If you would enjoy having a great time while lending your support to a visitor-friendly town, Millinocket beckons. It is home to stunning Baxter State Park, which in turn hosts the formidable Mt. Katahdin, named by the Penobscot Indians. Katahdin translates to “The Greatest Mountain,” Maine’s highest peak at 5,270 feet.

The Young House Bed and Breakfast.

If you walk along the main street in downtown Millinocket, you might wonder where everyone has gone. Even the library closed in August 2015, though it may reopen in the near future.

But wait,  there is light! Still open is the Appalachian Trail Cafe. It features a ceiling autographed by successful Mt. Katahdin climbers who made it all the way to the summit, which is no small accomplishment. They have wonderful pie and other baked goods, all made on the premises and yes, you can judge a pie by its cover.

There are other businesses that have persevered during the difficult economic downturn Millinocket suffered with the closing of its paper mills in 2008 and 2014; The North Light Gallery, the Good Samaritan Thrift Store, and Moose Prints (check out their stunning wildlife photographs), all on Central Street. Anita Mueller and her partner, Mark Picard, conduct photography workshops during moose and foliage seasons. Sign up here: www.markpicard.com/maine-photography-workshops.

Northlight Gallery.

Marsha Donahue’s North Light Gallery is a stellar example of how entrancing local art, when meticulously displayed, can be. Her watercolors are exemplary.

There are a number of over night options. Check out one of Millinocket’s newest Bed & Breakfasts The Ice Fish Inn located located on 177 Central Street. Another local gem is the Young House Bed & Breakfast a perfectly maintained, beautifully-preserved inn with five comfortable guest rooms, each with a private bath, cable TV and DVD player, free wireless, hairdryer and air conditioner. Innkeepers Bethany and Hamilton Ash have clearly found their calling. The breakfast menu is three pages long and the Young House Special Eggs Benedict takes the prize.

Young House’s Special Eggs benedict.

If you are looking for accommodations with a lot of amenities, the Katahdin Inn & Suites has you covered with large heated pool, hot tub, exercise, game and play area, plus a business center for those working during travel.

Dinner at River Drivers Restaurant & Pub provides a perfect finish to the day with its lovely view of the lake, great service and wonderful food. Their lobster bisque has a thin, intensely flavorful broth with ample chunks of fresh lobster.

River Drivers Restaurant & Pub.

There are so many fun things to do in the area that you’ll need the extra energy provided by a good night’s rest at the inn. From climbing Mt. Katahdin, whitewater rafting, camping, kayaking, swimming and hiking to calmer pastimes such as fishing, joining a moose tour, excellent photo ops or taking in the scenery with a cocktail, there is something for every member of the family to enjoy. The residents have spirit, too, as shown when they demonstrated nightly to protest the silencing of the daily fire horn tradition, which began in the 1940s. After two weeks of residents driving their cars through town, horns blasting, the ritual was reinstated, substituting one set of horns for another: the original.

All that fun, with the bonus of knowing that you have helped a town in need of support, makes heading for Millinocket a very rewarding and worthwhile trip!

— Text & Photos: Marcie Brown

It was a foggy morning as I made my way down Route 1A in York. I was heading to Nubble Light to meet up with my good friend Jack Hanley to do some striper fishing. As I made my way along the coast I was surprised at the number of people out and about at this time of the morning. The tide was coming in (tide charts said about 4:30am) and the waves were rolling up upon the beach as I drove by. Joggers of all ages made full use of the cool morning and deserted sidewalks to get their runs in.

When I pulled into the parking area at Nubble Light I saw that Jack was already there, as well as a handful of tourists eager to see the sunrise over the cove or maybe a couple of anglers fall in. Either way, they would be in for a show. Nubble Light must be one of the most photographed landmarks in this part of New England if the number of camera flashes going off is any indicator.

Amid the photographers, Jack and I prepared our gear. With everything ready we made our way gingerly down the slippery rocks, made even more precarious by the lack of light. It was a toss-up on whether or not the tourists were going to get a show. With the aid of the rotating beacon of Nubble Light, both Jack and I made it down without serious mishap. All I could picture were those tourists wagering on my chances of survival.

Jack started casting the surface bait and as if on cue, a nice striper exploded on the bait, and missed. Jack twitched the bait again, and again the striper hit and missed. This happened a third time, but on the fourth the striper was on. As luck would have it, the tide was going out and we were losing water rapidly. What was the water line was now exposed rock. Jack battled this fish like he had done it before, it was almost poetic. He was able to work the fish into a gap between two rocks, but was unable to get to it. I scrambled down the slippery rocks and was able to grasp ahold of the fish, being ever cautious of the lure’s treble hooks. Handing the fish up to Jack, we got a quick photo and I then removed the lure and got a quick measurement. It was a very thick bodied fish (probably full of mackerel) and measured between 28 and 29 inches. After the measurement the fish was released back to the ocean.

It was now about 7:00AM. The mackerel had moved on and with them the predator fish. It had been a good morning, but it was time to head home. Route 1A through York was a flurry of activity; with crowds filling the beach despite the rain that was now falling.

Two years ago, we moved to Maine for the same reason a lot of people do: we had treasured our annual vacations here, and we longed for an outdoor life that was out of reach in the big city. But unplugging for a week on the remote reaches of the Blue Hill Peninsula each August is vastly different than working and raising a family year round near Maine’s urban core.

