Day 4 of 29 Gifts in 29 Days September 2 “Back roads of Maine”

[Dan Rothermel]

Our sister-in-law Becky (she married Hannah’s brother Doug) has escaped to Maine after thirty years in New York.  (Just kidding.  I love New York.  I married a New York girl!).  Since she moved to paradise nearly one year ago, Hannah and I have had monthly overnights, one month in Portland at her condo and one month in York at our place.  Lately, with Hannah still on crutches because of her fractured tibia, Becky has been coming south more often.  Yesterday she biked the 47 miles to our house in York from her place in Portland.   As a very athletic woman, she is also biking back this Sunday.  My gift is to ride with her nine miles north to Wells, Maine as a companion for the first part of her 3+ hour ride back home.  Again, this gift is no sacrifice, as I love to bike the back roads of southern Maine.  It is becoming clear that my “go to” gifts are about sharing myself, and time with another.

My second gift is to a man I never met and will likely never meet again.  As I am riding home after leaving Becky in Wells, I notice a man in the drivers’ seat looking at a map behind his rolled up window.  I stop on the opposite side of the road and make a motion with my hands pointing to myself and then to him hoping he takes that to mean, Do you need any help?  He gets it, rolls down his window, shuts off his phone, and says he needs to know the back way to Wells (where I have just been) because he wants to avoid the traffic mess that is the center of Ogunquit, Maine on this Labor Day Sunday.

Today my few tips help him avoid miles and miles of backup on Route One in York and Ogunquit.  He got the skinny on the back roads while I got to be a two-minute Answer Man.  It’s another win/win day of gift giving.

[Deb~ Community Manager]

I am drawn to these wonderful posts like a bear to honey! Fabulous...

[Lois55 wwt]

These are wonderful and thoughtful ways to give.Your sister in law is one to be admired...and you too, Dan.

[Deb~ Community Manager]

Your journey not only pleases you but those around you. Way to give, Dan~