VTXL planning

Here's the VTXL ride I'm about to do,  https://bikepacking.com/routes/vtxl/ 

The VTXL will be over 300 miles and way more climbing than the Erie Canal ride I did last year.     Every day, I'll be doing about as much climbing as I did over the entire 8 days on the Erie, >5,000ft.    Still, I'm hoping I'll be able to do 50-60 miles per day.    When I rode the Erie trail I was around 265lbs, now I'm down to 215lbs, so climbing is much easier.   Also, I've fixed the bike seat problems I had on the Erie (touch wood), so that should make a big difference.   It's hard to pedal with power when your butt is screaming at you to get off the bike.    Yesterday (Friday) I did a 44 mile ride with 3600ft of elevation gain, and I felt great after the ride, like I could keep going a couple more hours easily, and I woke up with no muscle soreness/ joint stiffness the day after.   So, Touch Wood, I'm ready!

If all goes well, the VTXL will take me 6 days, Tuesday to Sunday, and Jacqui will meet me at Mass MOCA in Adams Massachusetts Sunday afternoon to pick me up.   I'm excited.  Vermont is so beautiful for bike riding.   The VTXL route is mostly on Vermont's class IV dirt roads, which are well maintained and have very little traffic.    You're often pedaling under tree cover, and there's lots of water, just bring a water filter.   Being able to do this sort of trip was a huge motivation for me to get healthy and lose weight (so i could handle all the climbing).   I want to be careful to not overhype expectations in my mind, but it feels like a bucket list thing for me.

Here's the Google Doc of my rough plan.  I've also preplanned food stops at the General Stores along the way.   

Google Doc Rough Plan link 

In the Google Doc above I linked the Google Drive folder someone put together that has a list of all the state campgrounds, wild camping spots, hipcamps, bed breakfast options, etc. that are along the route.    When I'm in town with cell signal, I can adjust my plans if needed.   The point is to have fun, so if bad weather makes me quit early on a particular day, or if I just get tired and need more time, so be it.   

Next up is my packing list.

Google Sheet link   after opening, be sure you're on the VTXL worksheet tab at bottom, also here's a screenshot.

 

Jacqui and I will be driving up to Brighton State park Monday, and she'll be camping overnight with me.   For sleeping, Jacqui will get the truck camper to herself, and I'll be in the tent I'm using for the bike trip.    The GFC is kind of small for two people, and I don't want to wake Jacqui every time I roll over.    Also, if she has the camper to herself, she'll have room to remove a 2' x 2' floor panel, and hop down to the joolca gottago toilet I keep in the truck bed.    So she won't have to do any middle of the night walks to the nearby bathroom in the campground.    She can stay safe and secure in the truck camper.   We've practiced the maneuvers at home in the driveway, should work well as long as Jacqui remembers how to turn on the lights in the camper if it's the middle of the night.   

I'm hoping she enjoys the outing.    If it goes really well, maybe I'll talk to Jeff about a couples camping outing in Somerset this Fall.   Jacqui is best friends with Jeff's wife Maureen.   Thinking just 1-2 nights, during the week, nothing crazy.    Jacqui and Maureen can hang out while Jeff and I go off hiking/biking during the day.     They can knit/cross stitch, drink wine, eat snacks; and Jeff and I can bugger off biking so they have some peace and quiet.   

Anyway, enough daydreaming.   Back to the VTXL trip.  On the last day when it's time to pick me up, I've warned Jacqui to bring me a set of clean clothes and my Geyser Sponge Shower, so I can clean up in the parking lot in my truck's shower stall before she's trapped in the truck with me for 2 hours on the drive home.    I'll pre-pack a bag for Jacqui to bring me.   If she forgets, I'll probably be a pretty stinky boy by then, so she should be highly motivated to remember.     But like yesterday after my test ride, I like showering before getting in the truck to drive home; far more civilized than smelling my nasty stink in a confined space.

Per my packing list, I am bringing my lightweight, collapsible fabric bucket and soap,  so I can sponge wash with clean'ish river water along the way.    I'll also pack a clothes line and clips so I can wash my clothes and hang dry them out in the Sun along the way too.   I just have to find a sunny spot with trees close enough together to string up the line midday.   I like using the bucket so I'm not adding soap directly into the river water when cleaning myself up or doing laundry.   The soap I use is sold at camping stores and listed as biodegradable, but it's still soap.    None of it is good for the water supply, especially if someone is filtering the water downstream to drink.

Speaking of gross body stuff people may wonder about but aren't brave enough to ask....   I'll leave you with this last topic.  Pooping in the Woods

I will be wild camping most of the time.     Meaning no bathroom facilities, so I'm bringing my culo clean adapter and a soda bottle.   You shove the https://culoclean.com/ adapter into the top of a 16-20oz soda bottle filled with water.   When you squeeze the bottle, the water spray thoroughly cleans your booty crack after doing your business.   A clean butt is a happy butt, especially when bike touring.    And, you use far less toilet paper, some people even just bring a rag to dry off after; I'm not that brave.   The culo clean is also good for the occasional butt rinse during the day too, good for hot sweaty days where you can't find a swimming hole.  