So it’s understandable that we get a lot of questions from skeptical family and friends. “How do you like it, now?” they asked during our first winter, when Portland had nearly 90 inches of snow.

No, life does not feel like a permanent vacation. But the truth is, we love living in Maine even more than we enjoyed visiting it. Even when it’s 14 degrees.

Living amongst a critical mass of people who value open space, unspoiled woods and water as much as we do, has given us a quality-of-life upgrade that we never would have dreamed of while living in the aggressive, crowded, noisy, streets of Philadelphia.

Of course, after years of big-city living, all this quality of life took a bit of adjustment.
We scoured the radio dials repeatedly searching for traffic reports to plan our morning commutes — only to realize that there wasn’t one. With so little traffic, who needs a traffic report?

The first night we slept in our new home, we were awakened by the sound of gushing water.  We ransacked the rooms in search of a burst pipe or a running faucet before we realized that the were just hearing the creek in our yard.

And that whistling noise that we kept hearing at sunrise? That perfectly-pitched two-toned call that repeated over and over and over? It wasn’t a drunk vagrant stumbling around on the sidewalk, or someone searching for a lost dog, but rather the Black-capped chickadees who sheltered in the Silver Maples in our yard.

But the highlight of our Maine lives has been discovering the abundance of lush, unspoiled woods and million-dollar water views just beyond the beaten paths of our workaday suburban lives.

Mounting scientific research has proven the cascade of psychological, emotional, and physical benefits that go along with close regular encounters with nature—especially for kids. Regular doses of outside time can help prevent obesity, asthma, reduce risk of high blood pressure, Type 2 Diabetes, Vitamin D deficiency, depression, and anxiety, and have even been shown to help improve attention, reduce stress, and alleviate depression.

We are acutely aware of that in my family. And outside exhilaration—in every weather condition—is a non-negotiable. Simply put, the more time outside time we get, the happier we are.

We were introduced to many of Maine’s natural treasures with the help of the local land trusts and non-profit groups that work to conserve land for recreation.

My preschool-aged son and I attended weekly hikes with the Royal River Conservation Trust. Each week, the aptly dubbed “Rain or Shine Club”  explores jewels of open space that are nestled just beyond the paved confines of neighborhoods, schools, and shopping centers.

At the weekly outings, which are free and open to the public, we attended the hikes—which were short and extremely manageable for my 40-ish body and my energetic, 4-year-old son. The thrill of discovering so many beautiful expanses hidden in our own back yard was matched by the joy in meeting so many like minded parents of young kids, and outdoor enthusiasts of all ages who moved here for the same reasons we did.

And the discoveries only stoked our appetite for more.

Happily for us, there was no shortage of resources we could turn to for help, thanks to the many agencies, non-profit groups and local outdoor writers who treasure time in nature as much as we do.

Thanks to a map created by Portland Trails, the urban land trust that has built and maintains more than 70 miles of trails in and around the city’s urban core, we discovered the Presumpscot River Preserve, a 48-acre green expanse just beyond the city’s busiest thoroughfares, and the Fore River Sanctuary, an 85-acre preserve that is home to Jewell Falls, Portland’s only natural waterfall.

The excellent “Act Out with Aislinn” column in the Bangor Daily News, a weekly feature and one-minute video by the intrepid outdoors writer Aislinn Sarnacki, led us to a magical Saturday of woods and water in Scarborough, just a 20-minute traffic-free drive from our house.  After a morning of surfing and sandcastle-building at Pine Point, and excellent gourmet tacos at El Rayo, we spent the afternoon at Fuller Farm, a 220-acre expanse of preserved fields and forests along the banks of the Nonesuch River, which feeds into Scarborough Marsh, the state’s largest saltwater marsh.

Perhaps the discoveries I have treasured the most have been the unspoiled patches of woods and water, where you can find silence and stillness just a stone’s throw from Maine’s most popular tourist destinations.

The millions of shoppers who flock to Freeport outlets and L.L. Bean’s company store probably have no idea that they are less than a quarter of a mile from Pettingill Farm, a 140-acre expanse of grassy meadows, gnarly technical wooded trails, and postcard-perfect views of the Haraseeket River that is owned by the Freeport Historical Society.

I just love it that you don’t need to wait for summer, trek up Katahdin, or sit in a logjam of traffic with the 4.2 million people who vacation in Maine each year, to savor our state’s wealth of natural treasures.

After two years of living in Maine, and setting out each weekend to find new pockets of natural beauty,  you would think that we would have uncovered every secret spot, and reclined into a been-there-done-that state of mind.

But every time we think we’ve seen it all, we’re bowled over all over, and fall in love with Maine all over again.

Get out, stay safe, have fun

Here are some tips to stay safe and make the most of your outside time wherever you go, courtesy of Kara Wooldrik, executive director of Portland Trails.

• Tell family members and friends where you are going and how long you expect to be gone.
• Know the weather for the time and location that you will be out adventuring.
• Bring appropriate clothing and footwear for the conditions, keeping in mind that  wind and moisture make it colder and lack of shade makes it warmer. You might always carry with you a light fleece, a thin water- and wind-proof jacket, warm hat, gloves, and sun protection when heading in the mountains or on the water.
• If you are not extremely familiar with your location and it is outside of a city, bring a map. Do not rely on your phone; the battery can unexpectedly die and a GPS signal may be tough to find. If you are heading to a more remote location, bring a compass. (Before you go, make sure you know how to use it!)
• If you are going out for more than 30 mins, bring a water bottle and healthy snacks.
• If you’re venturing into the woods, or any area where hunting may be allowed, be sure to wear blaze orange or brightly-colored clothing, and be aware of open hunting season, dates, and local rules. Stick to the trails.

