The road is two miles long. It is a segue between two paved roads but it is dirt. Dirt and sand. The whole place is a pine barren, and the ground is pure sand. A long time ago this was ocean floor. Now when people ask me if I am near the sea, I can say that it once was! It is about 45 minutes from the ocean now. Only steps, though, to a pond, down the drive from a creek, and mile or two from several other ponds and a river.
The driveway to our place is exactly one mile in on the dirt road. I can still hear cars on the paved road side of the land. Mainers go pretty fast on the back roads too. On the other side, the trails have been made by snowmobilers. Snowmobiles in the winter and ATVs in the summer. That and motocross bikes. Not that I mind. I’m willing to put up with them because of the trails. The motors only go out at around 5 pm on Saturdays anyway. As a whole, I think they have a couple of drinks and then take off. I’ve only once seen an ATV on the trails in the morning when I was out. I don’t know about the snowmobiles because I’ve never stayed there in the winter.
Each morning, when I wake up, I walk in a different direction. Walk, sometimes run. Sometimes ride a mountain bike. Most of the trails don’t have signs, so I just follow them. I’ve found a trail around the pond, a trail to a field of glacial eratics and a trail up a mountain with views of the Whites from the top. Just recently found a trail to a convenience store! Now in addition to communing with nature, I can go buy something without walking on a paved road at all! Not that I ever think of something we need there. We usually have to make an event of getting in the car and going to the local general store, and it always involves ice cream for some people, even at 9 am. I know the time will come, though, when I have to get milk and I can be cheered up that I don’t have to get in a car at all, or touch pavement to get there. Only walk in the sand, climb a couple of hills and cross a stream. Not sure how I’ll keep the ice cream from melting, though.
The driveway to our place is exactly one mile in on the dirt road. I can still hear cars on the paved road side of the land. Mainers go pretty fast on the back roads too. On the other side, the trails have been made by snowmobilers. Snowmobiles in the winter and ATVs in the summer. That and motocross bikes. Not that I mind. I’m willing to put up with them because of the trails. The motors only go out at around 5 pm on Saturdays anyway. As a whole, I think they have a couple of drinks and then take off. I’ve only once seen an ATV on the trails in the morning when I was out. I don’t know about the snowmobiles because I’ve never stayed there in the winter.
Each morning, when I wake up, I walk in a different direction. Walk, sometimes run. Sometimes ride a mountain bike. Most of the trails don’t have signs, so I just follow them. I’ve found a trail around the pond, a trail to a field of glacial eratics and a trail up a mountain with views of the Whites from the top. Just recently found a trail to a convenience store! Now in addition to communing with nature, I can go buy something without walking on a paved road at all! Not that I ever think of something we need there. We usually have to make an event of getting in the car and going to the local general store, and it always involves ice cream for some people, even at 9 am. I know the time will come, though, when I have to get milk and I can be cheered up that I don’t have to get in a car at all, or touch pavement to get there. Only walk in the sand, climb a couple of hills and cross a stream. Not sure how I’ll keep the ice cream from melting, though.