Anyhoo, in the mornings, I'll carry an extra 12-16oz of unfiltered river water, so I'm ready for when the #2 urge hits.    I'll be burying my foul deeds using my lightweight, titanium poo shovel in wooded areas,  squatting behind some trees, along the trail.     I'll also pack a couple emergency bags in case I'm near a town and can't wait or farm fields, but I'll do my best to avoid that.     

 

 

 

 

and my super lightweight titanium deuce poo trowel.    0.6 ounces, closer to an ounce with my edging addon.

 

I had some leftover edging from a truck camper project.  I cut a short piece of it and zip tied it to the end of the trowel. GAMECHANGER!!!   Makes it far more comfortable (and safe) to use your palm to push it into the ground.    A lot of people add tape on the end too, but i found that doesn't work as well.   You want edging with the metal inside it, so you can really push hard on the trowel when digging into rocky soil.

edging link, https://a.co/d/0ddeLDRT 

 

 

 

Boothbay 2026

 

Summary of posts from my Boothbay 2026 vacation with Jacqui.

Basically, 60 lbs lighter than last year (~275 to 215lbs) made the kayaking and biking a lot more fun.  

 

In Chronological Order....

Vacation Prep Friday, Day Before   

Arrival, first Barters Loop, Southport Circumnavigation 

MerryMeeting Bay Bike Loop Ride, 45 miles 

Rutherford Loop, Drainage Culvert Loop, Karen's Hideaway and Ice Cream bike ride 

Barters 2nd Loop, Southport scenic bike loop, Androscoggin River paddle, Brunswick Loop ride, return home

Quick update from the following Wednesday, August 5th.   I've been wiped!   Biking/running in the morning, but then at least 1-2 naps in the living room during the day.    Wore myself out, but as Jacqui pointed out that just meant I had fun.

Ran some reports from my Garmin Connect account

6 total kayak outings (per my old Garmin Fenix 5 watch)

Total Distance	55.47 mi
Total Activity Time	14:45:01 h:m:s
Activity Calories	5,285
Average Speed	3.8 mph
Average Heart Rate	95 bpm

 

6 bike rides (per my Edge 1040 bike computer)

Activities	6
Total Distance	119.66 mi
Average Distance	19.94 mi
Max Distance	45.36 mi
Total Activity Time	10:15:56 h:m:s
Activity Calories	5,860
Total Ascent	6,886 ft
Avg Ascent	1,148 ft
Max Ascent	2,116 ft
Total Descent	6,795 ft
Avg Descent	1,132 ft
Max Descent	2,116 ft
Average Speed	11.7 mph
Max Speed	35.4 mph
Average Heart Rate	120 bpm
Max Heart Rate	152 bpm

 

View from Cabin front deck 

 

 

I eat more healthy now, but still splurge occasionally.

ate half a donut with breakfast each day, jacqui got the other half

Boothbay Thursday to back Home

Thursday was a rest day.    There was supposed to be rain, so Jacqui and I planned on going to Freeport.   Forecast changed, and I had good weather after we got back, but I wanted to take a rest day so I wouldn't wuss out Saturday and just drive straight home.

In Freeport, they still don't have the main LLbean store open, they just have a big temporary tent thing, which is functional and climate controlled.   Supposedly the big opening is late September.

I found a nice pair of green, rip stop nylon, hiking pants that fit well, 35x30's !  36's are kind of loose now, 34's too tight.  In the old bike and kayak LLBean store, I found some good closeout deals on a NRS, thin long-sleeve 0.5mm top.   $60 instead of $140.    LLbean has given up on bike stuff; they're not renewing the lease they have on the former bike/kayak building.   Sad.   But the money wasn't there.   Also picked up a thing of cross country glide wax and a beanie for more than half off.    Jacqui wasn't as lucky, but found some stuff at the British store she likes.

After Freeport, we double backed to Brunswick to Groove Records and a second hand bookstore she likes there (they're never open on the weekends).   I just sat in the car so I wouldn't be hovering with a "hurry up please" vibe.     On my phone in the car,  I investigated nearby lunch options and killed time on Reddit.   We tried a fried chicken food truck (technically a trailer), it was Tasty! (BiziBuns)    Their spicy chicken isn't spicy (like not at all.  at most, sweet baby ray's bbq sauce level spicy), but Mainers don't like hot spice from my experience, so it makes sense I suppose.   An 80 year old guy was bitching about them not selling chips or having straws.    I never understand why people act like whiny aholes to the people who haven't made your food yet.   Stupid or brave?    Just saying, you can't taste spit (or worse).    

Anyway, we found a bench in the adjacent park, and I stopped myself after inhaling half of the sandwich, Jacqui ditto.   It was tempting to devour the whole thing, but it's not what I call "fill up food"  it was tasty food.   And the leftovers would be yummy tomorrow too.     The fries were kind of greasy (fryer was too cold I'd guess), but I thought I could salvage them at the cabin.     Which I did the next day,   Just a non-stick fry pan on medium heat.  dumped them on some clean paper towel, light press, repeat 2-3 times.      Jacqui was pleased!    Just shy of crunchy, after starting as gross, soggy, greasy.

