The rest of Columbus Day weekend

This Columbus Day weekend has been filled with motorcycle adventures. The Saturday ride has been documented. Today is golf which should be interesting as I haven’t touched a club in weeks. Arrgh, but that’s for some other blog.

Sunday was yet another fantastic day in vacationland, high pressure dominating the weather. Temperatures peaked in the mid-80s, unheard of in middle October. While the bride worked I headed to Monson for Bar-B-Q at Spring Creek.I went up 43 to East Corinth where I caught 15 and took it all the way to Monson. Both roads were in good shape but each contained a few bumpy stretches. On the way home I took 150 towards Skowhegan. This takes you to little towns like Harmony, Athens, Hartland and St Albans. The roads were fun to ride and I’ll go back there again soon

I can’t figure why such a good barbeque establishment is located in Monson, Maine. At one time it was a vibrant town where the economy was based on quarrying slate. Hundreds of men worked the quarries. The high school teams were known as the slaters. Later Moosehead Furniture was located there. Now the population isn’t sufficient to require a high school and Monson is little more than a stop on the road between Guilford and Greenville and a stop on the Appalachian Trail. The slaters are no more.

At Spring Creek, I couldn’t decide between the beef and pork for my sandwich, so she made it half and half. The coleslaw came in a generous portion and the only beverage to have with such a meal is Moxie.

I was a little disappointed with the fall foliage. It seems as though the many trees have lost their leave before the bright colors appeared. I think the cause is a blight that affect maple trees and all the rain we had in August and September.

Monday I took Skye and Ailsa to doggy day care and got an early start on my ride. It was west on I-95 to Newport, then US 2 to Skowhegan where I enjoyed a coffee and a single sour cream glazed donut at Tim Horton’s. Then off to Kingfield via Madison, North Anson and North New Portland. As I approached Kingfield the views of Sugarloaf Mountain were spectacular. I poked around the Carrabassett Valley a little before heading down route 27 to Farmington where I failed to meet up with my friend Dave Gibson.

On my way to Skowhegan, I stopped at Old Oak Cemetery near Norridgewock. I’m intrigued by old tombstones. I’ve found a weeping willow with or without an urn that is common on slatetombstones but rare on marble or other stones. This was the jackpot, including one that decorated the grave of a revolutionary war veteran. I’ll be going back there to spend a little more time.

I have to admit that my lunch was a #1 value meal at McDonald’s with medium fries and diet Coke. Then back to Newport and the interstate home from there.