Cruisin’ Route 1

You gotta love Route 1. It may not have its own song (like Route 66), but it’s definitely got its own charm.

On Sunday, my son H-Bomb and I cruised on up to Ellsworth and then Downeast to Schoodic Point, part of Acadia National Park. Things really get interesting once you cross that Bath Bridge headed north. (Until then you could just as well be in the 51st state: Northern Massachusetts.)

After Wiscasset, we started keeping track of the unique business establishments. It was like a traveling encyclopedia of craftsmanship. Here’s a partial list on the 100-mile strip we traveled.

– Ice Augers. (If you have to ask what one is, you’re “from away.”)
– Sauerkraut. Think I’m kidding? Go to www.morsessauerkraut.com
– Wooden Screen Doors. A Waldoboro firm that specializes in custom wooden screen doors. Quality stuff! Check them out at www.woodernscreendoor.com
– Wooden Barrels. As in, just wooden barrels. No danger of over-diversification here.
– Chicken Pies. Ditto, wooden barrels.
– Violin Maker. Somehow, I have a suspicion that most of the folks up that way call them “fiddles.”
– Hooked Rugs. We saw three different places touting same.
– Chair Caners. Saw three of those as well. My favorite: Able to Cain. Don’t believe me? Check out www.abletocain.net.
– Duck Decoys. Custom-made, for the “old school” hunter
– Woolen Blankets. “From the coast of Maine.” See www.swansislandblankets.com.
– Wooden Boats. Did I mention that we’re in Maine?
– Spiral Staircases. See Wooden Barrels. (And Chicken Pies.) See also www.spiralstairsme.com.
– Weathervanes. See www.weathervanesofmaine.com.
– Tree Farm Trees. Not a Tree Farm, mind you. I’m not exactly sure, but I gather it’s a place where if you wanted to start a tree farm, you could buy your baby trees here. It’s near Bucksport.

Now, about that song…. surely there’s someone out there who could get it done. Here’s a start: “Get your fun, on old, Route 1”

Onward, Malcolm Gauld