MA(ine) Road Trip: Vision Quest Approximation

It was a vision quest worthy of any of the great road trip narratives, from Don Quixote to Sal Paradise. MA’s Alex Brodin, Christie Leonard and Nick Manai packed up the van and set their sails in a north-easterly direction, making their first stop in Portland, ME to hit the town with local hosts Lia and Sam Mrozinski and fellow English grad Angeline Nies-berger. The next morning the trio left the city to make it out to Wilton to stay at Casey Smedberg’s grandparent’s lake house—thanks Pop-pop and Gram. On the way there were gas-station lobster rolls, roadside PB+J’s, and Vision Quest mix CD’s, along with Appalachian Trail hiking, Lupine foraging, sunset kayaking, and many many late night bonfires. We found some great book deals in little thrift stores, but realized we’d never get a thesis written with the chance to explore the long, tree-encased roads and stay up late with the tall, star-freckled skies of Maine, together. Special thanks to Sam Cooke, Father John Misty and Lucinda Williams for being our spiritual shamans and Peter Quill’s Awesome Mix from Guardian’s of the Galaxy for keeping us loose and upbeat as we opened up to the collective vision. As legendary New Englander Jonathan Richman put it: “I’ve seen old Israel’s arid plain./ It’s magnificent, but so’s Maine.”                                                                                                                          --Nick Manai