Truth is, there was no Four Corners of Maine until the Southern California Motorcycling Association created a national Four Corners Tour – San Ysidro, CA; Blaine, WA; Madawaska, ME; Key West Florida. Ride the 7,000 miles on a motorcycle of a trike in 21 days, or less, and you get recognized. Maine took their corner, in Madawaska, and then added the other three corners for a Maine centric road trip.

I left Bangor early and headed up Route 11 through beautiful Fall scenery. Many, many trees. Not very many people. All the way up to Fort Kent and Mile 1 of US Route 1.

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Fort Kent is home to the start of US Route 1 and the original Fort Kent block house, a relic of the Maine border war with England. Also the First Mile Brewing Co, not open at Noon, and Rock’s Family Diner, which happily was. I had an old school cheeseburger with a hand made patty, and fries, for lunch. A quick walk across the street to the Mile One marker and then off to Fort Kent block house for five minutes. Off to Madawaska and the North East corner of Maine and the United States!

Madawaska has built Four Corners State Park right in the center, such as it is, of town. That was worth another five minutes. So four and a half hours up for 15 minutes of sight seeing between Fort Kent and Madawaska. And lunch. The plan had been to do another trial night in Madawaska, but the scenery was gorgeous on the way up and I wasn’t ready to stop. I have some doubts as to what was going on in my head that wouldn’t let me stop, but sometimes a life unexamined is best. Back in the car and back in Bangor in another four and a half hours.