My day job took me up the road apiece to Bangor over the past couple of days. So I had plenty of time and miles to observe the transition of the seasons, even if only through the windshield of my car.

Yep, the roadside along I-295 and 95 is brown and clear of snow. And up into the woods there are but patches of snow. The residue of winter is disappearing fast.

Just the way I like it: A goodly amount of snow in the mountains still for some great spring skiing, and down along the coast and into the inland hills, fast drying bare ground for hiking, biking and generally gettin' outside.

Spring has indeed sprung! Thanks Ma Nature for all you do!

And wasn't today simply glorious? What are you doing with this beautiful weather?

The Kennebunk Citizens for Responsible Growth are mad as hell.

The KCRGs, no doubt a spirited group of local citizens, appear bent on preserving the pristine wilderness character of West Kennebunk. Or something like that.

By gory, you go for it.

Nothing like a fired-up bunch of do-good folks looking to keep them nasty dee-velopers outta town. Dammit.

Even if that dee-veloper wants to put in a (gulp!) campground.

Uh huh. No way, Jose.

Yessuh. Go on now. You git.

Take yer damn campground, and, and, you build it somewheres else.

Like up at Moosehead Lake, Greenville-way, where campgrounds belong.

Except, well, uh, campgrounds ain't wanted up there either (Plum Creek anyone?). At least by some noisy folks who are likely from away. Like maybe from southern Maine. Maybe even West Kennebunk.

That's right.

Could it be that they are one in the same?

Not likely, but you get the idea.

NIMBYs are NIMBYs. And they're all around us.

And what they're about--they would never, ever admit this, of course--is anti-development.

Yes, kindly, that would be not-exactly-pro-development.

Doesn't seem to matter where it is. Or what.

Jeez, when a campground causes a NIMBY flare-up you know it's gotten bad.

A campground!

Spaces for 110 RVs. RVs that will likely shelter a sweet retired couple or two, a bunch of families, nice folks if you will.

Throw in a few campground amenities for the aformentioned nice travelin' folk. And 45-odd acres of woods as a nature preserve.

Oh, and a handful of affordable houses on the site.

I tells ya, that's enough to get my hiking boot laces in a knot, it is.

The nerve.

Why those West Kennebunk NIMBY types ought to march right to the town fathers and demand that the town O-fficially seize the developers private property and prevent forever such desecration in the form of an abominable campground.

In fact, maybe private property down that way should be banned altogether. Yeah, that'll show them developer-types.

Uh, except, well, uh, wait a minute.

The KCRGs are private property owners, too!

Uh, oh... (look of surprise here)

Yep. It's going to be fun watching this latest bout with NIMBYism play out.

Meantime, I'm going to ready my camping gear. And look into renting an RV. Something that I can park for a nice long weekend at a comfy campground sometime in the near future.

A nice, wooded, peaceful campground. Maybe like one in West Kennebunk...

I've got just the thing.

It doesn't pay much $$$ (actually none at all), but it is oh so rewarding.

What is it, you ask?

Why trail maintenance, of course!

Brush clipping and weed whacking, water bar cleaning, blowdown removal, bog bridge building, rock step construction, paint blazing... cool stuff like that.

In the great Maine outdoors, along with a whole team of fun, happy, friendly folks from the Maine Chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club.

What could be better?

My good friend Laura, Maine AMC Vice Chair and Trails Committee member, just sent along a very impressive and ambitious schedule of spring, summer and fall trail maintenance trips.

AMCer Laura works on a trailside "springpole."
All photos by Carey Kish

If you are looking for a way to give back to Mother Nature and our precious trails (and I hope you are!), then this may be just the ticket. And with 15 planned outings between now and late October, you might just want to go a couple of rounds or more.

So, here's the deal, simple and easy, according to Laura:

"There is NO experience required to do trail maintenance and there is a job for everyone! Although some trail work requires heavy lifting and digging, there are many important but less labor intensive jobs that need doing, such as lopping brush and painting trail blazes... Thanks to those of you who have helped in the past. We look forward to working with many of you in the future."

