Four state park passport stamps down!

I love the Maine state park system. And I really love living in a state with so much natural beauty. I know it’s difficult to have a tourism-based economy. We do have lobster and potatoes, of course, but those are seasonal, too. But people here are survivors. To look at the positive side of a tourist-based economy, one only has to look at the number, not to mention the variety, of gorgeous state parks.

Everyone gets all hot and bothered about our Acadia National Park, and sure, sure, it’s beautiful. We try to take a family vacation somewhere near it every year. I love it. But in some ways, Acadia’s reputation simply eclipses many of the Maine state parks, making it so that some people will just never know the true extent of our beautiful state parks.

I’m okay with that. Because, see, when I go to a state park in the summer, it’s almost like an escape from the people from away. Don’t misunderstand me - I do appreciate the tourists. But while I may appreciate them, it’s nothing compared to how I feel about people who live here and especially people who are from here. Those are my people - yes, even that guy with bumper stickers that I disagree with. He’d pull over to help me if I was stuck in the snow, and I’d do the same for him.

It’s like I tell people, when they learn I’m from Houston and remark on my lack of an accent: I was supposed to be born in Maine...but nobody remembered to tell my parents that!

So, taking advantage of our annual vehicle pass, for the first time this year both of my kids are old enough to be interested and engaged by the Maine state park “passport” program. We are determined to go to every single one eventually. Did you know that you get a magnet after you’ve gotten stamps from eight parks? Add eight more and you also get the next prize, a patch. Eight more gets you a water bottle. For whatever reason, thanks the prize that got both of my kids’ ears all perked up.

If you get stamps from all 48 state parks, your next annual state park pass is free!

I would love to see Belfast do something similar, perhaps with pages for stamps for every city park and also local businesses. And I’d love for that to extend to the north, south, east, and west sides of the city - a stamp at the city’s boat launch onto Goose River, a stamp at the Rail Trail, a stamp at Darby’s...the possibilities are endless. I’d definitely participate!

And participate we have, at the state level.

We’ve got four stamps so far, the furthest away being Peaks-Kenny, outside of Dover-Foxcroft. One side effect: both kids informed me that next time we go to that one, they want to stay the night. Well, we’re tent camping at the Lake St. George state park this weekend - so, next year, camping at more parks will be a goal.