Labor Day weekend 1990, I went to a bluegrass music festival at Thomas Point Beach in Maine. I haven't missed one since. Aside from the great music and people, I fell in love with the beautiful site – the open bay, the grassy fields, the stands of stately white pines. I frequently have gone back to camp with the family, and figure I have now lived over seven and a half months of my life (non sequentially) on that pretty little park by the sea.
When hammock camping was fairly new, there weren't too many hangers at the event. It was easy to find each other. Before long, I met fellow hammockforums members Zach, Dale, and Seth. We were all in agreement – not only was Thomas Point a great campground, but it is hammocker heaven.
It has been a pleasure over the years to attend the events, but also to get to know the great family who runs the campground over the years. They graciously let us use the campground during pre-season, and were kind enough to open the bathroom building early so we wouldn't have to rent a port-a-john.
Thursday night I picked Zach up at the bus station and drove up to Brunswick. We've both been dealing with some frustrating health issues, and had been looking forward to returning to our 'happy place' since the Bluegrass fest. We got up around midnight, threw a few pieces of fatwood in a firering for a 30-minute fire, set up the hammocks, and got a relaxed nights sleep. Good medicine.
Friday morning, guests began arriving. Hammocks and tents began popping up like mushrooms after a spring rain. Almost all of the guests from the two prior Maine Hangs returned this year, and several new folks. The crowd grew, as did the fire. Friday was a fest of conversation, food, and hanging out.
More folks arrive Saturday and continued the festivities. The kayak armada headed out to explore while a small group went with me on a failed pilgrimage to the Kennebec Fruit Company – the birthplace of Moxie, Maine's official soft drink – beloved by some, feared by many.
Unfortunately, when we got to Lisbon, the store was closed and we detoured to former church which has been converted to a stained glass workshop and gallery. It is unique in that the stained glass out front has a panel of the Moxie guy right next to a large panel of a spider. When we saw the front doors were locked, we thought we'd just get a picture, but wound up meeting the owner for a personal tour.
Jim was an enthusiastic and fascinating tour guide, showing us his classroom, his work on a large stained glass piece for a church in Jackman, and taking on us of a tour of the gallery, including an insect museum in the old choir loft. Really neat.
We returned to the campground to find a good music jam going on around the fire. Brambor and Jen on guitar, Jim on mandolin, Gastar on acoustic bass and Bob and Carrie on drums. As the evening went on, we fell into improvisational song – culminating in the soon-to-be hammocker classic "Hanging around". Oh, and "Cow Porn". Beer and tequila stewed pinapple chunks may be to blame for the latter tune. Food, food, and food. Burgers, pork tenderloin, hot dogs grilled over the giant flames of a firering filled with pine cones, soup, hawaian keilbasa, pasta salads. Yum.
That night, we were able to tempt Mike from the campground to join us and try out a hammock. I think we have a new convert. I believe his words were "Next year - a hundred people".
The next morning, more breakfast and a slow pack up as we enjoyed MichaelJ's electric piano in the background. The campground gates were hardly in the rear view mirror before I was looking forward to returning to this special place consecrated once again by joy and music.
What a treat it is to spend time with friends just hanging around.
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