After packing the car we headed out at 7:42. We didn’t find coffee until Lebanon, New Hampshire at Jake’s Coffee Shop and Car Wash. Yup, that’s right, coffee shop and car wash in the same building and a nice coffee shop at that.
Continuing south on Interstate 89 we came across what I thought was another rather odd combination. This time it was a rest stop and New Hampshire State liquor store. That’s right, a liquor store at the interstate rest stop. I’m sure no one opens a bottle of Old Redeye until they get home.
Further south on 89, I decided to take a shortcut on some back roads and once again Barb voiced concern. However, by making good use of highways 393, 202, 4 and 16 we eventually found our way to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and once again Barb gave a sigh of relief as we crossed into Maine. That sigh lasted until I decided to try highway 1 up the coast instead of the toll road.
Ok, highway 1 was a little crowded. But, in my defense I will say that it did take us to Billy’s Chowder House in Wells, Maine, for a bowl each of Billy’s best. At that point I made a short jog to the west, paid a buck and took the toll road to Freeport.
After checking in, we headed downtown to LL Bean, which for your shopping pleasure stays open 24/7 every day of the year. Yes, that does include Christmas. And LL Bean in Freeport is huge. Several buildings with multiple floors. Rather than list all the stuff they have, I will just say they have everything you need. Don, you are going to love it.
Where to go for dinner? After looking in Freeport, we decided to check out a place in Brunswick a few miles north. Turns out it’s a seafood restaurant hiding in an old McDonald’s and smelling of grease. We left.
On the way out of Brunswick we passed Bowdoin College, which was chartered in 1794, by Massachusetts Governor Samuel Adams. Among the many notable Bowdoin alumnus, was one Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain. Although less well known than others, he is credited with turning the battle of Gettysburg in favor of Union when his 20th Maine defeated Confederate forces at Little Round Top. For gallantry, he was awarded the Medal Of Honor and chosen to accept Lee’s surrender at Appomattox. Later he would serve as the governor of Maine and president of the college. Not wanting to slight other well known graduates, I will mention President Franklin Pierce, authors Nathaniel Hawthorne and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, sexologist Alfred Kinsey and Arctic explorer Robert Perry. To those I’ve missed, get over it.
Dinner turned out to be back in Freeport at the Jameson Tavern, built in 1779. Yup, 231 years old and still standing and even some of the windows are original. Records show commissioners met there to sign papers giving Maine independence from Massachusetts. Dinner was lobster. Not lobster ravioli. Not Lobster fettuccini. Just plain lobster. And it was good.
If I’m counting correctly, we are up to 4,355 miles and 16 states. Tomorrow we are off to Manchester, New Hampshire. 286 miles today.
The Boot
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