Dear Maine…….

Dear Maine:
I guess by now you realize I’m moving on. I think I need to see some other states. I hope you’re not too upset about the breakup. After all, it’s not you, it’s me.
Check that.  
It’s you. It’s all you.
I mean, come on Maine. You had me at Katahdin! I was smitten. Head over heals. Nothing could dampen how I felt about you. 
Then the passive-aggressive, love-hate stuff started. 
You showed me beauty I could only imagine. Mountains and forest, rivers and lakes. It was a wonderland. But then you showed me wet, slick boards across mud holes that were knee deep and tried to steal my shoes. 
You showed me views of mountains that went on forever. Then you showed me blowdown that was so large and so entangled it was like Mahoosuc Notch modeled in wood. 
You introduced me to trail towns and people that were wonderful, knowing I had to leave. You helped me meet and bond with fellow travelers only to mourn as they left the trail due to injury or just being worn down – by you. 
You showed me wildlife: squirrels, snakes, snowshoe hares, and more. You lulled me to sleep with the sound of the loon. But you denied me the site of the most majestic of your wildlife, the moose. Plenty of moose poop, but no moose. 
And black flies. What’s up with that, Maine? Can you name one species on the planet that would say, “Oh, good. There’s black flies!”?
So don’t feel to bad. This is probably for the best. In the future we’ll meet again. By then the aches and pains will have subsided and I’ll just have the fond memories. 
In the meantime, I need to expand my horizons, gain the perspective of different states. 
And you, Maine, you’ll be busy too. You have this huge crowd of north-bounders coming at you. They’re fit and cocky. They think they’ve seen it all and know everything. 
You’ll show them
We’ll still be friends
 XX