Resources

There are a wealth of resources to help you discover many of the open-space treasures in your own backyard and beyond. Here are just a few:

• Royal River Conservation Trust: The Yarmouth-based non-profit as conserved 3300 acres of land, farms and trails in the Royal River watershed and Casco Bay. It works in the towns of Yarmouth, North Yarmouth, New Gloucester, Pownal, Durham, and Gray. The group also sponsors a weekly “Rain or Shine” club—easy hikes for outdoor enthusiasts of all ages.
• Harpswell Heritage Land Trust: The Trust owns 355 acres of preserved land that is open to the public.  The group sponsors weekly easy hikes geared toward young kids in the fall, winter and spring.  hhltmaine.org
• Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village: This village is home to the only active Shaker Community in the world today. The village, which is in New Gloucester, sits on 1,800 acres of farm and forest land with seventeen historic structures from the 1780s through the 1950s. maineshakers.com
• Maine Forest Playgroup: This is a free, exclusively outdoors program serving toddlers and their families in and around Portland. Each Friday adventure offers an interactive storytime and hands-on activity to set a framework plus free play.
• Freeport Conservation Trust: The group conserves and connects more than 1,500 acres of open space and nearly 20 miles of public trails.
• Scarborough Land Trust: Scarborough may be one of the fastest growing and largest towns in Maine, but it also has state’s largest salt marsh (Scarborough Marsh), to eight miles of coastline, four public beaches, and five rivers. Scarborough Land Trust has worked to preserve it.
• Chebeague & Cumberland Land Trust: This land trust has under its protection eighteen properties — nine on the mainland and nine on Casco Bay.
• Maine Coast Heritage Trust: MCHT manages more than 100 preserves along Maine’s coast. MCHT preserves are managed to protect ecological diversity, scenic beauty, low impact recreation, and community benefits. To see a map, go to: mcht.org/preserves/index.php.
• Portland Kids Calendar:  This is a free local listing of activities for kids and parents.
• Act Out With Aislinn: Each week, Bangor Daily News outdoors columnist Aislinn Sarnacki introduces outdoor hot spots from around the state, and provides “one-minute hike” videos to help you check it out before you leave the house. She provides excellent directions and trail descriptions so you can know if it’s for you. The blog is my go-to resource for hikes, especially for those in central Maine, Augusta, Bangor, and Mt. Desert Island. You can find a map and list of all of her one-minute hikes here: actoutwithaislinn.bangordailynews.com/one-minute-hikes.
• Portland Press Herald: Each Sunday, Portland Press Herald devotes a signficant amount of its sports section to stories about birding, fishing, hunting, and hiking. Don’t miss regular features by outdoors writer Deirdre Fleming. The paper also keeps a full calendar of outdoors activities. pressherald.com/sports/outdoors

Text and photos: Jennifer Van Allen

Locals and visitors from every corner of the world are encouraged to go and experience these rare, unique places all less than an hour from each other on the picturesque Route 26 in Western Maine. The road meanders through gorgeous countryside and boasts culturally, historically, and ecologically significant attractions. Just thirty minutes north of Portland, a family can spend a day or several days visiting these destinations for very little money – a true value! The Gems include: The Maine Wildlife Park, Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village, Poland Spring Resort & Golf Course, Maine State Building Museum, Poland Spring Bottling Museum, McLaughlin Garden & Homestead and more.

Resting Lynx at Maine Wildlife Park. Photo: Michael Leonard.

Fenn Park has it all! Located across from the 18 hole Poland Spring Resort you will find Miniature Golf, a Disc Golf Park even private and group golf lessons with a delux driving range. Plus you can reward yourself at the ice cream shop that serves Gifford’s Ice Cream specializing in cones, sundaes and more!

The driving range at Poland Spring Resort stretches over 330 yards in length with spectacular views of Mount Washington. There is a practice bunker and several different target greens for you to work on different distances and clubs in your bag. The Golf Learning Center has all facets of improving your game covered from video analysis to on course instruction!

Poland Mining Camps is located in Poland, Maine and our primary business is to cater to the needs of the pegmatite mineral collector, enthusiast or geologist, whether as individuals or as a Group. Our customers have exclusive access to famous pegmatite quarries and are allowed to collect mineral specimens, study the geology and enjoy the opportunity unavailable to the general public.

Egg-Ceptional Restaurant serves breakfast and lunch from 6:00am until 2:00pm everyday. WIFI & cable, handicap services available and ask about group event services.

