We are back safe and sound - the laundry has been done - we have gone grocery shopping to re-stock our kitchen and we've downloaded all of the photos from our camera. It was a delightful trip covering 2,789 miles and six states and provinces. The eastern states through which we traveled were beautiful with many similarities to Michigan - except for the mountains and the salt water and the tides.
We saw those differences and noticed a few others. In Michigan the freeways have exits that are numbered to correspond with the number of miles between exits. Not all states do this - especially states with toll roads. The folks who use toll roads need to be able to calculate the amount due at the exit, so the exits are numbered consecutively with absolutely no relationship to the number of miles between. I had to pay more attention to the map in order to be a good navigator.
In the outlying areas of Maine spicy food was hard to find. I noticed the same thing in the more remote areas of Canada - not many Mexican restaurants. It struck us once again that there is so much open land in the U.S. (and even more in Canada!). Now it is true that we generally avoid large cities, so we are bound to see more open land, but it still amazes us when we travel.
The other thing I noticed is that our "work" when we travel is discovery. We have time to look, photograph, and reflect. We do not take our time up with keeping house and cooking. As much as I love to cook and find it to be a creative outlet, it is nice to take a break from it sometimes so I can learn about new foods and appreciate the ability to fix a good meal. I become so immersed in our travels that I experience a let down when we return home. It takes some time to shake this off - even though I deeply appreciate sleeping in my own bed!
Fortunately, we have a great circle of family and friends to welcome us back and we have music. We loved the eastern states and we are already planning two things: our next fall trip and re-visiting some of the states we discovered on this trip.
mag
Sunday, September 23, 2012
The End Is The Beginniing!
Our trip is complete.
The quest for lobster satisfied, for now! Still why do we ‘Look for
America’?
MaryAlice and I love road trips. We traveled as much as we
could before we retired and now that we’ve retired we have taken on the quest
for experiencing as much of our country, cuisine, people and world as possible.
We look for America and fun.
Traveling takes
planning and we learned a lot about planning trips on our Route 66 trip last
year. But there are different kinds of ‘traveling.’ The Route 66 trip, the actual drive was the trip
and goal, yes we drove to Santa Monica CA from Chicago, but experiencing Route
66, its history, its people and its roots was much more than just traveling
cross country. We wanted to experience the feel of traveling cross country, and
the amenities of a certain era. For our Lobster
quest trip the goal was to experience Maine and its Atlantic Coast heritage as
well as its culture and cuisine.
Yet we knew that our drive to Maine would take us through
areas that would tantalize us to stop and tour.
That happened in New York at a winery, in Vermont with a brew pub and a
tour of the King Arthur Bakery (hmmm see a trend here?).
Another part of the lure of travel for me is to pull myself out
of the usual routine and experience new places and people. I especially like experiencing people that
are traveling on the road. It is so
refreshing to see all sorts of people, especially
retired folks, who are traveling to go hiking, biking, and or just touring
(read Active): People who are still curious. People who
still want to learn. People who haven’t
given up. People who are not sitting on a couch and watching television and
wondering why they’re bored and why they have no energy.
Our travels included main thoroughfares as well as back
roads, small towns and large cities. To
be fair, we didn’t stay in any large cities on purpose (except for Montreal and
its horrific rush hour- we didn’t stay, we were trapped). The places we stayed were typically small
towns. For example Old Orchard Beach is
a resort town in Maine. We stayed at a
B&B and spent one evening on the front porch getting to know our fellow
travelers, sipping wine, and playing guitar.
We shared road stories, sites to see, places to go. A memorable evening with great folks we’ll
never see again. This is traveling!
Now to get a little philosophical: I feel that the America
that I am looking for is good people who respect other people; people who
respect freedom; people who respect differences and embrace diversity. In our retirement travels so far I think
we’ve experienced this. I have found
hope for our country and for our people.
From Malibu to Kennebunkport to Key West to Traverse City we’ve met all
kinds of people of all walks of life and religious persuasion and found a good
that is palpable. (Yes, in Oklahoma we
did experience a smash and grab when someone robbed our car, but the people
that repaired our car and the people that helped us were incredible!).
I feel blessed to live in such a great country, bordered by
another great country to the north. I
also feel blessed to be able to travel after retirement. AND I feel doubly
blessed that MaryAlice loves traveling (and me!).
