Note:
These first two photos show a bit of work I did just today at the Bangor Mall in northern Bangor – or, rather, some of the unused and inaccessible areas thereof. The Bangor Mall is, like so many others in America, rather reduced from the great size and stature it once enjoyed. Much of its loss of business and tenants has been within my lifetime. While I do understand, even from an ecological perspective, the need to downsize languishing brick-and-mortar businesses, it does mean that many of the settings of my early memories no longer exist, at least not in the places those memories were made in.
Note:
These bottom three photos trace a route I often ran in high school cross country, crossing, among others, the so-called River Trail on the southern bank of the Stillwater River, and the miniature “Highway Trail” on the eastern side of I-95 before its exit in Orono. For our team, the route struck a good balance in both length, variety, and intensity, so it was always a favorite for recovery runs, maintenance, and occasionally more. I have some pretty great memories of running here, both alone and with my teammates.