A smiley, happy MOAC trail crew.

How to get on board to help out?

That's easy too: Go to the Maine AMC website and check the calendar for a day or weekend "trail work" trip that fits your schedule. Then e-mail or call the trip leader. And voila! You're in!

Check out some of the wonderful outdoor settings:

* On April 28th you can work in the outstanding Kennebec Highlands along with the Belgrade Regional Conservation Association.
* Over the Memorial Day weekend, May 25-28, head into the wilderness of Little Lyford Pond Camps, check into a rustic log cabin and work from there.
* On June 23rd help relocate the summit trail up Bald Mountain in Weld.
* On July 21st you could be on the Bald Peak Trail on Pleasant Mountain and maybe pick a quart of blueberries while you work.
* On September 15th enjoy the early fall colors from the alpine environs of the Firewarden's Trail on Mount Abraham near Kingfield.
* Finish up the season on October 27th clearing trail on Black Mountain in Sumner.

Whew! There you have it. Sign up for the good fun with good people today!

A properly protected sawyer (eh, Phil Pepin?) clearing blowdowns on the AT.

And, as if the above wasn't enough, let's not forget that the Maine Appalachian Trail Club needs plenty of maintenance help along the 280-some mile trail corridor from Grafton Notch to Abol Bridge.

Check out any of the 33 MATC Maine Trail Crew maintenance trips for '07 and see if any of 'em trip your trigger, so to speak.

Have fun!

M-A-I-N-E... Gooooooooooooooooooo Blue!

OK, so now you know. I didn't get outside much this past beautiful weekend.

But I did find time to plunk my butt down in front of the tube to watch the University of Maine Black Bear men's hockey team...

Friday night, after giving up an early and easy goal, the Bears played tight and fast and pummeled the St. Cloud State Huskies 4-1.

On Saturday night our boys took care of business again with a convincing 3-1 victory over the UMass Minutemen to win the NCAA East Regional and advance to the Frozen Four in two weeks in St. Louis.

Congrats to our Black Bears for their grit. You got a second chance with a berth in the NCAAs. You played like you wanted it. With the usual calm and class. Coach Whitehead should be proud.

This UMO alum ('84 and '86G) sure is!

Now go on to St. Louis and do it again. You've got the fire in you. Bring us home another national championship!

GO BLUE!!!

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming, er, blogging...

Spring!

What a beautiful day. With a fabulous spring weekend in the wings.

You can see the warm sun doing its thing on the snow along the roads, on the lawns, in the woods.

Yes, the seasons they be a changing.

It's exciting and energizing, wouldn't you say?

Just think...

Last week's big dumping of snow has ensured at least another month of good spring skiing. Not bundled up in fourteen layers, but rather a turtleneck and windbreaker. Beers on The Beach at the Loaf, BBQs cooking up at Bullwinkle's. And nice soft corn snow underski. Reggaefest. Ya mon!

Oh yeah.

Reggae Fest returns to The Loaf April 13-15.
All photos by Carey Kish

Then there's day hikes to be done. New peaks and trails to be explored.

I've got Mt. Pisgah, Monument Hill and Mt. Chase in central Maine on my list. Tunk Mountain and Lead Mountain Down East. Mt. Cutler (I've never done the entire loop!) and Peary Mountain up Route 113 way.

Have you hiked any of the above? Love to have some beta if you have.

Plenty o' fun day hikes to be done around Maine this summer...

Then there's a host of state parks to visit.

I've been hankering to get way out to Cobscook Bay to camp and take in some sea kayaking and hiking. North to Aroostook County and its state park at Quaggy Jo Mountain, and maybe a side trip on the IAT on Mars Hill. A tentsite at Mount Blue would be sweet, with a trek up Mount Blue (another one I've missed) and a paddle on Lake Webb. And the islands of Lily Bay on Moosehead Lake demand some exploring by canoe or kayak, while just up the road from the park, Number Four Mountain beckons.

You been?

There's trail maintenance to be done, a section of the AT to be opened up and cleared of blowdowns in mid-May. Interested in helping out? Check the MOAC website for details.

