Road trip 2013 - searching for what makes Maine the way life should be

Log, Tuesday afternoon around 3:00 EST.

• Woke up around 6:00 on my own, after a Words with Friends chime went off on my phone.
• Took some photos of the river in front of the back deck of my motel room.  Beautiful view in the morning sun!
• Went for a run down an ATV trail in Machias
• Packed up, took some photos of the trail, got breakfast to go, and hit the road from Machias to Southwest Harbor
• Beautiful sun out today!
• Past Hancock Pt (a Hardy family reunion spot a few years back)
• Memories driving toward Mt Desert Isl (driving past the airport where Nicole and I went up in a glider)
• Arrived in Southwest Harbor
• Talked to a guy selling seafood in a roadside truck.  Said this is the only place on the Island without an ordinance against this kind of business.  He did not want to be interviewed for fear of getting in trouble.
• Went down the road to the SW Harbor marina. 
• Talked to a woman (Lisa) making covers for boat bumpers.  She recommended I go upstairs to talk to the owner of the sail making shop. 
• Went upstairs.  The owner (I forget her name) referred me to interview Rufus, a young guy who was "her slave". :)  Anyway, Rufus interviewed with me, and had some very poignent remarks to make about Maine relative to whether or not it is in fact "the way life should be".  Very articulate and intelligent.
• Then met a guy and his daughter (or grandaughter) walk out of Hamilton Marine.  Asked him where he was from, and he said North Carolina.  I told him that he was disqualified from my book!  But he referred me to Jane, the manager of the marina.  He walked me down to her office on the dock and introduced me.
• Jane was a hoot!  She is from New Zealand, but lived also in the Carribbean with her mothner at times.  Now she lives in SW Harbor with her husband (who is from Holton) and loves it.  Jane introduced me to her dog, Marina. :)  Jane gave me a great interview and let me take a couple photos.  She showed me her husband's new motorcycle which was parked outside.  Said that it was a bone of contention though between them.  I won't say why here.
• Then drove into the main part of town.  Went into the library and interviewed three very friendly librarians!  And, they want me to come back to do a talk after the book has been published!
• Lunch in a great bakery next to the library.  Yummy sausage and pepper parm sandwich on Frocaccia bread.  Mmmmm. :)
• So 5 interviews done in SW Harbor. Great!
• Now to Ellsworth and Friend & Friend motorcycles shop. 
• Saw and interviewed Terry (who was in my motorcycle school in Bucksport).  Took a photo of him sitting on his 500cc Honday cafe racer.
• Then met and interviewed Lou (who Dad recommended I see).  Lou was also great.  And he introduced me to Cooper Friend (the 4th generation Friend to run this shop which started as a Ford dealership almost 100 years ago!)
• Now typing this blog in the Ellsworth Public Library.