Day One – Up, Up and Away

June 21, 2016 – Travelin’

The best travel days make the most boring reading!  So far I’ve survived getting up at 4:15 so I could be ready for Ole to don his chauffeur cap and deliver me to Delta’s caring arms, er, wings.  I sailed through security on my TSA Pre-Checked boarding pass, the airline took my roll-aboard, and our plane departed on time.  Life is good!

We arrived a bit early in Detroit and my next gate is just down the walkway.  There’s more than a two and a half-hour layover, so Marilyn has plenty of time to get to Detroit, return her rental car and meet me.  There’s a player piano right across from our gate, free wi-fi, and a choice of restaurants, so life is good!

Marilyn arrives and we agree that the Mexican place will do nicely for lunch, and there is just time to finish up and take our places at A71.  The lady at the counter calls Marilyn’s name!  We have no idea why;  but when she comes back we’ve been moved and now we’re in row 5, which is the economy comfort section!  We have a ton of legroom and we get free drinks!!

 The red wine is a merlot, not too exciting but after half of one of those little bottles, you don’t really notice!  The attendant for first class asks if we need a wheel chair!  We figure that’s because the person who had one of our seats originally must need the chair;  but we say that if we have a second bottle of wine, we could probably use it!  We think we’re being funny – but she comes back with another bottle for each of us!  And you have to drink them on the plane!  I drink mine, being the dutiful person I am, but Marilyn gives hers back.  Good thing, too, since she’s the driver!

The Bangor airport has two whole carousels, and it doesn’t take long to get baggage and our rental car and we’re off to Millinocket.  First, though, we stop at the Hannaford Grocery for provisions to start off our trip. 

It's always a good idea to have a photo of your rental car's license plate!

Bangor sees more than its fair share of American troops.

 In about an hour we arrive at our little yellow cabin at the Katahdin Cabins. It is one of seven, although they are numbered two to eight!  The office seems to be the owners’ kitchen and we collect our key and the wifi password and we’re told that in about seven minutes freshly-baked chocolate, chocolate-chip muffins with cinnamon will be delivered to our door!  We also get a recommendation for dinner. 

 Using the maxim, “life is short, eat dessert first” we gobble down our muffins and then head to the Scootic In Restaurant for our first lobster rolls!   I even get mine on a gluten-free bun (hope that makes up for the muffin!!).

  

 A brief driving tour around town and it’s time to unpack and settle in for a few days.