Author: Andrew Mooers

State Of Maine National Soap Box Derby Champion

There was a time when five soap box derby racing cities in Maine put on locals.

Recruited the parents and support from strong arms and backs to wallets opening wide to fund the soap box derby program. The five venues grew, peaked and eventually only the Houlton Maine Derby Hill program was the one race city to survive.

Maine Soap Derby Racing Produced A National Winner In Akron Ohio AASBD Run!

Why? Putting up a hill, tearing down the race track used to qualify the winning soap box derby field of boys and girls is one of the main reasons. (Ouch, the L3 and L4 crack thinking about it for many grabbing their back.)

Hard work, long hours and logistics of taking over a neighborhood, a public street and adding the hay bales, safety barriers, the launch, the run out on the end when everyone screams “BBbrrrrake! ‘

All the effort put into the race track creation and dismantling is why a program for soap box derby survives or dwindles down to peter out to no more program.

Staying abreast of all the car modifications, regulation changes made mandatory by the AASBD part of expense and education to keeping the momentum going. Kids grow up too.

The All American Soap Box Derby First Place Trophy Taller Than Most!

Have other family events, employment and recreational, sporting, etc pastimes to keep up with as well.

Besides just down hill gravity racing with kit cars that win or lose by a hundredth of a second in races divided into heats.

The Houlton Maine race site history at this link.

And the up to date website for Maine soap box derby racing.

Watch the race videos salt and pepper through the derby site and on line around the social media circuit.

This past Sunday, the parents, family members of Mallory Bruin of Hampden Maine were honored in fine fashion at the Millar Civic Center. Video of the recognition for winning the top spot in soap box derby racing.

Town officials, the press, lots of well wishers and drivers especially that wanted to hear about the five heats after the winning the first one to advance.

Something two thirds of the racers don’t do in the three lanes, one trip down the hill that started the tradition back in 1934.

Check out the middle honey bee bright yellow jacket wearer with hands held high on the All America Soap Box Derby site lead in photo array. That’s Mallory Bruin from Maine.

A Maine Soap Box Derby Racer Wins The All American Top Honors, 1st Place Trophy!

After a parade and lights, siren escort through the Shiretown of Aroostook County when the family got off the Houlton Maine exit of Interstate 95, the national champ was treated to a reception with refreshments to relive the experience.

To thank the local volunteers that worked with she, her older and younger brother who were both in the Houlton Maine Soap Box Derby Race.

It is a big deal to win the state race or final game in any sport. But to go on and take the first place trophy on the national stage in Akron Ohio is something else.

Thank you parents Larry and Trisha, brothers Stephen and Chris who were on board from day one to cheer, hoot and holler.

No matter what the Maine weather that can add a whole new dimension to down hill racing with rain, wind, scorching sun, dipping low temperatures.

Kids and families are reminded we live in Maine, the weather can change every twenty minutes to keep it interesting and add to the challenges.

Like life, bundle up, get in, sit low, simmer down, hang on for the best ride. Or to just complete the challenge.

The Field Of Racers In This Years All America Soap Box Derby In Akron Ohio!

On the way to a World Championship tall trophy, a ring, all the other trappings included in the top spot honor.

No kid is raised by themselves in Maine either.

Thank you to the communities around the racers in Maine who contribute paint jobs, lettering, travel support.

And all have a helping hand in the accomplishments of one young lady who can drive, consistently win heat after heat in her red super stock car with the musical notes trailing in the wind on each side.

Congratulations Mallory Bruen and good luck to all other boys and girls who decide to rally race, to compete in the June state local event in Houlton Maine on Derby Hill.

To experience the thrill of the hill and learn about mechanics, competition, safety first and spirited soap box derby racing.

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker

207.532.6573 | info@mooersrealty.com |

MOOERS REALTY 69 North Street Houlton Maine 04730

July 26, 2016
Picnics, Camping, Grilling, Eating Outdoors In Maine.

You don’t have to be in Maine for a long time to have a good time. Outdoor exploring makes a person hungry though.

The picnic areas in Maine are a great place to pull over, open up the basket lid to fish out what was packed away to remove hunger. To quench the thirst as the outdoor air and exercise combine to increase the taste. Of whatever is dined out as the wildlife peek out, wander by and entertain table side.

We spend most of our time outdoors and three times a day the dinner bell rings. So outdoor dining, it is a big part of life in Maine. While parked somewhere nice like beside a lake, river, the ocean. Or while10 and 2 on a mission to get somewhere.

Nothing Like Outdoor Dining In Maine! The Back Drops Are Spectacular.

