Some observations while traveling south on Tuesday

We have been traveling south on US 1 and this road does not have a lot of "business routes" so you just end up in small coastal towns often replete with a statue of a  Civil War Soldier, Union.  These memorials, as a student of the referenced "Recent Unpleasantness"  never fail to interest me.  I appreciate the various engravings and the times in which they were placed.  This one was placed in 1899 by the Camden Maine Soldiers Memorial Association and was placed in "honor of men who gave their lives in the defense of their country during the Great Rebellion 1861-1865".  

Had not often heard of said period of time so referenced.  There were a lot of men listed too from Camden on the sides of the monument and the regiment they were with. Set in a lovely, shaded town park on a hill above the Megunticook River.

Another thing noticeable about these towns is that they have harbors and that more frequently than motors on the end of boats, the boats will have masts sticking out of the middle.

And people in Maine must really need antiques and books. Antique stores and book stores are as common as connivence stores and fast food restaurants back home. Perhaps more so.

here is a book store - coffee shop and it is not a Barnes and Noble. or Amazon.

And Comfort or Hampton or Holiday do not yet have all the inns along the roadsides on US 1. There are still some real live motels with rows of rooms opening to the outside.  My guess is that there is no complimentary breakfast in that common room with the TV set on and USA Today newspapers on the counter either here at the Pioneer Motel, but I do expect you could get a deal on a room.

I think I mentioned that people up here must really need antiques. Also candles, they have lots of candle shops too. I could fill up pages of photos of antique stores — thankfully we have not visited many of these. I am not counting "tourist shops"with T-shirts and moose head Christmas ornaments, sailboat art, and such. There are those too. For the tourists I assume.

Thunder Hole and Sand Beach Walk

Went for a "walk" along sand beach trail Monday — called it a walk after an older and I do mean older couple on the bus to the trail referred to it as a walk.  They were going to do a "hike" on a more difficult trail.  (Acadia and LL Bean provide busses from downtown Bar Harbor and other stops that run a host of routes throughout the park. We rode several of them including one that pulled a trailer that took us and the bikes out for our lake bike ride).  Nary a cloud in the sky — nary a breeze blowing — more on that later. 

Notice how clear the water is,  and cold too, the Labrador current is in play here not ye ole Gulf stream - I tested the water and it felt cold to me too. Anyway back to the clear water, you can see the rocks below the surface — and the wage is so calm if you notice the waves are not even disturbing the birds on the rock just off the shore line boulders.

 Standing on the point at Otter Point.  Did not see any otters either.

Patt does not go out to the edge, she sticks more to the trail.

If you know Acadia, and have followed flow of photos, you know from Sand Beach to Otter point we went past Thunder Hole, famous Thunder Hole.  Well here it is on the way back — (this is an out-n-back "walk").  Refer back to previous discussion of calm waves, clear water.

See all the tourists standing down where water should be spraying 40 feet into the air.  Thunder Hole is a MUST SEE for Acadia National Park.  It is a unique feature where wave action and the granite cliffs have created a cave that captures water and air and often (?) erupts with thunderous sound and spray.  Well there was no thunder in Thunder Hole. Not a whisper, not a dribble. The crowd looked like what I imaging Branson Mo.  is like at the Holiday Inn waiting on a tour bus or something to take the crowd to a concert.  We are talking geriatrics. And thunder hole was likewise.

And dogs, my gosh people travel with dogs.  Thunder Hole is as the bus in the background suggests approachable by car, bus and poodle.  Some people carry little dogs on the "walk".  I reckon they really like their dogs.

Later we did drive up to the top of Cadilac Mountain — reckon I had best hush.  (there was a trail and we did not "hike up the mountain").  That is Bar Harbor as seen from the mountain.  Not too big, huh? and no cruise ships today either.

a look toward the Atlantic from Cadillac Mountain.

But our four masted schooner was out for a sail and probably had another profitable cargo aboard too.  However it appears the mizzen sail did not get fully hoisted.  Crew not so trusty?

Tomorrow is another traveling day — 

Riding bike on the carriage trails at Acadia

Eagle Lake, Jordan Pond, Bubble Pond, Witches Hole and more. Susan, we rode around or to or beside them all. Saturday's fog was a precursor to a night storm which brought in this morning's genuine cool brisk crisp fall. Real live fall weather. Went outside after breakfast to check the weather— it was cold and all we saw were people in long pants and coats, sweaters, and jackets.  

The sun was shining, we dressed in layers, and rode the Rockerfeller's carriage roads.  (He wanted a place to pleasure ride while on vacation — I do too).  He needed some bridges so he built those too.  More later on them.

The roads are now reserved for bikes, horses (we saw evidence but no actual horses), hikers and, of course, horse drawn carriages. One of the lakes — Eagle Lake because it is large I think.

one of the lakes, do not know which one.  It was just a pretty day.

and there were not a lot of other people out.  The trails did have some other bikers just not a lot.

That is Patt up ahead.  Smokin' me.

That is Patt, taking a break.

That's me wandering and wondering in my orange shirt.

more glaciated rock- and me not in my orange shirt.

Rockefeller built bridges - 17 bridges - each different, and many as a work of bridge "art".  That is Patt waving to me down in the basin below.  Unfortunately there as been a lot of tree and other growth since the bridges were first built so it is a little more difficult to "view" them.  My guess is that ole John D Junior would have some men with axes out in a heart beat if he were to return to his play ground and find out that one could not adequately appreciate his bridges.

Rode back into town and it is full — Three cruise ships are here and the streets slap crawling.  The shops are selling trinkets I would imagine.


