No Umbrella - Maine's Offbeat Outdoor Paper

Although this offbeat online outdoor paper seems defunct - the past issues are interesting reading. Visit "No Umbrella" for some nice articles about Maine and the outdoors.

Swan Island, Maine

Swan Island, also known as the Steve Powell Wildlife Management Area, is located in the middle of a river in Maine. The island is accessible by ferry and there is a nominal admission fee. There is wildlife, hiking, camping, scenery, and history to be had with a visit to the island.

"The island management area, about 1,755 acres in size, is located in the Kennebec River between the towns of Richmond and Dresden. It includes Swan Island, Little Swan Island, and several hundred acres of tidal flats.

Swan Island, known for its abundant and often quite visible wildlife (especially nesting bald eagles, white-tailed deer and wild turkey), is actually an abandoned 18th and 19th century town called Perkins Township, and has long been recognized for its varied and interesting history. It was used by Native American tribes, early explorers, and settlers, and was reportedly visited by American historical figures such as Aaron Burr and Benedict Arnold."

Maine Fall Foliage Guide - Color Key

With the end of August New Englanders look to the fall for many things. The return of kids to school or college, cooler weather, hunting season, and - of course - the start of the foliage season. The state of Maine has an online guide for fall foliage that will tell you which regions are experiencing the best foliage. Visit http://www.mainefoliage.com/. Click here for more information of fall foliage in Maine.

ATV Maine - Alliance of Trail Vehicles of Maine

The Alliance of Trail Vehicles of Maine is located in South Portland, Maine. The organizations website lists ATV Clubs and events. In addition the website provides information on ATV trails, land owner relations, has a newsletter, and has an ATV safety page.

Pine Tree State Rifle & Pistol Association (Maine)

The Pine Tree State Rifle and Pistol Association organizes rifle and pistol shooting events, promotes gun safety and marksmanship training in the state of Maine. The associations' website offers information on membership, a photo archive, contact info, mailing list, and more.

Maine Wildlife Park in Gray, Maine

The Maine Wildlife Park is located on Route 26 in Gray, Maine. The park is open from mid-April through Veteran's day. The gates open daily at 9:30 am and close at 4:30 pm. There are fun activities for the kids, animals, and events that are scheduled throughout the season. Read more at Maine Wildlife Park.

North Maine Woods, Inc.

Are you interesting in visiting the Northern areas of Maine? If so, a visit to the website of North Maine Woods, Inc. is worth your time. The organization has a diverse membership consisting of landowners (big and small), corporations, individuals, and other organizations that is joined in a partnership to solve today's problems and plan for the future. The website provides information on camping, business links, maps, and other information about the North Woods.

Sportsman's Alliance of Maine

Here is some information on the Sportsman's Alliance of Maine:

"The Sportsman's Alliance of Maine (SAM) is Maine's largest sportsmen's organization with a full-time headquarters and staff in Augusta. SAM's staff works at the Legislature, state agencies and other forums on critical issues. SAM was organized in 1975 as a non-profit membership organization to promote conservation of Maine's wildlife resources and to be an advocate for hunters, anglers, trappers and gun owners throughout the state."

Learn more at the website of the Sportsman's Alliance of Maine.

Tips for Climbing Mount Katahdin in Maine

The highest mountain in Maine is Mount Katahdin located in the Millinocket, Maine area. If you are contemplating climbing this mountain then read the article "How To Climb Mount Katahdin", DownEast.com, September 2008. Click here for more information about hiking in Maine.

Western Maine ATV Club

If you are looking for a source of information about ATVs and western Maine then a good place to start would be the online website of the Western Maine ATV Club. The club provides pictures, a listing of other ATV clubs, newsletter, club ride schedule, riding areas, and upcoming events.

Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Online Store

The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has an online store where you can buy clothing, conservation prints, Maine Wildlife Passes, mugs, posters, signs, stickers, and publications. Check it out at the IF&W Online Store.

