It's Bill, 1/18/26: On The Road

Living at the Easternmost Point

Living on the Easternmost Point has many advantages that we’ve talked about: unspoiled nature, lighthouses, community, privacy, and more. To enjoy these privileges, we understand we must forgo accessibility. The Easternmost Point is the end of the earth. Traveling to Lubec underlines the meaning of “the destination is the journey.” Leaving West Quoddy Head requires a flexible travel plan to the real world. We know where we’re going, knowing we will enjoy our journey.

Local Roads and Winter Reality

With the holidays finally over, we had to get down to the reality of the New Year. We had three destinations on our planners. Monday, we had to be in Machias at 8:15. Tuesday, Calais at 8:30. All local, no big deal. Thursday, we had 10:00 AM medical appointments in Brunswick, home of Bowdoin College, one of Maine’s premier colleges, five hours or so distant, not local.

As we all know, it’s basic to jot a time and date on our calendars. However, we can’t count on the weather, particularly in early January. Mother Nature is in charge, and, as we know, certainly not the forecasts or the weatherman.

Last Sunday night, we looked at the weather for our Monday morning Machias trip. Not too bad, one to two inches of snow, 30 miles. Monday at 5 AM, I turned on the outdoor floodlights and looked out the window. Tundra covered in three inches, still snowing. Hi-ho, off to work we go! What is usually 35–45 minutes turned into a slow hour-plus.

Food, Friends, and the Long Drive Home

Our appointment concluded, we thought lunch was justified. Hmm, what’s open? The Anchor, a sports bar in Machias, the shire town of Washington County and home of the University of Maine in Machias.

Sitting at the Anchor bar, I had the best Maine meatloaf, gravy, mashed potatoes, and green bean dinner ever. Patricia had an incredibly wonderful sautéed shrimp quesadilla. A glass of wine. Or two. Forty-eight dollars with a generous tip. We handed out West Quoddy Station cards, meeting new friends.

Tuesday AM was the same routine, except this time it was sleet and freezing rain, taking an hour-plus in good weather to Calais. Calais is a border town and the gateway to the Canadian Maritimes of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. For lunch, between meetings, we went to Karen’s Diner. I had a generous pastrami on rye with sweet potato waffle fries. Patricia opted for scrambled eggs with raisin toast. Some wine with our wonderful lunch. Karen’s Diner was celebrating their 20th anniversary; Karen’s staff gave us a coffee mug. We left our West Quoddy Station business cards with the friendly waitress and bartender. More work after lunch, and the late drive home was long and slow in the dark behind plow trucks.

Watching the Weather and Looking Ahead

Getting home in the dark, we tried to interpret the weather prognostications for our Wednesday and Thursday trip to Brunswick. Snow, ice, sleet, rain. Somewhere, sometime, so much. Early to bed. Looking out the window Thursday AM seemed to be the best forecast approach for us.

Next week’s blog, 1/25: On the Road II, Brunswick Bound.

Lunch by the window, enjoying a sandwich, waffle fries, and a well-earned glass of wine.