The recreation areas of Maine state parks is one source of spots to stop, snack too.

To stretch, take a break from behind the wheel or on the trails to eat. To snap some of the beauty of the surrounding eye candy to post on your refrigerator or the round robin on social media channels.

To let others know what you have been up to while in Maine.

When you live full time in Maine, the picnic areas don’t lose their luster.

They are still used as outdoor dining room locations as revisits to old familiar favorite spots get collected. And new hidden, unknown destinations are discovered and enjoyed when lucky enough to be in Maine more than a handful of days. Or a solitary week and that’s all she wrote.

Maine is a place to take your time, relax, explore and savor.

Here is a list of roadside picnic rest areas on Maine highways. Along your state and US highways in Maine, the canopy over the picnic table is a familiar site.

The Entertainment Reaching Into A Picnic Basket, Outdoor Dining On Homemade Goodies In Maine.

More valuable and necessary as tight vacation budgets years ago did not allow the restaurant dining and in the middle of no where, there were not so many choices or franchised meal deals.

For the pull over, stop in and slide into the booth. To put a quarter in the tableside juke box for the pick three of your favorite 45’s to sample.

Tourist rest stops along Maine’s many highways before the Interstate picked up the pace and the landing gears lifted up and under. For the here we go.

The old pack a lunch and nibble along the way to your destination in or out of Maine. Used by motorists and locals alike. Because a grill is on premise and the highway department folks keep them squeaky clean and inviting. The folks who use them also practice respect.No one likes a litter bug right?

The carry in and carry out, tread lightly approach to how you live your life.

That’s Maine. How you treat others and their property, their feelings and opinions and expect the same in return.

The View At Your Picnic In Maine. It Adds To The Home Made Taste Of Whatever Is Packed Away In The Picnic Basket.

Some of the picnic areas in Maine are no longer. I remember taking my kids to one on RT 11 in Moro Plantation that was stream side.

The kids checking out the water while the picnic basket opened up, the home made food pulled out. While the grilling operation was underway.

The birds chirping, the flow of vacationers with their campers and pickups, SUV’s loaded down with kayak and canoe working roof racks.

That’s the entertainment pulling off the road from traveling to grab a bite to eat.

Budget cut backs and Interstate 95 in Maine made the shift from the smaller picnic area to larger tourist information centers.

Complete with running water, for those pit stops. For the perusal of the brochure racks of maps, tourism information and four color propaganda from its publicity members.

I am a card carrying member of the Tourism bureau that has seen many changes in it’s name. And still stock the shelves with print media that still gets picked up, circulated and digested by the motoring public.

Farm Fresh Blueberries Ready To Be Raked On The Barrens.

Removing fatigue in driving to avoid accidents is another big reason for the tourist stops.

Locals around the tourist information centers of Maine use the facility for their own quick meal.

And families enjoy the play grounds if there is one and the folks you meet at the next picnic table with the open sides, roof over head.

Helping tourists get around, know the lay of the land is part of the where are you from, what are you doing for fun while in Maine.

And the suggestions about the list of activities you might want to consider while in Maine on vacation. On top of giving directions, the best way in, out, all around the many small scattered towns, plantations and only a handful of cities in Maine.

Respecting Maine’s Vast, Rich Natural Resources. Easy Does It.

We all work for the Maine publicity bureau, put the badge on every morning. Mainers are friendly, make eye contact, will do you a favor. Because we love where we live and can’t keep it a secret.

Maine, hear her calling?

It starts as a whisper and then snowballs from there once she gets into your system. Unplug, recharge, let go in Maine.

Don’t try to fight it. One bite, a small morsel, a glimpse of the eye candy is all it takes. Then she has a secure hold on your heart strings and gives a playful tug as a reminder it has been way way too long. Come back to Maine.

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker

207.532.6573 | info@mooersrealty.com |

MOOERS REALTY 69 North Street Houlton Maine 04730

July 18, 2016
After The Fourth Of July, Small Maine Towns Settle Down To Normal.

It’s a big deal celebrating the nation’s birthday, all our USA freedoms.

Small Maine towns turn up the volume on the local events to wave the red, white and blue. And state fairs, local celebrations are part of the fun in small towns like Houlton Maine. Parades, fireworks, great food and carnival rides combine with events like horse and truck pulls. And demolition derby smash them up car collisions. That the crowd hoots, hollers it’s appreciation for their favorite drive. Usually the underdog, newcomer or old classic local icon favorite.

The Carnival Food, Fun, Games, Rides. Did You Get Your Fill This 4th Of July In Maine?

Retailers, shop keepers in Maine combine in full force to collectively offer bargains to hold up their end of the party. To do their part too!

