Your Scribe recently heard a reading of “Backcast,” a fishing-adventure memoir by Lou Ureneck (pictured here). He is former editor of the Portland Press Herald, and a dedicated fly fisherman. (An aside: We don’t talk much fishing, since I haven’t evolved beyond worms and a few unconvincing plugs. But at our last meeting he did toss me a bone, if I may mix metaphors, when he noted the excellence of the Hendrickson Fly).

The book is a great read, as it focuses on Ureneck and his young adult son, Adam, as they take a fishing-camping trip down a river in Alaska. It is part adventure, part reflection on family.

And what adventure. They catch lunker salmon, co-exist with bears that covet those salmon, develop neurosis about which branch of the river to take and somehow find their way to the end of the waterway.

The trip was so packed with peril and derring-do that I knew I didn’t want to take a similar one – such a depiction is a credit to the author.

It made me wonder what such adventures we have in upcountry Maine.

There is whitewater rafting on the upper reaches of the Kennebec. That seems like a dazzling activity if the action photos can be believed. And such trips always seem to end with a gleeful waterfront cookout, which is an appropriate culmination in my book.

Another adventure would be canoeing the Allagash or the St. John. Those rivers are remote and challenging, with just enough civilization to ensure that a campsite can be found.

Or, here’s one: the Northern Forest Canoe Trail. This 740-mile float involves paddling waterways through Maine, New Hampshire, Quebec, Vermont and ends in New York state. Most paddlers travel only part of this lengthy trip but a select few have completed the entire route.

The adventures are all out there, to confront (or ignore) as one chooses.

This weekend Your Scribe will be at the camp, attempting to find a local woodsman who wants to cut healthy trees and cart away the wood. I have had trouble inspiring the chainsaw crowd to action. And I thought wood was in demand! (Above is the start of the forest behind the cabin).

The key goal is to take down trees near the cabin. When certain conifers don’t get sunlight, they die. Then they look like they could fall on the structure.

Pursuing that theme, if I have take down some towering (healthy) trees, the increased sunlight will make for a healthier forest. At one point I actively avoided bending as much as a sapling. But I’ve finally learned that a thinner forest makes for a healthier forest, so I am trying to cut a deal.

I will also seek audience with Kevin the Well Digger regarding the tree in the river. He thinks he can winch it, using the power of his Jeep. I like confidence in my well diggers, especially when he hasn’t walked down to the river to assess the situation. Well, I say he is a well digger but he also deals with obdurate trees.

Several years ago, Bob the Woodsmen blazed a path to the river. That path is getting overgrown. I hope to interest Kevin – or someone – to widen the trail (shown here) Then perhaps he can drive to the water, and pull out the tree (aka, the dock).

They say there is a recession under way. But every handyman or woodsman that I contact says they can’t start the job for at least a month because they are so busy. I will have to be at my negotiating best to close the deal for a handyman to head into the woods.

The recent edition of “Maine Invites You” just arrived, and this well-conceived, well-photographed 240-page “brochure” has me inspired.
Here are my wills and won’ts for this outdoor season, assuming that I can afford the gas to motor to my destination:

I will take a flight over the Maine wilderness (a nifty Moosehead-based plane is pictured here). I’ve wanted to do this for years, and now with the question of the future of the woods in play, I want to take a look.
I won’t go on a balloon flight over Lewiston. This avocation is great for photographers. But it is one activity that I have never been tempted to try.

Yes to Mount Battie in Camden, which provides one of the best ocean views in the state.
No to a trip to see the puffins in the Acadia region (near Bar Harbor, New Harbor etc.). It is my suspicion that the little rascals are too small and too well hidden in the craggy coastal outcropping to get a good view.

Yes to Kennebunkport, to have a drink at the Colony Hotel. This is old world charm that is not going to last forever.
No to the Samoset in Rockland. This is petty on my part but I miss the old hotel which burned down several Ice Ages ago. Plus, the eyes of the waiters always glaze over when I tell them I used to work there.

Yes to canoeing down the Sandy River in Franklin County, joyfully launching from the least expensive dock in the state (a huge tree fell into the river).
No to whitewater rafting. The photos are great and everyone seems to be having so much fun. But it’s like skiing black diamonds – I don’t need that much (potentially injurious) excitement.

Yes to Fortunes Rocks Beach in Biddeford. This relatively unknown area is fun for a drive. Actually, nearby Biddeford Pool is a better destination because at least you can park there.
No to Wells Beach. For some reason I have never enjoyed this crowded, commercialized beach area.

