After months of discussion, a trip to Saturn Press on Swans Island off the coast of Maine was scheduled for the weekend of December 18th/19th [2021]. The task was to pickup cabinets of type and printing plates no longer essential to Saturn’s greeting card production. [NOTE: Saturn is still in business: this project was to retrieve and pass along type and plates no longer used.]
As the date approached so was a snow storm creeping up the Atlantic coastline. The truck rental was moved up to Friday afternoon from Saturday morning. Loaded with pallets, tools and straps we left home Saturday morning at 2:58 am. under a full moon encircled with onimous storm rings. Eight hours later we arrived at Bass Harbor, cautiously boarded the Ferry, an hour later drove off on to the island to Saturn Press’ shop/store..
For the next six hours four type cabinets [with contents], four half pallets of assorted letterpress stuff and a four column, 12 x 18 galley cabinet [with contents] was stuffed in. From the way the vehicle looked, we were probably loaded to maximum weight! Once finished a hearty dinner was enjoyed with Jim and Jane, proprietors of Saturn Press, and then off to bed for a welcome night’s sleep.
Awoke before daybreak Sunday morning, and as anticipated, found about six inches of snow on the ground. The drive back to the Ferry was partially along an unplowed road! Cleaned off the truck, boarded the Ferry, watched the island slip away in the distance off the fantail, and back on to the mainland. Weather conditions for the return home: drove about three hours on snowy/slushy roads; then three hours under sullen, gray skies on wet roads; and the final three plus hours under clear blue skies towards the West, fighting intense glare every mile. Arrived home, safe and sound; tired and physically aching. Total statistics: 900 miles, 18 hours of driving; 88 gallons of diesel fuel. What was the worse part of the entire trip, you may ask? The truck didn’t have a working radio!!!
. . . and then Monday morning we had to unload. But that’s another story! Come on by this weekend to see all of what we brought back. JB
