Mud Season is a Real Season in Maine

Mainers know all too well about mud season. Especially if they have to travel down dirt roads. Not only does mud season turn the back dirt roads into sloppy ruts and sliding goo, but it has an effect on many of the paved roads, as the frost lifts out of the ground. Potholes and frost heaves are large enough to destroy a tire rim and big enough to launch you a quarter of a mile down the road. Not for real, but it’s always what I vision. Dukes of Hazard style.

Driving the 6 miles of dirt road home, in March, I’m brought back to one of my most vivid memories from years ago. A day that still makes me giggle and smile. Reaghan was in elementary school and had stayed home…”sick”. The day was absolutley beautiful for St. Patrick’s Day. Sunny and warm. I called one of my friends and we made plans to ride to camp for the day and do what we call “Pretend Ice Fishing”. I don’t fish, or eat fish. We just pretend. On solid ground, because I’m not a huge fan of ice either.

Reaghan and I hopped in my Wrangler, which just came out of winter storage, and headed for camp. It was an interesting 6 mile ride. My Jeep had big mud tires for off-road. As we are traveling along the dirt/ mud road, bouncing over ruts and feeling as though we are in a jolopy, we would hit a patch of ice. The Jeep would then start “fish tailing”, which Wranglers don’t really fish tail, they just do a 360. Especially, with big mud tires. We’d then hit mud again, bouncing, swaying and head bobbing. Enough to make you car sick. Then again, ice. This continued all the way into camp. It was a rush to say the least. Reaghan just wide eyed giggled all the while.

Our road is maintained year around. Even before they did a lot of work on it. Back years ago, it was basically a trail through the woods and very narrow. Over the last few years, the Plantation has replaced culverts, dug ditches, raised and widened the “main” dirt roads. Our road is a dead end, so we don’t get as much traffic, which keeps the road from getting too rutted and nasty. Last year, we did have a full size truck with a snowmobile in the bed, come up through, turn around and leave. One. There was zero snow. Two. It’s a dead end. Three. Thanks, Mister Whoever You Are, we now have ruts mid calf on both sides of the road. Not long after we got a measurable amount of snow. Coming and going turned into a game of Memory. Where are the big ruts and holes? And don’t get too close to the edge, it’ll suck you in. This past fall, the Plantation fixed the sloppy spot just before our house, with landscape fabric and more gravel. This year, no issues. Very Thankful.

However, I wish it were the same for our driveway and yard. As the snow melts, the water in the fields behind us runs down hill. Right at us. Last spring we had a moat surrounding the entire house and a river down the driveway. So much water, even the dogs were having a hard time finding a place to do their duties. Trenches were dug to divert the water and we had to park at the end of the driveway and manuever our way through the mud to get inside. Such a mess. Last summer, I would periodically, work on a trench behind the solar shed. I had noticed where most of the water was running from and started there. This past Christmas, instead of snow, we got torrential rain. Stupid amounts of rain for December. The trench I dug by hand did a fairly good job at redirecting the water. It’ll have to be worked on again this summer. A little wider and a smidge deeper.

As March moves along, the weather has been pretty fair and mild. Today, and the past few, have been sunny and reaching high 50’s to 60’s by mid day. A Slow and steady melt is still muddy just the same.

I was on a forum the other day and a member asked if it was possible to shrink wrap the inside of the house, due to mud, dirt and endless amounts of dog hair. My neat freakish ways felt her pain. Willa’s brushed daily and it’s a never ending chore. She walks past the furniture and the hair literally leaps off her. The mud she kicks up on herself, when we go for walks, is ridiculous and her paws…her big ole St. Bernard/Newfoundland paws…M. U. D! I pace her up and down the porch to remove what we can and comb the mud and gravel off her belly. Maybe just shrink wrap the dog? I might be onto something.

Another bonus, with the arrival of a warm spring, we took the Ranger out of storage. Yard work is much easier with an ATV dump body and doing a water run is something to look forward to. Plus, it’s mainly how we get around, visiting the “neighbors”. Two birds, one stone. Visit friends. Enjoy the outdoors.

The forecast for next week isn’t as spectacular as what we’ve been having. This was either a tease from Mother Nature or she knew a break from gusty winds and below zero temps was much needed. And much needed it was. The house has been aired out, spring cleaning and organizing is almost complete and half of the yard is cleaned up. For now, I’ll take it. I’ll take advantage of this weather for our evening fires and morning coffee on the porch. I’m happy, just knowing, warmer days are in the near future.

What’s your favorite thing about spring?