I am SORRY to inform you that ‘Max Folsom’ passed away on Tuesday, September 19, 2023.
Click images to ENLARGE.
I kind of had a BAD hunch. I had noticed a HUGE spike in the hits on my ‘DC-3’ posts. It got me worried. I called the airport & got the SAD NEWS.
I had met with him in April 2022. He had health issues. I DID NOT TAKE ANY PICTURES of him on that visit because he was on oxygen! I knew he wouldn’t want to be seen like that. I, however, wish I had taken at least one picture.
All I have are these pictures from 2021 — at the height of COVID! Didn’t enable me to get too close or get a selfie.
I WILL MISS MAX!
He was a CLASS ACT.
I, alas, only got to meet with him twice. That is my loss.
The security cameras & looking North (i.e., other way from Monument One).
The ‘Hanbleceya Ranch’ before the Monument — at the end of the road.
The shoe of a young Asian lady who crossed the border illegally but didn’t make it too far before she was apprehended. She was wearing these high heeled shoes!
It, i.e., the two Monuments, came up on Google Maps. I immediately knew what they were. I had seen them on a ‘North Woods Law‘ TV show (about Maine’s Fish & Game Wardens). I wasn’t sure what the deal was BUT I saw there was a marked road leading to ‘Monument Two’. So, I decided to explore, emboldened in that I had my passport card on me in case I got stopped. I wasn’t stopped BUT I am sure I am on camera, well studied & even identified. I, however, made sure that I didn’t go to the east of the Monument though I was told that there is a small buffer area — & that you are OK as long as you don’t cross into the woods on the Canadian side. But, I wasn’t taking any chances.
It was neat. It was an adventure. Another ‘fun’ place I have visited.
ADDED bonus, got to meet a real neat, class individual, viz. ‘Jason R.‘, who with his wife owns the Homestead above. He was real, real nice & SUPER HELPFUL. As he pointed out they don’t get too many folks coming down that road (which is unpaved) bar the Border Patrol. He was out to meet me even before I got out of the Volvo. He literally gave me the lay of the land. The border is on a swamp & we had a huge amount of rain the night before. He had placed some cut logs, strategically, at the worst spot. Told me about those. I used them. Still got wet. But, I always have spare socks & shoes in the car. So no big deal.
I am glad I went. It was worth seeing.
The Monument mentions the ‘1842 Treaty‘. I looked it up:
It also says, on the opposite ‘face’, ‘Renewed 2020‘. This would appear to be a reference to: United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Kind of strange. That was essentially a TRADE AGREEMENT not a border deal. I have, of course, not read it or studied it. Maybe it confirms the borders.
She expects to go to the ocean on holidays, birthdays & special occasions. She has been going to ‘Fort Williams‘, in ‘Portland‘, Maine, since she was a baby. She likes it there. She knows the paths & the routine. BUT, she is getting driven around by a STUDENT DRIVER & she can’t drive out of State! So, she can’t be driven to Maine. We have to stay in New Hampshire. So, of late, we go to ‘Fort Stark‘ — which is NOT a bad compromise. Not as expansive & grand as Fort Williams, but still on the ocean & NICE. So, here she is. All set for her trip.
I am at a loss. This is the ONLY story I have read of this — so far. Saw it yesterday & wanted to bring it to your attention. Earlier in the month, when I was fortunate enough to attend ‘Passamaquoddy Days‘, in Pleasant Point, Maine, I heard a lot of very personal accounts about the abuse & crimes of Canadian Residential Schools — just across the water! The stories were very personal, vivid & painful.
Then I see this.
It is but the results from ONE DIG. That they found NOTHING is confusing.
I think we all agree, intrinsically, that ABUSE OCCURRED. There were those that LUCKILY SURVIVE & were able to tell the world as to what transpired.
I will keep my eyes & ears open. I will, time permitting, do some Gooling.
I just wanted YOU to be AWARE of this latest story. OK? PAX.
Maine has ‘Lupines‘, we, especially this year, have this purple ‘Loosestrife‘. We have Lupines too, but right now we are awash, especially around where I live, in this Loosestrife.
From what I gather they are both invasive.
