Lake Millinocket

Mixed feelings were abundant as we bid farewell to Embden Pond on Friday morning. As much as we had enjoyed our stay we were anxious to move on. We made the decision somewhere in New Hampshire to avoid interstates as much as possible and in keeping with that commitment we charted our course northeast through the mountains. The scenery was breathtaking and the little communities along the way provided points of interest that demanded closer inspection. There was a lovely gift shop and furniture store situated at a cross roads miles from civilization. How could one pass that up?

You’ve gotta love the state Maine. They are so thoughtful here in the north woods. Just when we were in the middle of the dense forest on a little traveled road and just when I was feeling the effects of my morning coffee, voila! Right smack dab in the middle of nowhere and set on the shore of another one of Maine’s sparkling blue lakes was a rest stop. I kid you not. It had picnic tables and a bathroom. Scratch that, outhouse.

Desperate times call for desperate measures and I opened the door with great hesitancy. To my surprise the little building was clean, well stocked and odor free. How do they do that?

We reached Millinocket in time for a haddock and scallop lunch and in time to book a moose tour on Lake Millinocket for late afternoon. I inform you up front that the cruise was lovely but there were no moose to be found. Not on this evening. We did however enjoy the company of a sweet family from Massachusetts squeezing in a final summer outing before the start of school as well as our trusty guide Jim and his curious Lab, Dudley.

Jim transported us across Lake Millinocket with views of Mt. Kathdan in the distance. We crawled along for miles; Jim constantly scanning the shoreline for wildlife. We spied a bald eagle and a couple of loons but other than a couple of fisherman enjoying the evening and sweet Dudley, there was no other wildlife in sight.

We did noticed that the hardwoods are beginning to turn providing splashes of red and orange. And as the sun dipped lower in the sky the light was magnificent providing some amazing reflections to end the day.

And while we were sorely disappointed we didn’t get to see that elusive Bull Moose, it was a pleasurable trip with pleasant company. A good way to bid farewell to the north woods of Maine.