Anyhoo, even though the weather turned out fine the rest of the day Thursday, I just lounged at the cabin the rest of the day instead of going for a paddle or bike ride.   Naps were taken instead.   If I'd brought a wetsuit, maybe I'd have gone for a swim instead, oh well.

Friday 

I decided to paddle around Barters one last time (for the year).  This time, I did things in reverse from the previous Saturday.   I went up the narrow, east Back River side because the winds were coming down from the North/Northeast, and it was close to low tide when I started.   Low tide makes the Back River much more narrow; large mud flats appear.   Anyway, I first paddled from the bottom right corner of the screenshot, straight up the right side.  I hooked over to the cove on the upper left.   Haven't had the energy to go over there the last few years.    There was a seal in there checking me out.   Heading South, I decided to just bomb down the middle of the river, which was fun.    Like I had the entire river to myself.   Usually, I hug the shoreline. Wind at my back, I flew down.    No passing boats making wakes.     Per my garmin watch, I hit a max speed of 6.5 mph during the paddle, and I bet it was during that stretch.   Made amazing time.

Quick stop in Porters Preserve at the bottom of Barters and then back to the launch.    Almost made it back without having to pee myself, but there were a couple of older ladies hanging out at the cove so I couldn't go pee in the weeds at the beach of Porters.     So I just hopped off early at the launch and flushed out my leggings with cold sea water.  Brrr!    Still, I don't think I'll ever switch to a drysuit.  They do come with zippers, but the logistics would still require you to find somewhere to stand to relieve yourself.   I couldn't do that with my old man bladder.   Besides drysuits are way more expensive (>$1200).  and I don't paddle during Winter (when you really need a drysuit for more warmth) 

 

After getting back to the cabin, I had lunch and lounged for a bit.   Around 2 p.m. I did my last bike ride from the cabin around Southport.   Always makes me sad to do that last ride from the cabin for the year, but it's a fun bike loop.   Although, as I was discussing w Jacqui, I wish they'd take down all the military posters of people who've served.   The posters are everywhere around Boothbay & Southport.    They've been up for like 3-4 years now, and it kind of ruins the "nature" ambience IMHO.   They put them up in May and take them down in November.   Idk after awhile it starts to feel creepy in a 1984 kind of way.   Like forced patriotism/appreciation as a thinly veiled attempt to extract compliance/subservience.     Just my two cents.     On the ride, the weather was nice at least.   Here's some photos.    Some from the Newagen town dock, the others from Southport's town beach on the Northwest side.   All in all, a good ride, and I discovered a new mini loop when visiting the town beach.   It had an amazingly fun S turn downhill section (multiple curves, so more a snake turn section then?)

Good way to say goodbye to Boothbay on the bike 

 

 

 

 After getting back to the cabin, I did a few walks to carry stuff out to the truck before dinner.   In past years, Jacqui and I will take turns and move our vehicles close to the cabin to pack up, but we each felt like getting some steps in this year and left our cars out in the parking area by the central meadow.  After dinner (leftovers), I packed up as much as I could.   In the end, we skipped the last brewery/pizza outing.   It felt more fun to eat up the remaining yummy leftovers from the fridge.     Anything that could be composted, I bagged and put out into the cooler without ice; no need to worry about keeping it cold.    All the valuable remaining food supplies, condiments mostly, were put into the truck's powered, mini fridge after dinner.    So in the morning I only had to carry out 2 duffels, my bathroom shoulder bag, and strip the bedding before leaving.  Normally Jacqui and I move our vehicles closer to load everything up, but it felt good to get some steps in.

 

Saturday morning.  

Woke up around 5:30 a.m., lounged in bed until 6.   I always wake early the last day; my brain doesn't let me sleep in on travel days.   All week long, the local cellphone traffic doesn't work well for internet/data at night, but in the morning it's good, so I just browsed online while lazily staying in bed.   The nighttime data problems helped me get out of the habit of browsing reddit/instagram before bed, which probably improved my sleep.   Felt good to read books on my Kindle before bed and just unplug from the world.    I need to work on that habit at home.  

Anyway, I ate some toast w peanut butter, helped Jacqui clean up the cabin, and took off by 6:30a.m.   I left Jacqui at the cabin to do the final sweep out.   I would just get in the way.

I drove 45 minutes to the doggy walk park in Brunswick along the river, near rt1,  and I used my kayak cart to walk the kayak and my gear to the nearby boat launch.  I just locked the cart to a nearby tree while I was off paddling, it was there when I got back.       A lot of the rowing club were already out on the water when I arrived (7:30a.m. ish)    Most were way faster than me, but not by much.   I was faster than the novice 8 person coed crew, so that's something I suppose.

