Getaway: Bristol
it’s been a while since Anthony and I have taken a trip anywhere so over the weekend we packed up the car, grabbed Toby and headed north. Anthony, like everyone, loves Zillow. Every night, he shows me house after house. Some are big, some are small, some are new, some are so old they’re falling apart. So when I mentioned taking a day trip north, he jumped on the opportunity to show me yet another house. What makes this house different is it’s location - merely 45 minutes north of Boothbay where I spend the summer working our family business.
Without much thought, I agreed and away we went. We passed oyster farms and hiking trails as we made our way down the peninsula to New Harbor, Maine. Once there, we rounded a corner and my breath was taken away. The view from the top of the hill was stunning. Sure, I’ve been here before and I spend all summer on the ocean but there was something about this particular view that floored me. The house is part of a small fishing village that’s pretty quiet in the February winter but is a popular place for boaters and fishermen alike come summer. We got out of the car, poked around and peered into the windows at the abandoned home. Even though we won’t likely move here, we debated (rather heatedly) about what we would do with the space.
Eventually we left and went for a walk at Pemaquid Point Light and took in the view of a frosty North Atlantic Ocean. Despite my extrovert nature, there’s something about moving to remote coastal Maine that has always captivated my imagination.
After our housing debate and subsequent walk, we went to lunch and shared some oysters, chicken wings, and local beer. Personally, I think the beer made in Maine is some of the best in the world but that’s just my own biased opinion. To work off our indulgent lunch, we took Toby for a walk in the woods at one of the many land trusts along Maine’s coast. One of the unsung perks of Maine is the network of land trusts, state, and local parks. Maine is dotted with these up and down the coast as well as inland and throughout the state. Though some take issue with removing land from a local tax base, I think it’s great that locals and visitors alike can enjoy Maine’s rugged outdoors.
On our way home, we stopped to see a friend we’ve been isolated from since the beginning of the pandemic, had a couple of beers and caught up. It was great to see her and was just the mid-winter pick-me-up we all needed. Despite our best efforts and all the beauty around us, Maine winters are long and cold. it is easy to become disconnected here since most of us are socially hibernating until warmer weather returns. COVID only made this even more difficult. Now that things are looking more hopeful, we are feeling more comfortable getting together with friends in safe environments.
What started as a way to get out of the house ended up having a bigger impact than we’d imagined. We talked that day about dreams, hopes, and plans for the future. Discovered new places we fell in love with and got a much-needed dose of socialization. All in all, it was a good weekend.
