Hi all:

Today’s email is a bit abbreviated, but still juicy — I’m sharing with you an idea for a fabulous summer excursion. Yesterday felt like summer and I took full advantage; hope you did too. Here’s an itinerary for you to grab on a full summer-sun day: Park your car at the Falmouth Shaw’s, ride your bike up route 88 toward Yarmouth, make your way to Cousin’s Island and turn left on Wharf Road. Then hop on the ferry to Chebeague Island. Take your time poking around, but ultimately end up at the Chebeague Island Wharf for a Casco Bay Lines ride back to Portland. During your poking around (by bike) find a road called Cottage Road, follow it down to the beach and if the tide is low, walk over the very long spit of land to Little Chebeague. There are MITA campsites (for another time) where you can pitch your tent for a night of adventure in Casco Bay. After your ferry ride back to downtown Portland, follow the Eastern Prom Trail to Vannah Street, stop for an ice cream at Beal’s (over priced, for sure) and then cruise back to the Falmouth Shaw’s to your parked car. It’s a perfect Maine excursion. You won’t regret a moment of it. And bonus, no cost for the hour-long ferry ride back to Portland.

A follow-up from the last weekend’s lilac post: a couple of LACers who read my email knew the home of the generous lilac owner and shared my email with her. I’m glad she has a little sense of the joy she brings to others. Additionally, one element I had neglected to mention was that the home had belonged to the family of my best friend from high school. Such a small and wonderful community we live in. Thank you to all the people who offered their lilac flowers to me. Next spring I’ll roll in lilac abundance. Next up, peonies!

Happy Adventuring,