Outdoors Woman in Maine (Camp Caribou)

The 2009 Introductory Skills Weekend for Women in Maine will be held at Camp Caribou in Winslow, Maine on September 18, 19, and 20, 2009. Click here for the Introductory Skills Registration Packet and Scholarship Application.

Camden, Maine Windjammer Festival

Camden, Maine will host its Windjammer Festival on Labor Day Weekend (September 4-6, 2009). There will be a celebration of Camden's maritime heritage and living traditions. Tall ships will be sailing, entertainment will be present, and fun will be had by all. Learn more at the link below:

www.camdenwindjammerfestival.com

Click here to learn more about dining and lodging in Camden, Maine.

Recipes from a Maine Windjammer

"At Home, At Sea: Recipes from the Maine Windjammer".

"A simple time. A simpler life. And simply wonderful food. The recipes and stories in At Home, At Sea recreate life on a Maine Windjammer: a week in a different world, a different century, with homemade, old-world food cooked with fire and passion. In these pages you’ll find memories of the Age of Sail -- the gleam of brass, the sound of the wind in the rigging, and the delicious smells of Maine cooking -- baked breads from the woodstove, steamed lobster, hearty stews, and mouthwatering desserts -- all from the galley of the Schooner J&E Riggin. Chef Anne Mahle started as a mess cook on one of the windjammers and quickly developed a passion for cooking. She has spend the last 15 years working and learning, graduating from mess cook to head cook on the windjammers to private chef on a Caribbean yacht. She further developed her skills as sous chef to classically trained Swiss chef Hans Bucher and at The Culinary Institute of America. She currently owns and operates the J&E Riggin with her husband, Captain Jon Finger."

To learn more about this book click the link below"

At Home, at Sea: Recipes from the Maine Windjammer

Summer Edition of Maine Fish & Wildlife

The summer edition of Maine Fish & Wildlife is now available and can be viewed at http://www.mefishwildlife.com/. Read more about this online magazine at "IF&W summer magazine available online", Village Soup, August 7, 2009.

Good News About Portland - A Blog for Portland, Maine

Here is another blog about Portland, Maine. It seems to have postings more about the economy and what businesses are doing in Portland, Maine. Probably not for tourists but if you are interested in moving to the city or you want to know more about Portland than it isn't bad reading. See "Good News Portland". Click here for a listing about blogs on Maine.

Birding is Big Business in Maine

A news report states that Maine is second only to Montana in terms of birding participation rates. Birding in Maine has become extremely popular. Read the news article at "Not for the birds: Birding serious business in Maine", Bangor Daily News, August 8, 2009. Click here for more information about birding in Maine.

Freeport, Maine: Fall in the Village Festival (Sep 12)

On September 12, 2009 the village of Freeport, Maine will hold its "Fall in the Village Art and Music Festival". There will be art, music, food, festivities, and more. This will be the 11th annual show.

Acton Fair (Maine) Aug 27-30, 2009

The Acton, Maine Fair will take place from August 27-30, 2009. There will be exhibits, livestock, flowers, animal pulling events and entertainment. See http://www.actonfair.net/.

Windmills of Maine

Windmills are starting to become cost effective. Although expensive projects, once they are established, windmills can generate electricity economically.  Maine has some wind farms located in isolated areas away from population centers.  Read more in "Maine's Windkeepers: From Ship Masts to Windmills", ABC News, August 12, 2009. The Stetson Wind Farm is located in Maine's Washington County.  More than 23,000 homes receive electricity from this wind farm. 

A Blog Entry about Kayaking in Maine

Read one bloggers post about kayaking with North Shore Paddlers Network from Orr's Island to Little Snow Island. A discussion of the Greenland Kayak is part of the post. Click here for more information about paddling in Maine.

MS Harborfest in Maine

The 28th Annual MS Harborfest will take place in Portland, Maine from August 13-16, 2009. Read more in "Weekend of fun will benefit fight against MS", Maine Outdoor Journal, August 9, 2009.