AT trail maintenance is fun and oh so satisfying. Wanna jump in and help?

The season's first extended backpack will be on the Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway Trail, a 50-mile hike through the hills of southern New Hampshire, over the long Memorial Day weekend (Thurs, May 24 thru Mon, May 28). I'd love some good company. Let me know.

So much backcountry to explore, so little time!

And sometime in late July or early August I'd like to tackle the 162-mile long Cohos Trail thru the wilds of northern New Hampshire. Hopefully I can work it out and make it a fundraiser for the folks at the Cohos Trail Association. Good trail company would again be very welcome. And $$$ to the CTA would be even better.

Well, that's all the notes I've scribbled so far on things to do this spring and summer. Gimme a beer, a pen and a cocktail napkin and I'm likely to come up with more, so stand clear.

What's on your outdoors to-do list? Hikes? Bike treks? Mountain climbs? Kayak and canoe paddles? Please do share...

Where will you and your canoe be headed this spring and summer?

Skiers: Looking for a great last minute idea for a fun St. Patrick's Day weekend?

I've got just the ticket for you!

Book yourself a cozy stay at the Inn at Long Trail, a wonderfully warm and comfortable place with incredible food and the best Irish pub this side of Dublin.

The inn sits right atop Sherburne Pass in in Killington, Vermont, which just so happens to be smack in the middle between the ski resorts of Killington and Pico Peak (both on the ASC passholder list, for now anyway).

The lovely and well-situated Inn at Long Trail atop Sherburne Pass, Killington VT.
Photo by Carey Kish

How 'bout that... great skiing at two convenient mountains, mega old-style comfy digs, outstanding gourmet meals, creaky floors and a stone fireplace, and McGrath's Irish Pub, with all Irish music, all the time.

Revels Glen belts out the Irish tunes (Alice? Alice? Who the ___ is Alice?) in McGrath's Irish Pub tucked inside the Inn at Long Trail.
Photo by Carey Kish

And on St. Patty's Day you and your friends can belly up the to bar and order up a fine Irish pint or two, a Guinness, Smithwick's or Harp. Mix it up and get a half and half (1/2 Guinness, 1/2 Harp). Better yet try a Vermont half: 1/2 Guinness, 1/2 Long Trail Ale.

Oooooh! Ahhhhh! Yum!

But for God's sake, don't come looking for a British beer, or a Bud or something screwy like that. You're guaranteed a snarl from behind the bar. And likely to get tossed out in the snow to boot.

Be advised, OK?!

Saturday, rise early and get yourself to Killington before the crowds. Shoot for 8AM latest. You'll want to park at K-1 or Snowshed for the best access to the mountain's trails and lifts.

Jump on the K-1 gondola for a sweet ride to Killington Peak at 4,000 feet. Head for the North Ridge Triple and catch some fine cruising before the throngs arrive. Rime, Reason, East Fall and Ridge Run--all good. Double 'em up just for yucks.

It's always great skiing first thing in the AM off the North Ridge Triple chair, Killington.
Photo by Carey Kish

Bump over to the Canyon Quad next for the demanding steeps on Double Dipper, Downdraft, Cascade. That'll get you working up a good sweat.

It's Superstar next, so put on a good show for the masses down at K-1 Lodge! And don't miss Ovation and Skye Lark.

Killington base from the Superstar trail. A Killington regular told us there were probably more than 20,000 skiers on the mountain on March 3rd.
Photo by Carey Kish

Skip lunch (it's over-rated and takes away from good skiing time) and take on the blues at Skye Peak, and the fun trails off the South Ridge Triple, by far the strangest lift line I've ever seen! Check it out and then tell me about it!

Da Maine skee group on the slopes of Killington a couple of weekends ago.
Photo courtesy Nancy Meier

Killington skiers in hot retro-colored outfits... must be friends of Pete!
Photo by Carey Kish

Bear Mountain will likely complete your pummeling for the day. Battle the Outer Limits, Wildfire and the the dicey Devil's Fiddle and your quads will say: "Beer me, please."

