Pictures and Stories About Bicycle Adventures

- Four day drive with the Bee (our Tandem) from Colorado Springs
  to South Portland, Maine, 2100 Miles.
- Visit: Freeport, PA, Niagara Falls, NY, and LL Bean
  in Freeport, Maine,
- Seven Day Bike Loop Tour through the Fall Foliage of
  Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts.
- Four Day Return Drive with the Bee from South Portland, Maine,
  through the Kansas Native Stone Scenic Byway,
  to Colorado Springs, Colorado, yet another 2100 Miles.

Enroute: 4 Days Before Arrival into Maine
Leaving Colorado in a Flash Snow Storm followed by an Ice Storm

It rained every day on our drive from Black Forest, Colorado, to South Portland, Maine. We were on the heels of Hurricane Nate (2017) every single day of our travel. Hurricane Nate came from Central America, went up the east coast of the USA, and then turned east into the Atlantic Ocean. When we traveled enroute, we drove east into Nate's precipitation every afternoon and Nate's precipitation moved east of us every night. Only after our arrival did we have better weather (which was good for our New Engand Fall Foliage bicycle tour).

Day 0
Bike Safety Inspection(s) and Welcome Meeting

Above Left: This was the Welcome Sign and Itinerary posted at the front of the hotel's lobby.

The fully supported Bike Tour was Led by Judy and Pam of Bicycle by America (which we endorse). It was rapidly obvious that Pam and Judy had done this particular tour many times and that they had a high level of experienced cooperation with one another.

Above Right: I have the advantage of 20/20 hind-sight to say that this Tour was well organized and well led. In addition, the participants (7) were a very nice group of people; everyone had cycling experience, knew how to handle their gear, showed up on time, all discussions were civil and interesting, and everyone got along and respected each other. From left to right: Pam (Guide), Steve, Vickie, Dennis, Karen, Terry, Lil Karen (hidden behind Gary), and Gary (Photo by Guide Judy).

Everything about this tour was First Class, the Cyclists and the Leaders were strong cyclists and both Leaders were certified bike mechanics. This tour was a joy in which to participate.

Day 1
South Portland to Old Orchard Beach, Maine

Above Left: The Bee had a good night's rest.

Above Right: Fall was visiting our hotel.

Above Left: Everyone met on time and they were ready. The Bee awaits...

Above Right: We rode 100 yards/meters and we were already in beautiful Fall Foliage.

Above Left: Back shot as we depart urbania for suburbia.

Above Right: Magnificent fall colors.

Above Left: At Cape Elizabeth / Ft Williams Park – Oak Leaves on the ground. I was thinking, I have not had to clean-up leaves from a yard since I was a kid. I do rake pine-needles every 5 years or so.

Above Right: The Bee visited Portland Head Lighthouse at Ft Williams Park.*
Nothing like up-front parking (yay bicycles)!

* CAMERA PRODUCT REPORT: I purchased a brand-new pocket digital camera (Nikon, GPS, Coolpix) for this trip:

1. I learned, on travel Day 1, that the Captured Image of the camera was a little right of what was displayed - A few degrees left and this image would have had a well composed photo.
2. In addition, the Camera had a polarized display that I could not see while taking pictures when shooting from a moving bike. If any camera manufacturer feels a need for a polarized display, the camera should have a removable polarized display cover because a large percentage of outdoor travelers wear polarized sun-glasses. The actual polarization issue is that when two polarized lenses/plates/optics are aligned, they totally block the emission of visible light.

I returned this camera immediately after the bike tour.

Above: Portland Head Lighthouse at Ft Williams Park, Maine.

Above Left: "The Annie C Maguire shipwrecked here on Christmas Eve, 1886."

Above Right: The shipwreck was mysterious because the crew reported that they could see the lighthouse and shore rocks; to make this event more puzzling, the Captain had his family onboard the ship. Source: Fort Williams Website.

Above Left: Terry and the Bee with Dennis at the Portland Head Lighthouse (photo by Judy).

Above Right: Our new friends joined in (L-R): The Bee, Dennis, Terry, Lil Karen, Gary, Karen, Steve, and Vickie (photo by Judy).

Heading South for Cape Elizabeth Light & Lunch at a Crab Shack

Above Left: Rudolf Warning - We just had to get this picture! Dennis is waiting in the distance.

Above Right: Riding south in and out of ocean views. It would be foggy until 2pm today; it was mid-morning here.

Above Left: Fall view.

Above Right: Life on the Bee.

Cape Elizabeth Light & Lobster Shack

Above Left: We arrived, no worries about bike parking conflicts.

Above Right: Storm Survivor.

Above: Good day for a lighthouse.

Above: Heading for the Lobster Shack.

Above: Lobster Shack inside views.

Above Left: The bikes are safe.

Above Right: Interesting Proposition from the 1860s.

Above Left: Gary, Lil Karen, Judy, Steve and Vickie.

Above Right: Gary, Karen, Judy, Steve, Vickie, Terry, and Dennis (photo by Pam). I had been wanting Lobster, Clam Chowder, and a Lobster Roll ever since we planned this tour back in January - Clam Chowder, Check!

Above: Terry, Light, and Keeper's House.

Above Left: The Light (not called Light House here). It cleared a little during lunch.

Above Right: Eagles made from an unknown (to us) media.

Above Left: Autumn Art.

Above Right: Heading south on Maine 77 (Lil Karen and Judy in the lead).

Above Left: Pam was waving everyone in for a snack break.

Above Right: Snack Time (We were pleased with the snack service and convenience).

Above, the Gang Posing at Moorebrook Farm:
(Front Row, L-R): Judy, Gary, Vickie, Steve;
(Other Rows, L-R): Dennis, Lil Karen, Terry, Karen (Pumpkin Head).

Above Left: Farmers Market (lots).

Above Right: Produce and Thanks to a Heavenly Being.

Coastal Maine around the Scarborough River Area

Above: Coastal Maine, east side of the Scarborough River Area.

Above Left: It makes one wonder.

Above Right: Nice stone house.

Above Left: Wetland and we were only 20-30 feet above sea level.

Above Right: We went off-road down a wetland nature trail and not one rider had a problem with the idea of going off-road. I loved this group of people.

Above Left: We didn't get to see it but the folks up front got to see a snake or two crossing the trail, awe-shucks.

Above Right: Just enjoying the ride.

Above: Egret on the hunt (Photo by Pam).

Above Left: Typical salt/fresh water estuary; the tide was out.

Above Right: Bird poised for waterway observation.

Above: We were now on the west side of the Scarborough River's watershed.

Bayley

Above: Heading for Bayley's (it's an old fish camp that became a known area, it is inland and just west of the Scarborough River estuary).

Above Left: It's a Friday and this was the last weekend that Bayley's seasonal Ice Cream Shop would be open. It did not matter what a person ordered, it would cost 50 cents and a person would get at least a pint of it.

Above Right: This was the working menu, when they run out of a flavor, it gets X'd out.

Old Orchard Beach

Above Left: We love Seafood Places on the Ocean.

Above Right: The Friendship Inn, our destination and lodging for the night. The smaller print says Welcome America by Bicycle, that's our group!

Above Left: Looking north to Pine Point and the Ocean View.

Above Right: Looking east at the Atlantic Ocean.

Above Left: Wild life tracks.

Above Right: Bully of the beach.

Above: Sandpipers (or similar birds).

Above Left: Orchard Beach, Maine; long shadows mark the end of the day.

Above Right: The Bee will sleep well tonight.