Given the plethora of RV trips I have planned this summer, it seemed prudent to do a short trip first, just to make sure that everything on the rig was working okay.  When I uncovered the RV in April and opened it back up for the season, I discovered two water leaks, very bad news indeed as a leak equals mold, and mold equals “sell the RV” because I am allergic to it.  The first leak was in the storage cabinet above the refrigerator, bad enough that the contact paper lining the cabinet walls was damaged.  The other leak was dripping water from somewhere (I could not tell where) onto the kitchen counter behind the stove.  A quick trip to Call Of The Wild (the dealer from whom I bought the rig) disclosed that the cabinet leak derived from the fact that the screws holding the rooftop solar panel had apparently never been sealed (supposedly done at the factory), allowing rainwater into the rig from under the solar panel.  The kitchen leak had two sources: the first was a misplaced screw holding the outside roof molding (also never sealed because it was improperly placed), and the second due to the bolts holding the exterior awning onto the trailer – these were not adequately sealed either and so had rusted and admitted water into the rig.

This last was discovered due to the very thorough tech at COTW, who thought to remove the microwave oven from its place above the kitchen counter, immediately revealing the rusted awning bolt and the misplaced molding screw.  The leaks, thankfully, were all sealed and so the season could begin!

            For my 2023 shake-down cruise, I chose to return to Grafton Notch Campground (see previous post on Grafton Notch).  I liked the campground and the owner the last time I was here, I knew it would be quiet and pleasant, and most especially, it gave me the opportunity not only to empty the RV tanks following the mandatory first-of-the-year water tank bleaching, but also to golf in the nearby Norway/South Paris region.  So, for my first night here I am travelling solo; pal Steve will join me tomorrow at Norway Country Club and then make his way back to Grafton Notch for a night in the RV.  We will play Lake Kezar on our way home, two days hence.

            I arrived at the campground just after 2PM, and decided to use the afternoon to visit the waterfalls in nearby Grafton Notch State Park.  This park, hard against the White Mountain National Forest and the state boundary with New Hampshire, offers outstanding hiking in the summer, and snowmobiling in the winter, along with world-class alpine skiing at nearby Sunday River ski area.  Honestly, most people “from away” who think of Maine think of the seashore, but the Grafton Notch area offers just as much to do for anyone with a bent for adventure.

            Heading north on ME-26 from the campground and into the park, one comes first to Step Falls.  This is as much a hike as it is a sightseeing stop, because the trail from the parking lot ascends gradually but steadily to the Bear River and then up along the continual succession of small waterfalls which the river makes as it loses elevation on its way to the Androscoggin River.  This is a 20-30 minute hike, not difficult, which parallels the river for most of its way.  Scenic water views and shallow bathing pools abound, and I saw a number of people in bathing suits here either on their way up to the falls or back down.  As at the other waterfalls on ME-26 (described below), if you bring small children here, keep a careful eye on them – while there are a number of shallow pools which they could enjoy, there are also a great many steep drops which, depending on the water level, could prove fatal.

Here’s the view from the top of Step Falls:

            The next falls you will reach heading north on ME-26 is Screw Auger Falls, my personal favorite.  As with Step Falls, there are numerous shallow pools for bathing/swimming here, and the river has carved itself a lovely gorge which you can explore.  And this waterfall, unlike Step Falls, is very close to the road, with minimal hiking involved.  Again, keep your kids close if you choose to bring them to swim here!

            One of my favorite photos of Robin was taken here during one of our scooter trips together.  ME-26 is, in my opinion, one of Maine’s finest motorbiking routes, as the road, in reasonably good condition, twists and turns through scenic valleys, with beautiful round green mountains in view around every bend.

            Beyond Screw Auger Falls, you will find Mother Walker Falls.  This is an interesting geological formation but as the river runs well below you through its gorge, and the trees have grown in right to the river’s edge, the views are not as rewarding as at the other stops.

            Moose Cave lies north of Mother Walker Falls and is worth a visit (it, too, is a short hike) if you have the time.  Having seen it before, I chose to pass it up this time as I continued north looking for a gas station.  And there, in the tiny village of Upton, Maine, I found the delightful Upton Village Store!  This is a quaint establishment selling a variety of sundries, groceries and camping supplies.  I took advantage of their bakery to buy some cookies for sustenance after my not-so-strenuous hiking efforts.  The proprietress told me that they are open year-round, catering in the winter to snowmobilers (there is a lodging establishment right next to the store); she said that last winter was difficult due to closures of snowmobile trails in the region, a result of logging operations and environmental efforts.  This part of Maine has an extensive network of snowmobile trails running for hundreds of miles throughout the western forest and on into both New Hampshire and Canada, and the locals depend on snowmobilers for a good portion of their annual revenue.

            So, I will stay here at Grafton Notch Campground for the next two nights and will update this post when I get home (Grafton Notch Campground does not have wireless or cell service on the campsites, only near the registration station).  And on this Memorial Day weekend 2023, I wish to express my sincerest thanks to those readers who served America in our armed forces.  Your sacrifices made possible my lifetime of peace and security, and I thank you sincerely.

Coming soon: June posts at Lily Bay and Lake St. George State Parks!