Listen and obey!

That's where McGrath's Irish Pub comes in... Guinness cures all, I tells ya. No doubt the place will be rocking for the big green holiday.

Handy tip: Order two beers at a time. The fine pouring of good Irish beer takes time, sometimes too much. You'll see.

After a killer dinner and mondo breakfast, pack up and drive a couple minutes across the way to Pico Peak.

Pico is like skiing used to be. Fortunately, here, it still is. Long, narrow, wooded, interesting trails make skiing here pure delight.

Grab the Golden Express chair and at the top, go left down to the Summit Express Quad. Settle in here because this is where the skiing is at, my friends.

Riding the upper lift in a snowstorm on Pico Peak.
Photo by Carey Kish

Cruise on Forty-Niner. Swoosh down KA, then sunset '71 and Pike. Runs through Birch Glades and then Birch Woods are a hoot.

And then, before you lose your nerve, tackle the Giant Killer, the long, ungroomed, bumpy, rocky, nasty, but oh so much fun trail on skier's left just down from the summit lift station.

Looking down the challenging steeps of Giant Killer, Pico Peak.
Photo by Carey Kish

Finish off with with more cruising and short steeps from the Little Pico Triple, Outpost Double and Knomes Knoll Triple.

Voila! A tremendous weekend of skiing and Irish hospitality!

Can't make it for St. Patty's, no problem. It's worth the trip anytime.

Have fun! And Erin Go Bragh!

Stetson Mountain is a long 1,000 foot high ridgeline paralleling Route 169 about halfway between Springfield and Danforth in the wilds of northern Washington County.

That's pretty much out in the middle of nowhere you might say.

And it's the location of another proposed wind power project.

LURC recently gave the thumbs down to the Redington/Black Nubble project up near the Appalachian Trail.

But it OK'd the Mars Hill project in Aroostook County, which is up and operating.

Kibby Mountain south of Jackman is slated for 44 wind turbines pending a "yeah" from LURC. But that's going to be a heated debate, given its alpine environment and a group--the Friends of the Boundary Mountains--dedicated to saving it from such development.

Then there's poor little unknown Stetson Mountain.

Who's going to stick up for it?

Does anybody care if a string of towers and turbines one day adorns its summit?

Or is Stetson a place we feel we can sacrifice?

Mars Hill already had a ski area development on it. I think some communication towers too. Maybe those factors made it an easier sell for wind power.

But don't you just get that troubling feeling inside about this issue? It cuts deep both ways.

We need the clean energy. Ever more so if you believe the apocalyptic cries of the global climate change camp.

But we want our undeveloped woods and mountains.

What's it gonna be?

What should happen at Stetson Mountain?

The possibility that the eastern mountain lion could be making a comeback here in Maine has gotten the eye of state and federal biologists.

It would be a long time in coming. The last known mountain lion in these parts was killed in 1938.

But there appears to be enough sightings of mountain lions, or cougars, around Maine in recent years so to have officials scratching their heads.

Some aren't so sure, like Maine DIFW biologist Scott Lindsay: "The vast majority of these, for sure, are simply mistakes. I´m very skeptical that we could have any wild population here."

For sure?

I wonder.

After a friend of mine, a seasoned outdoorsman with a couple of sharp eyes, reported seeing a mountain lion near the Maine-NH border in the spring of 2005, more folks came forth with their stories.

Read the comments (at the bottom of the entry) on these cougar sightings for yourself and you've got to think, maybe, just maybe, they really are here.

The reported sightings range throughout the state: Mt. Abram in Greenwood, Monument Hill in Leeds, along I-95 up near Mount Katahdin, Brunswick, Freeport, Hartford, Sanford, Poland, Parkman, Rumford, Starks, Bowdoinham, Thomaston, New Vineyard, North Berwick.

In people's own backyards--homes in both urban and rural areas, a playground, a horse pasture, at camp, along the highway, while out hunting.

They can't all be wrong.

Seems to me there's a good chance we've got a stealthy visitor afoot. One that may be here to stay.

