Our Maine Adventure- Part 1

Last year it was South Dakota, this year it was Maine as our destination for a MAJOR motorcycle trip. We had been to Maine a few years ago, but by plane where we picked up a new (to us) RV and drove it home. I blogged about that quick trip here but we've always said we would go back.  

So in the middle of a Thursday afternoon a couple of weeks ago, we loaded the little trailer we pull behind the Harley and started East.  D says pulling the trailer is not a big deal, so it's nice to pack for an extended MC trip and not have to worry about stopping to do laundry or buying some extra souvenirs.  We also carry our extra helmets (3/4 with shields) in case we encounter rain, various tools, coats and even his briefcase with our two computers.  I guess we probably over pack, but when we've got the space, we use it :)  

It took us two and a half days to get to Maine, with overnight stops in Barboursville, WV and Wilkes Barre, PA.  This trip we stayed exclusively at Best Western Motels/Hotels.  They have a special rate for Harley Davidson owners and since D is a member of the "Diamond" club, he often gets a free upgrade if available.  The quality of these motels varies but most always are clean and provide a free breakfast of some kind.  They advertise themselves as motorcycle friendly and often will let us park under the front awning.  

 This was at our stop after our first full day of riding at Wilkes Barre PA at the Best Western Plus East Mountain Inn and Suites. Here we scored a nice suite and enjoyed their on site restaurant.   They are in the process of remodeling but we were still pleased with our older room.  It rained over night, but our luck continued  and we had a dry start in the morning.  Our second full day seemed long.  I can't remember the exact number of miles we rode  but I'm sure it was over 350.  We passed through several states as we traveled the interstates.  

Meals are taken pretty seriously when we travel.  We are always on the watch for some local restaurant or at least a local chain that will provide an interesting break.  We kept spotting advertisements for "diners" in New York and Connecticut so when we saw that the Blue Colony Diner was at the next exit, we pulled in not realizing until we passed a sign that this was Newtown, CT.  We had an excellent lunch and enjoyed a local favorite.

The rest of our second full day was a little stressful as we had heavy traffic going around Boston, but we made it to Maine that evening.

Weary, but not too tired to take the required "selfie" to send back to family and post to Instagram (@ontheroadjanet).  Again we scored an upgrade at the Best Western in Portland.  This time, the "Lodge" room!!  Perfect after a long 2 1/2 days of travel to the "wilderness" of Maine. LOL.  

I'll post later about the next few days and our visit to Acadia National Park.  Please stay tuned!