Maxx's Maine Camping Blog

You could’ve fooled me!

It felt more like late March, early April!

I had to listen to Tami grumble for the fifty thousandth time about how she hasn’t been able to wear her snowshoes except one time . . . and aren’t we living in Maine after all . . . and what the heck is going on with the weather lately?

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

I didn’t need my scarf, or my ear muffs, or even my boots today!  And there’s only 3 inches of snow right now.  But it is extra super crunchy.

“How crunchy is it,” you ask?

It’s so crunchy, wildlife in the next county  heard us coming.  Tami couldn’t blame it on Cookie this time either, because Cookie was walking on top the snow!

There were tons of ice fisherman out on the lake,

just not in this photo Tami took. They were mostly down by the State Park. There was also a group of people who looked like they were walking the length of the lake.  But super, cautious Tami wouldn’t let us put one hoof, paw or foot on the ice.  Not even the edges.  The minute she sees open water waaaay over by the beaver hut, she gets nervous.

But she did let us walk the red-dotted trail to get there.  Cookie really, really wanted to get in the water, but the current can be kind of strong in this one spot, and the water’s awfully cold right now.  No matter how Cookie pouted, Tami wouldn’t give in.

There were signs the beavers had been out and about.  We could hear the blue jays, chickadees and the ravens calling back and forth.  But alas, no eagles could be seen.

It’s still a touch early, but with all the warm weather, Tami was kind of hoping they’d be out and about.

Perhaps next week!

Finally!  Tami, Cookie and I got out to snowshoe the trail!

It was a beautiful day.  Blue sky, crisp cold air, powdery snow.

As we came out of the woods and stepped onto the lake, Cookie stopped to look around.  I knew the feeling.  There’s just something about walking across the lake that first time, and seeing it all from a different perspective

.

We walked right past the muskrat hut . . . .

and rounded the corner of our point by the eagle’s island.  Right in front of us was a family, ice fishing.

Hugging the shoreline, we stayed on the ice.

“What do you say, we keep going?” Tami asked, as she nodded up toward the town beach area.

“Sure!” I said.  We’d never been that far before.  Usually we turned back into the campground at this point, then followed David’s red-dot trail home.

Not only did we walk through the town beach, but we followed the lake right up to where it first narrows

Tami could see a ton of people in the cove ahead, so she decided it was time to turn back.  Besides, the Pat’s game was due to start soon.  She wasn’t taking a chance on missing that.

So we headed back the way we’d come.

We did have enough time for me to snap a picture of Tami and Cookie though.

When we reached what the Wight’s now call the Turtle Release spot, we climbed the banking.  Tami looked back and took one last look at the lake.

There were a few more people out there than before.

We didn’t see the eagles.  And we didn’t see the Pileated Woodpecker (but we heard him plenty!).  But it was a great hike.

We turned for the last few feet home

I sure hope we don’t get the rain on Monday the weathermen are predicting.