Maine Birds and How They Got Their Names

Have you ever wondered how birds found in Maine got their names? This article by Maine Outdoor Journal provides some answers to that question. Learn about the people behind the names - Swainson, Lincoln, Wilson, Blackburn and more. Read "There's more to a name when it comes to birds", Maine Outdoor Journal, August 9, 2009. Click here to learn more about birding in Maine.

Sand Beach - Acadia National Park in Maine

A recent online article in The Boston Globe (August 9, 2009) entitled "10 ways to cool off" writes about Sand Beach at Acadia National Park in Maine. The beach has swimming available although adults may find it a bit cool. Kids love it and don't seem to mind the cold water as much. The ocean temperature doesn't get above 55 degrees but the scenery on Mount Desert Island and along the beach is wonderful.

Biking in Maine: Good Fun and Healthy Exercise

A columnist for Maine Today's "Maine Outdoor Journal" has wrote an article about his biking activities. His column states that biking is an excellent way to stay in good physical shape in order to do the other outdoor activities that he loves and writes about such as hiking, hunting, fishing and more. Read "Saddle up - it'll help you hunt and fish for years to come", Maine Outdoor Journal, August 9, 2009. Click here for more information about biking in Maine.

Acadia National Park in Maine to be in Ken Burns Documentary about National Parks

Ken Burns, the famous narrator of documentaries about baseball, civil war, and other topics, was in Maine visiting the Acadia National Park. He is involved in the making of a film about national parks and Acadia will be featured in this film. The documentary will be 12-hours long. Read a news article on this topic in "Ken Burns promotes park series at Acadia", Bangor Daily News, August 6, 2009. Click here to learn more info about Acadia National Park.

Baxter State Park in Maine

The largest park in the United States is Baxter State Park in Maine. The park is located in north-central Maine near the town of Millinocket. There is lots to see. Read a description about Baxter State Park in the Sun Journal (Feb 6, 2008). Click here for more information about Baxter State Park.

Schoodic Point and Acadia National Park in Maine

Schoodic Point is locates along the coast of Maine just east of Mount Desert Island. It is also home to part of Acadia National Park - a much quieter and less traveled section. Read a long article by DownEast.com about a family living in this area of Maine. See "Schoodic: The Secret Side of Acadia". Click here to learn more about Acadia National Park.

Shipyard Brewing Co. Tours in Portland, Maine

If you are interested in beer (who isn't) then a visit to the Shipyard brewery could be a sight to see when visiting Portland. Maine has a number of breweries and Shipyard is one of them - and maybe the biggest. Click here to see a listing of other Maine breweries.

The Maine Wine Trail

The Winery Guild in Maine has established the Maine Wine Trail. The wineries are located in eastern and southern Maine so there is likely to be one located near you. Read an online story about The Maine Wine Trail in "Think you can't wine in Maine? Think again", by The Maine Edge. The website for the Maine Wine Trail states that there are three wine trails in Maine - Downeast Area, Mid-Coast Area, and the Southern Area. Each trail has at least five wineries and the website hyperlinks you to the locations. I guess northern and western Maine don't have wineries.

Martha Stewart and Maine Lobster

Martha Stewart spends a lot of time in Maine. Go figure that she would find out about Maine lobster and come up with a recipe. Read "Martha Stewart: Visits To Maine Fed Craving For Lobster", Courant.com, July 17, 2009. Click here to learn more about Maine lobster.

Sailing in Freeport, Maine

Are you interested in sailing along the Maine coast. Do it on a classic 1938 wooden sloop. Visit Sail Freeport for more details. This small sloop sails out of Freeport Harbor.

Maine Lobster Council

Maine is well-known for its lobster. If you are visiting Maine, whether vacationing or on business, you should try some. The prices are right and Mainers know how to prepare a variety of lobster dishes. We even have a "Maine Lobster Council" and they have a web site with a wealth of information about lobsters. Explore their web site for information on lobster recipes and cooking tips. Click here for additional info on firms selling Maine lobsters.