Day 46 Bangor Maine to Skowhegan Maine 193.1 miles
Today is partly sunny. It stayed that way all day which was a nice break from the rain. The wind was strong in some areas which did affect the drive.
We decided to go the long way to Skowhegan by way of Greenville located on the Moosehead Lake and Jackman which is known as the Switzerland of Maine without the Bernina factory. The highway from Jackman to Skowhegan is known as the Old Canada Scenic Byway. It follows the Kennebec River and was the route used by Benedict Arnold to attack Quebec City during the Revolutionary War.
The terrain here is flatter than in Canada. We drove over more rolling hills. Lots of small towns with houses and small farms in between. Many of the small farms are selling fresh vegetables and fire wood. The forested areas have more deciduous trees. Some of those are beginning to show fall colors. Many times the color is on only one limb.
A couple of wild turkeys hurried into the brush just ahead of us. Those were the only wild animals we saw today. Several life size statues of moose were in towns. We saw lots of signs warning of moose but no actual moose.
The town of Greenville is bigger than expected. Gas Buddy said there were no gas stations here but there were two. The town sits at the bottom of Moosehead Lake which happens to be the largest lake in the state. We saw a couple of small marinas and lots of activity involving boats or ATVs. One of the nearby mountains is called Moose Mountain.
We ate lunch at a small turnout on the edge of town. Then it was on to Jackman. The road there follows the Moose River. Lots of nice houses line the river. Most have small docks. Two of the places had float planes. The river is certainly wide enough for a float plane to land and take off.
We drove along a couple of other lakes. Lots of cottages and campgrounds. The area is a great place for outdoor activities. Lots of RVs are headed in both directions. One pickup was pulling a small boat with two skeletons riding along.
Jackman is a little smaller town. The activity level is less also. Lots of motorcycles out today. It would be a great day for a ride. Lots of ATVs both on the street and in trailers. The sign says Jackman is the Switzerland of Maine because of all the large nearby mountains. Well, it didn’t look like the Switzerland we saw in 2015.
The road south out of Jackman is a beautiful drive. The road follows the Kennebec River most of the way. The river is quite wide so lots of activity possible. One business had numerous inflated rafts out drying. They most likely had a busy day since its a holiday and the weather is great. We didn’t see any in the water.
We stopped at the historic turnout that commentated the journey Benedict Arnold took to Quebec City. Those unfortunate guys that made the trip. The boats and supplies used to get them there was amazing. The 400 pound boats were hauled by hand up more than 1000 feet.
A wooden retaining wall in the area had hundreds of decorated bird houses. They came in all shapes and sizes. Don’t know who came up with the idea but it was interesting. Not easy to stop and admire them. They were on a busy curve so we didn’t get a photo.
As a note the drivers here seem to take lots of risk when passing. They speed up, zoom around and cut in quickly just missing the oncoming vehicle. Seems there might be lots of accidents.
This was a beautiful drive and worth the time if you ever get the chance. If you get a picture of the bird houses please share.
Spoffords Travel 