I have seen Loosestrife for as long as I can remember. BUT, I have never seen it in the profusion I am seeing it this year — especially around ‘Locke Lake‘. The southend of the lake, as you can see from the above pictures, is a carpet of purple. VERY PRETTY. I like it, but, I also realize that this is ‘not right‘.
One of our favorites. Used to be my youngest daughter’s ALL TIME FAVORITE. She loved their poached salmon & they would indulge her by cooking it just in butter. Given that she by & large controls where we eat, we should to go to Warren’s (with glee) often, very often. Sometimes multiple times a month. I have this faint recollection that we might have gone their TWICE in the day — for lunch & dinner. We loved that place.
We actually TRIED to go there for lunch last month! But, their outdoor deck was closed & these days she will only eat outdoors. So, we left without eating. I did, however, noticed, with surprise, that the facade looked a tad run-down & unkept. Now, I understand.
I understand WHY they want to sell. I have heard the same from another restaurant owner (a good friend). You can’t have a life IF you own a restaurant.
It will be a shame. Such a WONDERFUL LANDMARK.
What great food. THE VIEW. The ambience. THE SALAD BAR. The BREAD. The appetizers. The DECK.
It is NOT a done deal, as yet. Sale contingent on getting planning permission for the condos.
Click to ENLARGE.Click to ENLARGE. Link to this Facebook page.Click to ENLARGE. From above Facebook page.
There are NOT in ‘Eastport‘, Maine per se, but that is best known landmark.
Over the last few years I have had SOME, but alas NOT enough, interaction with this tribe — both near Eastport & North of ‘Calais’. But, I do NOT know them, alas, as I do my beloved ‘Navajo‘. I would love to rectify that. I would LIKE to make it up for this event. I missed it last year — because I had NOT heard of it, until it was done. This year, I started making inquiries before it was too late.
Took some digging yesterday & the Eastport Library helped me locate the Facebook page. Now at least I have somewhere to start from.
Click to ENLARGE. Yes, #4PAID ‘Maine Travel Guides‘.Click to ENLARGE. This one is at #26 — giving me TWO in the TOP 50.
BIG GRIN.
It is NOT making me rich — that is a fact & a given. Check the prices. But it makes me happy & for I, happiness is better than money (because people tell me that money doesn’t make you happy (though I am not totally convinced of that)).
But, I did NOT write them for the money. That was a good job. Smile.
It is GRATIFYING & to I that is ALL that counts. Smile.
Making the ‘Maine Travel Guide’ Best Seller list is NOT new. Last year I had TWO books make it to #1 — albeit fleetingly. Again, didn’t make me rich.
SMILE.
‘Bold Coast’ books (now available).Click on images for details.
This is my buddy (& neighbor) Anthony’s latest 4×4 ‘toy’. He is the son I don’t have!
He just got back from 4-days at a mud-racing event at the ‘Lebanon‘, Maine, ‘4×4 Proving Grounds‘. I heard him get back. I went to see what the truck looked like.
He was trying to get it up the ramps but the parking brake wasn’t working — at first. So, I offered to chock up the back wheels. Good plan — we both thought. We started with a large rock — the biggest that I could comfortably heft.
Well …. That didn’t go exactly as planned. Gravity can be so persistent. It worked for a minute or so, THEN it started rolling over the rock. Anthony, a REAL COOL DUDE, was not fazed in the slightest. As we follow the truck SLOWLY rolling into one of his other trucks (the red one) he keeps shouting at me: “Don’t stress, don’t stress … that truck is garbage!” Yup, it rolled into the red trunk with a very solid & satisfying THUNK. Anthony just looks at it & says maybe just the lights.
Well we lucked out. The lights didn’t break. Some minor damage to the grill, but you can’t even tell. Check the photo.
He then found a big chunk of wood — that he had cut earlier this year.
He also managed to FIX the Parking Brake. He is one heck of a mechanic. Handiest guy to have across the road!
So, he drove it up again. Brake held. I put the block of wood underneath. You can see it in the bottom picture. I found another smaller block of wood & chocked up the other back tire too. It held.
We were happy.
My daughter, who watched much of it from her window, commented when I came in: “boys will be boys“. I reminded her that this could have been her brother — my son. He used to quite the hell-raiser. But, he, UNLIKE HIS DAD, has grown up!
