13 September 2012

Postcard from Maine- 7

10-13 September 2012


Durham, ME

There was a lot of creaking and groaning as we pulled out of Trenton, ME. It worried me till I realized it was just my joints. Old age is not for wimps! Now we're back in Durham again for a last 4-day visit before we leave for points West.We had a really nice drive with partly cloudy skies. So we had frequent sunshine to light up the very green countryside.

Mileage was terrible, however, as we headed North to I-395 near Bangor, ME- on the order of about 8 mpg for the 35+ miles from Trentin to Bangor. Like many who live on the West coast and have lived or driven in the Rockies or the Sierra Nevadas, I tended to scoff at the piddly bumps on the Eastern landscape that are called mountains. Now that I've driven in these wannabe-hills, however, I've come to realize that whatever they may lack in elevation, these 'bumps' more than make up for in grade change. I can't imagine driving an RV through this area if it doesn't have the torque of a diesel engine! Owners I've talked to that drive gassers routinely get 4-5 mpg in these hills. So I guess 8 mpg from Trenton to Bangor was not unreasonable. From Bangor to Durham (near Yarmouth) the mileage crept up to 10 mpg overall after the last 105 miles.

We had a nice but brief visit with Brad & family. Stayed with Elin & Ingrid while mom & dad went to an open house at the school. Then we got together for pizza (Flat Bread Pizza in Portland) which was excellent. Especially since Brad brought it home with him... no driving!

Btw, if you should find yourself in Yarmouth and in need of a meal, be sure to stop at Bruce's Burritos. We really enjoyed what we had there!

Moose sighting!

And all this time I thought it was a conspiracy: Mainers claiming to have moose just to keep tourists coming back. But I'm here to tell yuh they do have moose. We found this guy at a rest stop of all places. He was reluctant to have his photo taken, but the Admiral sweet talked him into it!

The only moose we saw all summer.


Sony NEX-7 camera

Btw, I shoot with a Sony NEX-7 digital camera. Initially I had a few complaints, like the ^%$#!* Video button that is so easy to hit accidentally. And the mindless nature of the Menu system that has to be drilled thru to find what you want. I suppose there are reasons for taking the path they did, but it escapes me. It has taken 6 months, but both have been beaten into submission:
  • I bought The Guard from Ric Luther for $20 shipped. It makes it very difficult to activate the Video button and that's just fine with me! I previously had hours of video of my feet!
  • I bought Gary Friedman's NEX-7 e-book (supplied with both Kindle & PDF files) which suggests several menu customization changes that have made a world of difference! Very readable and he's a knowledgeable photo professional.
Now that I have my camera set up in a way that fits my approach to shooting, I at long last find the camera intuitive. And the images excellent... far better than I'm able to make use of! If you shoot with a DSLR and are tired of carrying all the bulk and weight, I'd suggest looking into the Sony NEX-series of mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras. With the right selection of lens a NEX can be carried in a jacket pocket. And, depending on the model, the camera features are right up there with many DSLRs.

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