A brown bear at Maine Wildlife Park. Photo: Michael Leonard

Smedberg’s roadside stand was originally built in 1967 and is owned and operated by Roger and Gayle Smedberg and Roger Smedberg Jr. From Made-in-Maine products like maple syrup, honey, fruit salsa, soaps, and ornaments, to their own One Cow Homemade Ice Cream that’s “udderly delicious”, Smedberg’s Crystal Spring Farm is an experience unlike any other. Stop by and check out their homemade baked goods including pies, bread, and Gayle’s delicious homemade baked beans and chicken pies. Smedberg’s fully-stocked greenhouses feature beautiful annuals, hardy perennials, fertilizer, soils, as well as seedlings and plants. Smedberg’s all-natural, home-grown beef, pork, and lamb are raised on the farm, fed from the field with no added hormones. Also available: chicken, turkey, seafood and live lobster. You won’t want to miss a stop at Smedberg’s Crystal Spring Farm.

Oxford Casino, located in the heart of southern Maine, just minutes from Exit 63 off the Maine Turnpike is your destination for wicked good fun. The casino offers a unique gaming and entertainment experience unlike any other. From table games to slot machines, their non-stop gaming action delivers a thrill a minute to fortune seekers, and their on-site restaurant and full bar provide places to refuel.

The Inside Scoop offers their own delicious homemade ice cream that is made onsite! They have soft serve ice cream featuring flavor-bursts, fresh waffle cones, yummy sweet treats. They also offer non-dairy treats, sugar-free ice cream, ice cream cakes and Inside Paws Treats for furry customers. You have the option of inside service with seating, a walk up window or drive thru service for your convenience.

Creaser Jewelers owners Dennis and Julie Creaser have turned their love of gemstones and jewelry into a thriving small business which specializes in Maine Gemstones (Maine Tourmaline, Maine Amethyst), fine jewelry and custom design. Dennis has dedicated over 20 years to gemcutting and jewelry design – and the pursuit of Maine gemstones. He facets and carves gems with one goal in mind: create the brightest, cleanest, most beautiful jewel possible. He designs jewelry to perfectly enhance, perfectly compliment a beautiful gemstone. Julie has over 12 years experience in business management and customer service and a lifetime of appreciation for fine jewelry. This combined with her knowledge of styles and trends, both current and traditional, guarantee their customers’ satisfaction.

Photos: Michael Leonard

Gyms get bigger when the weather gets warmer. Our workouts move from the spin room to the roads, from the rowing machine to actual water. The entire state becomes an aerobics class, a yoga studio, and boot camp rolled into one. Except there’s no bass-fueled workout mix pumping through the sound system. But there is the scent of pine and that ocean sound the trees make when the wind rustles their leaves. There’s also actual ocean sounds. And birds and grassy fields, and sunshine (well, most of the time).

There’s no shortage of ways to break a solid sweat or give our quads a good run for their money in Maine’s outdoors. We can trade in the treadmill for mountain trails and give the dumbbells a rest while we exhaust our arms with a little help from a kayak paddle. But as invigorating as it is to work out in the the great outdoors, it’s even better when you have workout buddies who will pant and sweat and have a grand time with you. (Other people are the best motivators and you’ll have the pleasure of meeting people who like doing the stuff you like doing.)

Get Outside

There are a ton of groups you can connect with to hike, bike, paddle, and run. Meetup.com is an excellent place to scout for informal groups in your neck of the woods (the Let’s Go Do Stuff meetup, for example, often plans paddles and hikes that are really welcoming to beginners). And groups like MOAC (Maine Outdoor Adventure Club), sheJAMs (a women’s-only group that does swimming, cycling, and running), and Hike It Baby (a hiking club for parents and kids) are stupendous ways to get active outside, even if you’re new to outdoor adventuring.

Boot Camp

There are also outdoor bootcamps and yoga classes that will have you planking in the sand and downward dogging in the grass all season long. Here are but a few!

Boot camp on the beach
It’s like the boot camp you’re used to, except you’ll do lunges, jumping jacks, sprints, and push-ups in the sand! Biddeford Saco Boot Camp runs year-round on the beaches of Biddeford Pool. Instructor Dana Johnson keeps things lively with team games and always-changing workouts, but you will sweat. A lot. But hey, if things get too hot, just take a plunge into the ocean. It’s right there!

Biddeford Saco Boot Camp
6-6:45 a.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, year-round at Fortunes Rocks Beach, Middles Beach, Bath House Beach in Biddeford Pool.  $12 drop-in, $99 4-week session, $150 6-week session. www.biddefordsacobootcamp.com

Run the Trails

The scenery on a trail run beats the scenery on a treadmill. Always. And there’s something about running through the trees that makes you seem so much faster. In the greater Portland area, the Trail Monsters Running group meets three times a week in places like Bradbury State Park in Pownal, Pineland Farms in New Gloucester, and Falmouth Community Park and Blackstrap Hill Preserve in Falmouth. Runners range in age and pace (some are training for long endurance races and others just like a good run in the woods). In the Midcoast, check out Trail Runners of Midcoast Maine. They run Monday nights at Camden Snow Bowl.

Trail Monsters Running
6 p.m. Tuesdays at Falmouth Community Park, 8 a.m. Saturdays at Bradbury Mountain State Park or Pineland Farms, and 8 a.m. Sunday at Blackstrap Hill Preserve (locations may change, so check in advance). Free • trailmonsterrunning.com

Trail Runners of Midcoast Maine
6 p.m. Mondays at Camden Snow Bowl, Camden.
Free • www.trailrunnersofmidcoastmaine.com

Do Yoga in A Park

Your tree pose is going to feel so at home during yoga in the park. And your bare feet will appreciate the grass. Fresh Air Yoga brings a peaceful vinyasa flow class outside. It’s open to all ages and levels, too, so even if you’re new to yoga, give it a try. Classes run Wednesday until Sept. 7.  Check yogainyourpark.com for yoga classes in Bar Harbor, too.