Now it’s time to start planning a New Road Trip!!!
As
Bilbo said:
I Râd
ui-renia lim a lim
dad od
annon ial heriant.
Si
palan-'wenniel nâ Râd,
a boe
anim bo den padad,
aphadol
den na-dail verai,
na-den
ten ertha râd annaer
ias
raith a lynd lim gevedir.
A
na-man hi? Ú-bedithon.
Translation:
The Road goes ever on
and on
Down from the door where
it began.
Now far ahead the Road
has gone,
And I must follow, if I
can,
Pursuing it with eager
feet,
Until it joins some
larger way
Where many paths and
errands meet.
And whither then? I
cannot say.
Peace to all and Good Travels.
D
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Lost Day and Found Beauty
You may have noticed we skipped a day of posting - and what a day! It began well enough with some homemade blueberry muffins (not mine) and a cup of coffee, yogurt and a banana. We got ourselves together to head out early so we could walk the trail to Moxie Falls and take some photos. We drove through a misty, cloudy morning along the Kennebec River Valley. Dennis and I agreed that we would do the walk even if it rained. We stopped to take a few photos of the Kennebec River and of two historical sites - one where a confluence of rivers created a trading "highway" in the early years of settlement, and one where Benedict Arnold and his men came out of the river to begin their unhappy march to Quebec City. For a non-historian like me, these are the lessons I never learned in school.
As we pulled into the parking area for Moxie Falls, the sun started to come out and it began to warm up a bit! We walked back about three-quarters of a mile (one way) on a great, level, well-marked path. We discovered steps and three viewing platforms at the end of the trail and the truly beautiful, glorious falls. Dennis and I had taken our walking sticks this time, so we were pretty comfortable on the not-so-easy trail. Once again, it was worth the effort. The intrepid photographers jumped back into the car and headed into Quebec province.
We drove through dairy farming country (lots of it!) and through one tiny town after another. There were no gas stations, diners, or convenience stores in evidence until we reached Interstate 10. We had been thinking of stopping at Sherbrooke but decided to go on since it was only 2:00 p.m. We thought we'd find a hotel on the outskirts of Montreal. Near Brossard we exited I-10 and searched for a motel - and searched, and searched. The one with a room had only smoking rooms available. We got back in the car. The next one was fully booked. We got back in the car. We headed into Montreal to get from I-10 to I-20. This was our biggest mistake of the day. We got caught in rush hour traffic when the four million people who work in Montreal all leave the city on roads built for 500,000 people. What a mess! It took us one and a half hours to get through the worst of it.
We were tired. We had not eaten since breakfast (how un-American!) and we were running out of gasoline. We finally found a gas station and Dennis talked to the very nice woman cashiering. She told us where to find a hotel at the next exit. We found one - kind of down at the heels but it was a bed in a non-smoking room with a clean bathroom. We went in search of a restaurant and literally stumbled on a St. Hubert - it is a chicken (not fried) chain in Canada where the food is well-prepared, the wine is good, and the dance music videos playing in the bar were interesting. By the time we sat down for dinner, twelve hours had elapsed since our departure from Bingham ME. I promised Dennis that we would do a much better job of traveling and planning for the rest of the trip!
This morning we left Quebec province behind and headed into Ontario where the signs are all in English - it really does make a difference. We stopped at one of the ubiquitous Tim Horton's for breakfast. They have excellent coffee and really good, filling breakfast sandwiches. Then we headed for Gananoque in the 1000 Islands area. We hopped off I-20 to get on the 1000 Islands Parkway and closer to the water. This is a really beautiful area with resorts, large houses (summer homes) and moderate houses with great views of the St. Lawrence River. We laughed about the pictures we took - you really cannot see all 1000 islands, I promise! But the pictures give you the idea. There are folks here who own an island - some of the islands are just big enough for one house! Some of the islands have castles on them. Some are (especially appropriate for today) hideouts for pirates and smugglers!
Gananoque (pronounced gan-ah-nok-way) is a lovely small town. We found a nice gastro-pub for lunch and had a fabulous meal looking over the harbor. Then we drove around into Kingston - a huge city with a major military presence. When we drove back into Gananoque, we stopped at the park where the hydro-electric dam is located. This park also had a great fountain and numerous works of art. They started the public art program in the 1950's renting pieces from famous artists, but the town decided to begin replacing the pieces with those of local artists. The first replacement pieces were blue heron sculptures and they are fantastic! We loved this beautiful park and the spirit of the community that places a strong value on art. Gananoque is not big or fancy, but it is a city with pride, charm, and heart. We really like it.
