the Volvo line.... (Portland, Scarborough, Orono: to live, dangerous, beach)

[Northern Maine Land Man]

We like Robert Frost up here. He said, "Good fences make good neighbors." It's about respect. It makes me wonder about how elston feels about boundaries and property lines.

[msina]

Great article!

[elston]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

We like Robert Frost up here. He said, "Good fences make good neighbors." It's about respect. It makes me wonder about how elston feels about boundaries and property lines.

You can wonder all you want.......I don't and don't have to agree with you. I take offence!

I adore Robert Frost. If you read the poem he said "Before I built a wall I would want to know who I was walling in or walling out and to whom I was like to give offence."

The line about good fences he put in the mouth of the man he compared to a stone age savage. The whole poem is a voice for "mending walls" and barriers and the opening words are. "Something there is that doesnt love a wall...."
Robert Frost was no believer in Volvo Lines or barriers that divide and seperate folks. He was enough of an observer to know that exists, but his poem is the counter statement. Like I say, we all love Robert Frost.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

I think I understand. We are under assault up here by people who would eliminate private ownership of land, boundaries and even human habitation in the Maine woods. Our very presence up here is offensive to them. Rural cleansing is very real and successful. They are not done yet, but they are indeed making good progress.

[elston]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

I think I understand. We are under assault up here by people who would eliminate private ownership of land, boundaries and even human habitation in the Maine woods. Our very presence up here is offensive to them. Rural cleansing is very real and successful. They are not done yet, but they are indeed making good progress.

I have no intention of trying to clean up the folks whose life is connected to the woods. I suggest you reach out for allies and not to attack and ridicule those who mean you no harm.

[Maine Writer]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

I think I understand. We are under assault up here by people who would eliminate private ownership of land, boundaries and even human habitation in the Maine woods. Our very presence up here is offensive to them. Rural cleansing is very real and successful. They are not done yet, but they are indeed making good progress.

On the somewhat off-topic topic of rural cleansing - there are subtle signs of it every where. Think of the "no culture" comments made about rural areas and people. Many refuse to recognize culture that isn't familiar or intimately connected to them. If it's rural culture it's apparently not really culture at all. Or the people who are in no way involved in the North Woods yet are hell bent on taking it over for their own agendas. Or perhaps rural children don't deserve to be educated because their parents don't live in high property tax areas. It goes on and on.

[Maineah]

I was always under the impression the Volvo line, as you put it, is just an economic line between the people making enough money to afford such luxuries and the more rural areas where folks drive what they can afford. In the more affluent communities where cocktail parties and bluetooth headsets abound the need to be seen in the right kind of vehicle out weighs the practicality of owning that vehicle. Given the poor condition of Maine's roads EVERY SPRING, low slung turbo charged highway cars are just not practical around here. If you can afford to own one or two of them you can also afford to store them until summer.
I don't think the Volvo line was meant in the granola, Vermont, envrionmentalist, candle dipping, terms associated with the '70's and 80's aging hippies who's children have evolved into the new envrionmentalists ( who by the way prefer Subarus these days). Still as mentioned previously you do see the Volvo types getting back to nature at State owned parks and places like that as long as it isn't too far off the beaten path. Gulf Hagas comes to mind as well as the West Branch of the Penobscot. In the '70s you would rarely see a car in these areas let alone the upscale vehicles of the pretend outdoorsman class. These day trippers need conversation materials so they grab a Delorme map and a "50 hikes in Maine " guide book and set off for a four hour wilderness adventure. LL Bean has made most of it's money in the last 20 years catering to the needs of these pretend outdoorsmen. These people come and go in the Northern Maine area and are seldom seen north of Millinockett unless they're taking in "The County" via route one. They won't stay in an area where people don't stroke their egos and aren't impressed with them or their material accessories so a short visit above "The Volvo Line (civilization to them) to see how the other half lives is fine with them. After such a visit they can go back to the cocktail parties armed with the vast knowlege they have accumulated in the wilds of Northern Maine during their last great commune with nature. Now they're all taking up fly fishing!

[Northern Maine Land Man]

I don't crack up often, but this was priceless:
"I don't think the Volvo line was meant in the granola, Vermont, envrionmentalist, candle dipping, terms associated with the '70's and 80's aging hippies who's children have evolved into the new envrionmentalists"

That is exactly what was meant when the term was first mentioned in the Unorganized Territories Newsletter around 1992. In fact, they had a contest with regular updates to see how far a specific Volvo would get when it came across the line. The terms of the contest were a pink Volvo, driven by a guy with a pony tail, bumper stickers saying "Save the Whales", "Vote Yes on the Compact", "Ban Bear Hunting", RESTORE the North Woods" and "North Woods National Park". The task was to drive said Volvo from Orono to Fort Kent and back. The first one to make it would win $500. There were no takers.

LL Bean abandoned the traditional Maine sportsman and decided to be Lands End about 15 or 20 years ago. They contribute large sums of money to all the yuppie environmental organizations. The customers they drove away eagerly await the opening of Cabelas in Scarborough. There is an article about the new Cabelas in today's Maine Sunday Telegram.

[Maine Writer]

My fortune cookie this afternoon: You are rich when you're happy with what you have.

[mollysmiles]

I'm very happy on my side of the Volvo line...but I recognize that I would probably be happy on the other side as well. It has more to do with my personality than anything else. What is difficult for me *anywhere* is to see the lives of those driven by their things--how much, how many, what value, is it better than theirs?--SO much is missed in a life driven by those "values", the stuff and the comparison to others rather than the look inside to one's self. I agree wholeheartedly with you Maine Writer--you are rich when you're happy with what you have.