Next!

Yesterday ended the whirlwind event "Go To Every Official Natural Wonder in Maine Before the Hoard(er)s Descend" part of our program. We are Officially Exhausted. But Very full of Memory Smiles.

Way up in Millinocket, Maine we met up with Bryant Davis, owner of Maine Quest Adventures, for a moose tour. I've only been on one guided tour in my life, Underground Seattle, and as skeptical as I was, it was a fantastic tour. I didn't know how I'd feel about a guided moose tour, I mean, hey, we'd seen a moose, right? But there is luck and there is local knowledge. And there is Bryant.
Bryant is as down to earth as Maine granite, funny, passionate about his home state (he was born and raised within blocks of where he and his wife live now, their children grown and living not so far away either). He's the real deal, having been exploring the area his whole life, in love with the Northern Maine outdoors and comfortable with its host of features and creatures. Which he, seemingly without trying, handily proved yesterday when we got to see two moose and...yes, get ready, a BEAR! A real bear. A bear so real that I calmly commented from the back seat that if she decided to come much closer, I'd be rolling up the window - yes, Laurie is getting great mileage out of that one. But she didn't come closer, instead settling back to snuff around a bit and then she wandered away. Wow!!!

I just heard that Bryant reported on facebook that he had called his man in the woods who reported he had a very hard time getting the bear back in the cage, that she was enjoying  being free. That's guide humor - and it's pretty damn funny when you are out there...just trust me on that, if you must. 

Bryant told us a lot of things I never knew before, especially about logging. This is big logging country and of course, my natural reaction is 'Logging, bad!'. Bryant, who worked mills for 25 years, told us about good and bad practices and showed us some of both. He explained about why certain trees were certain heights, an obvious sign of replanting on logged lands, about land trusts and land leases. Sound boring? It wasn't, not when you are actually looking at the scene and having it make sense through explanation. I came away feeling a little better about logging, which surprises me even as I type this sentence. A little better; don't be leaping to wild conclusions here!

A tractor skidder, with what are called Canadian chains on its tires, 

rarely used anymore because of new harvesting methods. Cool chains!

New restaurant of the Pelletier brothers, a big logging company 

in this area and subject of the reality show American Loggers 

(which I'd never heard about, but apparently its been a 

great tourism/economic boost to the Millinocket area). 

The food's not bad either

At another spot, we walked down to the edge of some water - there is a LOT of water in Maine - and there were three people there from Mass, checking out moose and birds. We stood around talking awhile and they spotted our second moose of the day. Standing around chatting about cool things in the right spot pays off.

Peek-a-boo moose

The birders spotted this American Bittern, apparently a bird usually heard but not seen. Weirdly cool.

 A day or so before, Bryant had seen three moose in another near-by spot he took us too. He was actually walking through the boggy grass when the three popped up from where they were lying down. He took us through there, hoping they'd be around but alas, no moose pop ups. But it was beautiful anyway, slogging through all sorts of plants I'd never seen, and oops, didn't have the boots on that I'd brought but the water wasn't really that cold (feet were freezing in the car later though). This is a pitcher plant Bryant picked up to show its water holding ability - just in case you get caught in a bog without your water bottle.

 Laurie and Phil out in the bog

Bryant explaining something...he told good story, reminding me a lot

of Chris Goldmark with his fishing and birding - a good experience of this kind 

takes someone who is out there because they love it, and Bryant is the man!

Soon after it was home again, home again. And now it is today and we will head back to Laurie's, where real life will begin. Sort of. There are still lots of adventures upcoming, but they most likely won't involve driving hours and hours and going 15 hours at a time. I think. Maybe. I've done more in a week than I usually do in a few years and it's been wonderful. Let the new games begin! Now, if I can just get the bog out of my toenails...