During our eastern loop in 2016 we stayed in four Maine campgrounds, one of which, Meadowbrook, I selected because Rosemarie would be flying out of town for a few days, and I needed a cheap but pleasant place to stay for the duration.  Meadowbrook, by accepting Passport America’s 50% discount, met the first criteria, and the on site Lobstah Pound fully satisfied the second.  But beyond that, it was not particularly memorable in terms of beauty or location, or so we thought.

So a little ahead of our intended schedule during our run up the coast, we included Meadowbrook in our route based on the price and lobster alone.  Boy were we surprised at how much nicer and beautiful we found the place this year.  In 2016 they put us on an open site in the middle of a grass field.  Upon arriving this year we discussed our preferences with the front desk and management, and they placed us in the heavily wooded section of the campground, an area we did not even know existed.  What a difference!  Now we had the cheap Passport America price, the quite affordable cooked to order lobster, and a peaceful spot surrounded by trees to spend our days. 

We loved it so much we extended our stay from three to six days, and barely left the campground.  And though we had started off this month way in the hole after our major restock and splurge day in Freeport, I still took advantage of the situation by having three lobster dinners during our stay.  At this time of year all they had available were hard shell lobsters, which are significantly more challenging to eat, but I was willing to fight through this impediment.  Later this month more places will have soft shells as the lobsters go through a molt.  I’m most definitely looking forward to that.

Happiness: white wine, red lobster.

We took a day trip to Boothbay Harbor, one of our favorite spots in Maine from our pre-RV days.  We even found the same restaurant, Kalers, at which we had huddled inside from the cold and rain and enjoyed a couple of beers with Linda back when she and Jayson were stationed nearby.  It did not disappoint; Rose and I split the delicious lobster and crab slider combo.

Our engaging bartender had not only just purchased a travel trailer, but also spent part of last year in Sanibel.  We enjoyed comparing stories and giving him several key recommendations for online sources that will help him find the right type of campgrounds that match his preferences.  Our fondness for this town had us resolving to include a few days in a closer campground during our next RV trip to Maine, whenever that might be.

Not to to go overboard with discussing every meal we had in Maine, but I do want to give a shout out to a surprisingly good pizza we got from, Bisson’s, a gas station and country store nearby.  While I love all types, Rose is particularly particular about her pizza; the closer it is to authentic NY style the better, and plenty of those places advertising so called “New York Style” she finds wanting.  Along these lines, she would normally turn her nose up at something overloaded with cheese like they serve at Bisson’s, but something about their cheese, sauce and bread choice really works.

Pad Kee Meow enjoyed Meadowbrook Campground quite a lot; they had abundant chipmunks and a semi-wild setting that appealed to her hunting instincts.  She gave us quite a scare on our last full day when she managed to pop her lead loose and went for a long walk in the woods dragging 20 feet of leash behind her.

It took us nearly an hour of panicked searching to find her some 500 yards away down a hiking path, the leash snagged to some tree roots.  Her harness is loose enough such that she can pull out of it when she is particularly motivated, and this episode made us realize that this looseness is a positive feature rather than a bug, which will allow her to find her way home should she ever repeat this adventure and we are unable to find her.

One last thing about Meadowbrook: In three and a half years of fulltime RVing with visits to more than 200 different campgrounds, I can’t think of any place that attempts to monetize your presence more than Meadobrook.  I mean this as a complement to their marketing instincts rather than a negative.  They don’t nickel and dime you with silly costs like some places do (quarter showers, anyone?) but rather offer their guests the opportunity to spend their money on site rather than out in the nearby small towns.

The lobster pound is part of it, but they also have a paint ball course, a mining sluice with bags of minerals for sale, fresh scooped ice cream, and a dozen other little things that most campgrounds just don’t think to offer.  Rather than simply selling the individual ingredients to make smores, example, they have put together a full kit that includes everything, including the roasting spits.  They sell a variety of beer, including a few craft options.  Its hard to explain, but they have obviously thought hard about offering their guests every amenity they might want.

This place was too pricey for our blood, but their roadside marketing gimmick got us to at least stop and check it out.

Next up: we settle into our one month stay in Bar Harbor.