It’s good to go, get away from the everyday wherever one lives, even the River Valley. One day last week, cool, sunny and breezy, three friends coming from different directions motored to Lewiston to have lunch. We had lunch at Pat’s Pizza, out on the second floor deck. The deck overlooks an urban aspect of the Androscoggin that seems remote from say, the boat launch on the same river in Hanover.

It’s good to get away from your own everyday and learn about another’s. One in our lunch party lives on Peak’s Island – winter population 300 or so. On Peak’s most everyone has a pet. Pets need air and exercise and pet owners meet on favored walkways and talk two and three times a day.

Most of Peak’s pets are dogs and cats and horses. There are rabbits, too. Rabbits, our friend learned, can be housebroken and one beloved aging pet rabbit is regularly seen by its owner’s cardiologist!

Yes, it’s good to go away and learn new things.

Riding Route 26 is not a favorite activity, but a necessity unless you want to do a whole lot of back-roads-ing to get to Norway/South Paris, Shaker Village, or the Maine Turnpike and points south and east.

Ten years ago a prolonged construction project on 26 dramatically changed the landscape north of Poland; revealed the sometimes raw backsides of the Shaker Village structures and neighboring farms while concealing Sabbathday Lake’s beach and camps.

Just past the vast no-longer new high school in Poland, there was for years a restaurant whose sign had lost its “R” and read “Just Fiends.” Today, there’s a Dunkin’ Donuts and other stuff in a mini mall there. Not as much fun. (Not all change is good!)

Now another major improvement to Route 26 is under way. It entails taking frontage from property owners and landmarks like the red barn in Poland that sports a rare sign: Ron Paul for President.

It’s a rough ride and a pokey one these days from Poland proper, by the lake and up the hill to the Poland Spring House and down again. If you must ride that road, set out early.

But it’s even better to come home. Coming over Route 232, seeing the view just before you reach the S-curve never fails to delight. Rumor has it that our beloved curve may get straightened out. Sure hope not. (Not all change is good!)

Back in the River Valley on Saturday morning, the Rumford Historical Society’s annual sale on the lawn of its Lufkin School museum in Rumford Center attracted crowds early. Looked as if the society would make some serious money. Turning from the baked-goods table presided over by Mary Greaney and Patty Hopkins, I bumped into Laurie Soucy and her daughter. Laurie had her eye on a sizable collection of old golf balls: Dirigo Middle School students – a new generation of golfers – could use them.

Saturday morning and early afternoon were just about perfect: sun, breeze to blow away the bugs, mild: June!

Vote today!

Linda Farr Macgregor lives with her husband, Jim, in Rumford. She is a freelance writer. Contact her: [email protected]