Fresh Air Yoga
6-7:15 p.m. Wednesdays at Payson Park, Portland
$15 drop-in
yogainyourpark.com

____________________

Text and photos: Shannon Bryan.
Shannon loves to get active in Maine – from aerial yoga to moonlight paddles — and she writes about them all (to encourage you to try them too!) on FitMaine.com.

It all comes down to how we as individuals taste. Fortunately for us human beings, we are blessed with taste buds. Our tongue has sensitivity to all tastes and flavors throughout its surface area. The sides of our tongues are more sensitive to sour and salty and the backs of our tongues are more sensitive to bitterness. So if you are a fan of IPAs, you are more likely to be accustomed to bitter flavors and also prone to love spicy foods. You love that piney spicy citrus aroma matched with the bitter taste sensation and the bitter back lingering on the aft of your tongue as the IPA travels along your taste buds’ highway. On the other hand, if you are a big fan of sweet malty beers or clean lagers, you are most likely oversensitive to bitterness and prefer beers such as Pilsners, Red Ales, Brown Ales or a nice amber or even some Pale Ale styles would suit your taste buds favorably.

But back to IPAs. Brewers produce unique flavors from the many types of yeast strains

available, combined with different malts used in the mash process, which help to produce the beers alcohol, color, aroma, and sweet, nutty or toasty flavors. Yeast is actually the work engine behind beer. During the fermentation process yeast digests the residual sugars from the wort produced during the mash process to produce alcohol and carbon dioxide. While this occurs, other

wonderful magic is happening, including the production of what science calls esters. Esters are responsible for some of the flavors we taste or off flavors. Some esters can be described as a banana, clove, soapy, buttery, salty, acetic and so on. Certain esters are more acceptable in certain styles of beer than others.

Mason’s Brewing Company opened in May 2016 in Brewer, Maine

And then we have bitterness and aroma. Most bitterness and aroma in beer comes from the addition of hops added to the boiling process or added during cooler fermentation (dry hopped) or even during the transfer of cool wort (hop back) into the fermenter. There are many different varieties of hops available. Brewing beer is sometimes described as 60% science and 40% art. I like to look at brewing beer as a balancing act. When hops are added in the boiling process, the heat removes hop resins known as alpha acids. This is what produces bittering flavors to balance out the sweetness of certain malts used in the mashing process. Hops are sometimes added after the boil has ended, this type of addition is known as late hopping or dry hopping if done after fermentation. This type of hop procedure will release very little bittering alpha acids into the finished beer, but will lock in the wonderful aroma of the hop itself.

Next time you enjoy your favorite IPA take note of the aroma first. Do you smell a citrus grapefruit, piney, or musty aroma? These are aromas produced from the late hopping procedure. While passing this wonderful ale through your taste buds, pay attention to what you taste. You might experience a hop explosion or upfront bitterness that slowly diminishes, which comes back again as the beer is swallowed and the hop resins coats back of your throat with a lingering bitterness. These are all produced during the boil process.
Next time you are craving an IPA, don’t be afraid to search out and try something new. Expand your palate with some of the newer sour beers that have recently become popular. Remember beer is food; beer has aroma, taste, color and presentation, just like food. So, enjoy and savor the many varieties of your favorite craft beers. We truly live in a great State of Beer! Hope to see everyone at the many beer events, festivals and tastings in 2016. Cheers!    — Richard Ruggerio

Text Richard Ruggerio.

Working in the craft beer brewing industry for over 20 years, I have experienced all the ups and downs of major booms and fallouts. The growth and expansion this industry has experienced in the past few years has been unprecedented. As of 2016, the Brewers Association reported there are over 4,134 Brewery/Brew Pubs operating in the USA, with over 1000 still in the planning stages. The US hasn’t seen brewery numbers like this since 1870 when when there were 4,000 operating breweries in the USA. As I write this article, there are over 70 craft breweries operating in the great State of Maine! Outstanding, considering when I first moved to Maine to build a craft brewery during the last craft beer boom in 1994, there were less than 20. The Industry has exploded with no signs of slowing down. Maine, where small and unique craft breweries are opening every month, now ranks fifth in the nation for the number of breweries per capita.

continued…

All photos courtesy of Boothbay Craft Brewery

Back in 2009, the foundation was laid for what is now the Boothbay Craft Brewery and Watershed Tavern. It took 2 years to complete the structure, which consists of over 200 heavy beams crafted from trees donated for the project.

Trees you say? Yeah, that’s right — trees. Win and Lori Mitchell, owners and builders of the mid-coast brewery also owned and ran a sawmill. Their concept was a simple one, get people interested and involved by donating a tree that could be used in the brewery’s construction. They would do the rest at the sawmill. Not totally unlike a GoFundMe project, but definitely more Maine-like, independent and resourceful. As Win had become more involved in the craft brew scene he also became good friends with many in the industry. The timing was good when Rob Tod of Allagash Brewery heard about the Mitchell’s idea and the need for trees, he offered up some big pines they had just cut for Allagash’s expansion. Trees from right up the road, to as far away as Virginia, found their way into Boothbay’s first and only brewery. Even the Dogfish Head Brewery Calagione family stepped up with a big oak that created a main post and beam along with a heavy front door to the Watershed Tavern.