Yes to moose watching in the Rangeley region. I didn’t see any last year but that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop trying.
No to moose watching at Moosehead. Every time I pull into Greenville, I expect to see construction crews ripping up the forest for the proposed 900-“home” development along the lake. It’s irrational but consider the reasoning skills of the source (Your Scribe).

Your Scribe motored to Scarborough last weekend for the opening of the Cabela's sporting goods store. There won't be a serious rivalry between the this store and L.L. Bean, like some sportsmen speculate. Perhaps Cabela's will take customers from the Trading Post in Kittery, but Bean will continue to draw the high-end shoppers, whether they are seeking fly rods or walking shoes.

This is what I liked about Cabela's:

The range of fish-finding gear, including a nifty device costing $419.

A hotwater shower for camp. It costs $119 without the hardware to make the water hot, but still, I liked the thought.

I was impressed by the aquarium. Many youngsters were intrigued, and that is good.

A fine, diverse collection of shoes and boots.

This is what I didn't like:

A huge display of Jeff Foxworthy peppered teriyaki and other products I don't plan to eat. Plus there were a dozen kinds of fudge, which I don't consider very outdoorsy.

A book section that provided for fewer texts than most teens can fit in their backpacks.

Too many "cutesy" stuffed animals and ugly art. I know this IS part of the outdoors but sections of the store looked like Marden's, not Cabela's.

I can't decide:

They offered a huge "enviornmental mountain," which is good for youngsters. But many animals featured don't reside in Maine. Still, Cabela's is a national chain (since 1961) so you have to cut them a break on some of their inventory.

Final take: It's good to have another outdoors store in Maine. This one is more kid-friendly than (the interior of) LL Bean, so perhaps it will be a grand success with families trying to educate their kids while buying a broader variety of goods.

Sharing: Your Scribe was somewhat excited when I realized a huge tree on the river bank had blown into the water. I would have a dock; it appeared that another benefit was a sand beach.

But the view that has emerged does not conjure up the idyllic scene that Henry and Jane had in the iconic film, "On Golden Pond."

My dramatic production might be dubbed, "Trying to Enjoy a Riverfront Lot Ruined by Erosion."

The above photo depicts the tree in the Sandy River. In the foreground is my 17-year-old Old Town canoe.

Pine and spruce are always falling into the Sandy, because the sand that gives the waterway its name is not effective at holding the trees in the ground. There are scores of trees in the river, as we know from paddling over the years.

Bright note: Kevin the Well Digger said he would drive his Jeep down to the water, and try to winch it out. I can't imagine he can travel the 700 yards from driveway to the water. But here is a handyman with more than his share of derring-do, so maybe we'll try it.

I know I should sound more like a stoic naturalist: the Sandy gives and the Sandy takes away.

But right now what I'm feeling is . . . I miss that semi-pristine view I once had of this fine-looking body of water - as pictured here.

Yesterday was Mother's Day, but the bird that has built a nest in the eaves adjacent to the front door of the cabin had a nerve-wracking day of it.

Your Scribe was at the cabin - raking, planting, catching my limit of (wretched) yellow perch. One reality: I have to enter and leave the cabin itself to make the day work.

This bird was evidently protecting her eggs, because she was very wary of my presence. Once, totally unnerved, she flew from the nest but returned quickly. (Maybe she was repulsed that I was fertilizing my bittersweet, a much disliked vine among some who love the outdoors).

I didn't check the nest for chicks. Perhaps they aren't yet ready to enter the world of Cabin Country.

I think the bird was a woodpecker. (There are a lot of dead trees there). My land has more woodpeckers than any other kind specifies and the horizontal black and white stripes appear on several woodpeckers in my bird book. Plus, I saw several woodpeckers that looked like this one on the walk to the river.

I must bone up on my gestation rates among birds. Certainly Mom is not going to hang around a day more than she has to after the chicks are ready to leave.

And I can't imagine her coming back to this cabin again next spring.

One of the social fixtures of any community in Cabin Country is the local store, the nearby supplier of coffee, pizza, beer - and gossip. Pictured here is the small venue that I frequent, though it is not always festooned with colorful signs urging traveling outdoorsmen to hit the brakes and amble inside.

My go-to place is the Farm Store on Route 2 in New Sharon, Franklin County. Route 2 is a heavily traveled road because it is the state's prime east-west artery but most people who hang around the Farm Store are locals.

