Possibly relocating to Bridgton area.

[lrfox]

Originally Posted by cnc1215

Irfox, I'm from Wichita, Kansas.

I'm glad you touched on the traffic, because that was kind of confusing me! I was imaging bumper-to-bumper traffic and I didn't understand how that was even possible if Maine is a relatively rural place.

I like Wichita, I actually have family in Haysville so I've spent a little time there (not in 10 years though). Wichita is quite a bit larger than Portland, though very different in terms of appearance.

The traffic is not going to be what you were thinking (bumper to bumper). Roadways are so much different in Maine than Kansas. Route 302 is a "highway" by designation, but it is a 2-lane, two-way traffic road. When there's a higher volume of traffic, it's difficult to reach the highest speed limits at times, but it's not a significant delay to any regular commute and it's CERTAINLY not like a major, urban freeway traffic jam like you see in larger cities. It's really nothing to worry about.

Originally Posted by flycessna

I love street view but it just is not going to do the town justice...

No, not at all. I looked right after I saw this post. Bridgton is beautiful, make no mistake about it. Rolling hills, lakes, ponds, dense forests all surrounding a historic and attractive town center. It's absolutely beautiful. I wouldn't let streetview scare you away.

[island mermaid]

Originally Posted by lrfox

Bridgton is beautiful, make no mistake about it. Rolling hills, lakes, ponds, dense forests all surrounding a historic and attractive town center. It's absolutely beautiful.

Isn't there also a really nice waterfall on a stream or river there? I seem to remember as a kid going out there with friends and sliding down it. The rocks were slippery enough to just sit there at the top and slide quite a ways down. I can't remember exactly where in Bridgton it is though.

[gcberry]

My home is near Bridgton. Alas, there is no Target (I'm also a fan of that store) and you'd have to settle for a Wal Mart not too far away in So. Paris, which is very nice. The Remys in Bridgton is similar to an old-fashioned Woolworth's dept. store. But this brings me to another observation: in Maine in the more rural areas, it's true, the selection in stores isn't all that great. You may not get what you WANT, but you will get what you NEED, and be none the worse for the wear.

The other day I went shopping in a once-vital mall in Baltimore, MD and was shocked to see 70% of the stores shuttered, and even the still-existing Macys & JCPenney there had closed several of their departments and were low on stock - something unheard of 3 years ago. It seemed like a shock because we are not, as a whole, used to living in recession-like conditions in much of the USA.

Yet, in Maine, people have been living with less for a very long time, either by choice or by necessity, and in some ways will be less affected by the depletion of goods as we see the country continue to take an economic nosedive. Just my 2cents. But yeah, you'll love the Bridgton area imo.

[MemereLadyDi]

I go to Bridgton one to three times a year, depending upon how lucky we at Womens Camp Home Page are at getting to rent the Girl Scout camp Pondicherry for our Women's Camp encounters. The girls have the first crack at rental dates, so we sometimes have to go to alternate sites. When I first started going to Women's Camp, it was a big deal for the women from away to take a road trip in the middle of the night to shop at LLBean. Now, it cracks me up that they all think it is such a hoot to go to Reny's (or "Remmy's", as some still insist upon calling it) because Reny's has been my favorite place to shop since I was a little kid in Madison. There are several opportunities for field trips in the area, for cultural, shopping or physical activities. My personal favorite is the year round indoor heated pool at the Colonial Mast campground. Another favorite place in Ricky's, a 50's style diner with homestyle meals. The Women's Camp staff/Board makes a point to go there for a pre- and post-camp meal. There is usually a group outing to the Magic Lantern movie theater. We really like its chic new decor and comfortable seating. A bunch of us carpooled to see Mama Mia. Then there is the Deer Trees Theater which is enjoyed by many of our campers each summer. I, as the Women's Camp chef for the past 10 years, am always asked to have supper early the night the gang goes to see a performance there, so they can leave on time. There are craft stores, book stores, antique shops, clothing boutiques, several restaurants, from pizza to Chinese food to upscale dining in Bridgton, and the daughter of a friend of mine does upholstery work and fashion design. Don't know what anyone else could want, unless one enjoys living cheek by jowl with other people and living stacked on top of one another.