It was hot and dry in Cohasset as we packed to go, but in our usual fashion, we left in the rain. It is expected to rain for the next four days as we pass through Maine.
We are staying the night at Winslow Park a municipal campground in Freeport, Maine. We’d booked a waterfront campsite and Ellen’s long-time friend, Judy, was going to join us for a picnic this evening. It was raining heavily when we arrived and the ranger told us our site was unusable because the ground was too soggy. He led us to another one next to it that was supposedly on firmer ground. We were able to drive onto it with no sinkage.
It continued to rain and Judy wrote and suggested that we meet at her house for an indoor picnic. Sounded like a better plan. We were to meet at 6pm. At about 4:30, we decided to move out of our increasing soggy site and park by the beach before heading to Judy’s. I put Speedy in reverse and gently backed up on the wet grass…and promptly sunk three inches into the mud.
Rather than making it worse, I walked (in the rain) to the gatehouse at the other end of the campground to ask for help, where I was told to call a tow sevice as they cannot help. I pointed out that the ranger had just directed us to that site snd glumly walked back to figure out if there was any other option as we have experience waiting hours for a tow service.
The ranger who put us there showed up a few minutes later. He said that the town will not let them tow people out due to the liability…but he then said that I might ask the fellow in site 14. He has a big truck and hepled pull a stuck fifth-wheel trailer out of another site nearby.
With nothing to lose, I walked over to site 14 where there was, in fact, a large lifted pickup truck with big tires…and a young man grilling burgers. I asked if he might be able to help us out and he said “No problem”. I told him we could wait until he had his dinner, but he said he would come over right now. I walked back to Speedy and he appeared a minute later. He pulled out a giant tow strap, hooked it to our hitch reciever, I put Speedy in reverse, and he gently tugged away and we were back on solid ground.
As he was putting his gear away, we asked he we could give him something for his help. He demurred, but Ellen offered a bottle of wine. He agreed and mentioned that he was actually a wine seller. He thought our bottle of The Crusher was great as he hadn’t had a chance to taste it before.
It all ended well and we got to our indoor picnic with a few minutes to spare. A fine time was had with Judy, her husband, Guy, friend, Jane, and Cleo the Corgi.
We are now back at Winslow Park, but overnighting in the boat ramp parking lot where there is hard packed gravel rather than muddy grass. The view isn’t as nice, but we will be able to drive out in the morning.
Tomorrow we are off to Lake St. George State Park…most likely in the rain.
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