One of the attractions for me is the Bulletin Board, where access is pretty unfettered. To wit, your notices and announcements don't need to be vetted by committee to be posted. You just craft your message and tack it onto the wall.

I take it seriously. I hired the builder of my cabin, Bert the Builder of Starks, from a business card tacked on the board. I also learned about , and later contracted with, Bob the Woodsman and Kevin the Well Digger, from home-made notices that flapped in the breeze outside this store.

The following are a few of the tidbits that caught my eye last weekend:

- "Speak Out Against Higher Taxes! Tell your state legislators that raising cigarette taxes to $2.75 a pack is unfair. Last year adult smokers fought back to stop a cigarette tax hike. Stop the rising prices!" Paid for by Philip Morris USA.

- Nature's Poison Ivy Cure Inc. Herbal and organic. "All natural cure that stops the itch and heals the rash in just a few days." Vendor is in Richmond, Maine. More info: www.naturespoisonivycure.com.

- Comfort Zone Farrier Service. Certified farrier. "Corrective trimming and shoeing." Graduate of Oklahoma Horseshoeing School. 207-796-2010.

- Get involved in Craig's List. "I'm tired of looking for things to buy on Craig's List, because everything is in Portland or south. Learn about Craig's List. Let's get active in Franklin County." www.craigslist.com.

- "Twice-Sold Tales, Farmington. Old and Fine Books, Bought and Sold." I have bought many (cheap) books from this funky store. Every time I go to the cabin I drive in to this bookstore to see what they have. I actually bought a (used)book I had written, "Quiet Presence: Stories of Franco-Americans in New England." I noted ruefully that the price had fallen - not risen - and thus it is not a collectible. Still, it was my small victory for the day to reclaim a tattered copy that seemed to have been read several times. Plus, it was meaningful for me to note the inscription from buyer to friend: "A good book about our heritage; you'll like it."

The Maine Sportsman monthly newspaper recently released the results of its annual opinion poll.

It's not exactly a model of scientific inquiry. Here's one question, which seems a bit biased: "Does the importance of catching coyotes in deeryards outweigh the risk of killing a few lynx?" You get the idea.

Here are some of my favorite questions, with the percentages supplied by the Augusta publication. I provide the "correct" response after The People have spoken.

Should inline muzzleloaders not be allowed during the muzzleloader season on deer? Yes, 28% No, 63%. Correct response: I don't understand the question.

Would you favor a salt-water fishing license, providing the money was used only to improve salt-water fishing? Yes, 24%, No, 74%. Correct response: No, because the money will disappear in Augusta as much revenue does. Or they might direct some of the proceeds to rebuild the "fishing jetty" at Camp Ellis, which we know is a lost cause.

Should Maine have a spring bear hunt? Yes, 54%, No, 44%. Correct response: No, there should not be a spring hunt. Just because a species appears to be making a comeback doesn't mean we've got to increase our capability to kill it.

Should commercial fishing for invasive species such as northern pike and yellow perch be allowed? Yes, 48%, No, 47%. Correct response: No, because trash fish like yellow perch are about the only ones I can catch.

Should there be a civil penalty for crashing a motor vehicle, ATV or snowmobile through the ice? Yes, 48%, No, 49%. Correct response: Good question but no. There are enough regulations relating to the outdoors - and personnel to enforce them - so we don't need another layer of law enforcement.

Should more lakes and ponds have restrictions on the maximum horsepower allowed on boats? Yes, 77%, No, 20%. Correct response: Yes, It is very annoying to have monster motor boats on small lakes. Living with the jet-skis is tough enough.

Do you believe that many hunters tag deer they didn't shoot? Yes, 54%, No, 44%. Correct response: I have no idea.

Forget the call to Hammond Lumber for a specialty dock. I now have what could be my own homemade dock as the result of a fallen tree.

Yes, this tree toppled into the Sandy River this winter. If it made a sound, I didn't hear it. I just discovered it over the weekend.

Your Scribe is a giddy optimist, of course: the sieve is half-full, not half-empty. So my (early) plan is to slice off the branches here and consider tying up the canoe alongside. In subsequent photos, I will show that it took so much of the river bank that there is now a sand beach.

Yes, this is the Sandy River. It is known for erosion.

There was nothing I could do. Now, I will ponder how I can make the best use of this unusual situation.

I am open to suggestions . . .