The horizon stretches forever in an evergreen blanket of mountains and hills, interrupted only by the magnitude of Cupsuptic and Mooselookmeguntic Lakes. There’s a surreal feeling of leaving the ground if I stare too long. It’s got to be all that open air and a silence whispering of true solitude.
Another great view called "The Height of the Land" lies just a few more miles down the road. For first timers, this vista gives a good impression of the lay of the land surrounding Rangeley, as well as the lake itself. This grand body of water acts like a boxing referee easing its way between two heavyweights, the mountains and foothills to the east and the broad plain that makes up the western shore. The village proper is easy to find from this viewpoint, located on the furthest eastern cove, all decked out in typical New England white. It looks so far away. But I know that’s just my anticipation talking.
Rangeley is everything Route 17 is, with a tad more civilization thrown in. Like any popular vacation spot, Rangeley can be busy by Rangeley standards. It’s hard to avoid the herding instinct when it comes to vacation essentials.
To me, getting there should be just as satisfying as being there. I like to call any road trip a journey. The word "journey," compared to "trip," has a certain sound to it that promises transformation. And by all standards, that’s what a vacation should be: a personal transformation by something enjoyed, if only for a precious short time. William Least Heat-Moon said it best in "Blue Highways": "When you’re traveling, you are what you are right there and then."
Leave what’s in the rearview mirror behind, enjoy, and be transformed....