Today the brewery and tavern has grown up and is producing beer, for not only the adjoining brewpub, but also for many restaurants all along the coast of Maine. In 2013, an expansion for additional fermentation and packaging. This also created the ability to add a new upstairs, where visitors could tour and view the brewing process from above, while enjoying a dozen craft choices at the tasting bar. The new upstairs dining area called the “Tool Room” is the resting place of many of Win’s forefathers tools from the earlier age of hand tools. “I thought it was a shame to keep these great pieces of craftsman history locked away in the chest. I wanted people to see, enjoy, and appreciate the talent that was needed to craft wood before the age of power tools.” Much like crafting wood, to craft beer takes patience, practice and good mentors. “I have been very fortunate to have had help from a very altruistic industry that helps each other with becoming better at what we do, to craft great Maine beer!” Core beers are 633 Pale Ale, Dexter Rippa Red IPA, Ken Brown Ale, and Black Rocks Stout.

New beers this year at Boothbay Craft Brewery

Townsend Ale is crafted as an English mild. All English malts, hops, and English ale yeast. This New World born ale is a low 3% ABV.

10 Lewis Ale is the first beer to be packaged in 4 pack -16 oz cans. It’s a 5% ABV bright session ale using 20% wheat with locally grown cascade hops and dry hopped with Citra. This beer was brewed to promote and support the restoration of Burnt Island lighthouse.

Text: Richard Ruggerio

Photo: Norway Brewing Company

Take a left turn off of Route 26 onto Main Street in Norway and one of the first things you’ll see is Norway Brewing Company: a seven barrel brewery, taproom, and beer garden. They offer up to seven of their own beers on tap, three different 32 oz. growler fills, and a small list of hand-selected non-alcoholic beverages. With beers like the easy-drinking Green Machine session ale, brewed in collaboration with the Green Machine bike and ski shop, and Mr. Grumpypants, a stout brewed with Maine Grains oats and Coffee By Design Guji coffee, as well as a rotating list of seasonals and one-offs, there is bound to be something to suit the palate of any beer lover!  In addition, the kitchen puts out a select but varied menu of gastropub fare made with locally produced ingredients. The 30-seat taproom is open year-round, but the beer garden is the place to be this summer, with plenty of seating in both the sun and shade.  Norway Brewing is also a proud sponsor of the first ever Foothills Food Festival on Saturday, August 13th, a celebration of Maine-made food and drink that will feature food vendors, a beer garden, farmer’s market, and more.

Photo: Green Machine Bike Shop

The Green Machine Bike Shop is very excited to be in its new home, the Historic L.M. Longley & Son building located at 419 Main Street in Norway! The L.M. Longley building has been a hardware store since 1844. It closed its doors as a hardware store in the fall of 2015. The Green Machine Bike Shop is now proud to have re-opened this historic building with their expanded sales & service department. It’s well worth the ride to Norway to check out their inventory and it’s cool Historic Building.

If you don’t want to ride alone, The Green Machine Bike Shop offers weekly group bike rides! Wednesdays Road Bike Ride leaves the bike shop at 5:15 p.m. Friday’s Mountain Bike ride leaves the bike shop at 5:15 p.m. as well. To kick off the weekend, after our mountain bike ride, you will find riders sipping on locally brewed beers at the Norway Brewing Company! For more information about group rides call 207-739-2324.
Come join the fun!

Do you want access to recreational areas where locals go? See see wildlife close up, make lasting memories with friends and family and get the most out of your Maine experience but lack the equipment and knowledge?

Call Fun And Sun Rentals and you will be set up with an adventure of a lifetime. From taking in the sights from the comfy seat of your beach cruiser or paddling and exploring waterways with your family or friends on kayaks or SUPs. They even rent sail boats and beach gear. If you are really enjoying biking, they have a bike made for just about anyone and even tandems built for two. Save yourself the hassel and expense of buying or transporting equipment and rent just about anything you may need from Fun And Sun Rentals and have it delivered to your door.

So if you are interested in exploring Higgins Beach, Prout’s Neck, Ferry Beach Scarborough, The Eastern Trail, Pine Point Beach, Pine Point Town Landing, Old Orchard Beach, Ocean Park, Bayside, Kinney Shores, Ferry Beach Saco, Camp Ellis, Hills Beach, Biddeford Pool, Fortunes Rocks , Goose Rocks or Cape Porpoise, Fun and Sun Rentals will serve you. From deliveries to pick up and drop offs, advice on adventures and self guided trips, this is real no brainer for the adventurous types who live or visit the greater Scarborough region.

Just them a call and tell them what you want and when you want it and reserve it, they will deliver it and pick it up at no extra charge with a minimum order size anywhere in their delivery area. Or you can arrange to pick it up at the shop on specified days and times. No hassles, no worries. Just Fun and Sun Rentals on your vacation!

Maine’s longest stretch of sand beach makes Old Orchard Beach a magnet for summer vacationers. And what a beach it is, 7 miles of soft white sand that’s meticulously cleaned each night by volunteers. Backed by a band of dune grass, the beach slopes gently into the surf, wide enough so even at high tide there’s space for everyone to find their patch of sand.

