Category: Recreation

#AtoZChallenge | R is for a Rocky Waterfall and Trekking Through the Snow

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The sign letting us know we were only 1,000 feet from the entrance to Screw Auger Falls prompted us to slow down. We’d been to the falls before which I blogged about in my post Hiking Maine | Following in the path of the Ultimate Maine Waterfalls Road Trip so we had a general sense of where we were going. As we got closer, the lack of a break in the snowbank confused us until we saw the sign for the entrance resting on top. Apparently the parking lot to the falls is not open in the winter.

We debated continuing onto our next destination but knew the falls were only a short distance from the entrance so we pulled the car onto the shoulder and parked. After scrambling over the snow bank, we saw a single row of footprints leading in the general direction of the falls. I mirrored the steps and began the short hike to the falls. Occasionally, my weight would push through the top layer of snow plunging my leg into the unknown and slowing down our progress. We proceeded with caution.

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#AtoZChallenge | O is for Ocean Views along Marginal Way in Ogunquit

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We hike a lot and, as I blogged about earlier in the challenge, coastal hikes are my favorite. But, depending on the trail, they can also be challenging and restrictive if you have mobility issues. If you’re looking for a place to go for beautiful ocean views, without putting on your hiking shoes, then Marginal Way in Ogunquit is you’re place.

Ogunquit literally means “Beautiful Place by The Sea” in the language of the Algonquin Indians. It’s truth in advertising at it’s best.

Marginal Way is an easy walk along a paved trail that runs parallel to the shoreline. There are a few inclines, but nothing overly strenuous.  It allows you to get up close to the rocky shore without actually scrambling on the rocks. There are a few access points from the trail leading down to the water if you are a little more adventurous.

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#AtoZChallenge | N is for the Noyes Trail in Norway and Skiing Past Tense

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I use to ski. If there were a way to make that statement not just past tense, but past-past tense it would be more accurate. It has been at least thirty-five years since I skied last but I have fond memories of being on the slopes even if my first attempt did result in frostbite. Fortunately, my toes thawed.

My childhood best friend’s family skied every weekend and I was lucky enough to tag along on many trips to the ski resort. There was also an active ski club in my high school. Every Friday night, we headed to the mountain. Skiing is big in Maine.

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#AtoZChallenge | L is for Lighthouse and a Lonely Snowman

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Portland Breakwater Lighthouse is more commonly known as Bug Light due to its diminutive size.  Plus, bug light just sounds so much cooler. It is also the place to go if you want to fly a kite as the wind is wicked by the water. I’ve blogged about it before in my post Kite Festival at Bug Light Park, South Portland.

I also returned to the park again when trying to launch a homemade Castiel kite during our Gishwhes Scavenger Hunt this past August. You probably need to be a fan of the TV show Supernatural to understand that previous sentence. Sadly, it’s not even my first reference to Supernatural during this blogging challenge. I’m a bit obsessed. But, you don’t need to be a fan of the show to get the gist.

Bug Light Park is the best place to go fly a kite.

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#AtoZChallenge | K is for Kettle Cove in Cape Elizabeth

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While a popular summer destination, I found the quieter winter scene at Kettle Cove in Cape Elizabeth especially beautiful during a recent visit. The sun gleaming off the water, a persistent patch of snow by the edge of the sand and an abandoned lobster trap make it a true Maine winter scene.

This was my first visit to the beach area at Kettle Cove, but my daughter and I did enjoy a delicious lunch at the Kettle Cove Creamery & Cafe a few summers ago which I blogged about here:  Serendipity and Strawberries lead us to a stop at the Kettle Cove Creamery & Cafe.  Unfortunately, it’s closed during the winter so we didn’t get to enjoy a second visit on this trip.

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