BOOT SCOOT N' SCHOODIC

NEW DOs abounded. I left the farm before noon and headed to Acadia National Park via Bangor. Since I had no street address for the park or the start point for the bicycle loop that I had wanted to travel I just plugged ACADIA into my GPS. Once off I95 and a bit east of Bangor it seemed that my mind got blown every mile or so. I needed to stop and gaze at the landscape. A lookout to Frenchman Bay was a definite stop with the lupines in bloom and a beautiful view of Cadillac Mountain.

My GPS eventually brought me to the beginning of the park by Desert Isle. I stopped for help at the tourism office and received tons of information and maps. I had to back track to get to the loop that I wanted to explore by road bike. I didn't mind. The day was beautiful and I saw so many interesting things that I would like to return to experience such as the Lumberjack Show and gliding in well, a glider. I would have to save those things for another day. Heck, I would have to save Cadillac Mountain for another day. I had limited time so biking around Schoodic Point would be the day's perfect DO NEW, and it was, almost.

Sometimes it seems that it is difficult to empty your mind and simply enjoy the ride. I was reminded of this a few times. Once by dumping the bike on a slow turn-around to take a photo. It was a tiny emphasis of the fleeting thought that had been drifting in and out of mind, the realization that I was not in the NOW. Pay attention to the NOW. This moment will not repeat. As I was nearing a spot to sit and reflect a different thought came to my mind, one that I had to stop and take a note of as I didn't want to lose it. “When you get out HERE it is no longer academic, it's kinestetic. You can't experience this from an armchair.” And you can't. I don't care how good HD TV's develop or how much more advanced virtual reality machines become. They can add smells, breezes, changes in the temperature of your skin but they will never recreate THIS. You can breathe better here, think better here and NOT think better here, if you let your mind go and BE HERE. Whenever, wherever you take yourself out into nature you enter into a reconnection with all that there is, in essence you touch your essence. You become more of you without the noise and distraction.

After jotting down some notes, savoring the moments looking at the bay I looked at the time and knew that I had to get back on the loop and ride on to the parking lot, mount my bike on my car and leave the park. I needed to get to Bangor to meet my new hosts. While driving I thought about people. Oh if they would only take a short detour from their normal route a few times a week how much less stressed they would be. If they would go to a park, a wood, a shoreline for just 15 minutes without the radio, cell phone or Ipad and reconnect to nature how much better they would feel. I think there would be an amazing change in all off them. If they are not already DOing that I hope some of these posts will spurn a DO NEW in them soon.

Which brings me to Part 2 of the DO NEWS for the day. BANGOR URBAN. My hosts were busy, busy, busy with helping out with the annual ARTWALK and later CONTRA DANCING. I drove directly to the city and met up with them, took an ARTWALK map and headed around by foot to see the area's art. I was surprised by Bangor. I am not sure what I had been expecting. It felt to me like North Hampton, Massachusetts 25 years ago but a lot less crowded. But what do I know? All I have are echos of days gone by. At any rate Bangor was more yuppified than I had pictured yet it is still down home.

The next activity up was not a NEW DO thing for me as I've been contra dancing before but not in Bangor. I had a wonderful time dancing and chatting with some really fun characters. If you have not tried contra dancing you should really DO it. It is a great time. You don't need to know how to dance and you don't need to arrive with a partner. Check it out in your area.

Well that was a full day! My hosts do not have wifi so posts this weekend will be delayed plus.... I am out and about DOing NEW stuff in NEW places and with NEW faces.

I am adding one more photo from the road. I was sitting at a stop light on RT 1. Maine is a NO HELMET state. You can see this rider's face in both his mirrors. Cool photo but please wear a helmet.

Have a SAFE DO NEW Weekend. Have fun !