Encounters With Nature

Off to Grafton Notch State Park for some natural splendor!

What the heck is that noise?!

That's a nice waterfall!

Is that a dog barking? Two dogs?

The rocks are so very, very smooth!

I think those are coyotes. And they're right there in those trees. I think they're attacking a moose.

Paul Bunyan: Where Exactly Is He From?

We missed the Paul Bunyan statue in Bangor, but this guy on the other end of the state caught our eye. He looks a lot like some other Bunyans in Wisconsin and Minnesota. Hmmm...

Mooses, Moosi, Meese, and More Moose

The state animal of Maine is the moose. Therefore, you might expect to see them wandering around everywhere. They aren't. 'Moose Crossing' indicates that a moose may or may not have passed this way at some point. Moosehead Lake has no moose.
We drove several hours out of our way on 'The Moose Highway' through 'Moose Alley'. None there either. Past the Moose Car Wash, Moose Bar & Grill, Mr. Moose's Kampground, and on and on. We did find this fiberglas flying moose.
And, then, on our way to Gorham, New Hampsh*****LOOK OUT!!!****OH MY GOSH THAT IS HUGE!!!***** Yes, a moose. Running across the highway. After dark. Not really the way we wanted to encounter the largest land mammal in North America.

Live Free, Die, Or Call A Talk Radio Show

We spent the day wandering through the backwoods of Maine listening to right-wing talk radio. To present a fair and balanced vacation blog, we visited this 'Victory Garden' in Athens. They did not have any gas for sale.

Mr. Geology Visits The Rocky Coast Of Maine

Hi, Mr. Geology. Thanks for visiting us in Maine.

You're welcome. I am pleased to be here.

Mr. Geology, can you explain how the coast of Maine came to be?

Of course. Red hot magma from the earth's subcore rises to the surface and is quickly cooled by the crashing seawater forming the red granite, or 'rock', coastline. This process, in geologic terms, is known as igneocoastification.

Mr. Geology, what is the difference between granite and, say, concrete?

Ah, yes. The primary difference is that granite is primarily produced by the defossilization of key stonifying elements such as carbon (periodic table C), adhesive (Ad), and dirt (Dt) while concrete contains a higher level of moon rocks. Don't forget, no question is too stupid for Mr. Geology.