Autumn in Maine

Our time at Wild Duck Campground is almost over.  We're glad that we had this week back in Maine after our trip to China.  The leaves are just starting to turn colors; the air is getting crisp and clear; the days are shortening.

We took a walk around the campground this morning, and we could see the first touches of red and yellow on the trees by the duck pond:

This afternoon, we took a bike ride of about 17 miles out to Black Point, north of Old Orchard Beach.  We followed the Eastern Trail north to a main road, and then out to Black Point.  Here's a photo of the point from a spot near Black Point Inn.  This area was quite beautiful, with large houses and private roads leading to various summer places.

From the point, we could look back toward the mainland and across to Old Orchard Beach:

We decided to explore Scarborough State Park.  The beach is approximately 2 miles long and is private in the sense that a fee is charged for admittance.  When we were there, not more than another 8 people or so could be seen the whole length of the beach.  The air was crisp and a strong breeze was blowing, so we couldn't sit still too long.  Here's a photo of Kathy at one of the rustic windbreaks that have been constructed at various points on the beach.  People are permitted to purchase "24-hour" passes, which we assume permit camping overnight on the beach.  We suspect these windbreaks are really useful for the overnight campers.

On the way back, we passed an open field with a view over to a copse of trees which were beginning to show the fall colors:

On Thursday, we'll be moving down the coast to Plymouth, Massachusetts and saying goodbye to Maine.  We are sad, because Maine has been a real favorite for us.  We hope to return and enjoy more of this state in a variety of seasons.