Mountains and Trails

 

Grist Mill Museum
At the Grist Mill Museum in Dexter, Maine a retired local history teacher gave us a private tour of the operation of the Grist Mill, farm implements, and an old-fashion kitchen, all reminiscent of the Iowa farmhouse my family lived in during the 1950s. Dexter was also the home of the popular Dexter Shoe Company which ended production in Dexter in the mid 1970s.

 
Same as in our Iowa farmhouse in 1950s

 

Stanley Steamer Automobile 
The Stanley Museum in Kingfield, Maine is maintained as a tribute to the inventors of the Stanley Steamer automobile. In 1899 the first prototype Stanley Steamer, called a Locomobile, driven by Stanley, successfully climbed Mt Washington on the Carriage Road and in 1904 in the Climb to the Clouds road race on the Carriage Road, an 8 hp Stanley Steamer runabout defeated all the entrants except for a specially equipped 60-hp Mercedes.

     
1910 Elegant Stanley Steamer for a cost of $1,500                       Jim checks out the source of power

 

Moosehead Lake
The Steamboat Katahdin, built in 1914 at the Bath Ironworks, once carried livestock, equipment, supplies, and passengers as well as towed log booms. At one time, this steamboat was one of more than 30 Moosehead Lake steamers.

 
Cruise on Moosehead Lake

   
Small island home                                                          Historic Mount Kineo

The steep rise of Mount Kineo is a challenging hike of 0.9 miles up 900 feet to a summit tower.

     
Mt Kineo Indian Head                                                         Indian Trail up Mt Kineo

    
Mt Kineo Tower                                                       Top of Mt Kineo Tower

 

Appalachian Trail

As we travel north through Maine we cross the Appalachian Trail (AT) several times as it winds its way toward its north end on Mt. Baxter in Katahdin State Park.

     
On the AT                                                                 First mile of "The 100 Mile Wilderness"

 

The crossing at Height of Land in the Rangeley Lakes region is at N 44.9, halfway between the North Pole and the Equator.

    
Mooselookmeguntic Lake from Height of Land                            Mount Washington in the distance 
`                                                                                                      (highest peak on the left)

    
Along the AT                                                                 A happy maintainer returns to the trail

Mountain Beer Garden
On a trip two years ago, near Skowhegan, Maine we discovered the Bigelow Brewing Co in the hills just out of town.

They “Make beer from the community using local ingredients – grain and hops grown in Maine and fruits and vegetable from local farmers.”  Delicious!!

 
Hops field at Bigelow Brewing

    Beer and pizza                                                         Brick oven-fired pizza

Next stop – White Mountains in New Hampshire.

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