Maine in the Fall

Two words sum up our experience of Maine in the Fall: Leaves and Moose. During our hike we had the good fortune to enjoy both.



Although September has been unusually dry, and the leaves did not change as vibrantly as they sometimes do, it made up for some of the falls we've missed on the west coast.



We were not hiking during the peak color - which surprisingly still has not arrived - but that also meant we never had a below-freezing night on the trail.



While hiking the Appalachian Trail through New Hampshire and Maine, we saw a trip total of 5 moose. But when we hit Abol Bridge, the northern border of the "100 mile wilderness," we saw at least that many, this time lifeless with tongues hanging out.



In late September and early October Maine has a 2 week lottery-system moose hunting season. We arrived at Abol Bridge on the second day of the season and watched a half dozen proud hunters bring their moose in for registration.



The clerk at the country store walks out to each truck and takes a few measurements to document the moose for state records. The climax is when they tear out a tooth with pliers or screwdriver so it can be analyzed by a biologist for research purposes. We watched this procession repeatedly through the afternoon, from our front row seats at the picnic table.

Interesting, but we certainly preferred our previous moose encounters.