Misty morning on Kennebec River
Pictorial history
Historical marker
As we pulled into the parking area for Moxie Falls, the sun started to come out and it began to warm up a bit! We walked back about three-quarters of a mile (one way) on a great, level, well-marked path. We discovered steps and three viewing platforms at the end of the trail and the truly beautiful, glorious falls. Dennis and I had taken our walking sticks this time, so we were pretty comfortable on the not-so-easy trail. Once again, it was worth the effort. The intrepid photographers jumped back into the car and headed into Quebec province.
Moxie Falls - upper
Lower falls
Lower falls and rocky surround
We drove through dairy farming country (lots of it!) and through one tiny town after another. There were no gas stations, diners, or convenience stores in evidence until we reached Interstate 10. We had been thinking of stopping at Sherbrooke but decided to go on since it was only 2:00 p.m. We thought we'd find a hotel on the outskirts of Montreal. Near Brossard we exited I-10 and searched for a motel - and searched, and searched. The one with a room had only smoking rooms available. We got back in the car. The next one was fully booked. We got back in the car. We headed into Montreal to get from I-10 to I-20. This was our biggest mistake of the day. We got caught in rush hour traffic when the four million people who work in Montreal all leave the city on roads built for 500,000 people. What a mess! It took us one and a half hours to get through the worst of it.
We were tired. We had not eaten since breakfast (how un-American!) and we were running out of gasoline. We finally found a gas station and Dennis talked to the very nice woman cashiering. She told us where to find a hotel at the next exit. We found one - kind of down at the heels but it was a bed in a non-smoking room with a clean bathroom. We went in search of a restaurant and literally stumbled on a St. Hubert - it is a chicken (not fried) chain in Canada where the food is well-prepared, the wine is good, and the dance music videos playing in the bar were interesting. By the time we sat down for dinner, twelve hours had elapsed since our departure from Bingham ME. I promised Dennis that we would do a much better job of traveling and planning for the rest of the trip!
This morning we left Quebec province behind and headed into Ontario where the signs are all in English - it really does make a difference. We stopped at one of the ubiquitous Tim Horton's for breakfast. They have excellent coffee and really good, filling breakfast sandwiches. Then we headed for Gananoque in the 1000 Islands area. We hopped off I-20 to get on the 1000 Islands Parkway and closer to the water. This is a really beautiful area with resorts, large houses (summer homes) and moderate houses with great views of the St. Lawrence River. We laughed about the pictures we took - you really cannot see all 1000 islands, I promise! But the pictures give you the idea. There are folks here who own an island - some of the islands are just big enough for one house! Some of the islands have castles on them. Some are (especially appropriate for today) hideouts for pirates and smugglers!
House with own island and own bridge!
Bridge to U.S.
OK - it's not 1000, but you get the idea.
Gananoque (pronounced gan-ah-nok-way) is a lovely small town. We found a nice gastro-pub for lunch and had a fabulous meal looking over the harbor. Then we drove around into Kingston - a huge city with a major military presence. When we drove back into Gananoque, we stopped at the park where the hydro-electric dam is located. This park also had a great fountain and numerous works of art. They started the public art program in the 1950's renting pieces from famous artists, but the town decided to begin replacing the pieces with those of local artists. The first replacement pieces were blue heron sculptures and they are fantastic! We loved this beautiful park and the spirit of the community that places a strong value on art. Gananoque is not big or fancy, but it is a city with pride, charm, and heart. We really like it.
Heron sculpture 2005
Heron sculpture 2006
Practically living tree sculpture 2010
Monday, September 17, 2012
driving, walking, and shooting
Yesterday we decided to go to Schoodic Peninsula, another section of Acadia National Park, in the morning. We got up early and headed out to find a place for breakfast on the way to Schoodic. We found the Timbers with a very hearty and delicious breakfast. Then we drove on toward Schoodic. We wanted to get there while the high tide was rushing in because we knew that would be the best time to capture photos of the biggest waves.
