I got Maine and Vermont backwards! I knew it! I remembered that we did a more creative geographical move, this was it. Forgive me. But I will write about Maine today anyway.
The swim was at a rec center. James was able to swim with Jenny Thompson, an Olympic swimmer, who I believe held a couple of world records. I visited with supporters on the bleachers as the two of them swam. One couple I visited with lived in Maine, but their family was in Alaska. They were the ones who ran with the husky on the Alaska 5k. Kind of cool.
When James started biking, we were welcomed at a local bike shop, where the owners lived above the shop. The house was so awesome! The way that it was constructed was so incredible and creative. I took some pictures of some of the stuff because it was so cool, but I can’t find them! I will have to really dig to see if I can find them. For instance, the wall from the hallway to the laundry was wood pallets.
Ajeet Gillard was our host for the day. She was so sweet and I REALLY enjoyed spending the day with her. She was disappointed that we weren’t in Maine long enough for her to show us all the great stuff to do and see.
She had prepared the most amazing breakfast we had seen the whole trip. It was all plant based (which we don’t follow, but we loved what she provided), and it was a buffet. There was so much food, and there was a variety that would please anyone! She had also laid out mattresses all over for people to sleep on. People were chowing down, and then plopped down all over the place to catch some sleep.
I started on laundry while the kids played with her kids, and explored. Brytin had gone with the older kids into town to explore some little shops so that I could hang out and get laundry done. I really enjoyed my day with Ajeet! The house was the spot for the bikers to come and take a break. Part-way through the day, the bikers stopped and filled water and grabbed lunch. It was brief, but I will take any time that I can get!
Tim Nixon made a recommendation to get a lobster roll at a specific place. Let’s just say, after waiting several days to get some good seafood, these were magical! I finally had my fill of the seafood that I had been anticipating, the lobster rolls were delicious.
After a great afternoon, we went to meet up with the crew to prep for the 5k. When we drove back to the RV, still at the rec center, the documentary crew requested interviews. The kids played on a playground while we did interviews. When we were done, we drove the RV over by a hospital, where there was a trail head. This is where the run would be for the evening.
The septic still had not been emptied. It was supposed to be done during the day when I was at the house with Ajeet. I then requested someone to help me, to which they responded, “No, I am going to run with James.” Annoying. Brittany Chatwin Light had biked with James that day, pulling him most of the time, and she was now going to help me get this septic dumped. We found a campsite about 20 min away. We took off, so relieved that we were able to find somewhere to empty it!
When we arrived at the campground, we turned a lot of heads. Finally, a lady came and asked us what the wrap meant on the RV, as we paid our fee at the entrance. We explained it and she was freaking out excited! She started walking around telling everyone about it as we made our way back to the hose. While we were emptying, she came back with several other people to talk to us about it. We visited as we worked.
We cleaned that septic out like professionals. We dumped several buckets of clean water through the toilet, as well as cleaning it out the traditional way. We gave the Wingmen grief because when they emptied it, they didn’t use the clean hose to really clean it out. When this was the case, it would fill up much faster. I was so tired of issues with this dang septic; I wanted to make sure that we were ship shape and good for a while.
We finished up and waved goodbye to the people who had lined up to wish us well. When we got back to the site, the 5k was over. We had missed it. I was so disappointed because James was gone, and I had missed all of the people who had come for the 5k. I tried to get over it, but it was the little things like this that were really hard. Had I known that I wouldn’t have had help with the RV, I would have planned accordingly and come back earlier. I had to move past it, and it was time to get ready to leave.
Our cute friend Julia, the Chrissy Wellington look-alike, was back! She had come in Maryland, and then was there again in Maine. She was the only person left from the 5k, so it cheered me up to see her again and visit for just a brief minute before we prepped to leave. Lucy and Lily stayed out and visited with her as I went in to the RV.
This night dragged out; it seemed very long. Some of the crew had put out camping chairs next to the RV, because we were beginning to have trouble again with the air conditioning. It was definitely cooler outside than inside. Because the RV had been used during the day while we were away, and because there were so many people with us in the RV now, there was so much more to figure out in order to be ready to travel. It took until James was finished for the RV to be ready. Most of the kids were now asleep, and everyone piled into the RV to leave. Dallas Makin got to work on James. Brittany and I laid opposite ways on the twin bed and drifted off to sleep.
