MAINE

MAINE - Lobster and Snow, November 4-8

We arrived in Bangor, Maine to cold temperatures and warm hugs.  We were greeted at the airport by PGER and State Sponsor Amos and Barbara McCallum, State President John and Tina May Nicholson, Past Grand Inner Guard Andy Constantine, Past Aide to the GER Ralph Sicard and Marcia Bouchard and Past State President Mike and Freddie Powers.  After settling into our hotel, the group went to dinner at the Lucerne Inn, a beautiful historic inn just outside of Bangor.

After breakfast on Monday morning, we headed out for a tour of Acadia National Park and a breathtaking trip to the top of Cadillac Mountain.  Even though the weather was a little overcast, the views from the top of this 1,530 foot peak (the second highest in Maine) were beautiful.  After a couple of photos and a quick movie clip, we hustled back to the cars to get out of the wind and 32 degree temperature.  Our lunch stop was at the Ellsworth Elks Lodge #2743.  These gracious Elks hosted us to seafood "chowdah" and lobster rolls.  Many of those in attendance had come from work to spend their lunch hour with us.  While we were there we were told that they will be celebrating both their 25th anniversary next year as well as a mortgage burning ceremony.  We congratulated them on this significant achievement.

After lunch, we returned to the hotel for some rest and relaxation.  Much to Venita's delight, it began to snow in the late afternoon, but the storm did not amount to much.  Only enough for one good snowball.  Dinner that evening was at a wonderful riverside restaurant called Schooners.  Once Tom saw that the menu featured a one and a half pound lobster, his choice was made.  We also could not resist the steamer clams and the seafood experience was complete.  We returned to the hotel after dinner, barely able to keep our eyes open.  What a wonderful first day in Maine!

Tuesday morning we were taken to the Challenger Learning Center of Maine.  One of 48 centers around the United States serving 400,000 students annually, these hands-on facilities were started by the families of the Challenger Space Shuttle crew that were lost when their shuttle exploded after takeoff.  The Center features both a Mission Control and a Space Station mock-up, allowing students to experience real applications for science, technology, engineering and math and to promote awareness of potential careers choices that might not have occurred to students previously.  This was a fascinating experience and one we very much enjoyed.

Following the Challenger Learning Center, we took a driving tour of Bangor.  Andy Constantine, a Bangor native, took us by the home of author Stephen King, to the Thomas Hill Standpipe and through the Hope Cemetery, the final resting place for Abraham Lincoln's first Vice President, Hannibal Hamlin.  We also visited the monument to Chamberlain, a noted abolitionist during the civil war whose home was a documented site of the Underground Railroad.  After completing our tour, we made our way to the Sea Dog Brewery for lunch.

After lunch, the group toured the Cole Land Transportation Museum.  While we have toured numerous auto and motorcycle museums, we have never seen a collection with this much variety in our tours.  The museum features snow plows, buggies, wagons, tractors, cement trucks, cars, trains, motorcycles, bicycles, military vehicles and most of the freight trucks used in their family's company, Cole's Express.  We also had the chance to meet and talk with Galan Cole, a WW II Purple Heart recipient and the owner of the museum.

Tuesday evening, we attended a reception and dinner at the Bangor Elks Lodge #244.  It was a wonderful evening, made even more special by the many Maine Elks who made the effort to attend on what was a work night for most of them.  At the end of the evening, the Exalted Rulers from each Lodge presented us with a gift from their Lodge.  Many of them made generous donations to the Elks National Foundation in our name.  We also received a handmade lobster trap coffee table from the Biddeford-Saco Lodge and a wonderful gift basket from John and Tina May with assorted Maine items as well as a Maine quilt block for Venita's quilt.  We were stunned by the generosity of these gracious Elks.

Wednesday morning, Andy Constantine treated to a tour of the press facilities at the local newspaper, the Bangor Daily News.  Andy works for the paper and was able to give us insider information on how all those advertising inserts get into our hometown papers.  It was a fascinating look at the behind-the-scenes workings of the paper.

Our final afternoon, we headed for "deer camp."  Our hosts, Arnold and Ann Byers welcomed the eleven of us to their one-room cabin at the back of their property.The rest of the afternoon was all about kicking back, relaxing, eating and drinking.

The afternoon started with drinks and appetizers, followed shortly by ten pounds of steamed clams.  Meanwhile, the kettles were coming to a boil in preparation for the twenty-two (yes . . . count them . . . 22!) live lobsters that they had brought for dinner.  As a special honor for Tom, his main course would be the GER of lobsters - a three pound champion!  It was quite an adventure to see these guys coming in on the plates.  While we can't believe we are going to say this, we actually had our fill of lobster.  At least for one sitting!  Thinking we had survived, we leaned back from the table only to find that Ann had baked three pies for dessert.  We rolled home late that evening marveling at the hospitality of these generous folks.

Thursday morning, we awoke to three inches of fresh snow on the ground.  Fortunately (or unfortunately?), the airport was equipped to handle the flurry and our plane was on time.  While we were supposed to be heading for New Jersey, Hurricane Sandy had changed those plans and we turned our faces homeward a little early . . . with wonderful memories of Maine, its Elks and a vow to return again.