And company, talk about overnight guests and extra cooking, cleaning and juggling to fit it all in. Have had a lot of people wander in and out of work this week. Perplexed and wondering what day it is exactly.

One lady that owns a lake home in Maine we are selling said her two grandchildren just left.

Midnight Madness In Houlton Maine, Aroostook County Seat Or The “Shiretown”.

They are seven and nine and wore she and her husband out. She said the granddaughter, the youngest argued about everything.

The grandson wore out her older husband riding bikes, casting fish lines, learning how to drive a golf ball.

He and she are both played out. Geritol tonic won’t help. They are belong exhausted and one dose of sleep session is not going to reverse the sluggish feeling. Of being torn inside out entertaining.

She felt like a short order cook and it was more difficult to find food the kids would eat.

Then she remembered her own kids, their grandchildren’s parents when they were little ones. Pushing food around their plates when they sat down for meal time.

Company can be like fish. Start to small a little as they linger a slightly too long and wear out their welcome. Some company pitches in more and are a big help and not a burden or dead weight about your Maine home.

Would You Take Driver’s Education From This Demolition Derby Driver?

It is hard to try to work and entertain guests, your out of town family that is on vacation on both ends of the day.

The company can get bored and are in vacation mode so entertain me please.

The house owner hosting the sleep over and share our home can use their washer, dryer round the clock and made several extra trips to the grocery store.

Maybe the lack of sleep, being a little punchy with all the down time of long vacations like the fourth of July cause drive irritation.

And desire to watch or be in a demolition derby event. Edging, spending and eating too much.

Traffic Is Not Usually This Heavy Or Aggressive Dog Eat Dog in Small Maine Towns.

Going too light on the Zzzzzzzz’s when getting your head in the bed, laying it down on the pillow each short night of darkness. Before up and at ’em, rise and shine, cock a doodle do.

The demolition derby in Maine.

Dangerous but each hit can make the folks in the audience wish they could just once in traffic do the same.

To plow into and stove all to heck the slow moving motorist making life come to a snail’s crawl out on the open highway.

Watch a video on one local demolition derby in Maine, other events too.

Hope your fourth of July was a memorable, safe one and included family gatherings to catch up on the lives of other with the same DNA pumping in their arteries. Family is everything and what living in rural, underpopulated Maine is all about day in and out.

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker

207.532.6573 | info@mooersrealty.com |

MOOERS REALTY 69 North Street Houlton Maine 04730

July 7, 2016
Houses In Maine, The Kind That Are Not The Norm.

Small Maine towns have lots of different housing stock that reflect the walks of life and the size of the pay checks of their owners.

Through the years the shift from many family farm, New England type housing multi story structures with auxiliary barns, chicken houses, machine sheds and barns have shifted to more efficient, modest one floor ranch style homes.

Maine Housing Is Working Farm Houses, Blue Collar Simple Capes, Ranches And Not Swanky, Designed To Impress.

Roam up and town the main streets of most small Maine towns and you see the capes, colonials, federal and bungalow home designs.

Along the coast the grander sea captain homes with the glass widow’s walks on top. To scan the open water for the return of the skipper of the vessel piloting it over the choppy seas beyond the breakwater of the protected Maine harbors. That are dotted with Greek Revival, Queen Anne, Mansard and English Tudor style homes.

County seats have a little more austere housing stock and reflect the center of industry and services provided due to the designation as capital of one of the sixteen counties Maine is brought to have. But … housing that is not the norm and simple, straight forward, functional.

The Tourist Areas Around MDI, Acadia National Park Have Housing That Is A Tad Bigger, Fancier, Higher Price Tagged.

Maine has pockets of that too that are a little out of character with the rest of the designs that you typical find along the highways and byways of small town and rural country living.

Case in point, ski chalets at your bigger mountains like Sugarloaf USA, Sunday River. Compounds around Walker Point in Kennebunkport Maine.

And in Bar Harbor Maine, I have heard seventy five percent of the nation’s wealth was concentrated in vacation homes, estates along the rugged, rocky coastline in that Mount Desert Island community.

What was in Bar Harbor Maine for housing stock of the rich and famous is no longer so historically original though.

Your Cup Of Tea For A Maine Home? Pretty, Ugly, Or In Between?

New homes with larger square footages, more palatial features built by carpenters pushed to out do another neighbor’s housing stock sticks and bricks.

Driven by the size of the wallet or expanse of the ego of the family name behind whatever was framed and embellished for all to envy.

Old money wealth and Nouveau riche explained, the different degrees noted in this link. It is better to be humble and sensitive to the needs of others when you have wealth.

