I spent some time living in the Portland, Maine area. It’s been a little while now since I did live down that way and sometimes I do miss it. I miss the ocean and the ability to quickly find somewhere to go and something to do. One thing I never really got used to while living there was the amount of people and lack of ability to be by myself when I wanted. I grew up in a small town and went to a small high school. Over the years since I had moved away it changed quite a bit. There were always a lot of tourists in the summer since Sebago Lake and Long Lake are big attractions, but for the most part it was a quiet place to live.

The improvements to the bridge and the causeway were much needed, though it sort of made the town have a different feel and appeal to more people that normally wouldn’t venture to such a small town. When I was growing up the nearest real grocery store was about a half an hour away. Over the years they built a 24/7 gas station and a dunkin donuts. These are things that might not seem like such a big deal, but when I think back to what it was like when I was a kid and would ride my bike to the causeway to go to the lake and arcade it just seems like a different place. The town beach has changed a lot as well. Before it was much smaller and there was, now that I think of it, a kind of weird old house between the parking lot and the beach area. They since acquired the land that was next to it and removed the house and old parking lot and made it a much bigger beach and added a boat launch. Not a bad thing necessarily just different. The old golf course that I grew up near was also turned into expensive lots for sale with big expensive houses occupied probably mostly (if not entirely) from out of staters. Luxuries come with a cost sometimes. It is great that more people are able to experience the state and towns that I have grown up in, but sometimes I get annoyed with how different everything is.

Yesterday I wanted to go for a walk and take some photos at a local trail. This trail isn’t usually busy since its sort of off the beaten path. However, there were so many cars there when I pulled in that I just decided it wasn’t worth it. I then went for a walk on another path a town over. This time I went in at a section that isn’t usually busy at all. At first I didn’t see anyone and was enjoying my walk, but that didn’t last long because within a few minutes I had passed by four or five groups of people and two people jogging. Love to see people outside, but it was very distracting to me. I guess I should just start finding paths a little less accessible to the general public. I also realize this time of year with the Fair and peak foliage season there are a lot more people out and about than usual.

Anyways here are some photos I took at Holt Pond and Pondicherry Park in Bridgton, Maine.