Good paddle.   On the way back, I saw a juvenile bald eagle on the beach further away from rt1.    They're fun to watch walk around.   They have a grumpy old man gait.    And you can tell they're juvenile because their feathers have a mottled mix of brown and white and a dark beak.

Best clip I found to show an eagle walking.   I've given up on taking photos/videos while paddling.   The surfski isn't stable enough for good photos/videos most of the time.   Besides, someone's posted better photos online anyway.  Instead, i blog.

 https://www.youtube.com/shorts/oSfJnLc8SVo

After the paddle, I stripped off the wet gear and chucked it all into the white 5 gallon bucket i keep strapped to the back of the truck.   Avoids stinking up the truck that way.   I also put the fabric cover I made over the surfski.    Keeps it cooler in the Sun, and I was going to leave it on the truck during my bike ride.  I then drove 5 minutes over to the Brunswick Park and Ride and started my bike outing from there after eating some snacks from the fridge.    Before packing up everything yesterday, I pre-made a protein smoothie, so I didn't need to run the blender at the cabin at the crack of dawn.  I drank it after my paddle.  

Anyhoo, the bike ride was definitely more fun than last year, (I'm 60lbs lighter than the last time I did it), but I was definitely tired from all the rides and paddles this past week, and it was more midday, so the heat was radiating off the pavement even though it was probably only upper 70's.  I was able to comfortably maintain a good cruising/touring speed though.

Near the end of the ride, I changed my mind and instead of stopping at Flight Deck Brewing for lunch, I went to the deli place next door.   I was thinking it MUST be good to have more people than the brewery.   It was a mad house though.   Granted it was 1p.m. on a Saturday, but you order your sandwich at the deli, they give you a slip of paper for the register, and they have signs posted saying it takes 20 minutes to actually get your sandwich.   You pay, and wait.    I just went and sat down in their air conditioned cafeteria area and ate my cookie and small bag of chips while waiting.   20 minutes or so later sandwich finally arrived.    So i don't know.   I was thinking deli because it'd be quicker than waiting for food at the brewery.  Bad bet.     Food was probably healthier though.    I got a chicken, veggies, honey mustard in a spinach wrap.   Saved half for dinner at home, I didn't want to have to cook later, after driving a couple hours and unloading.    Also, I was a little worried that if I had a beer, it'd be harder to stay awake for the drive home.

https://www.wildoatsbakery.com/  

On the ride, I skipped the merepoint peninsula extension, so that cut off 6 miles on the ride.   Back at the truck, I did indulge in a geyser sponge shower before driving home.    So nice to feel clean and change out of sweaty bike clothes.

 

The drive home went well.   2.5 hours.     No major traffic delays.   So I may do the Brunswick stop from here on out, Idk.     Traffic heading south is super busy later in the morning, with all the weekly renters heading home after the 9a.m. checkout time.    Doing a paddle and bike ride until mid afternoon is a good option.    If I drove from the cabin straight home at 6:30a.m., it would have been just a 3 hour drive.   But wasting the rest of the day being tired from vacation seems silly.     Maybe next time, I'll pack my chair instead of putting it in Jacqui's car.   I'll take more of a break between the paddle and the bike ride.

Unloading the truck went super fast.   All my home made duffel bags ftw!    Like 10 minutes at most, including rinsing off the surfski.  I don't want the saltwater left on the metal bailer for too long.   During the week, there's an outdoor faucet near the cabin, and I often rinsed off the kayak during the week too.    And when I stepped on the scale, I was still 215.8!    No weight gained, even though I ate out a fair bit, and didn't have salad stuff at the cabin.

Speaking of, it's Sunday morning now, time to go to BJ's to restock on healthy stuff.   Haven't had much veggies the past week.   Mostly apples and dried dates.    Screw the cyclospora, I'm loading up on greens!    We have fresh cherry tomatoes ready from the raised garden bed out front too.  Yum!    Going to make a 50% sourdough whole wheat pizza for lunch.

Later! 

Rutherford and Boothbay kayaking and biking 2026 july 28th and 29th

Yesterday, Tuesday, I paddled around Rutherford, starting from the parking area near the Washburn and Doughty shipyard.   They had a couple huge tugboats in drydock.   Lots of welding and metal banging sounds.

Winds were from the East/Southeast at 5-10 mph, so I knew after I crossed to the exposed east side of Rutherford it would be gnarly....but in a fun way I hoped.

The crossing from East Boothbay to South Bristol was fine.   Sometimes there's a lot of boat traffic, wind, and/or currents, but it wasn't bad.    There were some weird spinning currents on the crossing, but nothing horrible.    Easy to paddle through, but if I stopped in a few spots, the calm whirlpools would have spun me around as it pushed me North.

