Alexis Hartz, Author

Each time I visit my parents in Maine I usually have the very good fortune to accompany them on their monthly "hiking group" outing. May's outing was a day of biking day on Peaks Island, one of many islands in Casco Bay off the coast of Portland.   Now an artists' community with about 800 year-round residents,  the island has been a  popular summer destination for vacationers since the late 1800’s. We had to find out why. After purchasing tickets for passengers and bikes, we boarded the Casco Bay Ferry in Portland. The ferry ride is a treat in itself, seventeen minutes of panoramic views of the islands in the bay and the Portland skyline.  From the ferry's dock we could smell  cinnamon and hurried up the hill to Peak's Cafe where some of us enjoyed Linda's famous cinnamon buns. I bypassed the buns to get my buns on a rental bike at  the bike rental stop just down the street.  Brad’s Bike Rentals looks like a small garage with a fr...

Oh she's a beauty. Doesn't look like much from the outside, but inside she's cozy, and clean, and comfortable. She's been loved, and she's ready for someone to take her on the road again. I've outgrown her. All of my work-camper friends said that I would. Some told me that I'd upgrade to a newer model. Others were sure that I'd find solace in a smaller rig. I still haven't decided which way I'll go, but I do know for sure that I will have another home on wheels. Living in my motor coach has been more than a dream come true. It's been a great privilege to park in magnificent places, surrounded by views that even the ultra-rich can hardly afford.  It's been a great blessing of kind neighbors sharing potluck dinners and telling stories 'round the campfire. It's been an intimate connection with nature, particularly the sounds of soft gentle rain on the rooftop and the ever-present call of a hoot owl outside of my window....