Maine visit in 2009

This is Thurston's Lobster Pond in Bernard, Maine, it is part of a lobster commercial outlet, the best and youngest lobsters are brought up to the restaurant for those with a discriminating palate.

The is a big operation, the lobsters have no chance with all those traps

You can't get any fresher than these at under $10.00 each, on the West Coast you'll pay $30-35.00 for those guys.

These are right off the boat

We have our order in and delivered





lunch with an ear of corn and beer





In the hands of the expert




The awesome beauty of a Maine Village named Bernard, the home of Thurston's Lobster Pond



Lobster boat going out of Bar Harbor with its traps




Holland American cruise ship was in that day so was the four mast schooner anchored in the harbor (hah-bah)





Hanging out at the docks of Bar Harbor, Maine



It's t-shirts, seafood, burgers or ice cream here....





When we ship lobsters from Maine, this is where we buy them. Trenton Bridge Lobster Pound was established in 1956 and have been owned and operated by family for more than three generations.

When you dine there, lobster are boiled in seawater over wood fired cookers as seen in the photo.



This is the guy that started it all, George Gascon. He said he was just getting over a pacemaker implant and not as chipper as usual. Looks great at 83 to me....




Here another "Mainer" I ran into, he's none other than Bill Cote from Ventura. Actually we planned this lunch in Bangor, Maine and had a fabulous time telling stories "the ones we could remember?". It's been several snow falls and autumn leaves since we've seen each other so it was pure delight to break some bread with him again.

Bill lives on a plot of land (3 acres) with a million dollar view, as a bonus, he has a flock of wild turkeys that grazes in his back yard on most mornings.

The first time we met in Maine (2001) was pure luck. Donna and I had just set up camp in Houlton, Maine and we went into town for a bite to eat at the local pizza place. We sat down and ordered. A couple came in soon after and the guy stares at me (I was not aware, I'm not into guys), sensing that he knew me, he walked out into the parking lot, saw our jeep with California license and he comes in and hollers "how did Maine ever let Allen Jue in? That was Bill Cote...

That's my story and I'm stickin' with it....





Weathervane Restaurants are family owned, we ate in four of them from New Hampshire to Maine, their best dish to us was broiled Haddock sprinkled with Ritz cracker crumbs -$12.95.





This is the town of Belfast, ME and notice how life like this carving is. You probably know someone that has a similar face....




Maine is such a quaint place, small harbors and rustic villages.





Look at that great home on the shoreline, those folks must enjoy the view 24/7





Penobscot Narrows Bridge near Buckport, ME.

The leaves are beginning to show color, we are on our way to New Hampshire and Vermont to see more

A Flower I couldn't pass up. The bee was a bonus.

New Hampshire, the Granite State, 2009

"Live Free or Die"
is the official motto of the U.S. state of New Hampshire, adopted by the state in 1945

New Hampshire’s State House is the oldest state capitol in which a legislature still meets in its original chambers.

The 1931 State Seal law placed the frigate Raleigh as the centerpiece of the new seal. The Raleigh was built in Portsmouth in 1776, as one of the first 13 warships sponsored by the Continental Congress for a new American navy.

New Hampshire’s primary has been considered an early measurement of the national attitude toward the candidates for nomination. Unlike a caucus, the primary measures the number of votes each candidate received directly, rather than through precinct delegates. The popular vote gives lesser-known candidates a chance to demonstrate their appeal to the electorate at large.

New Hampshire owes its motto, "Live Free or Die," to General Stark. Stark, the first to carry the new thirteen-star American flag into battle, wrote those words in July 1809, in commemoration of the Battle of Bennington.

John H. Sununu became New Hampshire’s Governor on January 6, 1983, and served three consecutive terms ending in 1989. Sununu was the first White House Chief of Staff for President George H. Bush serving from 1989 to 1991.

Jeanne Shaheen is the junior United States Senator from New Hampshire. The first woman in U.S. history to be elected as both a Governor (1997 to 2003) and U.S. Senator. As a side note, Ms Shaheen was at the same college at the same time as Donna at Shippensburg University in PA.

This legislative chambers is the longest used chamber in the nation

Administrative government offices

New Hampshire Historical Society Building

Downtown Concord, New Hampshire

This fellow has a lot of confidence in the drivers, he doesn’t seem to be looking around defensively.

This ends our visit to New Hampshire's capitol city, Concord.