Crossing under the tiny bridge in South Bristol was calm.   Again, minimal boat traffic (just one that I recall).   As I spat out the other side of the bridge and rounded the north corner of Rutherford, i could see the winds and waves going on the exposed ocean side.    Today, i got to practice waves broaching on my left/port side.   CHILLY!!!   as soon as I could, I pulled into a cove halfway down, popped the rear hatch and pulled out my 3mm wetsuit shorts and put them over my 1mm leggings that have reflective metal in them for heat.    The leggings are fine for the rare swamping, but when it's every 1-2 minutes, you get cold.   With the wetsuit shorts pulled on over the leggings, i was toasty again.    

As I neared the southern turn to my right/West, a super dense fog rolled in.   Like Stephen King level creepy fog.      I pulled a silicone earplug out of my left ear (my better ear), and paddled on listening for boats with my good ear and music through my induction shokz headband via the right.    I could only see 50-100ft at most, and I heard a lobster boat before seeing it.    It was just hauling in lobster crates, so no collision risk.   They waved as I paddled by.     In the fog, I had turned on my beacon light on my vest in the fog, and the one guy tapped his shoulder in the same spot I wear it and gave me a thumbs up.   I cheerily waved back with a thumbs up, just so he knew I was good (it's a rescue light too).

The fog only lasted another 15-20 minutes and then started to lift.   and another 10-15 minutes later, it was completely gone again.   It was weird paddling around the southern tip with the shore on my right knowing/hoping I hadn't made a bad turn somehow, but I've been there before and it'd be super hard to make a wrong turn.   It's just how fog injects doubt into your mind.   As the sun came back out, I was paddling right by Christmas Cove, and I flew on back to the boat launch.    Made good time to do that paddle, in those conditions in 2 hours.    on the paddle back north on the inside stretch, I was flying, making good speed to make up for the slower paddle when I was battling the waves on the East side.

 

 

Went back to the cabin, ate a big lunch, hung out for a bit, then did the Southport bike loop for the first time since getting here.   Jacqui had gone out to lunch with Wendy (the Harborfields owner) and another woman staying here, and she warned me there's a large stretch of the road reduced to one lane on the West side of the Southport loop.   She was right, and it lasted for about 1 mile on the 10 mile loop.     Last year I struggled to do the 10 miles.  Hills were far tougher a year ago.     Never did it under 1 hour.   Today I was 48 and a half minutes and that was with the 1 mile or torn up road (I rode the gravel side for most of it).   Crazy!   If I could bottle up how much better I feel now vs last year and cram it into pill form, I'd be a very rich man. 

Didn't do much else after getting back.   Had some hummus on scarpaccia and a leftover chicken wing for dinner.   Jacqui was full from her lunch outing, so she didn't have much.     Just fyi, https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/scarpaccia-italian-zucchini-tart-recipe 

Wednesday

 

This morning I made pancakes then used the kayak cart to walk the kayak over to the town launch.   Low tide was 6a.m. ish, and high tide was going to be 11:15 'ish.   I was in the water just before 9, so I knew I could dart up the eastern shore to the culvert and scoot through most likely.   Timed it perfect!    The culvert under the overpass was 1/3 to half full at most, and I paddled on through with the incoming tidal water helping to push me through.    I paddled on up past the large dock for the Maine botanical gardens, under the bridge to the knickercane park where I normally park and launch to paddle Barters island.   I went under the bridge and hooked around.   Stopped at porter's preserve, then back south to Powderhorn, and back to the town launch.    In the map, you can see my little on land detour on Powderhorn to pee in the bushes (lol).      Just a tick over 2 hours and 8 miles.

Got back to the cabin, it was 10:45a.m., and I switched over to bike mode immediately.   I biked from the cabin via backroads to Karen's Hideway for lunch.   Jacqui drove and met me there.    Good lobster rolls, cheap too ($25!), but it's a dive-y place.   Just picnic tables outside, and they cook in a rundown looking trailer, by an even more run down looking, abandoned old repair shop.    One of those places where you know it has to be good or it'd have closed long ago.     You see more locals there than tourists.

I got a cold lobster roll with mayo, onion rings, cole slaw and a Pepsi.   Jacqui got a hot dog, potato salad, diet Pepsi, and helped me with the onion rings.     Before leaving the cabin I dispensed some Southwest sauce into a 1quart freezer bag and asked jacqui to bring it for the onion rings.   Used my little first aid scissors to snip a corner of the bag and squeezed it out like an icing bag.   Worked great, and tasted great with the onion rings.   Far better than the offered ketchup or mustard options.

I told Jacqui I was thinking of biking to the ice cream place, so she drove ahead to downtown and I met her there after biking there myself.   I avoided some of busy rt 27 by doubling back and using the pond road that comes out again near the rotary.    fter the rouandabout, the main road has a decent shoulder and I felt safe riding with the heavy traffic to downtown.   And once downtown, cars have to drive slow, so again no problem.     As I was biking in, I saw Jacqui walking on the sidewalk, and received the "Hey hot stuff, wanna get some ice cream?" line from Jacqui, which made me chuckle a little.   We walked the rest of the way together to the shop.   I waited outside with my bike and got a picnic table in the busy dock area.   There was a big queue of people waiting for a tour boat to head out shortly. 

