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