Getting north of Boston and away from the big cities of the east coast was something I was looking forward to and started enjoying today.

I did some online research on the coast road, route 1, that parallels the interstate highway to see which parts I should travel. Several writers said that route 1 from Boston to Portland, Maine did not run near the coast and so I decided it was not worth the extra hour of driving needed to complete that section. However, all heaped praise on the section of route 1 north of Portland with myscenicdrive.com stating “Maine’s Highway 1 hugs the winding coast similar to California’s Big Sur, but here you will discover the rugged Atlantic Coast, replete with history, culture, lighthouses, pristine natural splendor and the decadent flavors of the ocean’s bounty.” This section was also designated as “scenic” on the AAA paper maps I always use to help me decide the most enjoyable path between locations. I did not really expect the equivalent of Big Sur (which I will drive later in this trip) but I was excited by the prospect and expected many coastal views and, hopefully, some viewpoints to stop and enjoy the scenery. The road was certainly pleasant, passing through many delightful coastal communities, but it had just four or five short views of the coast and a couple of points to stop and enjoy a view.

If I had not had such high expectations I would have been extremely happy about today. I passed the 1000 mile milestone, (1172 as of this writing), the weather was again wonderful almost all the way and I will not be in a huge city for quite a while.  I guess I learned that my opinion will differ from others and that I should just enjoy my own experience.

The route and video are here

The mist shrouded bridge at Bucksport, Maine.