It’s been too long since I have posted to this blog, and (sadly) it’s looking like the riding season will be coming to a close this Thanksgiving weekend, as snow is in the forecast — and snow means sand being put down on the roads, and sand on the roads means “too risky to ride”.  Moreover, events transpired this summer to keep us from taking a big trip on the scooters (something Robin routinely grouses about!), so it’s been kind of a skimpy year as far as the blog goes.  But I have a couple of quick posts to share before I put this blog to bed for the winter.

The route to my new job takes me around Augusta on ME-135, a pastoral road of hills and farms and ponds connecting, in a circuitous kind of way, Monmouth with Belgrade.  East of Winthrop, ME-135 provides access to the shore of Cobbosseecontee Lake before turning north through Readfield and into Belgrade.  My workplace is on the shore of Messalonskee Lake (don’t you love the old Indian names in Maine?!), so my route leaves ME-135 at the Knowles Road to connect with ME-8/11/27 north of Augusta.  The Knowles Road passes a collection of small ponds where these photos were taken one foggy fall morning.

The great thing about ME-135 is that it has been recently re-paved, so the surface is smooth for the entire trip.  Although I wouldn’t call it one of Maine’s best motorbiking roads (there are some sudden dangerous curves and the scenery is nice, but not spectacular), it is certainly a pleasant ride with a number of rewarding views and pastoral overlooks.

Now, of course, this lovely foliage is on the ground and the bare gray branches of November await the coming snow — while we look forward to a season of quieter pursuits before the April sun brings a new canopy of green to these scenes.  But it is nice to remember this foggy morning ride through the rolling hills and quiet ponds of ME-135.