Photo: Gary Curtis

That’s just Old Orchard. Smaller beaches spread north along Scarborough’s coast, some – such as the beautiful Western and Ferry beaches — protected by the long peninsula of Prouts Neck.

A few miles away in Saco, at the 18-hole Schooner Miniature Golf, there’s a big replica schooner and lighthouse, along with outdoor batting cages for slow-pitch softball and 60-mph-big-league hitters. Every Thursday evening there are free fireworks.

With all this coastline, you can expect a variety of water sports — surfing, paddleboarding, sailing, fishing and waterskiing. Quiet coves and tidal estuaries invite canoes and kayaks. Scarborough Marsh has miles of meandering channels alive with birds, to explore on foot or in a kayak or canoe.

Black Point Surf Shop in Scarborough is a full-service surf shop, with new and used surfboards and all the related equipment. Their surf lessons include wetsuits and boards. Arlberg Surf Shop has a large selection of surf boards and gear, as well as paddleboards, water skis, wake boards, tubes, body boards and wetsuits. They also offer surfing lessons. Fun And Sun Rentals will bring you anything from beach gear to kayaks, paddle boards and sail boats — even bicycles, delivered free throughout the area.

Photo: Gary Curtis

This flat coastline is great to explore on two wheels, and you can follow the Eastern Trail, a greenway of backroads and trails for bicycles. With beach parking often at a premium, a bike is a handy way to get to the beach from your campground or motel. There are bike racks on the shuttle buses that connect the beach and Amtrak station to inland lodgings.

Also an easy walk away from The Pier and amusement park, Beachfront Condotel has two-bedroom and studio units with kitchens and Jacuzzis. Less than 10 minutes from The Pier are the neighboring budget-friendly Sea View Inn  motel and Waves Oceanfront Resort , both with straightforward rooms and kitchenettes. Two miles north on Grand Beach in Scarborough, The Holiday House is a bed & breakfast with ocean-view rooms (some have private decks), and motel rooms that include the use of a common kitchen.

RV owners and campers will find plenty of options. A mile from the beach, family-operated Old Orchard Beach Campground offers everything from simple rustic woodland tent sites to facilities for the largest motor homes. Catering to families and couples only (no groups) and half a mile from The Pier, Hid’n Pines Family Campground also has basic tent sites and large full-service lots, and you can see photos of each campsite before reserving. Also within walking distance of the beach, the resort-style Powder Horn Family Camping has four swimming pools, two Jacuzzis and an 18-hole mini-golf course all free to campers.

Photo: Gary Curtis

Wassamki Springs Campground in Scarborough sits on a private lake with a mile-long sand beach, and offers free activities that include hayrides, movies and family bonfires. Season campers can store their RVs free. Seacoast Rv Resort in Saco, a mile from Old Orchard and Scarborough beaches, is a residential community for 110 park model RVs only, with a pool, hot tubs and clubhouse.

If all the saltwater makes you hungry for seafood, you won’t find it fresher than at Ken’s Place (207-883-6611) on Pine Point Road in Scarborough. Nothing fancy, but ocean-fresh fried clams, lobster rolls, chowders and a raw bar.

Text: Bobbie Randolph.

Be sure to include a visit to The Yorks in your travel plans. Enjoy beautiful beaches, dynamic ocean views and much more. See Nubble Light—one of Maine’s most visited and photographed lighthouses. Enjoy oceanfront camping at Libby’s Oceanside Camp, situated immediately adjacent to beaches and with a view of Nubble Light!

Wells boasts miles of sandy beaches and is a popular vacation destination. You may want to spend some time shopping, exploring antique shops, visiting the weekly farmers market, do some boating or fishing, or enjoy some great golfing!  Want to try your luck at mini-golf? Your family will enjoy the nautical theme at Wells Beach Resort Mini-Golf on Route 1 in Wells.

Wells offers a variety of scheduled events throughout the summer season. For more information, visit the Wells Chamber on Route 1 or see their website for their detailed Calendar of Events: www.wellschamber.org

Ready for a great meal? Visit the Maine Diner on Route 1 for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Home-cooked foods, lighter-fare, chowders, lots of Maine seafood, and delicious desserts are included on the menu. Also visit the Maine Diner Gift Shop located next door.

Camp in Wells and enjoy a few days in the area. There are several inviting and well-maintained campgrounds. Whatever your equipment and preferences, you’ll find a good match: Sea-Vu Campground, Sea-Vu West Campground, and Wells Beach Resort. In addition to their own recreational facilities, most are on the trolley route  to help you further enjoy your stay!

You won’t want to miss a visit to both Kennebunk and Kennbunkport. Coastal Maine Kayaking in Kennebunkport offers bike rentals to explore the area as well as kayak rentals.

Travel to inland York County where scenic back roads, ponds, lakes, and recreational opportunities are plentiful. In Sanford, enjoy Mtn. View Golf Range offering a driving range, mini-golf, batting cages and a pro shop. Plan to attend the popular Acton Fair in mid August and discover why Maine fairs are such an attraction.

Water is essential to our survival so whether you are hiking for a day or camping for a week, knowing how to create safe drinking water is a skill you need to know. There are multiple ways to obtain water in the wilderness, here are three ways to purify water so it is safe to drink.

