A statistic in a recent tourist book about Maine stated there are 44 million "visitations" per year.

Could there be that many?

Granted, a visitation doesn't necessarily mean an overnight tourist.

A busload of senior citizens to the Kittery malls can mean 50 visitations.

The traffic going through airports in Portland and Bangor can mean thousands of visitations per day.

Still, the 44 million figure seems high.

Driving through Belgrade Lakes Village in mid-August, Your Scribe was struck by how empty is was.

Maybe everyone was tucked away in their waterfront rentals on a warm day but it didn't seem very busy.

Nor did Rockland in early July, when Your Scribe marched through on July 4.

But visiting Maine is one of the great delights of those in the eastern states and beyond.

With flying getting more sketchy each year, the tourist industry looks like it has a vibrant future.

Cape Cod, a key regional competitor, has gotten overrun.

Maine isn't very crowded at all, unless you are driving south on the Turnpike on a late Sunday afternoon.

Notes1: Your Scribe can't wait until the Common Ground Fair in late September. I plan to gather information from businesses that dig wells and harvest wood.

Notes2: The Land Use Regulation Commission was wise to stand tough against the Plum Creek construction magnates at Moosehead. The one consistent thing about "developers" is once they get their permits, they are almost impossible to control. Good that the LURC is making demands early.

Notes3: The vines in front of my cabin are growing so rapidly that each support post might be entwined by the end of summer. I haven't formally named the cabin but I might have to dub it Bittersweet after the large amount of the vine (invasive weed) that is climbing the outer walls and stanchions.

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