As we were driving on highway 1, we saw a sign that said "Tidal Falls" and turned down the road. Dennis and I had read about tidal falls - they reverse course with the tides - and we wanted to see one. We missed the turnoff the first time, but found it on our way back toward highway 1. This tidal falls was more like a tidal rapids, but the water was clearly flowing inland as the tide was rising.
After several photos, we jumped back in the car and continued toward Schoodic Point resisting all other lovely vistas in order to get there as the tide was coming in. It was well worth the effort. I could say that Schoodic Point was rocky and windswept, but that doesn't even come close to describing the power of wind and waves on this desolate point of land. It filled us with awe. We spent lots of time taking pictures.
Then, we headed back up the other side of the peninsula and stopped for a few more photos. We knew that the whole Schoodic Peninsula was having an art fair on Sunday, too. There were signs everywhere. We stopped at a place that had fused glass and had a lengthy conversation with the artist and his wife. They were very friendly and so glad to have lots of people visiting.
We decided to go up to the top of Cadillac Mountain when we got back to Mount Desert Island. We wanted to see the view on a clear day. It was beautiful. There were not too many people there because we were so late in the day. From the top we could see the whole island and all of the smaller islands around Acadia. Since we knew we were heading out on Monday, we decided to do laundry and go out to a lobster place for dinner, fulfilling my goal of eating lobster every day while we were on the Maine coast.
This morning we drove along the coastal highway to Machias and then headed north and west across Maine to highway 201, The Old Canada Road, to begin our trek home. We drove for a really long time and found that many small towns do not have motels for travelers. We found the Bingham Motor Inn in Bingham and pulled in. The woman who owns the place was a stitch - very friendly and chatty and she gave us a set of directions to find two falls in case we wanted to go exploring. My observation about this town is that there are no restaurants! The two in town are closed (one is for sale), but the grocery store and gas station and quick pick store all sell pizza! Dennis is planning to write a country song about this.
The two falls we learned about are Houston Woods Falls in Bingham and Moxie Falls several miles north. I had heard about Moxie Falls, the tallest falls in New England, and planned on stopping there on Tuesday. So I wheedled Dennis into going out to see what Houston Woods Falls looked like. We found the location and could hear the falls as soon as we started down the path - so we thought it would just be a quick walk. Fortunately, we took our walking sticks! Although it was not a long path - about a half mile - it was very rough, climbing over lots of large knotty roots. The path was not a little walk in the woods. It included crossing over a brook on what can only be described as an old rickety bridge. The walk was worth it; the falls are beautiful. So we climbed around to get pictures from different angles. Tomorrow we will cross into Canada to head west for a few days in Canada.
As we were driving on highway 1, we saw a sign that said "Tidal Falls" and turned down the road. Dennis and I had read about tidal falls - they reverse course with the tides - and we wanted to see one. We missed the turnoff the first time, but found it on our way back toward highway 1. This tidal falls was more like a tidal rapids, but the water was clearly flowing inland as the tide was rising.
Notice water flow from right to left as tide comes in.
After several photos, we jumped back in the car and continued toward Schoodic Point resisting all other lovely vistas in order to get there as the tide was coming in. It was well worth the effort. I could say that Schoodic Point was rocky and windswept, but that doesn't even come close to describing the power of wind and waves on this desolate point of land. It filled us with awe. We spent lots of time taking pictures.
Schoodic Peninsula
Then, we headed back up the other side of the peninsula and stopped for a few more photos. We knew that the whole Schoodic Peninsula was having an art fair on Sunday, too. There were signs everywhere. We stopped at a place that had fused glass and had a lengthy conversation with the artist and his wife. They were very friendly and so glad to have lots of people visiting.
We decided to go up to the top of Cadillac Mountain when we got back to Mount Desert Island. We wanted to see the view on a clear day. It was beautiful. There were not too many people there because we were so late in the day. From the top we could see the whole island and all of the smaller islands around Acadia. Since we knew we were heading out on Monday, we decided to do laundry and go out to a lobster place for dinner, fulfilling my goal of eating lobster every day while we were on the Maine coast.
From atop Cadillac Mountain -contrast with previous post.
This morning we drove along the coastal highway to Machias and then headed north and west across Maine to highway 201, The Old Canada Road, to begin our trek home. We drove for a really long time and found that many small towns do not have motels for travelers. We found the Bingham Motor Inn in Bingham and pulled in. The woman who owns the place was a stitch - very friendly and chatty and she gave us a set of directions to find two falls in case we wanted to go exploring. My observation about this town is that there are no restaurants! The two in town are closed (one is for sale), but the grocery store and gas station and quick pick store all sell pizza! Dennis is planning to write a country song about this.
