The son and daughter-in-law came for a visit last month which meant I put on my cruise director hat. Why is it that you never explore your own back-yard until guests come for a visit? Well, Bangor is not exactly the back-yard (50 miles away) but I had heard of an odd thing called a “City Forest” with a boardwalk through a bog.  So the four of us piled in the car and off we went on a brilliant autumn day.

The Bangor City Forest is over 600 acres of trees, woodlands and bog.  Apparently this bog was created over 10,000 years ago when the glacier that covered Maine melted and receded into the Atlantic Ocean – and right through this bog is a mile-long boardwalk which means you can get up close to the bog without getting your Guccis wet (remember I’m a city girl).  For the more adventuresome explorer, the city forest offers nine miles of trails most of which are dubbed easy hiking.  (For those seeking thrills like the Eiger, better to go to Acadia and Cadillac Mountain.  Okay, I am stretching this analogy).

The bog is full of ferns, skunk cabbage, moss and hundreds of plant species; the acidic content of the bog stunts the growth of trees, most of which are no taller than 6 to 8 feet – which gives one an idea of how a giant would feel walking through a human forest.  After our nature tour, we piled back in the car and headed for Sam’s and, of course, Starbucks which were only two miles away!

Intrepid Explorers: Sandy 3, Diana, Sandy 4 and Trina

Diana
The White House Inn