The Maine Outsider
The Maine Outsider is a free newsletter curating outdoor events across the state. Our mission is simple — help you find the fun and help great organizations find you.
Maine Outsider: Invite 134 // Aug 12
Invite 134 // Aug 12 The Perseid meteor shower peaks tonight, coinciding with mostly clear skies and a new moon. In short, conditions look great for seeing 50–100 meteors per hour. Find a dark, open space (fairly easy in Maine) and get out there! One option: check with your local land trust — places like Hacker's Hill in Casco have extended hours tonight for better viewing. Enjoy the spectacle. Now, on to this week's events. ✌️ Max This issue of the Maine Outsider is sponsored by Siberia...
Maine Outsider: Invite 133 // Aug 5
Invite 133 // Aug 5 I've been anxious lately. Heart racing, rumination, poor sleep. The whole gnarly deal. This past Sunday, as a new wave of anxious energy started to build, I grabbed my keys and headed for a place that's become a getaway for me—East Windham Conservation Area. I packed a camelback, a hat, and, on a whim, a pair of swim goggles. The 20-minute drive to the trailhead slowed my internal tempo a few beats. The hike up to Little Duck Pond did the opposite, but in a welcome way. By...
Maine Outsider: Invite 132 // Jul 29
Invite 132 // Jul 29 For a second week in a row, I'm going to skip the intro and jump right into the events. August is on the doorstep with a variety of opportunities from paddling to clamming. Don't fret the turning of the calendar—there are still a lot of great summer days to come. Now, on to this week's featured activities. ✌️ Max Reach 1,000+ Maine outdoor enthusiasts while supporting a community resource. View sponsorship opportunities. Paddle with a Ranger Thu, Jul 30 | Jefferson | Free...
Maine Outsider: Invite 131 // Jul 22
Invite 131 // Jul 22 We've got a full slate of activities this week, so I'll keep the intro short and let the events do the talking. It's shaping up to be a perfect weekend with mild July temps and sunny skies. Get out there and enjoy it. I know I will. ✌️ Max Reach 1,000+ Maine outdoor enthusiasts while supporting a community resource. View sponsorship opportunities. Sunset Concert Wed, Jul 22 | Casco | Free Listen to North River Music perform Americana rock and bluegrass at Hacker's Hill...
Maine Outsider: Invite 130 // Jul 15
Invite 130 // Jul 15 I took the above photo several years ago on a weeklong solo camping trip through the North Maine Woods. After a few hours on dirt roads, I pulled into a site near Little Lobster Lake and set up camp as summer storms rolled in from the north. I didn't have anywhere to be, so I just sat there for an hour and watched the sky change. It passed through phases of shifting winds and imminent rain, before crumbling into total stillness. This newsletter is all about activities,...
Maine Outsider: Invite 129 // Jul 8
Invite 129 // Jul 8 In the business world, it's common to set and track KPIs (key performance indicators): revenue, growth, and retention. Having started a new job recently, I've been thinking about this more than I'd like. Outside of work, though, I don't track much. No Strava, no sleep tracker, no activity log. Nothing against it, just not for me. One thing I do track, however, is my number of annual moose sightings. Half-jokingly, this is one of my life KPIs. Moose are elusive and...
Maine Outsider: Invite 128 // Jul 1
Invite 128 // Jul 1 Hey Outsiders, if you haven't heard, it's going to be hot over the next stretch of days. Normally, events in Maine have a rain date, but it's worth watching for heat-related reschedules over the next week or so. In the meantime, find some water and cool off. Here are a few helpful resources: Maine's 12 Best Swimming Holes – Down East Swimming at Maine State Parks & Public Lands Swimming Holes Blog – Outdoor Movement Project 8 Maine Swimming Holes to Cool Off This Summer –...
Maine Outsider: Invite 127 // Jun 24
Invite 127 // Jun 24 My life in Maine can be neatly divided into two chapters — before canoe and after canoe. In the BC times, I spent most of it hiking and camping: state parks, the White Mountains, calendar reminders for busy campsites, early arrivals at crowded trailheads. I stuck to the land and looked out at the water on occasion. In 2020, I bought a red Old Town canoe off Facebook Marketplace. I drove to Belfast to pick it up, strapped it to my Corolla, and before I was even halfway...
Maine Outsider: Invite 126 // Jun 17
Invite 126 // Jun 17 Early June sits in a gap. School's still in session, crowds are minimal, and the ocean is still too cold for most people to bother. The mosquitoes can be bad, and the black flies provide constant companionship away from the coast. But the color green makes up for all that. Everything is alive this time of year. The trees, grasses, and salt marshes are at their greenest. It's humid and warm, and a few lawns in my neighborhood have gone feral. Take a week off, and nature...
Maine Outsider: Invite 125 // Jun 10
Invite 125 // Jun 10 I can tell summer is approaching when events start piling up in my queue. The calendar goes quiet until Memorial Day, then land trusts, outdoor clubs, and other groups all seem to wake up at once. There are weeks in December or early April when it's a challenge to scrape together a full email. This is not one of those weeks. We have 5Ks, marsh walks, citizen science projects, and more. Let's get to it so you can spend less time reading and more time outside. ✌️ Max Reach...
The Maine Outsider is a free newsletter curating outdoor events across the state. Our mission is simple — help you find the fun and help great organizations find you.