy, feeling heavily connected to the Right Now.
A quick customs check off the dock, and I puttered over to Reg and David's, who'd kindly offered in chat to stay with them and their many many clocks and antiques. David has an antique shop in Yarmouth, and somehow (Facebook?) they had chatted me up and insisted I stay with them, so I took them up on that.
Looking back now as I write this (in Yarmouth) and edit this (in Halifax), I'm both surprised and not surprised that this was an emotional day. I like to think I'm calm and rational and Spockian, and then boom I'm saying goodbye to good friends and meeting new old friends, and connecting with new new friends, and staying with new new new friends. I may be on a solitary motorcycle ride, but with the twenty connections I've had today, I'm far far far from alone.