Using it to benefit others and not bring attention to yourself always plays best.

What changed the landscape of Bar Harbor Maine’s earlier housing stock was a fire in 1947.

Winds fanned the flames and quick destruction happened, caused ashes to what was because of the Bar Harbor Maine 1947 fire. What once was is captured in a few black and white images,news accounts, magazine reports but essentially lost in a puff of smoke.

Homes On The Coast Of Maine, Along Main Street Of County Seats Are Higher Scaled, More Attention Getting. And Not The Norm.

In a recent coastline tour and after listening to the history and some gossip colored by time, I snapped a few images from the bow of a Bar Harbor Maine sight seeing boat.

These images show cliff top estates, housing stock that is not the typical Maine down to Earth simple or purely functional working homes. And much of what you see does not have much age on it.

Many are uninhabited but highly maintained for when the owners of the estates who have lots of other venues to call a vacation home to pay a visit.

For a tourist that arrives by cruise ship, dropping anchor in the harbor and carried by a smaller tender boat. To walk the gang plank. To land on shore to shop til you drop for nick knacks and momentos stamped with the five letters that mean Vacationland just like the license plate promises.

But not knowing what they see in the highly commercial tourist attractions is not a true reflection of all of Maine.

Heading In To Bar Harbor Maine. (Pronounced BAH-HAR-BAR) And Did You Know Humorist Tim Sample Is From Fort Fairfield Maine, Not A Coastal Town Chummy?

To get that you need to paddle your canoe or sea kayak, to tack just so with your sailboat further north.

Up the coast line to places like Lubec, Eastport in Downeast Maine.

Or to the interior sections of central and Northern Maine. That is the still trapped in time, the same as all of Maine once was. Those are not where you find your luxury housing in Maine.

Lower key, a lot of the same, more down to Earth happens with the houses we call home in deeper recesses of Maine.

Hard working folks maintaining, preserving what an earlier generation relative crafted working to make ends meet in small Maine towns.

That is a lot of the housing stock of Maine that is form follows function. And the function is not to impress, no hint of la de da or ooh la la. It was more rural farming, coastal fishing, timber harvesting related uses and housing applications you will find the more time you spend in Maine.

Get to all of Maine.

Family Fun. Make A Splash, Paddle Around A Maine Coastal Community.

Have you been to Maine, do you know what the state looks, feels, smells, sounds like beyond the high points that the path if well worn ? Read her cover to cover. Not just nibble around the edges to experience Maine.

Get to hidden spots that you have to look hard to find. To see the less traveled trails in the nooks and crannies of this drop dead gorgeous state.

Maine, get to sample ME as often, as soon as you can. See what you are missing in Maine, the way life should be. Come for a day, stay a lifetime.

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker

207.532.6573 | info@mooersrealty.com |

MOOERS REALTY 69 North Street Houlton Maine 04730

July 2, 2016
Maine Has Many Moving Parts, Check Out Her Venues.

Vacations in Maine when you are a native are extra special.

Because more than one a year happen and we get to sample the same places different seasons. New spots to add to the list while life ticks by.

Egg Rock Lighthouse Off Bar Harbor Maine, MDI. One More To Add To The Collection Of Maine Lighthouses.

It is hard to imagine just a few days a year in Maine and expecting that small a session to explore and enjoy her to even begin to satisfy the thirst or hunger for more.

Have you ever been to Maine gets a lots of of the same answers. When you poll the wild blue yonder and ask for a show of hands. For who has been here, there and in between.

Because there are four seasons, the venues we enjoy the most are never quite the same. The spot on the calendar that we visit and return for more is like adding different seasoning to the experience.

Personally, I love to visit a Maine lighthouse in the dead of winter.

No other cameras to fence with to collect the eye candy. And there is something about seeing your breath and the shade of the ocean blue water in contrast to snow white pure that makes the photo opt more memorable for me. More on Maine lighthouses.

Deeper places inside are hit and tickled and soothed when you get to explore and discover Maine’s magic without lots of people to share the moment.

Bigger Than Life. Majestic, Constant, Challenging Mt Katahdin Maine.

Off season is not a bad thing in the state dubbed “Vacationland”.

So how about a few images from Bar Harbor Maine, made the trek during tourist season but enjoy it even more around the fringes when cruise ships are not double parked off shore.

Use the LL Bean Island Explore to take you to and fro and leave the driving to the blue and green marked buses is one bit of advice is new to these parts around Mount Desert Island.

They say that at one time 85% of the nation’s wealth was concentrated in Bar Harbor Maine. That JP Morgan did not like spilling his drink when taking a sunset cocktail cruise along the shoreline around Bar Harbor Maine.

