Carnegie libraries visited: Caribou, Maine Days sober: 399 The Tim Horton’s in Caribou was popping at 10 this morning. Eleven guys, at tables of 4-4-3. Nine were wearing t-shirts; an equal number were in baseball caps. Lots of talking shit; lots of laughter. By 10.15 the restaurant was empty except for me. They all went to work, and I should be going too.  As I’m walking into the Carnegie library in Caribou, a guy crossing the street towards me says “Hey, what are you doing?”

Carnegie libraries visited: Rumford, Madison, Guilford, Milo, and Presque Isle, Maine Days sober: 398 My head hurts, my feet stink, and I don’t love Jesus is the title of the Jimmy Buffett tune, and it aptly describes my morning, except for the Jesus part. I shouldn’t complain. When I popped open Goldfinger’s hatch, I’m greeted by the rippling waters of the Androscoggin. My itinerary calls for over 300 miles today, mainly on rural roads through Maine’s many villages, so after

Carnegie libraries visited: Littleton, Whitefield, and Berlin, New Hampshire Days sober: 397 I was up, sniffly and early, as I had a 10.30 appointment with Profile Subaru in Conway, New Hampshire. That town had been added to my itinerary at the suggestion of my sister Gretchen, who told me it was well worth seeing. Along the way through northern New Hampshire were other libraries Littleton (in 1988, the American Library Association  selected Littleton as having the #1 small l

Carnegie libraries visited: Fletcher Free Library in Burlington and Morristown, Vermont Days sober: 396 Each time I go off the road for a few days it becomes harder to get back on it. On July 15 my friend Ian, who lives in Addison, Vermont, and I flew to Arkansas for my father’s memorial service. We returned to the “Freedom and Unity” (two concepts that don’t always work well together) state on Saturday night. By Sunday morning, Ian had Covid. I thought about leaving then, as