The two falls we learned about are Houston Woods Falls in Bingham and Moxie Falls several miles north. I had heard about Moxie Falls, the tallest falls in New England, and planned on stopping there on Tuesday. So I wheedled Dennis into going out to see what Houston Woods Falls looked like. We found the location and could hear the falls as soon as we started down the path - so we thought it would just be a quick walk. Fortunately, we took our walking sticks! Although it was not a long path - about a half mile - it was very rough, climbing over lots of large knotty roots. The path was not a little walk in the woods. It included crossing over a brook on what can only be described as an old rickety bridge. The walk was worth it; the falls are beautiful. So we climbed around to get pictures from different angles. Tomorrow we will cross into Canada to head west for a few days in Canada.
Worth the walk, even on this bridge!
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Around Acadia
Yesterday we drove along the coast through one small, charming town after another to get to Acadia National Park. We had made reservations at the Barton's Motel and Cottages and we arrived in the early afternoon. Our little cottage is just what we need and nothing more - a bed, desk, tiny bathroom, and coffee maker. We settled in and then hopped in the car to take the Park Loop Road. This road winds through the most popular sights in the park and it was packed with people.
We managed to take lots of pictures - it was such a beautiful day, but I hate taking pictures with strangers cluttering up the landscape. So, there were many times that I "held my fire" in order to let people walk out of the frame. We drove to the top of Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on Mount Desert Island, and as we drove up, the light dimmed. We were literally driving into the clouds. When we reached the top, we could see the clouds blowing over and around us, but we could not see the whole island as we would be able to on a clear day. I was both disappointed and intrigued. I tried to take a picture of the mountain-top cloud storm. It probably just looks foggy.
After the park loop trip, we drove into Bar Harbor. It is very busy, touristy, and still charming. We were hungry so we found a restaurant that give discounts to our motel - it was located on the harbor with a nice view of the boats and the water beyond. They had relatively good prices for a Bar Harbor restaurant and I ordered stuffed lobster (delicious!) while Dennis ordered lobster alfredo pasta. One of the things we really liked about this restaurant was the olive tapenade they brought to the table with the bread - yummy!
When we got up this morning, we drank coffee, ate a bit of breakfast and planned our travels. We decided to see all of the areas of interest on the "quiet" side of the island. I wanted to do a lot more walking today, so I pointed out two places that had walking paths that did not look too long or treacherous for Dennis.
We started by taking the wrong turn and taking a much longer, but very nice, drive along Somes Sound. We easily got back on the right road and found our first stop - a self-guided look at the Carroll Homestead. This looked like it used to be a short hike with a brochure to guide the walker. Now it is in disrepair and the walkers are on their own. We were completely on our own, but I liked the location. It is hard to imagine a family raising 8 children in this house. We forget how luxurious our lives are in the U.S. especially in comparison to the lives of those who settled this country.
We then drove out Fernald Point Road thinking there was a small walking trail there. Instead we found a very nice neighborhood where folks probably did not want us tramping around in their yards! Oops! We got back onto the road and drove to the natural seawall. This was a stunning, stoney location. It was a look at how desolate this island must have been when it was first settled. Near the seawall is the aptly named Seawall Campground. Dennis and I drove in and I stopped to tell the ranger that we were not camping we just wanted to look for future reference. The section of campground for tents (and pop-ups) was beautiful. The campsites were large and private. We would love to camp there. The loop devoted to trailers and RVs was a different story all together. The sites were cheek-by-jowl with absolutely no privacy. We saw a couple of examples of RVs whose walls were less than a foot from one another. This is not my idea of camping!
We went on to Ship Harbor. This harbor had a walking path out to the harbor that was marked as 1.3 miles. We are pretty sure the distance was wrong. The beginning of the path was fine - flat and easy through the woods. Then we got to a place that was much steeper and rockier. In places I went ahead to see if the path actually did continue since you could not see a path on the rock surface! This walk proved challenging for Dennis and we forgot to take our walking sticks with us - what careless walkers! We did take some nice pictures of the harbor and the rock formations and we definitely got our exercise.
