I am amazed to find myself all the way into February of the mildest winter I can recall in many years.  Such was the benevolence of this typically roughest of seasons in Maine that in mid-December we were able to resurrect the scooters from their winter’s hibernation and take a day trip back to one of our favorite destinations, Reid State Park.  With the temperature in the 50s it was an easy and comfortable ride over to ME-197 (a great motorbike road!) and then through Richmond to ME-128, upon which we headed south toward Woolwich.  A quarter mile sprint over US1 takes us to ME-127, which we followed south through Arrowsic and Georgetown to Reid State Park.

As you enter the final leg of the trip down ME-127 onto Georgetown Island, there is a patriotically-painted boulder guarding the access road to the park.  We stopped for several photos:

This is the view from the parking lot of the state park; the island in the distance is one of the Black Rocks.  Immediately to the right of the photo is a lovely lagoon, ideal for small children as there are no waves in it and the water is significantly warmer than at the main beaches, just over the dunes visible in the photo.

When you enter the park, you have a choice: east is Mile Beach, west is Half-Mile Beach, and both have their charms.  There is an easy climb to a lookout (above) from the parking lot at Mile Beach, and Mile Beach has the lagoon for the little kids; however, Half-Mile Beach ends in an estuary with a considerable current which drains to the sea after high tide, resulting in a delightful 500-yard swim/float, if you can stand the cold water.  We usually wait to attempt this until August, when the water is at its warmest.  And of course, it is possible to walk from one beach to the other and enjoy both.

This view presents itself as you look west from the lookout point at Mile Beach.  The first spit of land in the distance separates the two beaches.  This can be an impressive vista if there is a storm offshore, as evidenced from this photo made from almost the same spot in 2013:

As we made our way onto the beach itself, we encountered a group of equestriennes enjoying the day.

When I asked them if I could make a photo, they began reaching into their own pockets and pulling out cell phones, requesting me to photograph them with their own cameras!  We spent several minutes while they organized their horses in positions advantageous for the best light.

We walked the length of the beach and then up onto the promontory that divides the two beaches, where there are picnic tables overlooking the beach.  We enjoyed a snack and then, given the early sunsets in December, decided to head back to the bikes.

On the way back up ME-127 there are several scenic ocean overlooks like this one:

Of course, every vista looks better with a Vespa in it!

So, we gassed up the bikes on the way home, added Stabil to the tanks for the long winter’s nap (again!), and plugged the bikes into the battery tender inside the garage, where they sit quietly charging their batteries, waiting for spring.

To any faithful followers of this blog, my apologies for the dearth of posts, but work obligations combined with winter weather (at least since late December) have ruled out more rides.  Thank you for your interest in our trips, and I hope you will continue to follow Scootersmaine once the 2016 riding season arrives — we are planning trips to Lake Placid, NY next summer along with a ride with Francis to Aroostook County in northern Maine, up scenic ME-11.  Along with whatever other inspirations come up, of course!  I hope you will continue to be part of Scootersmaine in the coming year!