More images of Bar Harbor Maine.

So JP used a little of his vast wealth to take the belt and suspender approach to smooth the waterways off the coast of Bar Harbor Maine.

To alleviate that little unpleasantry. By commissioning a load of rocks to create a breakwater to calm the Atlantic Ocean waves.

Maine Is More Than Lighthouses, Lobsters, Lake Loons.

Take a ride on the Acadian boat tours and hear more tales about the big fire of 1947 that changed the face of Bar Harbor.

And see a bald eagle swoop down at you in the boat with talons out stretched. To muckle on to a fresh piece of fish and then flap flap for all he is worth to return to his nest with dinner for the wife and kids. Bring the camera, keep the safety off and just wait for more of the wildlife to say hello.

White tail deer on the islands, sea kayaks bopping around your tour boat all add to the sunshine, sea air and feeling of wide open expanse on the water.

I felt lucky to see gray seals, puffin, a minke whale and to collect one more Maine lighthouse for the collection.

Egg Rock Light is pictured in this Me in Maine blog post today.

Have you been to Maine and which parts have your never dipped your toe in? Try out the new venues of Maine on your next vacation and remember camping, a picnic and just a few gallons of gas along with tent for under the stars is one inexpensive option to drink, breathe, hear and see Maine. The off the beaten path places are the most special and home grown not store bought.

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker

207.532.6573 | info@mooersrealty.com |

MOOERS REALTY 69 North Street Houlton Maine 04730

June 27, 2016
The Beauty Of Maine, Space Is A Big Part Of The Magic.

What is the attraction to a big place like Maine?

Space, lots of it. Not worrying about interfering with any other person’s privacy, happiness, their personal life enjoyment. And likewise, no other of our fellow man or woman bumping into our bubble.

And it snow balls from there. More space, less or no people in an underpopulated rural state like Maine means the local water resources and the land turf is not over used and abused.

It Is The Prettiest Weed I Can Think Of… Lupines.

Like a home where no one is around to clutter it up, there is not so much housekeeping to perform to pick up after yourself, someone else.

And the folks that return to Maine for the solitude have a respect. Developed like the die hard locals. To carry in, pick it up and tread lightly. Leave everything like you found it or in better shape if possible as you become a vigilant, good steward.

And when you have a lot of people to herd like an urban area does, there are layers of players.

Plenty of thickly stacked permits, regulations to apply and slow everything to an expensive crawl. To corral and keep everyone in line with lots of rules.

Clusters Of Lupine, Sometimes They Are More Spaced And Scattered.

Plenty of crowd control applications and lots of little bureaucratic kingdoms to arm wrestle with in the hurry up and take a number, have a seat. To maneuver around to get even the smallest of stuff accomplished in an overbooked life.

In small rural Maine traffic is gone. Replaced with outdoor beauty, scenery, wildlife, wooded sections, waterways, open space. We use the land, create wealth from the dirt in so many versions of farming.

Delays getting cross town to appointments, return to the hardware store for the right wicket, to pick up bread and milk… all the errands are quick, simple, no road rage elevating the temperature under the driver’s collar.

Crime stats peg us at the fourth lowest for breaking the law.

Eye contact made, manners displayed with an extra helping of consideration. There is a small town, intimate connection in Maine communities. A tight wrapped we’re all in this together and aren’t we all lucky to live here the way life should be.

Day Is Done In Maine. Fresh Rain, Sunset Sunshine Combine.

Is it like that where you are now? Do cars get stolen, windows broken to steal the contents? Maine keys in rural areas never leave the ignition, house doors left unlocked too. Because we are far enough away and folks are taught as little grasshoppers to respect other people’s feelings, their personal property too.

Lower cost house and car insurance because the price tag for both types of coverage is lower. Because the real estate prices are closer to the ground.

Like I said, it snowballs. The extras that combine from the long list of what we don’t have that you don’t want but have to grin and bear it, just accept with a bite the bullet by choosing to live in the city.

Combined it all with the natural beauty a place like four seasons Maine is famous for and that word is getting out about thanks to people buzzing on the Internet.

Have you been on the fence about living in a place like Maine?

Or at least investing in a piece of it for the R and R we all need to unplug, recharge? Thank you for following our Me In Maine blog posts and eyeballing the imagery that the copy wraps around as we hunt and peck about the place we all love so much. Maine, it may just be what has been missing in your life.

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker

207/.532.6573 | info@mooersrealty.com |

MOOERS REALTY 69 North Street Houlton Maine 04730

June 21, 2016