Edges

Ahhh, the downside from a day filled only with sugar. The cold that I had no idea was stalking me seized its moment and bodyslammed me. So I am off in search of a motel, even though it's only 3 PM, so I can sleep away the nosedrips.

Before I shuffle away, a quick update. Did I mention I love Maine? The whole state exemplifies one of the favorite parts of my trip; the unveiling. I keep trying to go back and take pictures of images that jump out at me; a revolutionary statue that looked Gorey-esque; a motel on the cliff that looked Bates-esque; a rusted 1940s pickup truck next to what might have been a colonial house under piles of growth. It never works. As soon as I stop moving and try to get a freeze frame, the image ceases to be as fascinating.

This is why I love my swing pictures. We are more beautiful in motion, and I guess that works for things as well. It's the coming around the corner that makes some things so amazing, and you can never capture that on a Pentax. Though I try. I always try to frame my shots, with a bit of a tree there, an edge of a house here, and I think that may be due to this movement thing. I want to capture that moment when something first comes into view and you lose your breath for a second.

Yesterday I hit both the eastern edge and the northern edge of my trip. I watched the sun set at Quoddy Head Nat'l Park, the easternmost part of the US. I know, I should have watched the sun rise there, but the damn park closes from dusk til 9 AM, and the sun goes up at 5 out here. Sunset'll do for me. Then I swung up to northern Maine today, and got the other edge.

I stopped at a beach made entirely of Jasper stones. Apparently there is only one other like it, in Japan (thanks Noah, for the guidebook!). It didn't look very special; I didn't realize what an unassuming rock Jasper is. It was just a rocky beach. The oddity lay in the fact that the rocks went all the way down. Try to picture climbing a sand dune build of red rocks the size of a fist. Where the water hit, the rocks were much smaller, but still stones and nowhere near sand. The sound that the water made when pulling back was amazing. The smaller waves made a nice singing noise, and the larger ones made a noise closer to a scream. It was a little spooky on such a foggy morning.

Yesterday was as drizzly as the day before, and everone had their fires going. My ribs started to ache from inhaling so deeply every time I passed a house (or maybe that was just this cold stalking me - like eyes on the back of my neck).

I may have been slightly snooty in my tone in my last post regarding little tourist towns. I take it all back. Every little tourist town that I passed on my way north is forgiven, as they are all trying to be Bar Harbor. Ba Haba is just about the cutest tourist town I have ever seen! And I grew up on the California coast! It has just the right mix of friendly folks, nature adventures, and businesses only a city gal would like, to be perfect. Naturally I didn't stay. The perfect tourist town runs on money, and I have none. But I will be back.

Okay, really need a bed now. And I've overstayed my welcome at the library; the librarian is tapping her foot.

Comments

[Anne]

Oh I love Maine! I was there for a week about 2 summers ago. I stayed further south, in Wells, which is just pass Ogunquit (I think that's how you spell it). My favorite thing would have to be waking up at 6am and walking along the beach that came right up to the hotel steps. The fog was so thick you couldn't see ten feet in front of you, but you could certainly hear seals!! If you happen to go back through that town on your way back South I highly recommend Billy's Chowder House (Again, not sure of the naming.). It's in the middle of a marsh, all by itself, and kayaks paddle right up to the windows outside the bar. :P

[Dad]

Ah, jasper. You undervalue it, Beth, it appears in rings and jewelry, and all of the ancient languages have a term for it. Mostly thought of as red, it can be many colored, usually opaque, and very hard...think flint, and thats why your beach breathes instead of being ground to sand. I always considered it semi-precious, but it is basically petrified mud or ash...you wouldn't know that it is basically silicon di oxide when you look at picture jasper...beautiful! Love, Dad

[Nancy]

Ah, you found why Maine has one beach named "Sandy Beach" -- and it's considered rare enough to be named such. ;) One of the mottos of Maine is "where the mountains meet the sea" because the rocks and mountains come right down to the beach; all shingle, no sand. I rather like it, myself.

Your description of everything being fascinating while in motion is so true of so many places in the U.S., but I think you're right that Maine is special in that way. I'm so glad you're enjoying it!

I'm making inroads on the camisole with that yarn we found on our trip to The Fiber Studio in Henniker, and as I knit on it, I almost think you're still here, sitting with a cup a hot cocoa in my living room. Safe travels! Elric sends his greetings, too!

[caroline]

Hope you feel better soon, sweets...

[maryse]

i'm definitely going to have to explore maine more. thanks for the travelogue.

[shadarko]

wicked!

[kathleen]

Feel better Bethany. I didn't know Jasper was a stone. I went to Manhattan College and Brother Jasper supposedly was the creator of the Seventh Inning Stretch. Take care. When are you coming back to NY?