The ice cream hit the spot.   I got blueberry cheesecake, Jacqui got an orange sherbet.    Kiddie sizes....still huge.   Jacqui said goodbye as we walked back up the steep hill from the dock; she went into the downtown bookstore, and I biked back to the cabin using as many back roads as possible.    Good outing!

Now, we're just waiting for rain to hit later today at the cabin.  Thursday is supposed to be a washout, so we're going to Freeport to kill time tomorrow.   Friday looks good weather-wise, so I'll enjoy my last day in Boothbay (easy paddle and one more Southport bike loop), and we'll probably hit the Brewery for beer and pizza one last time for dinner. 

But.... I think because I'm still feeling pretty good, not exhausted yet,  I"m going to drive to the town launch in Brunswick Saturday morning, do a paddle on the Androscoggin river, and then do the short drive over to the park and ride parking lot to bike the 27 mile loop I did last year.   Hopefully this time the Flight Deck brewery will be open as I near the end of the ride.   Beer and lunch before getting back to the truck in the afternoon.    I'll also make sure my Geyser sponge shower system has water for a quick shower in the parking lot before I drive back home to Mass.   I'll park near the side of the lot so the water drains away from everyone's cars.

That's it for now.   Just going to enjoy the down time the rest of the day.    The porch is nice to watch the marina and for reading.  

Merrymeeting Bay Ride Monday 2026 july 27th

Did the big ride yesterday I didn't dare do the previous year.

I just posted photos to my hunneymandc instagram

will post them here later.

Things I remember from the ride.    Found a couple new kayak launch spots to try.   More river vs open water.    Worth the hour drive for days that are too windy to paddle in Boothbay.

At the Brunswick park and ride, met a couple in a vintage vw van interested in my truck buildout.   Funny how I'm getting more interest here in Maine than I've had on previous camping trips this year.    I think maybe Maine appreciates the DIY build more.   

 

 

On the ride I spotted a nice black Storyteller camper van, as well as a few others.    Should've taken photos.   I spotted one person having a modest mini camper set up with solar in the back of a farm field with a path mowed to reach it.    Nice summer setup IMHO

I managed the rolling hills of the ride pretty well.   A lot of times I could just stand up on the pedals and power up the short steep hills; I only had to shift down to granny gears a few times.   There was decent tree cover for shade quite often too.

I ate a snack bar on the hour every hour, but I was definitely ready to eat a proper meal by the time I got to Bath, after 1p.m.   Stopped at the Sisters Deli, would go again.   they had warm sandwiches pre-made, ready to go.   Helped keep things moving.   Awesome desserts too.

I got the Macintuscan.   Chicken, apple, mixed greens, honey mustard, etc in a spinach wrap.   A small bag of salt & vinegar chips and large peanut butter/choc chip cookie, and a schwepps ginger ale.

I inhaled the wrap and downed the soda, saved the cookie and chips for when I got to the bike trail that parallels rt 1 in Brunswick.  There are a few granite benches with river views there.   Ate all the chips (needed the salt badly), and 2/3rds of the cookie.     The remainder of the cookie perked me up in the truck during the 50minute drive back to the cabin.

Didn't paddle yesterday.   Just rested after getting back to the cabin.   ate leftovers from the fridge after showering.   

Slept well.

Typing this up the next morning before I go out to paddle again.    Thinking of the eastern loop around Rutherford island even though there's 5-10mph E/SE winds   it'll be fun to play with the waves on the port side of the surfski.   I'll wear my thicker shorts this time, for the broaching waves.

Later 

D

 

Boothbay arrival 2026, july 25th, Southport loop

Sitting on the cabin's deck blogging about yesterday and today.

Arrived yesterday around 10:30 a.m.  and immediately did a kayak paddle around Barters Island.   Definitely felt like I made better time than last year.   

On the way picked up some donuts, from holy donut in Brunswick.    6 for $24, pricey but worth the occasional splurge

Back to paddling....

I had the wind on my back after navigating past the southern tip.   I was flying as I paddled up the western side of Barters up the Sheepscot River.     With the northenmost point of the island being 12 o'clock, at around 11 o'clock the water gets weird from currents, tidal changes and wind funnel points.   I started to catch some of the waves coming up behind me.   Honest to god surfing on my "surfski" kayak.   Nothing outstanding, but I got going 6mph or so a few times per my watch.   It feels like a giant hand coming up beneath you, giving you free speed.

Once I hooked around the topmost part of the island, I took a break before battling the wind back.   Quick snack and some water.   Paddling southward on the inland side, i played the game of seeing how many docks I could scoot under.   No idea if that's legal/illegal, but it keeps me out of the way of the boats passing by and the water gets quite narrow through there.   It was mid tide, heading towards low, but I was I was able to hug the  shoreline more heading south.   At low tide, you can't.   You'll get stuck in mud or hit rocks.

When scooting under the dock ramps or walkways,  the floating docks are nice to paddle behind when someone's blasting through making big wakes.    The docks block the waves from the boats and cancel the rebound waves because they don't reach the shore.

