Our CF Saint Dave is working on the plans for the Fall Regional Event - which is typically a gathering for a few hours on one day only.

Making a 2-4 hour drive each way or a flight of any length to gather for just a couple of hours, even among a lot of great friends, may just not be incentive enough. So what would YOU like to see go on around this Saturday event?

A fall color lighthouse tour along Maine's Lighthouse Coast? Describe what you'd like to see.

How likely are you to attend this Regional if there is enough to do over a long weekend. Would you prefer side-tours before or after Satuday? (Or both).

What has been your best experiences viewing lights from Boston to Lubec? From a boat, or the road?

Would you prefer a guided motor coach tour or, if there are not sufficient numbers to fill a coach, would you want to carpool and car-a-van?

For me, my trip to Portland in January allowed me to re-visit the city area lights that I last visited after the 1998 Reunion. Plus a day trip with Dave added another 10 lights or so to my 'life list'. Except for Pemaquid Point, I've not seen in person any of the other lights in northern or central Maine.

I'd like to have a guided coach tour of 2-3 days either launching on Sunday after or arriving back in Portland the morning of the Regional Event.

Who has a 'leaf-peeping' schedule for the Fall colors in Maine?

I would prefer enough going on to make it a long weekend, with side trips before the Regional. That would also give folks the opportunity to plan additional individual time after the Regional if they wish and are able.

Personally, I have only been to Portland Head, Nubble on a very cloudy day and Cape Elizabeth. I want to head back to Maine, and the fall HL regional would be just the incentive I need.

My preference for a side trip: to see as many Maine lights as possible.

That would work nicely!

Here's a few suggestions that would work the best for John and I:

First off...I base my travel alot on how I can fly for the best price or use frequent flyer miles. The middle of the week seems to be better pricing than weekends. With this in mind, I would prefer to fly in to Portland a day or two before the regional event and then leave on Sunday to head north of Portland for 3 days.

I think quite a few people have seen the lighthouses between Boston and Portland. There are lots of lighthouses north of Portland that I think fewer people have seen.

I would like to overnight in Rockland and take the boat tour out to the lights only seen from the water. My ultimate ending point would be to go all the way to East Quoddy.

As far as taking a bus tour vs. cars would depend on how many people would be interested on taking a bus tour and what the cost difference would be. I'm not sure how easy if is to get busses into some of the areas. I would prefer driving my own car than to be on a bus for 3 days. I think driving your own car would allow more people to participate for even one day if they were on a more limited time schedule.

We plan on flying in and out of Portland and renting a car for the week. Our tentative flight schedule is to fly in on the night of Oct. 4 and out on the morning of Oct. 11.

We're open for any tours on the Thurs.-Fri. before the regional and the Sun.-Tues. after the event.

Sounding better & better. I'm suppose to be getting a paper written right now , and my mind is on Maine lighthouses in the fall!

Lorie, good suggestions!

I don't want to put words in Dave's mouth but I do know that he is starting to make plans for the Regional and it may be more than just a 3 hour gathering someplace.. He is looking at several options both on land and or sea..

Since I can't make the June event...this is a go for me! I have my air tickets on hold for the next week. Dave...is Oct.4-11 going to be good for any plans you might have checked on already?

NELL did a land and sea way back when as their first event.
NELL June 1999

The Regional will be on Saturday October 7th as posted on the Harbour Lights website.. I was just posting that the format isn't set yet and Dave is looking into many different options... The date is set!

I agree with Lorie. A boat tour for lights only seen by water and by car vs bus. Seeing as its kind of in my backyard I'll go for either before and/or after side tours.

I'm with John and Judy. If I were to go, I would prefer the 2-3 day coach trip prior to the regional event. Traveling on a coach gives friendships an even greater opportunity to develop. We were on a bus pre/post reunion in Michigan last summer - about 6 days altogether and had a fantastic time! (Dave's trips are wonderful!) I would not be able to rent a car, so prefer to do the side trips with a group. If I go, it will be my first trip to that part of the country so I would really want to take advantage of the time to see the fall foliage and as many lights as possible.

We need a bit of mood-setting here. How about a couple of "Fall Foilage Fotos" From Maine? Bonus if the pictures contain a lighthouse, but not necessary.

Just a few, please. Who has some?

Until you get some "Fall Foilage Fotos" here something else to set the Maine mood... This Maine Lobster was from our trip in the early Fall of 2003.. All 4lbs of him!!

That photo would definitely put me in the mood!

That's the perfect size, Paul! Lorna and I love to order up the four-pounders at the local seafood markets at various ports of call. Prices are usually reasonable at $8-$9 a pound cooked and cracked.

Ordering a Maine lobster that large in a restaurant is expensive, but how often do you do it. You only go this way once!

Bob

Now, we are talking, Paul. That picture is perfection itself!! I have to figure out how to do this trip. We haven't even heard from Dave and we are already putting ourselves on the list! The enthusiasm is soooo contagious! I second John's motion for fall foliage pictures.