We drove to Bass Harbor next. It looked like there was a small path out to the lighthouse, but when we got there the entrance to the path was closed. It looks like they are renovating the light house. So we took the other path. This led to a set of steps down to rocks. From one large rock, I could see one corner of the light house. I took pictures. Then bunches more people came down and one couple, dressed in brightly colored sweatshirts, climbed up on the rocks near the lighthouse, sat down, and got out food and began to eat. There was no way to get a picture of the lighthouse without them in it! I gave up and we walked back to the car. This walk down and up steep steps was also a workout.
We thought we would drive through the town of Bass Harbor to see if there was a place to grab a bite to eat and a beer. We somehow missed the road into Bass Harbor, but we saw another town across the harbor so we continued on the road and went to Bernard. Bernard is tiny and we didn't think we would have any luck until Dennis spotted a restaurant with it's screens down to protect from the rain. He said it was Thurston's. I had been wondering where Thurston's was - I had seen a recommendation for it. It is right down at the harbor in Bernard. We went in and had lobster roll and lobster salad with locally brewed beers. It was sensational. I'm so glad that Dennis' sharp eyes spotted this place.
We drove up the far side of the island and found little stop near Pretty Marsh. It was near, but not on, the water, so I walked down to get a better look. We found the old original picnic shelter and a set of steps down to the edge of the Pretty Marsh Harbor. It was very photogenic. Despite being rained on and getting turned around a few time, we felt very pleased that we had been able to see so much of Acadia in one day.
Bar Harbor overlook
Picturesque bridge in Acadia
Sand Beach
We managed to take lots of pictures - it was such a beautiful day, but I hate taking pictures with strangers cluttering up the landscape. So, there were many times that I "held my fire" in order to let people walk out of the frame. We drove to the top of Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on Mount Desert Island, and as we drove up, the light dimmed. We were literally driving into the clouds. When we reached the top, we could see the clouds blowing over and around us, but we could not see the whole island as we would be able to on a clear day. I was both disappointed and intrigued. I tried to take a picture of the mountain-top cloud storm. It probably just looks foggy.
Into the clouds.
On top of Cadillac Mountain.
After the park loop trip, we drove into Bar Harbor. It is very busy, touristy, and still charming. We were hungry so we found a restaurant that give discounts to our motel - it was located on the harbor with a nice view of the boats and the water beyond. They had relatively good prices for a Bar Harbor restaurant and I ordered stuffed lobster (delicious!) while Dennis ordered lobster alfredo pasta. One of the things we really liked about this restaurant was the olive tapenade they brought to the table with the bread - yummy!
When we got up this morning, we drank coffee, ate a bit of breakfast and planned our travels. We decided to see all of the areas of interest on the "quiet" side of the island. I wanted to do a lot more walking today, so I pointed out two places that had walking paths that did not look too long or treacherous for Dennis.
We started by taking the wrong turn and taking a much longer, but very nice, drive along Somes Sound. We easily got back on the right road and found our first stop - a self-guided look at the Carroll Homestead. This looked like it used to be a short hike with a brochure to guide the walker. Now it is in disrepair and the walkers are on their own. We were completely on our own, but I liked the location. It is hard to imagine a family raising 8 children in this house. We forget how luxurious our lives are in the U.S. especially in comparison to the lives of those who settled this country.
Carroll Homestead then
Carroll Homestead now
We then drove out Fernald Point Road thinking there was a small walking trail there. Instead we found a very nice neighborhood where folks probably did not want us tramping around in their yards! Oops! We got back onto the road and drove to the natural seawall. This was a stunning, stoney location. It was a look at how desolate this island must have been when it was first settled. Near the seawall is the aptly named Seawall Campground. Dennis and I drove in and I stopped to tell the ranger that we were not camping we just wanted to look for future reference. The section of campground for tents (and pop-ups) was beautiful. The campsites were large and private. We would love to camp there. The loop devoted to trailers and RVs was a different story all together. The sites were cheek-by-jowl with absolutely no privacy. We saw a couple of examples of RVs whose walls were less than a foot from one another. This is not my idea of camping!
