Side Note: Dan vs. Grizzly Adams

1) I could totatly take him

2) I look much better

3) Yes, I too can tame a Grizzly...I just choose not to as I don't want to make George jealous

4) Get used to the beard, I think it is going to stick around for a while. More on this later I am sure.

I am looking for a new job...maybe bear trainer is my destiny...just hope I don't have to wear that jacket...

Destination 5: Bates College and Wallingford's Fruit House Apple Picking

Ahh back to the alma mater...striding around a campus that once encompassed nearly your entire world and where you felt, by the end of four years, that you truly understood things. Six years has put enough distance from graduation that I A) felt old B) was shocked that such a small area was in fact nearly my entire world for 4 years and C) that dang I am really getting old. Fun and scary to think back to being a cocky 22 year old though...

For those Bates grads out there, a report: the new student center building looks pretty cool though absolutely huge and a bit dominating. The new dorm by Rand is not good at all - ugly and weird. It consists of three buildings in a symmetric design - a big ugly white building flanked by two smaller structures in the traditional brick style.

Our visit consisted of a walk around campus, seeing a few profs over in PGill (go Profs Murray and Richter), obligatory lunch at the den, and general reminiscing about our individual experiences at Bates (we didn't meet at Bates until a few months before graduating and then only as friends). The only bummer is that the fall colors on campus hadn't really come out yet - might need to head back up for homecoming weekend here in a few weeks. We had planned on a beer at the Blue Goose but couldn't drag ourselves into that joint at 4 in the afternoon.

So off apple picking we went - one of Julie's favorite fall things to do and, since it leads eventually to us making Apple Crisp (when made by Julie the best dessert around), one of mine too. We headed up to Wallingford Farms to climb in the trees (me reliving childhood) and pick way too many apples. Much fun though.

Pics below

Hathorn Hall, oldest building at Bates

Julie yelling (cutely) at me from admist the apple trees

The best apples are always near the top...

Destination 4: Sebago Lake, Maine

A big hello from the shores of Sebago Lake in southern Maine. Julie and I have been out here in Maine for the past 10 days and have been absolutely loving it. We had amazing weather the first week (high 70's) and now the trees have started to change color in earnest.


As both of our dedicated readers know Sebago is 'homebase' #2 in our great travel adventure. We are staying at the gorgeous lake house of Julie's aunt and uncle (thanks Mike and Cilla!!) near Raymond, ME (see map). For all you non-New Englanders out there, Sebago is a big lake (~30k acres) in Southern Maine and a very popular vacation destination for Boston area ppl.

The cottage at Sebago was a constant for Julie growing up - spending time here every summer until our wedding and honeymoon disrupted the pattern last year. Therefore in addition to its inherent beauty the place casts quite a spell on her. Luckily for me I too absolutely love the place. It is one of the very few places either of us has found that we can go to and just relax. We find ourselves perfectly content - beautiful weather or not - just sitting here at the house, looking out at the lake, reading, and enjoying. Of course, it has also spoiled us so any 'vacation' house of the distant future is going to have to be pretty dang nice. doh.

Anyhow, so not much excitement to report beyond a few side trips I will write about soon. I am still in trip planning mode (for Australia and New Zealand) and am only on my second book. Currently a biography of Winston Churchill. Jules is in prime GRE studying mode and is about fed up with my offers to be 'Professor' Agar in order to impart what all of you know is my great wisdom...

Below is a pic taken right outside the cottage at sunset our first night here. Cheers!