Skies over Rangeley

As I departed Rangeley, I pulled off at a scenic overlook as the sun was starting to go down.  You can subtle differences in color and focus over time.

Shops in Rangeley

Rangeley, Maine is a small town (pop. 1168) with several shops along Main Street.  The shops included Books, Lines, and Thinkers.  I went into one of the restaurants for a cup of Salmon Chowder.  It was quite tasty.  (There is a pizza shop that looked good as well.)

A Path through the Woods

The path through the woods was quite striking.

Fall Color: A Study in Leaves

Though it was past peak for my trip to Rangeley, there were still some striking leaves--many on the ground.  Here is a sample:

Sea otter?? See otter????

While I was down by the water, a sudden movement caught my eyes.  A small, brown mammal ran in front of my boots.  It did not appear to be either a squirrel or chipmunk.  I thought it might be a beaver, but the tail was round and not flat.  I wonder if it was an otter.  I took the following picture.  The small patch of brown in the middle (between the green leaves and the gray rock) is the creature.  See if you can find it . . . .  See if you can identify it . . . .

Rangeley Lake State Park

I drove out to Rangeley Lake State Park (in the western mountains of Maine) in search of mountains, lake, and leaves.  I saw them all--though in a different way than I had expected.  The state park was closed, so my view of the lake and mountain was gained only after a long (2 mile) walk along the park road.  The wind was whipping across the lake, creating some nice ripples but making it quite chilly by the water.

Skies over Portland

I stopped by Whole Foods on my way back to Winslow.  The clouds over Portland caught my attention.

Lighthouse: Portland Head Light

While Sam was in town, we went out to see the Portland Head Light.  It is one of two lighthouses in Portland and one of 63 on the coast of Maine.

Mornings in Maine

I take walks in the mornings.  As the cooler weather has come, the walks have featured fog and sunrises.

Rainbow over Freeport

When returning to Maine, I saw this rainbow--seemingly poised over Freeport.  Is there a pot of gold hidden there?  I'm sure that L.L. Bean would like us to believe so!!  Also there was an interesting outdoor dining setup in Freeport.

Popham Beach: The Sun Descends

As the tide was turning, the sun was beginning its descent--signalling the end of another glorious day at Popham Beach.

 

Popham Beach: Wind and Waves Do Battle

It was a windy day at Popham--so much so that the wind was cutting off the faces of the waves.  There were several surfers who were out riding the waves as they came in.  As the tide began to shift in, there was a battle being waged between a tidal stream returning to the ocean and the waves coming on in--as they both sought to claim the exposed sand bar.  In the second picture, you can see the V formed by these opposing forces.

Popham Beach: Textured Sand

Since it was low tide, the sand bar was exposed.  The ripples in the sand gave evidence of the effects of water movement.

Popham Beach: Blue Sky and Water

I returned to Popham Beach for some sand and water.  I was able to arrive at low tide--which left a variety of tidal pools and streams (several of which were quite warm--thanks to the heating of sun and sand).  Once again, the water was strikingly blue.

Miller Library in Fog

Miller Library is the central building on the Colby campus.  It is impressive at any point.  Here is the view one morning during heavy fog.

Colby: Antigravity Stone

On the campus is a stone marker put in place by the Gravity Research Foundation in 1960 in anticipation of the day when a semi-insulator will be discovered to harness gravity as a free power and reduce airplane accidents.

Acadia in the Sun

After about an hour of fog, the sun broke through at Acadia.  The surf remained vigorous--even managing to get me wet while I was on the phone describing the setting.

Acadia in the Fog

On my birthday, I treated myself to a return trip to Acadia National Park.  As I drove through the fog to get there, I was debating whether to go down by the water or do a hike up Gorham Mountain.  It cleared up as I entered the park, so I prepared to hike.  As I drove around the Park Loop Road, though, the heavy fog returned, so I went back to Otter Point--my current favorite spot in the park.  I sat on some rocks, ate my lunch, and watched the heavy surf coming in.