Augusta Rail Trail

Another beautiful morning rolling out of Augusta. Made a quick coffee stop in Hallowell, the Drinking Town with an Antiques Problem, and quickly found the rail trail the state highway workers has described last night. Love this rail trail……6 feet wide, shaded and not a motorized vehicle for 15 miles with a long stretch along the banks of the Androscoggin River….the clean Androscoggin I might add. It is so nice to see the Maine rivers fresh and pollution free again.

Passing through the small town of Richmond, directly past our old hunting grounds from college days. Brought back many found memories of upland pheasant and partridge back in the day. Stopping at small grocery store in Topsham were a couple of golfer looking types. I asked how far it was to the Highland Green GC. They said about 5 miles and step on it if I wanted to get into the afternoon men’s league.They were teeing off in 15 minutes. They headed off and then turned around and came back….  “You will never make it. Throw your bike in the back and ride with us”

   Twenty guys showed up and to a man welcomed the stranger to their group. Interesting format. They do a blind draw scramble every Tuesday afternoon. $ 2 per man and the winning team buys the beer. Maine hospitality.

  Pushed off from the course in a light drizzle and headed to Brunswick, the home of Bowdoin College, a place dear to my heart. My folks had married right out of high school and I was born in March of dad’s freshman year returning 17 years later as a freshman in the  class of 1972.Took a spin through campus first checking out the athletic facilities (incredible what they have built for 1400 undergraduates) and then swung by the Polar Bear and lit one up.

   Stayed in a great little B and B just off campus, enjoyed a nice dinner and guitarist that played a beautiful version of Fields of Athenry.