This week, I'll have to get Jacqui to get a photo of me at some point on the water,       but the surfski is definitely higher in the water and I can feel that some of the carbon fiber/kevlar weave is now visible when I feel by hand. behind higher up in the water, makes it easier to deal with the waves that hit broadside.  The surfski used to ride Low....like loooooow in the water when I was >60lbs heavier,    and because I was heavier i was taking on more water via the self-bailer too.   So when I was 275 last summer, I had at least another 10lbs of water in the footwell too.    During much of the paddle around Barters, the inside was bone dry.    So it's more like the surfski carrying just my 215lbs now, not 275 + 10-20lbs of water.    As long as I paddle close to 4mph, she's dry now.

Anyway, I've done the paddle around Barters a gazzilion times.   Not much new to report.   I briefly saw one seal right near the beginning but not much after that.   On the northwest side I annoyed an egret pair at one point.   They'd nested in a mooring ball, and the papa bird kept flying at my head.   I ignored it and after 100 yards it stopped divebombing me.

After getting back to the truck.   I made myself a black bean wrap with stuff in the truck.   So i had the rear of the truck open and the kitchen drawer pullout out.    A few of the local guys walking back to their trucks  were asking questions.   They liked the setup.  One younger guy was most impressed.    I'd seen him just paddle up to a lobster boat and it turns out he was looking to buy a lobster direct.   Got one for $10, probably less than half what he'd pay at the local market.   I'm sure the lobsterman made more too that way.

Also at the knickercane parking area, a trophy wife with her two little girls kept giving the side eye .   She'd parked 2 spots over and was in mama bear mode.   Probably worried I was a homeless van lifer I imagine.   She relaxed when she overheard me telling one of the guys I'd rented a cabin for a week.    People are judgey.   then again, i'm >6'tall and >200lbs so i can fra la la through life not worrying about anything.   Different when you're 5'4 and 110lbs soaking wet I suppose.

After my bean burrito it was still only 2p.m. ish, so I decided to plot a bike ride from the knickercane park area.    I locked the surfski to the rack before leaving.   Check in at the cabin is at 3pm.

This ride was short but has a few brutal short hills that used to kill me.   I still went full granny gear on them, but it wasn't bad at all.   The ride was a fun way to kill time.   During the ride Jacqui texted she was at the cabin unloading.   Most of the stuff is in my truck so I didn't feel bad I wasn't there to help.

After the ride I unpacked, took a shower and then we were off to Boothbay Craft Brewery for beer and pizza.   Jacqui wanted pretzels with beer cheese, and I wanted wings, we got both.   The wings are cooked in a smoker, they don't chopped them into flats and drumsticks first.   even leave the useless tips on.   I only ate one, and stole 1 pretzel stick from Jacqui's appetizer.   The sticks were big.   The pretzels were like large polish sausage size.   Not quite as big as a long hotdog bun, but close.

We split a pepperoni pizza and ate the whole thing.   Their pizza's are more thin crust and again, not big diameter wise.    Briefly considered saving the last 2 slices, but when Jacqui said she could eat one more, i was like F it, we're on vacation.    Stuck to 1 beer each.   Good dinner out

back at the cabin, did a little more unpacking and organizing.   my new truck kitchen drawer bags make it easier to stock the cabin's kitchen.   the kitchen is stocked too, but I prefer my stuff.   I know how it performs.   We use their plates, bowls and glassware though.

The pantry bin with my dry rice and beans and protein powders are easy to load into the pantry closet in the cabin, along with my spices bag.i'll fix the photo orientation later.

The cutlery bag is right by the sink.    Made it easy to wash everything.   I hadn't done that yet after the camping session with Jeff.  

  And the counter full of my cooking gadgets.   My half size instant pot, blender for smoothies,  sodastream seltzer maker, hot water kettle.   The toaster is the cabin's.  

Today (sunday), I did a paddle first after making myself the peanut protein oatmeal breakfast I like when I know I'm going to be doing lots of outdoorsy stuff.   

i used the kayak cart to walk the surfski over to the town launch in West Boothbay.   I bring a bike lock cable and just lock the kart to a tree near the hiking path over there.   It's a quick 5 minute walk from the cabin.  

Doing the paddle to Powderhorn I was thinking i might try to do the drainage culvert loop near the botanical gardens, but it was so calm I just said the heck with it.   From Powderhorn, I texted Jacqui that the conditions were really good and I decided to circumnavigate Southport island.     I always text the rough plan to jacqui, so they know where to go looking in case something happens.

On the paddle down on the west side of Southport I spotted Dolphins!      Actually, I think they were harbor porpoises, but I was watching them from 100 yards out.   They were feeding on fish I think.   I wasn't trying to get close; I was just on my own track, but as I neared, they disappeared.   Better than them getting playful and coming to mess with me tbh.   I found an image online of what I was seeing.   There were 3-4 of in the pod/group I was watching

 

 

Other than that, the only other wildlife were just the normal birds, mostly seagulls and cormorants.