Boil

One tried and true way to purify water is through boiling. People have been detoxifying water through the methods of boiling since the beginning of time. It’s still our preferred method for purifying water today because it actually works. It takes about 10 minutes total to get water to boil (depending on your heat vs climate temperature ratio, it can be longer or shorter).

For this purification method here is what you will need to do:  put a pot of water over stable fire, let the bubbles roll for about 5 minutes before you get the pot off the fire. Once this is done, allow the water to cool for about 5 minutes before drinking it.

Boiling works best for water that is not clean but is clear. This is because boiling is effective against microorganisms but might not be effective against dirt. For this reason, it is highly advisable to use other methods in combination with boiling if the only source of water you have contains dirty water.

Filter

Filtration is another reliable way to purify water to drinking conditions. Sand filtration is one of the simplest ways to clean your water. You will need:

• A plastic bottle
• A filtering material such as a coffee filter, cotton cloth, or pebbles
• Gravel and sand

Follow these steps:

1. Cut the base off the bottle to create a cone shape.
2. Turn the bottle upside down and cover the bottom (the neck of the bottle) with 3 inches of the filtering material.
3. Add a inch of gravel on top of the filter material to prevent the sand from getting into the  filtered water.
4. Fill with sand.
5. Pour water through the filter. Clear water should come out of the bottom. If the water is not very clear, pass it through the filter again to make it clearer.

Sand filtration is an easy, cost-effective method for filtering debris and other contaminants.

Purification Tablets or Drops

Purification tablets or drops are a successful way to kill bactiera in water. The main ingredient in these tablets and drops is usually potassium permanganate, iodine, or chlorine, (chlorine being the most common.)Drops and tablets are usually made to be used for 20 litres of water. Follow these steps in order to purify water in the wilderness using this method.

Before you begin, check  the instructions that came with the tablets or drops for the number of litres to which you will be adding the tablet or drops. If possible, have a container of that size available.

1. Fill up the container up to the brim with water up and add the drops or tablets as indicated on the instructions.
2. Give the container a solid shake for about 10 seconds to allow the tablet or drops to thoroughly mix with the water.
3. Let the water sit in the container for a minimum of 20 minutes before you drink it.

Text: Michelle Custodio.

Throughout the State of Maine there are more than 200 privately-owned campgrounds in addition to a number of State Parks that offer camping facilities. Many privately-owned campgrounds are included in this issue. A camping stay offers the opportunity for a memorable vacation experience, whether simply camping as a vacation or camping as a means to be near an activity you are planning to enjoy.

Diversity is the word to best describes Maine’s many campgrounds. You’ll discover a tremendous variety in the size, location, and type. They range from very small properties where the camping experience is the focus to large resorts that offer every imaginable amenity.

Even if you have never camped before, or do not have camping equipment, you’ll find quite a number of places that offer on-site rentals and cabin rentals. Some RV dealers also offer rental units for nearby campgrounds. This great way to break into the camping experience has become one of the most popular types of vacations today.

Another way to discover camping and be versatile in your vacation is to rent an RV and travel as you wish! Some RV dealers offer rentals and are ready and pleased to work with you in your planning. Dealers can also provide expert advice in selecting camping gear if you prefer to own your own equipment.

When planning your getaway, consider what you are looking for in your camping experience. Do you want a place to call home base for other activities you are planning, or a facility that offers enough that it is a vacation in itself? Some campgrounds offer on-site recreational opportunities such as a pool, rec hall and sports fields, scheduled activities, and a variety of entertainment. Many are located on lakes, rivers, or the ocean, and offer a beach, swimming, fishing, and even a variety of boat rentals. In the more popularly visited areas of the state, campgrounds often provide a home base for area activities and attractions and quite a number either offer shuttle service or are on a trolley route.

The majority of campgrounds and resorts suggest reservations and some require a minimum stay, especially over weekend and holiday periods. And finally, of course, understanding reservation policies and various charges is important.

Questions or considerations might include some of the following:

• Do you offer any camping rental equipment, RVs or cabins?
• Is there shuttle or trolley service available to nearby attractions?
• Is there a well-stocked store?
• How about a snack bar or restaurant?
• Are campfires permitted?
• How about firewood and ice?
• Are there any trails for hiking or biking–even ATVing?
• Is there WiFi or cable TV?
• If a more remote location, how is cell phone reception in the area?
• What hook-ups for trailers and RVs are available? Is there 50 amp electric?
• Are tents accepted?
• Can you bring your own boat? Are there launching facilities and dock space available?
• How about pet policies and requirements for camping with pets?

Text: Ellie Stengel.

Whether you are new to surfing or looking to hone your skills, working with a knowledgeable instructor on the beach is a great way to spend your precious time!  Meet at the beach and Black Point Surf Shop will supply the board and suit. Located in Scarborough, just minutes away from Higgins and Scarborough Beach, Black Point Surf Shop offers kids ages 6+ to adults the chance to get comfortable in the water.

While the main focus is on having fun, they structure lessons to encourage your individual ability to balance and paddle, while working towards standing, riding and reading a wave. With 12 years of experience following their apprenticeships in California, shop owners and board builders Andy and Ryan of McDermott Shapes are experts in ding repair, board restoration, and custom board creation. Black Point Surf Shop is ready for the summer season and excited to add to Maine’s growing surf culture. For questions or to schedule a lesson give the shop a call at 207-939-6016 or stop by.