Dreamscapes Travel & Lifestyle Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dreamscapes.ca/i/375781
aT PEacE WITh naTuRE The Maine Woods appear to have transformative effects too: "I haven't yet had time to fully comprehend what I learned from this trip. but I know it was profound," says stan Tag, an associate professor at Fairhaven college of Interdisciplinary studies in Washington. Tag was one of the eight individuals who paddled the entire 400-kilometre journey. he is writing a book on the 19 th -century history of Mount Katahdin and the people who climbed it (that includes Thoreau as well as nearly 500 others). "My body felt at home in the woods and on the rivers for 16 days. What I hope is that the rivers themselves, the woods, the camaraderie, the hard physical labour of it all, the spirit of curiosity and goodwill, that all of this finds its way into my own words, my writing." I too savoured my time in the Maine Woods, using the sun as my clock and the ground as my bed. We read pas- sages from the book around the campfire. We ate like kings. steak and potatoes, bacon and eggs, blueberry pancakes, venison stew, moose and bison burgers. jason Pardilla, one of the Penobscot paddlers, recognized how paddling through the vast Maine wilderness gave him the opportu- nity to appreciate the land's culture and history: "I became even more mindful of my relationship with the environ- ment that goes back thousands of years." GuIdEd ExPEdITIons While most people won't retrace Thoreau's entire journey, visitors to the Maine Woods region can choose to travel dif- ferent segments of his expedition. Mahoosuc Guide service and new England outdoor center both run guided canoe trips throughout the area. Even the most experienced pad- dlers should consider traversing the area with a guide, sim- ply to learn of the river's cultural and literary heritage. as the only canadian paddler in the group, I was pleased to hear that Kevin slater and Polly Mahoney, founders and owners of Mahoosuc Guide service, also run canoe and dogsledding trips in Québec. The untouched beauty of the Maine Woods is less than a day's drive from many east coast canadian cities, such as Toronto, ottawa, Montréal and halifax. literary lovers can channel their inner Thoreau. The outdoorsy can camp and canoe off the beaten path. history and culture buffs can learn about times gone by: the river's logging industry and the Penobscot nation's land claims and cul- tural origins. yet, for everyone, exploring the Maine Woods is some- what like travelling back in time. It is comforting to know this natural beauty looked relatively the same to henry david Thoreau when he travelled down the Penobscot River all those years ago. travel planner For more information, visit: Maine Office of Tourism: visitmaine.com Maine Woods Discovery: mainewoodsdiscovery.com Mahoosuc Guide Service: mahoosuc.com New England Outdoor Center: neoc.com top: Our group of 40 included scholars, writers, photogra- phers, guides, Maine tourism professionals and members of the Penobscot Nation. Maine Woods discovery left: Peace and quiet took over as the rhythm of our paddles hit and glided through the water. jennifer Foden Wilson