Author Archives: Dianne Fallon

About Dianne Fallon

Maniacal Traveler Dianne Fallon writes from a house in the Maine woods in . Her interests include travel, hiking and the outdoors, and history. Find her on Instagram @themaniacialtraveler.

Celebrating the new year in hut heaven: Champagne toasts at Maine Huts & Trails

Posted on January 13, 2017 by Dianne Fallon

At Poplar Hut, nestled on a hill in Maine’s Carrabassett Valley, the staff sets out the champagne glasses at 9:30 p.m.  By 10 p.m., most guests will be fast asleep in their bunks, worn out by an afternoon of snowshoeing, … Continue reading →

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Searching for the lost village of Punkintown

Posted on December 10, 2016 by Dianne Fallon

In the 1920s, unmarried sisters Mary and Almira Payne reportedly were the last residents of Eliot’s Punkintown, a small community of 10 or so families who once lived near the outlet of York Pond. One town history relates Mary had no legs … Continue reading →

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A September walk in the woods: Mount Cabot to Unknown Pond

Posted on September 21, 2016 by Dianne Fallon

Mount Cabot or the Carters? As I drove up Pinkham Notch early on a lovely September Saturday, the many cars spilling from every parking lot cinched my decision: on to Mount Cabot.  I would escape the crowds on this gorgeous … Continue reading →

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Travels in Japan: French fries, pancakes, and pickled plums

Posted on September 11, 2016 by Dianne Fallon

The summer flew by, with hikes, kayaks, and swims, plus a long-anticipated trip to Japan. For the first part of the trip, we travelled with a small group of teenagers as part of an exchange program our town has with … Continue reading →

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Caps and castles on Mount Jefferson

Posted on July 8, 2016 by Dianne Fallon

On Friday, prospects for a hike up Mount Jefferson looked gloomy. The higher summits forecast called for steady 50 mph winds, with hurricane force gusts, and winter temperatures in New Hampshire’s Presidential Range, as one weather system collided with another. … Continue reading →

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Fragments of history: When the KKK marched in Kittery, Maine

Posted on June 27, 2016 by Dianne Fallon

Why and how did Kittery-ites join the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s? The Foreside parade in this undated J. Frank Walker photo likely took place on either June 30, 1924, or August 17, 1925, when Portsmouth Herald articles document these … Continue reading →

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A trail ride for Father’s Day

Posted on June 20, 2016 by Dianne Fallon

The bike bridge across Scarborough Marsh had beckoned to me for several years. Now, on this Father’s Day, we decided to discover it. At the time (a few years ago), my son was still building confidence as a bike rider … Continue reading →

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Travels on the White Rose Road to Orris Falls

Posted on June 6, 2016 by Dianne Fallon

When writer Sarah Orne Jewett stopped by the Littlefield farmhouse in June, 1889, she found Daniel Littlefield, then 68, sitting in his deceased wife’s rocking chair, looking out the window at the same lane on which we walked on a … Continue reading →

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Waterfall wonderland on the Ammo Trail to Mount Monroe

Posted on May 24, 2016 by Dianne Fallon

Every May, I try to fit in my “end-0f-the-semester hike”, a few days after completing grades and graduation. In May, this hike usually involves some snow and ice, along with cool air, few people. and open vistas. I love my … Continue reading →

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The loneliest road in southern Utah

Posted on May 20, 2016 by Dianne Fallon

As the road changed from pavement into dirt, and the canyon walls pressed in on both sides, it seemed that we were heading deep into a wilderness where we might be stranded by a broken axle or punctured tire. We … Continue reading →

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