150 miles can take you into a different world......

   Television and radio news broadcasts will often offer “the week in review” and I had thought about that as a title for this week's blog. It was a busy week and coupled with the cold Maine weather, snow and a bit of extra travel... OK, I'll admit it, I was a bit tired on Friday night. But to give you a report of 'my week in review'? How about just one day?

   A journey of only 150 miles can take you into a different world and sometimes we need those opportunities to help put a bit of perspective back into our life. With all the terrible and horrifying news we hear every day taking place around the world it's nice to know there are places and values that time and people still protect.

   Part of my week's travels took me on a journey to almost the end of the earth, or at least the U.S. Border. It's called Route 201 and in its entirety runs from the coast of Maine to the Canadian border, two very unique and distinct regions of our state. It begins at the Atlantic Ocean near Brunswick and takes you to the woods and mountains that make up the northwest corner of Maine. To some, 150 miles may seem like a long ride, especially on roads covered in snow and ice. But this trip, even in the middle of winter, still offers some beautiful sights and a look at the “hearty stock' of people called 'Mainers'.

   This week, I jumped on Route 201 in Skowhegan to head north but I have traveled the route from Brunswick many times as it passes through a number of what some from away might consider small towns. The route, for the most part, parallels the Kennebec River, a waterway flowing with its own rich history and stories.

   But on this day, a right turn at the large wooden statue in downtown Skowhegan and that was the beginning of my journey. Most of the roads were still well covered in fresh snow and ice, requiring an extra cautious drive and a great deal more attention to the road conditions and surroundings. And perhaps, that turned out to be a good thing. It gave me a bit more time to appreciate what was going on around me.

   A few miles from the center of the town the landscape and surroundings change significantly. There are fewer homes, winding roads and ….look at all the pine trees covered in a jacket of snow. Are those fresh deer tracks along the side of the road? You bet! Real fresh!

   Eventually the road and the Kennebec River meet up side by side again and it is easy, even in winter, to experience the beauty of the area. By the way, at this point Route 201 becomes a National Scenic Highway.

   Small variety stores, aging motels, cabins and camps (old, but well maintained) dot the country side, providing places to stop and rest, to pick up a fresh cup of coffee or spend a few days enjoying what the area has to offer. No large Marriott hotels here. This particular time of year the snowmobiles probably outnumber the cars probably 3 to 1.

   My destination on this day was Jackman and once I got to The Forks, I knew I only had about 25 more miles to go.

   The road from The Forks to Jackman is both hilly and curvy as it cuts through the river valley. But I will say that at the top of the last hill before entering Jackman, with a view of the town below and Canada off in the distance, with a bright, clear blue sky, the view was beautiful. Fresh snow, smoke from the chimneys below....it was worth a picture or two.

   My task for the day in Jackman was to spend a bit of time at the local school. Being a very small town, all the kids in town attend school in a building that houses grades K to 12. It reminded me of my first teaching position in W Va, a small mining town with 128 students in grades K-12. And like the school in W. Va. this school, over the years, not only known for some exceptional graduates and educational programs, also usually has a pretty good basketball team too. Right now they are ranked No. 1 in their division going into the tournament next week.

   After a few hours at the school it was time to head 'down state'. The day turned out to be very successful. The students we met worked hard. They were polite, even said “thank you” at the appropriate times, opened doors for us and pleasantly said “good bye” when we left.

   It was obvious the students were very proud of their school. A small town, a small school, a great deal of pride and almost out of reach from the rest of the world. It was for me, on this day, a brief glimpse of a different world.

   There were very few, it any, students walking around with cell phone or IPads or texting their friends. They didn't need to. Their friends were all right there and their families, just down the street. They carried notebooks and textbooks and  backpacks like other kids in other schools, but there was this strange and eerie sense of freedom in their movement throughout the building and.... the front door was always open to visitors and guest.  Maybe it wasn't so bad living near the edge after all.

   I got back into my car and, as if out of habit, reached for my cell phone to see who had called. But I put the phone back down on the front seat and decided to wait until I was a bit closer to home. There was no rush. It was almost like I was living in a different world.