Unity, Maine

It's great to be back blogging now that the computer is back from being repaired.  Unfortunately, I've done a lot of geocaching since the computer has been down and now I need to start catching up!

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If you follow Route 202 west from Bangor, you will come to a small town called Unity.  Driving and walking through Unity, you might feel a bit of a disconnect.  There are modern businesses in old buildings, new developments such as the playground, and old farm houses on expansive parcels of land. 

Unity is a town that prides itself on its natural resources.  I got to see a few of the trail systems around town.  One, called the Connor Mill Trail, takes you on a winding stroll near the edge of a lake.  I think it must have been free fishing day because at every stop I made, I encountered people fishing.  Seeing as it was a beautiful day, I really can't blame folks for wanting to get out and enjoy the weather.  In one of the geocaches, I found some bug repellent wipes, which I came to regret not taking.  I ended up having to stop at the True Value in town to get a can of bug spray to keep the annoying pests at bay.  The first stop on the trail was a section of water crashing over some rocks protruding from the water.  A bit farther down was a wooden bridge with a steep set of stairs leading me across a stream. 

The other walking trail I got to see was at Unity College.  Walking across campus you can really tell how much the students and faculty value natural resources and sustainability.  There are gardens and a small wind turbine to supply power.  I started down Hubbard's Walk and it wasn't long before a buzzing black mass swarmed around me.  Even my bug spray couldn't keep these hungry insects away.  When my GPS brought me within thirty feet of the geocache, I had to pull my hood tight and use my arms as propellers to swat the black flies out of my face.  I looked at the clue right away so I could get in and out as quickly as possible.  In this case, the clue led me astray a bit because it said the cache was in a fallen tree.  It actually ended up being in a standing tree.  I think while I was trying to sign the log I managed to get five or six itchy bug bites on each hand. 



One thing you might not know about the town of Unity and its neighbor, Thorndike, is that they have a small population of Amish folks. Actually, there is another small population of Amish in the Aroostook County town of Smyrna. Some of the people now residing in Unity and Thorndike have come from Smyrna, and as far away as Ohio, Kentucky, and Canada.  There were a few caches in the area dedicated to this religious group, including a series called the Quakers, Shakers, and Amish trilogy.  Although I didn't see any buggies, white bonnets, or wide brimmed hats, their presence was definitely still felt. 



The cache wasn't where my instincts told me to look, but I found this tricky hide after just a minute of looking around.  Although it was the smallest find of the day, I think it was also my favorite.  I love creative hides like this and coupled with this rarely spotted sign, it made for a nice cache to end the day with.  A big thanks to firefighterjake for setting up some really interesting caches in this area.