9 Abilities People From Maine Have Over Everyone Else

Years of living in Maine have given you a specific set of skills that sets you apart from others. Generally speaking, we are not a boastful bunch, but there are certain abilities we have nailed after growing up in the state. From having a strong connection with nature to making flannel stylish to navigating L.L.Bean with ease, here are a few bragging rights of those from Maine.

1. You can smell when it’s about to rain.

The rain of Maine has a distinctive yet hard to describe scent. We can smell a downpour even before a droplet has hit the ground. It’s nature’s way of letting us know that you have around three minutes, just enough time to grab the washing, pull in outdoor cushions, and make it inside before the skies open up. Chances are this superpower is limited to the state and you don’t get a weather warning elsewhere.

2. You know how to get every last bit of meat out of a lobster.

Yeah getting the meat out of the tail is easy, but you know how to get all of that precious meat out of the legs, and you know how to extract the meat from the claws so that it stays intact. Your table manners might be brought into question, but you don’t waste a darn drop.

3. You can shuck an oyster with ease.

Picking lobster meat is easy compared to shucking oysters, but over time you mastered the skill. You perhaps learned the hard way how to hold the oyster so that you won’t accidentally stab yourself. And you know just how much pressure to use, and how to twist the knife to be able to shuck through a pot in no time.

4. You can make flannel look formal.

Most folk in the US reserve their flannel shirts for lazy weekends, but Mainers know how to dress flannel on any occasion. You’ll find us wearing our fancy flannels at Christmas dinner, buttoned up with a nice skirt, or under a sweater. It’s an effortless style that won’t be going out of fashion anytime soon in the state.

5. You know your way around the L.L.Bean stores in Freeport.

You know which store has classic boots and which store sells life jackets. You know where you should park, and you’re able to find what you’re looking for without asking for help. And you know all about the updated return policy.

6. You can eat fries drowned in malt vinegar.

Now here’s a skill. You love the taste and you won’t get a tummy ache. While the love of adding salt and vinegar to fries and potato chips has caught on across the country, it’s a staple in Maine. And you know there’s no better way of practicing this ability than by dousing Old Orchard Beach Pier fries in a serious amount of malt vinegar.

7. You can fix anything with duct tape.

Leaky shower head? No problem. The strap of your sandal? Easy. You probably even have multiple colors of duct tape available, so you can color match.

8. You know how to tie anything to the top of your car.

You can successfully tie a canoe, kayak, Christmas tree, or anything else to the top of your car, and it will stay put until you get to where you’re going.

9. You can navigate the back roads to avoid traffic during tourist season.

Summer traffic is the worst, but you know the secret routes to skip the traffic. This skill is only learned by living in Maine for years and these secrets will never, ever be shared with out-of-towners.