of experiences

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By Chris Decker

Camping in Maine, it doesn’t get any better than this! Last month we discussed preparing for camping. This month, let’s talk about some of the experiences.

If you live near Maine’s capital you, are within a day’s drive to utopia. To the west, you have the mountainous wilderness of northern New England complete with the White Mountains National Forest and the Green Mountains. Travel north and you have Katahdin Woods & Water and Baxter State Park. Go farther north, and you will be in the St. John Valley and its wonderfully friendly people and lush potato fields. Maybe you want the ocean experience. Travel east to Acadia National Park, southeast to Reid State Park or all the way south to enjoy the ever so popular coastal beaches of Ogunquit and Old Orchard Beach. Lets not forget the lakes region. All regions of Maine have campgrounds, but I warn you, they are popular. For four months, Maine has some of the best camping experiences available anywhere on the North American continent.

One of our most treasured experiences happened up near Brownville Junction southwest of Millinocket. There is an interesting history of days gone by here. More than a hundred years ago, interior Maine was bustling with activity. Farming and logging were in their heyday, and the industrial textile industry was blossoming. Having a strong need for machinery, businesses like Katahdin Iron Works also flourished. The history of KIW is recorded in several books, and I highly recommend the read.

Entering the North Maine Woods at KIW, we are greeted with a gate. After paying the fee for camping and hiking, we proceeded to a very secluded spot. These are boondocking sites with no amenities other than beauty, serenity and seclusion. The sites are a half-mile apart; site #5 was ours, and it was right on the Pleasant River.

In order to set up camp, first I had to back up my 30-foot camper about 200 yards on a narrow, tree-lined drive. I consider myself a novice at towing, but somehow I managed to get this tin can parked on my first try! Once set up, unpacked, lawn chairs out and beverages poured, it was time to take in the beauty. The Pleasant River is a wide, shallow pristine river meandering out of the mountains near Gulf Hagas. It is clean, safe and swimmable. Fortunately, it was late summer and a slight breeze filtered through the air. Biting insects were at a minimum.

The second day included a long hike. Four of us headed to the Gulf Hagas Rim Trail, just a short drive up the road. It is part of the famed AMC trail stretching from Georgia to Mt. Katahdin. This part of the trail is referred to as the “100 Mile Wilderness” and is very remote. Once we started hiking, we had to cross Pleasant River. Being careful, we forded the river as there was no footbridge. Some parts were quite swift and knee deep. Crossing in water that is barely 50 degrees, we didn’t want to fall in. Let’s just say not all of us were successful at staying dry.

What an amazing area! The hike, about nine miles, took us through beautiful hardwoods, great softwoods, animal trails and a chasm often referred to as the “Grand Canyon of the East.” Gulf Hagas is an amazing geological formation dating back to the last ice age. If you’re healthy, this is a must do hike. Please go prepared though. If you get into trouble, help is a long way off.

The hike could have been disastrous for us, but we were lucky. Amongst other things, we didn’t bring flashlights with us. We should have. Under estimating how long it would take, the last part of the trail went through the Hermitage (full, old growth pine forest) at dusk. We had just enough light to see the trail and escape back to our vehicle. Safely back at the campsite, it was time to relax in and around the Pleasant River. There is nothing like a refreshing swim after a hard day of hiking.

Speaking of relaxing, when it is finally time to settle in for the night, it sure is nice to have a heated camper and a comfortable bed. Yes, there are benefits when

Submitted photos

camping in an RV.

Next month we will explore three more great boondocking spots in Maine.

To quote Henry David Thoreau, “I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees.” Enjoy your next adventure!

Chris Decker, with his wife Debra, writes about their camping and RV experiences. He is a retired principal and elementary teacher living in Maine. Questions, ideas or feedback can be emailed to Chris at campahedu@gmail.com. You can follow his blog at campahedu.com.

DENTAL ASSISTING ........ 8/26 – 12/23 (120 HR) • Monday & Wednesday, 5:30pm – 8:30pm • Clinical Sites & Dates TBD - $1,400

PHLEBOTOMY ................... 9/7 – 12/14(150 HR) •Saturday, 9:00am – 2pm • Clinical Sites & Dates TBD - $1,750 • �a� onal Cer� fi ca� on Tes� ng (PBT/ASCP)

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Learning from others: Learning from others is the key to success in a clinical work environment. Because everyone learns diff erently, it is important to gain insight from each other to become skilled.

AUGUSTA — Kennebec Behavioral Health (KBH) held its 59th annual meeting Thursday, June 13, at the Senator Inn. The event included recognitions of area community partners for exceptional community service and partnership.

Matt Brown received the 2019 James R. Schmidt Award, presented annually to a person or organization best exemplifying the late Jim Schmidt’s efforts to improve quality of life for adults experiencing mental illness by providing them with social, educational and employment opportunities. Brown has been working in some capacity of law enforcement since 1989. For the past year, he has been the coordinator of informal support systems for law enforcement officers struggling with alcohol abuse, substance abuse and/or mental health issues. He has been an integral part of connecting Clubhouses — affiliated with Clubhouse International, providing vocational rehabilitation services to people living with severe, persistent mental illness — to the broader community, including partnering Clubhouses with advisory board members, establishing employment opportunities, and promoting law enforcement relationships with the Clubhouses.

The Outstanding Community Partnership Award was presented to Maine Health Access Foundation (MeHAF) for the organization’s enduring support in our shared efforts to increase access to evidencebased addiction care for Maine citizens living with opioid use disorder. Through their Expanding Addiction Care Initiative, MeHAF provided invaluable support for KBH outpatient services and Redington Fairview General Hospital’s primary care to take the first steps in increasing access to the critically needed service of medication assisted therapy.

The Transformational Clinical Collaboration Award went to the Family Violence Project for its unique and innovative partnership to provide service for women surviving domestic violence. Since 2012, the project has mentored and collaborated with KBH to provide treatment meeting the unique strengths and needs of the women it serves. Through this partnership of domestic violence shelter services and mental health and/ or substance use disorder treatment services, Family Violence Project and KBH staff paved the way to a promising practice for women seeking safety, recovery and a new life.

A highlight of the evening was Kennebec Behavioral Health’s keynote speaker Gordon Smith, director of Opioid Response for the office of Gov. Janet T. Mills. A Maine native, Smith has served as chairman of the Maine Health Data Organization and of the Advocacy Resource Center of the American Medical Association executive committee. He is also a former chairman of the board of Quality Counts — a regional quality improvement collaborative — and a former board member of the Maine Association of Area Agencies on Aging. He is a current board member of the Daniel Hanley Center for Health Leadership. Smith shared his vision for the opioid response efforts in the state and underscored the importance of prevention, intervention and treatment for substance use disorder.

Kennebec Behavioral Health was founded in 1960 and operates clinics in Waterville, Skowhegan, Winthrop, Augusta and Farmington. For more information, or to schedule an appointment for any

KBH service, call 1-888322-2136. Information can also be found at www.kbhmaine.org.

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Kennebec Behavioral Health provides a supportive and engaging work environment for staff who strive to help community members achieve a future of success and recovery.

KBH has full-time and per diem staff openings for multiple locations throughout central Maine.