Adventure Alert: The Pine Tree State

Three generations of Clarks took a quick weekend adventure to Maine — my 49th state!

Hard to imagine, but I had never made it to this beautiful corner of America. Maine did not disappoint.

We stayed at Linekin Bay Resort and visited our friends at Robinson’s Wharf, where we met up with a true lifelong Maine lobster fisherman who took us out for an experience of a lifetime.

In half a day, we hauled traps and caught nearly 200 pounds of lobster — and, more importantly, got a firsthand education in the trials and tribulations, the good, the bad and the ugly of making a living on the water.

We admittedly got the easy version of lobster fishing: 65 degrees, sunshine and calm seas! I’m pretty sure that isn’t what February looks like.

Boothbay served up about all the fresh clam chowder, steamed lobster and halibut a person could ask for.

But one of my favorite stops came on the way home.

We made the trip to Bowdoin College in Brunswick to see the campus and the home of one of my American heroes, Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain.

Chamberlain was a professor at Bowdoin who left the classroom to join the Union Army and became lieutenant colonel of the legendary 20th Maine. At Gettysburg, his regiment’s defense of Little Round Top became one of the most famous actions of the Civil War. Chamberlain survived the war, returned home, served as governor of Maine and ultimately became president of the same college where he had taught.

I first became fascinated with his story through The Killer Angels, and it was pretty special to stand where he lived and taught.

49 states down. One to go.

A big shout-out to Maine — The Pine Tree State — for beautiful country, hardworking people, incredible history and one heck of a weekend adventure.

And an even bigger shout-out to getting three generations of the Clark family together to experience it. Those are the trips you remember.