BANGOR DAILY NEWS • December 18, 2025
Since moving from North Carolina to Maine, I’ve learned — sometimes the hard way — that things just happen here. The weather shifts fast. The dirt road is suddenly closed. The old bridge can’t be crossed. A bike tire goes flat. And staying warm takes more energy than expected. Each lesson has added something new to my backpack. It now comes with me every time I head into the woods or onto a back road, and it’s fuller than ever with extra layers of clothes, a compass and maps, a hand-held GPS, safety items, a multi-tool, paracord and even a Ziploc of Vaseline-covered cotton balls for fire-starting thanks to a local guide’s tip. and snacks.