What's your take on these sightings? Have you seen a mountain lion yourself? Where and when?

What DO trails mean to you? Why are they important to you, to me, to us?

Is it for the solitude, with nothing but a pack of simple goods on your back, a smile on your face and miles of empty trail ahead of you; trees and rocks, sunshine and fresh air, and your own thoughts as company?

Carey Kish photos

Is it for the camaraderie, folks gathered up around the evening campfire, sharing the day and a good meal amid the woodsmoke, frogs chirping and the sun setting in the background, and that fine feeling of friends and fatigue settling into your being?

Is it that incredible feeling of challenge and then sense of self-discovery, when you reach the top of the mountain after a hard climb, or paddle around the dicey headland amid the heaving seas, or finally ride that narrow trick bridge on your mountain bike... yes, I CAN do it!

Is it for the sheer simplicity of making your bed under the stars in a forest meadow, cooking up an extraordinary one-pot feast on your little camp stove, of sitting on a rock overlooking a tumbling brook doing not much of anything but knowing deep how great it is to just sit on a rock overlooking a tumbling brook.

Is it for the wonder of coming around a bend and scaring yourself and a magnificent bull moose, the beauty of the sky--all purple and red and orange--as the sun sets over a glass-surfaced lake, the 360 degree panorama set out before you from the craggy mountaintop, the sweet smell of the balsam forest in a warm patch of sunlight.

Is it for the natural beauty of our state, whether it's the little grove of hardwoods down the street where you walk every day, the Back Cove Trail beneath the urban skyline of downtown Portland, the alpine heights of the Bigelow ridgeline, the placid waters of the Saco River, the bold landscape of the Cutler coast...

What is it?

What draws you, us, to the trails? On foot, by ski and snowshoe, by bike, by canoe and kayak, by motorized means?

Take some time. Think about it. Then please kindly leave me your comments below.

Let me give you a gentle push...

I enjoy hiking the _____ Trail because...

_____ Lake or River is my favorite place to paddle because...

I love to get out in my sea kayak around _____ because...

_____ is my favorite spot to camp because...

The most beautiful mountain to me is _____ because...

Running or walking on the ____ Path is great because...

There's no singletrack mountain bike trail like ____ because...

Cross-country skiing at _____ is the best because...

See, there you go. Not so hard eh?

So go for it. Put it into words. Share with us your passion for the outdoors, the pursuits that drive you, the favorite places that keep you coming back. Inspire us, inform us, take us there with you....

Why are trails important to you?

Come one, come all!

Bring a stick of wood, marshmallows, some hot dogs, a comfy chair for setting.

The Great American Skiing Company Fire Sale is on!

Wanna buy a ski area?

Sure thing. ASC has got one for you.

If you can pony up a cool $100 million or so.

Wanna get an inexpensive season pass for next year that includes skiing at six ski areas around New England?

Tough luck. No dice. Uh uh.

Survey says: "Nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnhh" {sound of loud buzzer here}

Yep, we skiers are getting sold down the river. Or thrown into the fire. Call it what you will.

Because this big ASC sell-off, which started with Heavenly and then Steamboat, before moving closer to home and consuming Mount Snow and Attitash, Killington and Pico, is here.

Home to Maine.

Sunday River and Sugarloaf are apparently on the chopping block.

All-for-One Pass?

Try All-for-Nothing.

While ASC seeks to "maximize the value of these assets," nowhere do they happen to mention their other assets: We the skiers!

Yes ASC, maybe you've forgotten about us, eh? The folks who bit big time on your great season pass deal every year for three years running now. We who have filled your coffers up front each season. And then spent gobs more every time we visited an ASC resort, on food and drink, lodging and whatnot.

I see a lot of dollar signs and financial mumbo-jumbo written about your big sell-off, but nary a mention of the skier, which, mistakenly, I thought you'd consider your most important asset.

So, what will you leave us next year?

Not much it appears.

Thanks.

Perhaps it has come time to make a change in my asset portfolio. A new set of cross-country skis, maybe a set of backcountry skis, too.

