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Into New Hampshire

By
Judy
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Chris gave me a good jump on the day with a lift from Waterville, Maine to South Paris.
 

Chris (right)

I profiled him – he had a nice car, dresses nice and so fit I mistook him for a biker. “No, I’m into cross training,” he said. Really a nice guy, well traveled, worked in construction and was thrilled to hear about my tour. “You make me want to quit my job and just go,” he said.





(Above, left, and below)  Just a bit of scenery along Highway 117 and Hwy 302.

Waited out a pop-up storm outside the Maine Info Bureau for about an hour. They had a nice bench outside with a large overhang to protect me from the wetness. I think I nodded off before getting some rain gear/garbage bags on and crossing into New Hampshire. 

Ride Update: Interview on WBKV with Bob Bonenfant, West Bend, WI

By
Judy
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0

This morning I did an update interview on The Amazing Ride for Alzheimer’s with WBKV 1470’s Morning Show with host Bob Bonenfant.

Discussed Tropical Storm Arthur, crossing over into the U.S., and more….

Click HERE to listen to the podcast!

Newport, Maine

By
Judy
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Newport, Maine – A quick look at the road ahead on Highway 100 in Maine. Sunny day and nice shoulder on the road.

(Left) Stopped for a break at Bradstreet Farm. Juanita talked about Newport celebrating its 200th anniversary. She spoiled me with a commemorative wooden nickel and a bag full of fresh peas.
This woman, Judy (right), came in a side door with her money cake to raffle off with proceeds to the American Cancer Society. She said there were 160 one-dollar bills and 20 two-dollar bills. She hopes to raise over $1,000.
Ho-ho-hoping to introduce this guy to my mom when I get home. Met him outside the Roller Rink Antique Mall. 

Riding in Tribute to…..

By
Judy
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1

ESTHER VRANA

NOTE: Want to pay tribute to your loved one? I’ll ride a day in their honor (includes mention on blog). Click HERE to learn more.

Back on the road – in Maine

By
Judy
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Made it to Maine … 

Started out just after 4 a.m. Trying to make up some time after being grounded a day by Tropical Storm Arthur. A short mile into my ride I ran into my first moose warning.

Nice guy Michael gave me a lift to Bangor. Route 9 had been closed because of
the storm. 

Got back on track on Highway 2 and took a break at Route 2 Antique Mall. Galen and Sue presented me with a license plate from Maine. 

Chocolate Museum – You heard RIGHT!

By
Judy
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0
St. Stephen, New Brunswick – Just before crossing the border into the states there is a wonderful distraction called The Chocolate Museum. I’m serious; the only thing that could make it better would be if there was The Gold Museum on one side and The Beer Museum on the other and Justin Timberlake would be the docent for all three.


The Chocolate Museum, or Le Musee du Chocolat for all my French Canadian friends, highlights the Ganong family and their prestigious industry of hand-dipped chocolates. Established in 1873 as the Ganong Bros. Grocery, Ganong Chocolates is the oldest and most successful candy company in Canada.

There were five generations of candy makers, including the founder’s son Arthur Ganong – who was known to eat three pounds of chocolate each day; translation: 83 pieces.

LOVES CHOCOLATE
Arthur Ganong

One of the earliest popular candies was known as the Chicken Bone; it was pink and had a cinnamon flavor; a hard candy with a bitter center. Through the years Ganong Bros. made lollipops with wooden skewers, developed a chic five-cent candy, and introduced the heart-shaped box in 1933.


The trademark of the company since 1904 was Ganong’s Evangeline. She was an Acadian heroine from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem.  

In the 1920s, following in footsteps of tobacco companies that sold collectible cards with their products, Ganong started putting trading cards inside their candy wrappers including Big Chief with Native American cards and then a series of rodeo cards. (Photo, left)

In the 1930s and 1940s Ganong made practical boxes for the candy where the boxes could be used as sewing baskets after the candy was gone. There were also patriotic boxes for wartime. (Photo, right)

The Ganong family highly praised its employees, especially the three months before Christmas which was the busiest season. Chocolate factory workers put in an extra four nights a week and Saturday afternoons to complete the orders.


This photo from 1947 shows the ‘Candy Bar Wars’ when children across Canada protested the increase in candy bar prices from 5 cents to 8 cents.  (Photo, left)
The company was specifically known for its hand-dipped product which had two to three times more chocolate, per piece, than chocolates that were mechanically coated. During its hey day as many as 130 women worked at the job dipping candy pieces into vats of chocolate. (Photo, below)

Grounded by a Hurricane

By
Judy
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0
Calais, Maine – So this is what a tropical storm looks like. It’s Arthur….

 …..and he’s caught me; high winds and 100 percent rain, tree branches down.  It would make for a miserable/dangerous day on the road so I might as well take the day off. 

Riding in Tribute to…..

By
Judy
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0
….CLIFF HALE

NOTE: Want to pay tribute to your loved one? I’ll ride a day in their honor (includes mention on blog). Click HERE to learn more.

Kindness of Strangers

By
Judy
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0
Norton, New Brunswick – Fatigued after conquering Cornhill, I managed to drift into a rummage sale outside Norton for a break.
“Norton??? You’re in it,” said Georgia, cleaning up after a day of sales. “Take a load off and sit a bit.”
After a get-to-ya chat Georgia invited me to stay. She and her husband Paul had been married 51 years.

Paul and Georgia

A couple of their grandchildren came that night to see the stranger who arrived by bike including Amy, 11, who proudly showed off her painting.

Hitched a couple rides Friday to move off the coast before tropical storm Arthur arrived.  Andrew gave me a lift to St. George and then made it 32 miles to St. Stephen and crossed the border into Maine around 3 p.m.  Keeping an eye on the forecast.  
Andrew

Riding in tribute….

By
Judy
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0

….to my dad, Al Steffes:

NOTE: Want to pay tribute to your loved one? I’ll ride a day in their honor (includes mention on blog). Click HERE to learn more.

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