It's Bill, 1/25/26: On the Road Part II (Brunswick Bound)

Heading Out on Icy Roads

Wednesday, we left West Quoddy Station at 10 in cold rain turning to sleet on icy roads, Brunswick bound, slow going along the coast. Out of Cherryfield, we took Rt 193 for 20 miles through Wyman’s blueberry operation up to Beddington, taking The Airline west, Rt 9, toward Brewer. We had a plan!

Our plan was to have lunch at The Amherst General Store. It’s our favorite lunch stop; it’s The Real Maine! We always have the same thing: red hotdogs and rolls out of the steamer. Add your own condiments—mustard, relish, chopped onion, ketchup—serve yourself on a paper plate. We grabbed our napkins and sat at a corner table. Three for me, two for Patricia, who took over driving here.

The Amherst General Store had been a traveler’s oasis before WWII. Originally, it was “Ralph’s Got Gas”; the round sign is still there. There had been cabins when there was more traffic on The Airline between Brewer and Calais. The store sits on top of a steep hill, just the right place to pull over. The counter serves traditional diner food, starting with an early breakfast. Very popular with hunters in the fall, it’s a beacon to Airline travelers.

The heart of the Amherst General Store—an old-school country counter where hotdogs, coffee, and Maine stories are always on the menu.

Arrival in Brunswick

In Brewer, we dropped a water sample for the monthly state test. With snowy, icy roads, we arrived in Brunswick, home of Bowdoin College, one of Maine’s best, which also has the Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum, at 4:30 PM, well past the usual 4–5 hour drive.

The Brunswick Hotel was a perfect destination. The friendly front desk immediately made us welcome guests, providing an oversized king corner room. Justin, at the front desk, helped me with our luggage upstairs, where we settled into our comfortable suite overlooking Maine Street. After chatting again with Justin, we went to the bar. The bartender, waitresses, and dinner guests chatted with us like old friends, sharing experiences while we relaxed with them.

The Brunswick Hotel was starting off the New Year with a Wednesday night wine special, giving us the opportunity to enjoy a rarely available bottle of Viognier from the Atacama Desert in Chile. We had an appetizer of steamed mussels with sausages in a buttery broth, with toasted bread for dipping. We shared the braised short ribs with polenta, another perfectly prepared treat. We met more new friends, handing out West Quoddy Station cards.

Heading Home Again

We enjoyed an early breakfast in the dining room, meeting more folks, before starting our long trip home. We’ll be back at The Brunswick Hotel this spring and will stay in the same room for another special visit.

Back on the road again, we experienced some delays, not getting to our lunch stop at The Amherst General Store until after 3. We discovered that the Amherst General Store made their own pizzas. There were quite a few locals waiting for their pizza orders. We didn’t have time to wait, definitely planning pizza for the next trip. Having our hotdogs again, we drove happily home, ending our January jaunt.

Home Cooking and What’s Next

Home again, we’re enjoying our own cooking. Patricia tosses her own pizza with our favorite toppings. Saturday night, I grilled three 2-inch sirloins provided by Terence, our good neighbor, for the three of us. Today, I am making the Best It’s Bill!! chili for the Lubec Legion chili contest next Saturday. We do like to cook, eat, entertain, and have a good time!!

Please join us next week for the Chili Cook-Off at Lubec’s American Legion, Post 65!