And begin to skip the lifts and lines and crowded trails, the expense and the travel.

Yep, I can divest too. And just might.

A good deal of the trails we recreate on are on private land. That is, they are available to us as a courtesy extended by the landowner.

It's probably something you and I don't think much about, but should.

Abuse such a privilege and a landowner has every right to post their land and close it to visitors. Privately owned land means just that--private, and the rights all belong to the landowner.

I got to thinking about this issue again when I learned of a flap concerning Rumford Whitecap, a true gem of a mountain just north of the Androscoggin River in Rumford. A mountain on private land, mind you.

The folks of the Mahoosuc Land Trust have been campaigning for several years now to purchase 761 acres on the mountain, a portion of which apparently, was thought to include the alpine summit.

Not so, according to the Kersey family, which owns 107 acres including the top of the peak, land which is not for sale.

So now there's a big helping of misunderstanding going on over this.

The Kerseys have expressed some serious concerns, one being "that they will become victims of environmental eminent domain and will lose all rights over their own property."

Further concerns include the increase in media exposure the mountain has received, which the Kerseys fear will translate into a "loss of the pristine qualities the mountain is known for."

Points well taken.

I'm guilty, if you will, of "exposing" the mountain in a recent newspaper column. And regretful that I, too, repeated information on the land sale, including what we now know is the Kersey summit property.

My bad, but who knew?

Again, it's a misunderstanding. Unfortunate, but innocent enough.

I checked the MLT website and it appears that the appropriate changes have been made, whereby mention of the summit as part of the deal has been deleted. There could be more specifics, however, to help allay the Kersey's concerns.

That the MLT is still pursuing the purchase of a portion of Rumford Whitecap, though it may not include the peak, is proper and reasonable. It's what land trusts do. Work to protect and preserve sensitive, valuable lands.

I believe the Kerseys would find the MLT to be good neighbors. It's just a shame in this case that the Kerseys had to be upset in the process.

"The Kerseys absolutely dread the tought of having to post their land."

We do, too. It needn't come to that.

Their are so many good and decent people in the recreation community that have the utmost respect for the land--public or private--and their very presence on our trails is a huge deterrent to those who would abuse them.

It's this quiet, mostly unseen stewardship--a sense of ownership really--that wards off most of the outdoors bad-doers.

And that's the message I have for the Kerseys: Thank you, for starters. Thanks to you and your family for graciously sharing your land for many different uses by many, many people over the years. You have provided us a wonderful gift.

This misunderstanding will be resolved, if it hasn't been already.

We ask for continued access to the high reaches of Rumford Whitecap, and that in return, we the caring public will continue to watch over your land just as you would, as we enjoy it and teach others to do the same.

It's Wednesday. Hump day.

Temps in the single digits. Tonight maybe -10F.

Balmy.

What better way to enjoy this lovely frigid weather than by huddling up with 150 or so warm and fuzzy outdoorsies for the monthly Maine Outdoor Adventure Club meeting in Portland!

The program?

Appropriately enough: Iceland!

Yes, join veteran MOACer Sandie Sabaka of Portland, and and take a summer solstice trek to Iceland on the Laugavegur "Hot Spring Route," go kayaking in Seydisfjordur, and backpack through Jokulsargljufur Park, home to Europe's largest waterfall.

Lake Alftavatn, Iceland.
All photos courtesy Sandie Sabaka

Near Alftavatn, Iceland.

In Thorsmark, Iceland.

Dettifoss, Iceland.

Next up is trip planning for the remainder of winter, then spring and summer. No doubt you'll find an outing or two that interests you; a hike, mountain bike, kayak, raft or canoe trip perhaps.

Conclude the evening with socializing and getting to know a whole host of fun and active outdoor (and indoor!) enthusiasts.

And wrap up the night with "the meeting after the meeting" at the Great Lost Bear, where further adventures are planned and mapped out on the back of cocktail napkins while enjoying a frosty adult beverage or two.

Doesn't sound like much fun at all, does it?

Nah.