The paddle down the west side was super calm until i got closer to the southern point.    I normally don't do the Southport loop because the west side is usually an exposed killzone of waves from the wind.   "kill" is harsh, but unless i get up at the crack of dawn, it's rough through there.   Today, super calm.

The swells from open ocean started to arrive as I neared the southern tip.   Swells aren't scary.  They're like slow moving small hills, which on their own aren't bad at all, but when combined with the weird criss cross of large wakes from boats passing on both sides and in different directions made the paddle more interesting.

At the southern tip I cut into a little protected cove/bay, ate my last snack bar, drank some water.    things got crowded with too many moving boats in the little bay down there.   everyone coming to pick people up or to check mail at the town dock.   I had to grab the side of a moored boat at one point to stay in place until everyone cleared out.    wasn't bad, just weird after such a calm paddle so far.   It's like there was suddenly a parade no one told me about.

After they cleared out, I headed north out of the cove.  From about 4 to 6 o'clock around Southport, the winds were a B!tch.   Weirdly the wind was coming from the east.    Right from the open Ocean.  Combined with the swells it was time to focus.

We're in a low pressure system right now, upper 60's only, and I think the Ocean system overpowered everything from inland, wind wise.   So i had to suck it up and do a lot of the paddling with waves hitting my starboard side (right hand side as I sit and paddle).    Quite a few waves broached the side, briefly swamping my legs with cold water and filling the footwell.   I had to switch to a sweep paddle instead of pulling more straight back.   Less speed but way better stability.   The conditions  got better once Squirrel Island offered some protection from the East side.   Not many boats where I was either.  It was rough where I was so they were sticking to the leeward side of the islands in the middle of the harbor to block the wind, waves and swells.     I stayed away from the Southport shore too.   Waves were crashing hard and bouncing back.    Safer to be a 100-200 yards out in the open water.

Eventually, I made it past where the Gray Homestead campground is and the water calmed down from islands to the east.   Once I got to Pig Cove, the Capitol islands blocked everything and I had a calm paddle through there.   I even stopped at one point, did the old pee in your wet suit trick.     Gross I know, but I straddle the surfski with my feet in the water and let er rip.   My leggings were soaked with sea water at that point from all the broadsides, so it actually helped warm me up a little.   I just make a point to jump off the boat a little early at the ramp so I'm in water above my waist to flush the wetsuit leggings out before walking back to the cabin.

  It's always a little sketchy where you go from west Boothbay harbor into the channel towards the launch.   Between Juniper point and  Pine Cliff.    Lots of boats cut through there, but if you stay on the north/east side of the channel closer to Juniper point, it's safe.    don't paddle on the Pine Cliff/Southport side.   that's the deep channel side and the power boats will get irked with you.    It'd be like walking down the middle of a busy 2 lane road.

Across from the town boat launch is the swing bridge my dad liked when I camped with him at Gray Homestead.

Anyhoo, I definitely wasn't as fast as the day before.   Partly because my muscles were more tired from the paddle yesterday too.   About 12.5 miles in 3.5 hours.   Including 2 food breaks, and one pee break in the bushes at Powderhorn.    

I did the walk back to the cabin pulling the kayak on the cart.   Thought I was going to luck out with no traffic again, but there was a ton of cars all at once.   I walk on the wrong side of the road on the way back.   With traffic instead of against, but that's because the road has no shoulder and the curve is against a carved out rock wall/cliff on the side I technically "should" be walking on when going back.

But, if I did that, the cars driving towards me wouldn't see me until it was too late to slow down.     No one honked or yelled.   Got a few thumbs up from a couple cars as they passed.   I think they appreciate the more "hard core" kayakers here.

 

 

When not paddling, I leave the surfski on these nice sling stands near the cabin.  

  

Back at the cabin, I devoured lunch.   Realized I'm way too wiped to also bike today, and proceeded to nap most of the afternoon.    I also drank a smoothie to help my muscles.   Less my upper body, and more my butt and hammies.   I NEVER feel those muscles.  I've got the seat adjusted so I can use some leg drive when paddling, and I'm feeling it in the "Butt tocks"  as Forest Gump would say.      Another reason I wanted to skip biking today.

I think my upper body is doing ok because I've been using my kayak ergometer hard in the attic a couple times a week.   I maybe felt my outer shoulders (delts?) and my lats some.

Tomorrow though,  I'm doing the big 45 mile bike loop around Merrymeeting bay.    Monday and Tuesday look great weather-wise.    Wednesday morning I might squeeze in a bike ride on Southport in the morning, then the rain comes.  I think it's from a tropical depression down South.    Thursday will be a Freeport shopping day.    Friday afternoon I may get out again, after the rain clears out Friday morning.

Saturday, i think I'll stop and do some kayaking and biking in Brunswick before driving home later in the day.    I normally get up at the crack to beat the traffic back, but with the rain coming, I think I'll play hookie on my own while Jacqui goes directly home to soothe Twitch's hurt feelings from being abandoned for a week.

That's all for now.   Having Fun.