The month started off similar to the way July ended. More lovely warm summer weather. This summer has been pretty dry for the northeast. We don't suffer the dryness of the west and the forest fires that follow, but my lawn certainly shows the effects of our lack of rain.
Of course we spent as much time as possible playing with grandkids ... including our newest addition ... Aiden.
I was able to take a few drives in the Chevelle, including a cruise up to Owl's Head, Maine for the annual Wings and Wheels celebration at the Owls Head Transportation Museum. A few hundred classic cars on display and an air show including WWII era planes (F-4U Corsair, B-24 Mitchell Bomber and a B-17 Flying Fortress) ... a great way to spend a lovely Maine Day.
I also made it up to Owl's Head for the annual Vintage Motorcycle Show last Saturday. I displayed my two Yamaha's along with a hundred or so other bikes. Another beautiful Maine day on the coast!
We were also treated to weekend performances by the Navy Blue Angels here in the local area a few weekends ago. We didn't go over to the Brunswick Executive Airport (past Brunswick Naval Air Station) for the show but we always get a pretty good show right here at home as they fly just a hundred feet or so over our house while making maneuvers! The sounds of F/A-18s screeching overhead all weekend was music to my patriotic ears - the sweet sound of freedom!
We did manage to break Winne out of her storage prison in August! I brought her home for some maintenance and a good scrubbing and then took off for short 5 day trip up into the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The main reason for the trip was to take the Maine kids and grandkids to the Story Land Amusement Park. Story Land has been around since the 1950s and is a bit of a New England icon. Kids of all ages have been enjoying Story Land's interactive displays and fun rides for many years. I recall taking our kids there back in the 1980s -- and many of the displays today are the same as they were back then (or as they were in the 1950s for that matter!). But much has been added including log flume rides, and a couple of large roller coasters! A great time was had by all - especially the younger ones (and their parents). We followed up the day in the park with a cookout at our campsite. Good times!
Peggy and I spent the remainder of our time just generally goofing off and enjoying the scenery of the White Mountains.
Brian, Nicky, Alyssa, and Emily (AKA the NJ Gang) made a flying trip up here last weekend - mainly to say their first Hellos to Aiden. It may have only been for a few days but we fit a lot of visiting and playing into those few hours.
Like I said --- busy month!
And now we move into Fall. Yep -- the Fall season has already started here in Maine. You can see a few leaves starting to turn color and fall to the ground, the lows at night have been into the 40s a few times, and we call a high temp in the 70s a "warm" day. My favorite time of year!
Now that the kids are back in school and the "summer people" are beginning the trek back to wherever they came from it's time for us Mainers to get out and enjoy some (hopefully) decent weather and the gorgeous Maine coast. Peggy and I have planned a few day get-a-way to the Belfast, Maine region starting late next week. We have booked a stay at The Moorings RV Park which is located right on Penobscot Bay. We are looking forward to some quiet time watching the seabirds, listening to the waves, and walking on the beach. Hope that works out as planned!
Speaking of planning ... if the leaves are starting to fall it must be time to start planning a winter get-a-way. I see the Farmer's Almanac is calling for a colder and wetter than normal winter in the northeast ... and I don't even like normal! My original plan was to head to Arizona this year ... but it looks like we are going to make a summer/fall trip to the west so it will probably be best if we keep a winter trip to East of the Pecos.
So ... here is the preliminary plan for the 2018 Maineiacs In Motion winter trip. We start by heading south right after Christmas - down I-81 to the Knoxville area where we will judge the winds and temperature to determine the proper route to take to our next destination in San Antonio, TX. I hope to make San Antonio in time to see the River Walk dressed in its holiday lights. We expect to hang out in the SA area for a couple of weeks eating BBQ before heading east (along I-10 and through Houston if the water has receeded!) --- landing at the Escapee Rainbow Plantation sometime in late January. We hope to spend about a month at the Plantation, watching/participating in all the merriment of the annual Mardi Gras celebration, eating shrimp, and generally getting into trouble. Once our welcome has worn out in Alabama we will head to Florida --- assuming Hurricane Irma leaves anything in place --- for about a month before heading home to see if the snow is all gone.
It may not work out as presently planned ... but we now have a starting point!