Tom,
Don't forget we don't come back from Ireland till Saturday 30th September and you're talking about going to Maine mid week which is only a few days later!
HCS

Hilari, if Tom is like a lot of the rest of us, all he needs is a couple of days to get his laundry done, repack for the next trip and he'll be ready to go!

Grace,
Some of us folks still work for a living (ha! ha!) and time is what we lack.
But I agree with you if I had the time I could do a one day turn around with no problem.

Since Tom is retired (except for all that work he does for NELL) and gets that BIG policeman's pension ( ), I'm sure he is ready to go ALL the time!! Usually we don't have time but have the money, then when we have the time, we don't have the money! Can't win, can we?!

Grace, that big policeman's pension is 20 years old this October and back then we didn't make that much. So I really fall into that second catagory of - I got the time but not the money part. So like the song says "If you the money I got the time."

Hilari I think I'm gonna give it that old collage try--If some money's still left after our Ireland trip.

Tom, I was being facetious because public servants never have gotten decent pay or retirement - then or now!

Tom
You're even crazier than I am!
I think the travel bug really did bite you big time!
HCS

I should have added that I'm going to try to make the weekend. Alas I do have to work from Monday to Thursday inbetween Ireland and the weekend!
HCS

Hilari, we come through this way only once. We need to see it all while we can! The travel bug is one of the best to have, don't you think?

Grace,
I totally agree. I get five weeks vacation and 14 paid holidays plus personal days every year
And I use every one of these days to get out and travel. There is so much world to see - lighthouses and beyond that I can never get enough! We are doing the Boon Island trip. Then in april we are off on a ten day cruise to the southern carribean - I have all the lights on each island earmarked. May I have a sunset cruise to see lights off Long Island. June is NELL weekend and Tidewater trip. Nothing yet in July. August is a trip to Plumb Island and September we are off to Ireland for two weeks. October is Avery Point relighting and I am sure NELL will be having a fall event in there somewhere. As you can probably tell I like to be on the move whenever possible. Even after all that I will still be left with several weeks vacation to fill. Gives me something else to plan!
Hilari

Fantastic!! Maybe you can take some of the left over days to just rest from all the trips!

Grace,
I don't do resting - always on the go!
HCS

Paul...your lobster pic has really watered my appetite to head back to New England again for more east coast lighthouses and delicious dining. But since Larry and I are going on the Portsmouth trip in June and Hawaii in December I'm not sure we will be able to swing Maine in October; but, your photo has sure made me stop and think this one over. Hmmmmmm, Maine in October or Hawaii in December!!!!

Kat, glad to hear that you and Larry will be in Portsmouth. Hope all the medical problems are coming along and that both of you are better.

I vote for trips after the regional, since Avery Point's relighting is the following weekend!

I'm with Jim, trips after the regional so we can also go to Avery Point's relighting.

Sounds like Dave heard you; this trip is leaning to post Regional.

That Maine Lobster made me home-sick! I am from Maine originally ana have seen most of the lighthouses. I'm always ready to go back, which I plan to do sometime this summer. Maine lighthouses are special!
I'm sure everyone will enjoy!
Someone mentioned taking a boat out of Rockland
or (Camden). I have taken these trips several times and they are well worth the time. There is also one out of Boothbay Harbor that does the
Little River Lights but this takes most of the day, so with only a few days it probably would not be worth the time.
I think on the bus tour, you could probably cover
most, if not all the ones you can see from the land.
My ambition would be to take a boat and see all
the lights on the Coast of Maine. As far as I know there are no boats that do the whole coastline.

Kay I am with you I would love to take a boat from top to bottom and see all the lights. I love Maine. I have friends that live in Maine and love to get lobsters from 2 women who sell them in a parking lot every summer. The kids always trade there tails for my claws. What a deal.

That would be neat, Fran, All we need is a boat and a Captain! Maybe that will happen someday.
Every year when I went back to Maine I tried to find lighthouse tours,- water, land, anything!
There was nothing! It's only within the last five years that there has been any, specificly, for lighthouses. There were "whale-watching"
cruises, with no guarantee that you would see a lighthouse.
If, at this time, there is nothing aailale for the whole coastline, it would be nice to do a boat tour in the "Downeast" area of Maine. I would love to see both East and West Quoddy from
the water. How about it, Dave? Are you listening?

Hi Dave,

It's me again!

It would also be nice to take a boat cruise to see the lighthouses on Casco Bay out of Portland.

Whatever he works out, you know it will be the best. We all know that Dave is a super ligthouse trip planner!!

Its been a long time as you know Hilari. My wife and I travelled more when I was working.When I retired, the travel plans never worked out. Marta got sick, and then I lost her. Its been six years now, and I'm going to go as much as I can. Like Grace says, its a one way trip, make as much of it as you can.