Moose tracks and Whoopie Pies

Here in Bangor, Maine .... for one week now:   Vera is out of the hospital; but our motorhome is in (the hospital)....  (Freightliner repair shop).   We are actually at the moment .... homeless ... sort of.  When Vera was released from the hospital we checked in to the adjacent hotel (it is connected to the hospital and gives a good discount to hospital patients who need an "interim stop".  We did, because with the motorhome being in the shop during the day; it means we six souls (3 two legged and 3 tail waggers) have to spend the day in the car either doing chores (laundry), shopping (dangerous) or sight-seeing.  Vera wasn't up to any of those, so we chose the hotel. 

The repair shop always will let you spend the night in the coach in their parking lot (which we were doing when we had to call 911 for Vera); but the hassle of playing musical vehicles (with the dogs) at 7 am is not really a lot of fun.
Today is the fifth day the repair shop has had the coach; .... but they feel like they have (finally)identified the cause; and by the end of today will have fixed it.  It was potentially a very dangerous problem: the engine sometimes would cut out at very low speeds .... usually when I was coasting to a stop.  But the last time it did it; I was starting a turn into a driveway ....... you just canNOT steer a 28,000 lb. vehicle without power steering ..... trust me.
Anyway, then they had the usual obstacles ..... had to order the parts (twice); couldn't access the top of the diesel engine without moving the carpet, flooring and bed out of the way in the back of the coach.  Diesels are harder to access and work on.... but when it works right, it is a wonderful machine!  Especially in the mountains!

Well, now to the moose story.  You know how I've mentioned here that we would really like to see a moose in the wild?   And that we went 'moose hunting' starting back in Wyoming and Montana last year?   Well, all the way across Vermont, New Hampshire and into Maine we saw roadside signs warning about moose crossings ..... sometimes it would be very specific: "frequent moose crossings next 1/4 mile, early mornings and evenings".  We thought about just pulling off and sitting there however long it took to see one crossing. 
But jump to the present:  here we are in a hospital/hotel along the Penobscot River here in almost downtown Bangor, Maine ..... and Sunday morning near downtown Bangor .... moose were spotted by the river !! .... wonder if we could send the dogs out to track them down?

There is a wonderful park just across the road from the hospital/hotel.  It includes the whole side of a mountain (hill) overlooking the river ..... and has massive green areas, as well as trails thru pine forests, as well as a two-tiered waterfall and huge fountain.  This is the typical picnic location for the dog's breakfast and dinner.  Charlie and I usually take them there two or three times a day.

Today we went to a nearby sandwich shop to get sandwiches to take back to the hotel ..... and found the largest selection of 'whoopie pies' I have ever seen.  Any flavor cake you can imagine; any flavor of filling you can imagine.  I've been noticing them everywhere there is a cash register (just about) and people seem to buy them by the sackfulls.  Turns out it is a regional tradition here, and has been named the offical "Maine Treat".  A local lady started in 1994 making them in her kitchen ..... etc, etc, .... now her bakeries make 10,000 daily and they are distributed throughout New England.  Very good, very fresh .... calls them "Wicked Whoopies".

More later, Marilyn