This country has many incredibly beautiful places, and I've been lucky enough to visit two of them in the last few months. After a week in Montana in late April (and another trip planned for a writers conference in Kalispell in early October), I just spent two weeks driving up through New England again, like last summer. But this time I went to Rhode Island, Cape Cod (Osterville, Craigville Beach, Hiannis), Boston (Newbury Street, the North End, Freedom Trail and Quincy Market), and finally three blissful days in the lakes region of Maine. And surprisingly, two weeks in the car with 15-year-old Maddie and her pal Kelsey was just about the most fun I've had all year.
My brother Mark has carved out a remarkable life for himself in Rangeley, Maine, population 1000. During the summer that number swells with vacationers drawn to the region and all the cool stuff it offers: fishing, boating, swimming, hiking, fresh lobster that melts in your mouth; fields of wild purple lupine and Indian Paintbrush everywhere; sunny, breezy days and cold, crisp nights; small town life with a 10-minute July 4th parade of kids' bikes and carriages decorated like floats; church suppers and fireworks on the lake; and so many stars it's unbelievable -- like a giant twinkling blanket that looks like it's laying right there on top of you, close enough to reach out and grab.
We stayed in an old farmhouse (circa 1865) Mark owns and rents out, which sits on 100 acres next door to Pleasant Acres, his home, forestry business and Christmas tree farm that sits on another 100 acres. Our house had its own beautiful pond, a view of Saddleback Mountain to the left (see the "saddle" in the photo?), and an overgrown road/trail through the fields and woods where I went running. Marie and I drove through a few times to tamp it down a bit; it was teeming with wildlife but otherwise so quiet and still, so private and beautiful and removed from everything. My heart sang as i chugged along, just elated to be there alone in such an amazing place. I know this is so corny, but I couldn't help thinking of that Dixie Chicks song I love, Wide Open Spaces, and how that is exactly how I felt, exactly what I needed this year, and what I seem to be craving on a regular basis lately, as I negotiate through the changes I'm making and into the future.
She needs wide open spaces
Room to make a big mistake
She needs new faces
She knows the higher stakes
She knows the higher stakes.
Well ain't that the truth?!
Maddie and Kelsey were great travel companions, if a bit obsessed with capturing all the fun they were having in pictures. Kelsey was the best car-trip kid i've ever met -- whenever Maddie was being a pill Kelsey would agree with me, which drove Maddie nuts but restored harmony every time. She also made two great "Rhode Trip" CDs that we're still enjoying. Our number one best road trip song recommendation? Wagon Wheel by Old Crow Medicine Show, the hands down winner and favorite new song:
Rock me mama like a wagon wheel,
Rock me mama, any way you feel, hey, mama rock me
Rock me mama like the wind and the rain
Rock me mama like a southbound train
Hey mama rock me.
How in the world did it happen that I love country music now?! -- crazy! Enjoy the photos.