Southwest Harbor
Natural Seawall
We went on to Ship Harbor. This harbor had a walking path out to the harbor that was marked as 1.3 miles. We are pretty sure the distance was wrong. The beginning of the path was fine - flat and easy through the woods. Then we got to a place that was much steeper and rockier. In places I went ahead to see if the path actually did continue since you could not see a path on the rock surface! This walk proved challenging for Dennis and we forgot to take our walking sticks with us - what careless walkers! We did take some nice pictures of the harbor and the rock formations and we definitely got our exercise.
Seemed longer than 1.3 mi!
Ship Harbor from the woods.
Ship Harbor in the sun.
Rocky shore and peaceful sailing ship.
We drove to Bass Harbor next. It looked like there was a small path out to the lighthouse, but when we got there the entrance to the path was closed. It looks like they are renovating the light house. So we took the other path. This led to a set of steps down to rocks. From one large rock, I could see one corner of the light house. I took pictures. Then bunches more people came down and one couple, dressed in brightly colored sweatshirts, climbed up on the rocks near the lighthouse, sat down, and got out food and began to eat. There was no way to get a picture of the lighthouse without them in it! I gave up and we walked back to the car. This walk down and up steep steps was also a workout.
Bass Harbor Lighthouse
We thought we would drive through the town of Bass Harbor to see if there was a place to grab a bite to eat and a beer. We somehow missed the road into Bass Harbor, but we saw another town across the harbor so we continued on the road and went to Bernard. Bernard is tiny and we didn't think we would have any luck until Dennis spotted a restaurant with it's screens down to protect from the rain. He said it was Thurston's. I had been wondering where Thurston's was - I had seen a recommendation for it. It is right down at the harbor in Bernard. We went in and had lobster roll and lobster salad with locally brewed beers. It was sensational. I'm so glad that Dennis' sharp eyes spotted this place.
Pretty Marsh Harbor
Old picnic shelter overlooking Pretty Marsh Harbor.
We drove up the far side of the island and found little stop near Pretty Marsh. It was near, but not on, the water, so I walked down to get a better look. We found the old original picnic shelter and a set of steps down to the edge of the Pretty Marsh Harbor. It was very photogenic. Despite being rained on and getting turned around a few time, we felt very pleased that we had been able to see so much of Acadia in one day.
Friday, September 14, 2012
Front Porch Therapy
This is the first time I’ve ever stayed in a Bed and
Breakfast (B & B). MaryAlice has
stayed at B & B’s quite a few times.
To be honest, I was a little hesitant about B & Bs. I guess the stereotype I had was that they
were a little stilted, or snobby (a communal breakfast with the B & B making
jellies and scones. Then teas in the afternoon, reading rooms etc). The B & B that we’re staying at has all
that. But what I didn’t realize that
most in most B & Bs you have your own room and bathroom, or suite and that
there is enough space for privacy. Plus
since the place only has ~8 rooms for guests, it becomes easy to socialize, if
you so choose, instead of an impersonal motel.
Last night was a perfect example. After touring a museum and driving along the
waterfront in the afternoon (see MA’s blog below) we headed back to our B &
B. Went to our host and got a bucket of
ice, and wine glasses for the white wine, and headed to the large front porch
which has tables on it and a beautiful view of the town.
MA started blogging and I got out my guitar to just do some
strumming. Some fellow guests returned
from a walk and greeted us and disappeared into the B & B. About 10 minutes later they returned with
their bottle of wine. By this time MA
was finished blogging so we sat and chatted.
They were from New York State and come to Old Orchard Beach for many
years for their anniversary and to get away from the kids.
As we were chatting another couple came in from walking and
joined in on the porch. They also
brought a jug of wine and a game of scrabble.
They were from Florida and are just returning from hiking in
Arcadia. (where we’re headed today). The
scrabble game ensued for the couple from Florida (like us she usually wins the
games but this time he was rolling with some triple letter word and kicking
some butt).
With the information that the Fla couple were familiar with
where we are going we pumped them for information (good trails, restaurants etc)
the other couple joined in with the discussion and we had lively time learning
about the area and each others interests.
After about an hour of this the New Your couple headed out
to get a bite to eat, we stayed for another couple minutes, wished the
remaining couple ‘safe travels’ as they’re headed home today and walked to the
pier for a beer overlooking the ocean.
Yes I now like B & Bs and will be happy to try one again
next road trip.
As for our experience with these people; it was another affirmation
of Life. It was great meeting and
getting to know people that have their priorities set on each other, family and
the love of travel.
How refreshing!!
D
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