WEEK 15: ACROSS AMERICA 2017: THE END!

Marshall Point Light by Paul VanDerWerf. Taken August 30, 2014. The description says it is "a stop on Forrest Gump's cross-country run." How appropriate! https://www.flickr.com/photos/pavdw/15112148835

WEEK 15: RUN WALK ACROSS AMERICA, THE FINISH!
Segment 39 North Conway NH to Portland MAINE
The LAST segment of travel on the entire route from (Astoria then) Portland OR to Portland ME will be completed this week possibly on the first day, Labor Day in the USA, by some of you!!!  The route courses southeast from New Hampshire toward the coast of the Atlantic Ocean to the state of Maine.

Maine has nearly 230 miles of coastline; the easternmost point of land in the 48 contiguous states is near Lubec, Maine. President Franklin Roosevelt’s summer vacation home on Campobello Island, where he contracted the poliovirus infection that left his legs paralyzed, is east of Lubec off the state’s coast, in the Canadian province of New Brunswick, but it’s only highway access is a road bridge from Lubec.

Famous for its rocky coast, the Maine scenes familiar to most Americans feature coastal lighthouses, jagged cliffs, bays and inlets, beaches, offshore islands, and fishing villages. Farther inland are lakes, rivers, and mountains with “forested slopes sweeping down to the sea”.  Blueberries and lobstering are traditionally listed as mainstays of the state's economy but tourism, shipbuilding, and other industries are also strong. Maine is home to Acadia, near Bar Harbor, the only National Park in New England, which is about halfway up the coast from Portland, north and eastward.

​The city of Portland lies on a peninsula in Casco Bay on the Gulf of Maine. As a tourist, you’ll likely wish to visit the charming and historic Old Port District, along the Portland Harbor, with its views of the Atlantic Ocean.  A relaxing dinner may be the perfect way  to celebrate reaching the end of the ACROSS AMERICA route.  If this endeavor wasn’t virtual, a real trip to one or several the many restaurants and drinking establishments in the area that make Portland a foodie attraction would be next on the list of scheduled stops.

YOU HAVE REACHED YOUR DESTINATION!
CONGRATULATIONS to all who completed this cross-country running and walking “trip” of 3630 miles over the summer. There’s still a lot to learn about the geography, history, and ways of the people in the lands through which we 'traveled'. However, portions of the spaces in America previously unknown to me have become more familiar as a result of researching and writing about the route. Often times the revelations have been AWE INSPIRING!  What about you? Were you sometimes surprised at what was learned?

Take some time to bask in the glow of accomplishment that comes with attaining a far-reaching goal.  You would have covered anywhere from 7-360 total miles in 14+ weeks IN MEETING THIS EARNED RUNS SUMMER CHALLENGE. 
 
RUN HAPPY!

You can link to the Segment Map here; it's also posted on the RESOURCES page.
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portland,_Maine
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campobello_Island
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maine

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