Think I'll skip it, stay home onn the couch and watch Wheel of Fortune...

MOAC meetings begin at 7PM. It's free and open to the general public (that's you!).

Enjoy!

You all remember Colleen Stone, MaineToday.com "From Away" blogger extraordinaire, who disappeared to New Jersey last fall?

Well, not so much disappeared. More like she moved there to take a new job with NJ.com.

Anyways, missing our blogger friend and her daily musings, and hearing nary a peep from the Meadowlands of North Jersey for sometime now, we got worried.

Jersey City is a tough neighborhood. Things happen. Maybe she was done in by too much thin crust pizza. Or bakery products. Or worse: OD'd on pork roll. The horror!

But alas, no such bad stuff has befallen Ms. Stone. Thankfully.

A note from Jersey arrived in my inbox late last week confirming that all is indeed well, if a bit hectic, in Stone-ville NJ.

Found! Former From Away blogger and friend Colleen Stone in New Jersey!
Photo courtesy Colleen Stone

Colleen tells me she actually likes Jersey, with the exception of the "old lady upstairs who never sleeps, throws her trash down the stairs and every morning exactly at 6:30 a.m. does something upstairs that sounds a lot like she's cutting plywood with a handsaw."

Now doesn't that just sound like an entry from From Away, or what?!

Despite the dearth of free time Colleen and Paul have managed to get out some, visiting Manhattan, and enjoying "cheesesteaks and good Belgian Ales" in Philadelphia.

Getting to the great outdoors from their very urban environs is a problem, though. They are, however, planning an exploratory hike up to the Catskill Mountains. Have to wait and see how that goes.

So, if you too were wondering about From Away Colleen, well nows you knows a little...

Hopefully we'll get another update...

Day 225: The saga is finally over. The koi fish are free!

Yes, after nearly eight months in captivity, the koi fish belonging to Cuong Ly, owner of the China Rose restaurant in Freeport, are home once again.

"I am sure they are happy to be back," Ly said. "They can't talk but I can represent them. It's a happy day today."

Yes it is Mr. Ly, yes it is.

This wrong-headed misadventure by the Maine Department of Inland Fish & Wildlife has reached its proper conclusion. Not that it ever should have come this far to begin with.

But even so, the fish aren't really free, because Mr. Ly "must lock the tank and post a sign saying that koi are an invasive species and that a state permit is needed to keep them."

So the fish are really prisoners in a sense now, unable to come and go from a locked tank. And they are now publicly branded as "invasive". How that must trouble and embarrass them. Imagine the emotional distress! And the permit, the paperwork, the fees, well, that's just over the top.

Seriously, though the fish will really be fine, Mr. Ly emerges from this with a misdemeanor on his record and is some $20,000 poorer after fighting to save his precious koi. That isn't right.

And what did this episode cost the state? The taxpayers? An unnecessary bundle I'll bet.

But all that is water over the edge of the fish tank now. The pet koi fish are back and on display at the China Rose. And I can feel the good feng shui from here.

"I'm glad they're back," said Ly.

We are too sir.

Think I'll have to stop in for a visit to see the koi. And for couple of egg rolls, too, of course.

Planning on traveling this evening?

You weren't?!

Maybe, just maybe, I can entice you to leave the dirty dishes, the laundry and the bills behind and head for the Traveler's Club at the Gilsland Farm Audubon Center in Falmouth.

Tonight's program: Sea Kayaking along the Dalmation Coast of Croatia with Dave Mention, kayak guide, intrepid adventurer and trails manager for the Maine Island Trail Association.

"The Croatian coast features rugged cliffs, quiet fishing villages, and jet-set tourist destinations. Dave has visited this area three times, twice as a kayaking guide for Explorers' Corner, a travel company offering kayaking trips all over the world."

Sounds like a fun and exciting trip. More so than than sitting at home, wouldn't you agree? So come on along for the 7PM show. It's free and open to all.

A scene from Dave's kayak trip in Croatia.
Photos courtesy Dave Mention.

Kayaks on the shore of the Dalmation Coast, Croatia.