14 Aug
Pack up day and last day in the Bar Harbor area. We washed the outside mats. Cleaned the barbecue and packed it. Washed the tire covers and packed them. Washed the entire RV exterior. Doreen did the remaining laundry. We also hit the grocery store to replentsh the pantry.
We also had a nice talk with the couple camping next to us. They farm near Corning Iowa. Dead giveaway was the Iowa Hawkeyes flag out in front of their camper, the Adams County license plates and his Iowa Hawkeyes hat with "ANF" on the front!
So tomorrow we head north to Aroostook County and our final destination - the Loring Air Force Base reunion. We will be camping in Arnst Aroostook River Campground near Presque Isle Maine, our 19th campground on this adventure.
Aroostook County is the northern-most county in Maine, bordered on the north, east and west primarily by Canada, and it is locally known by most Maine residents simply as "The County". Another little factoid, Aroostook County is the largest American county by land mass, east of the Rocky Mountains. It is known for potato crops, in fact Doreen actually worked on a potato harvesting machine while we were stationed up there. They used to also raise sugar beets, but I don't know if that is still the case. Acadian French is widely spoken. Since we left there in 1977, they have apparently embraced wind energy.
A bit of history: I enlisted in the United States Air Force on 18 December 1972, attended basic training June-July 1973 and then attended radio maintenance technical training school at Keesler Air Force base in Biloxi MS July-December 1973. I was allowed to come home on leave for a short period over Chrismas 1973 and then after the New Year my dad and I drove to Loring Air Force Base in Limestone Maine, my first duty assignment.
We arrived Loring on a very snowy 4th of January 1974 and I reported to the 2192d Communications Squadron. In February I received permission from my commander to move out of the barracks into an apartment in Caribou Maine because I was engaged to be married soon. I came home on leave in March and married Doreen on 30 March 1974 and we returned to our first home, a tiny apartment at 18 School Street .
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| Cedar Falls shortly after the wedding. Packing for our return trip through Canada |
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| Doreen, our new car and 18 School Street in Caribou |
Later we moved to a slightly larger apartment at 7 Myrtle Street in Caribou, and out first daughter, Michelle Dawn was born.
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| How it looked in 1975 |
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| How it looked in 2015 |
We finally got "base housing" so we moved into a duplex at 12 Twilight Drive in Presque Isle Maine which used to be an Air Force base also.
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| A view out the front door 1976 |
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| How it looking in 2015 |
We were there until 1977 when I got a three month early out because I had been offered a job with the State of Iowa, Department of Public Safety Communications Division. So that is our connection with Aroostook County.
Loring Air Force base was closed in 1994 during the first round of the Base Realignment and Closing Committee (BRAC). Next weekend is an "all squadron" reunion for anyone who has ever been stationed there. Doreen and I have been wanting to come back up here for a long tome and the reunion was a great opportunity, now that I am retired.
Next report from Arnst Aroostook River Campground.
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