New England 2017: Saturday in South Portland, not to neglect the Great Lost Bear and other wonders.

A deadly roundabout on a Portland back street. 

As is my usual custom, I'll be posting photos, commentary and links about our trip; the daily accounts will be back-dated to coincide with their occurrence. It won't be the most thrilling reading, but in addition to whatever else NAC may or may not have become over the years, it's still a personal blog, and you're fully entitled to views of our holiday.

Our timing for spring break in Maine was fortunate. Friday and Saturday in Portland were largely cloudless and temperate; as noted earlier, it had snowed only two weeks before our arrival.

After another round of doughnuts from Tony's down the street, we drove to South Portland, a separately chartered city. As situated across the water from downtown Portland, it is vaguely reminiscent of Jeffersonville in the sense of awakening to the possibilities of revitalization -- and having a nice view of its bigger brother.

These view are from Bug Light Park. The first time I saw the name, it appeared to me as Bud Light Park, and nausea was suppressed only with difficulty. However, it was a false alarm, because Bug Light is shorthand for the Portland Breakwater Light.

At the Cia Cafe, we had coffee and read for a while.

After a stroll, it was already time for lunch. Having already scouted the options, Foulmouthed Brewing was the obvious choice. The name derives from nearby Falmouth, pronounced FAL-muth ... from which "foulmouthed" naturally rolls off the tongue.

Beer, food and hoodies at Foulmouthed Brewing were exemplary. After lunch, it was time for a ten-minute drive to the town of Cape Elizabeth for an examination of the Portland area's most famous lighthouse: Portland Head Light. The lighthouse lies within Fort William Park, and I'm glad we weren't visiting during high season.

A plan was forming for the remainder of the day. Jason Tredo used to be regular at the Public House, and was a member of FOSSILS. Then he moved. Now the Tredos live an hour away from Portland in New Hampshire, and Jason proposed to drive down for a beer at the Great Lost Bear.

The pub is less than 20 minutes by food from our Airbnb room, and that was all right by me, as walking promotes thirst.

I've been to this nationally famous pub only twice, but it's in the upper echelon for me. A delicious sub-4% Best Bitter from Airline Brewing was on the hand pull, and yes, I had more than one. If anyone reading knows the Great Lost Bear's chili recipe or has a reasonable facsimile, please pass it along. The wings are sublime, too.

Invigorated, we headed north for a rendezvous with Diana's friend from high school, Tiffany.

Note the ice!

Tiffany is the proud owner of the Carousel Horse Farm in Casco, Maine. She'll take you trail riding or for carriage ride outings. In winter, there's a sleigh. I'm not the equine sort, but rest assured there's ample wilderness for viewing on horseback. From her website, here's a view of a beach ride.

After a brief visit, the town of Naples was the scene for an excellent evening meal and beers at Bray's Brew Pub & Eatery. The casual roadhouse ambiance seemed more than appropriate, considering that we'd be hitting the highway on Sunday morning, in route for Massachusetts.