So as the cruise ships were taking their passengers back to their ships via water taxis we were on a sail on a four masted schooner.  Just a "harbor sail" but it was fun.  Lots of us tourists as passengers in lieu of cargo, but I expect we were profitable enough.

That is the mizzen sail. I "helped" hoist her aloft.  When they called out for volunteers once again I stepped forward as did most of the rest of the trusty crew.  We had to ration pulls on the ropes.  Fortunately between the mainsail, mizzen, mizzen, toppen, fronton, and backen, there was enough sail to be hoisted for all who wanted to participate.  Actually there were seven sails, so I missed getting all the names.  I do know I worked on the mizzen mast sail.  I think that sounds cool.

We enjoyed the ride and were out in the harbor until sunset.  It was quite nice.

Jordan Pond, Acadia National Park

Jordan Pond at Acadia National Park has probably looked better than it looked today. That is not necessarily a bad photo. It could be but that really is fog in the background. Thick fog. Heavy fog.  The day was gray.  But it was still a good day to be in Acadia National Park.

 The trail is a strange one. Ranged from smooth and level and easy as pie.

 a gentle walk along the edge of the lake.

Like I said the fog was thick.

About half-way around there is a side hike up to the "bubble rock" most of it is up through a boulder field and is quite steep. You had to sorta clamber up over the boulders. The blue mark on the rock was the "trail" marker.

Patt stopped about half way up- you had to sorta pick your own trail. Charles, it reminded me a bit of the Penang Hills — steep, rocky and make you breathe hard. These were not wet though — and I did not hear any monkeys.

At the top the fog?-cloud? was very thick and wherever the bubble rock was, I could not find it.

Back at the lake side the trail picked up a "fragile ecosystem" according to the sign and admonition to stay on the raised pathway - which went on and on and on.  It was striking but it got to be a bit of a challenge of concentration to stay on the boards that just went on and on.

Boards ended and the trail got rocky, very rocky. Got to clamber of rocks again. This tine on the level around the lake.  It was fun but tiring. When we finished, we had a very late lunch at the Jordan Pond Gate House - chowder and their famous popovers.

back in the US of A and a little re-adjustment

Wow, talk about some changes. We have been dealing with culture change. A couple of days ago we were in small — check that — very very small town Nova Scotia. Tonight we are in Bar Harbor, Maine. Tourist town on steroids, crowded, vacation central, and would make any beach town look good too.  

First a side trip. On the way out of Canada, shortly after entering the US of A we re-entered Canada, going to Campobello Island to see the summer home of young FDR. Campotbello is off the coast of Maine but belongs to Canada. The international (co-owned/operated by Canada and US) park there is the only such park in the world.

FDR parents, James and Sarah, were the first family to build a vacation cottage on the island and this is where FDR spent his summers as a child. The parents' cottage is no longer here. The cottage next door was sold (for a pittance) by will to FDR's mother Sarah on the condition she give it to Franklin and Eleanor as a belated wedding gift from the previous owner. This is where FDR was when he contracted polio.  

The view out of the living room window toward the bay. The house as you would expect is quite nice (18 bedrooms).  However, no electricity. Did have running water.

View from the bay side.

Back to the culture shock. In Maitland, Nova Scotia a couple of nights ago, we ate dinner at a country store — we had the "hamburger platter" which included fries and a little pile of slaw for $7.50  Canadian.  Drink was a Jones Cream Soda for me and a Diet Coke for Patt.  No appetizer,  we did get an ice cream cone for dessert for an additional $2.75.  Not every night on our trip has been fancy. In fact a lot have not.  The country store was one of two buildings in town. There were no other buildings there. That was the town. It was an old store — a general store - you could buy shoes, groceries, and a hamburger, and a hammer.  Not a lot else.  Not a lot of groceries either.

Tonight our dinner menu had two lines of type just describing how the baked haddock was prepared (it was quite good I must admit). Those two lines of type were just one digit less than the total of the invoice for the meal — US.  We did have a nice chowder for an appetizer and a nice blueberry apple ice cream dessert.  Drink was the chef's choice, a French summer wine that required nearly a paragraph to describe.  It was nice and "crisp"  We did like it.

and there are Americans every where you look. Everywhere. The US license plate on the car is novel no more.  Ontario plates are scarce.

Saturday we will be playing in Acadia National Park.  And perhaps watching a little ESPN.

Hiking again along Fundy- on the last full day in Canada

Thursday, September 4, our last full day in Canada (this trip) we went to Cape d'Or (and if you remember your French lesson you know what that means).  It was, as were many of the days here, stunningly beautiful. A light house, cliffs, and a hike along the shore and cliffs. That is the Bay of Fundy.

We are staying in a little post card town, Parrsboro, known for ship building, tidal research, and fossils.  There is a geological research center here.

It was a post card pretty day. We enjoyed it very very much. As we have our time here.

At dinner we were planning our next trip back to Canada. Won't be long either.

Later we went on to Cape Chignecto Provincial Park where we went for a hike through the woods and along the high ridge a top the cliffs along the shore. The wildflowers were putting on a show.

When we came out of the woods, the Nova Scotia park service had put in steps to get down to the beach from the cliffs. The tide fortunately was at low tide.

There were lots of interesting rocks. That is the other thing Parrsboro is known for, rocks and fossils.  There was lots of shale nearby that held fossils. I broke open some but did not find a fossil. Perhaps I was not patient enough?  Nah, no chance of that.

A look back at the steps. There was a little creek and waterfall coming out at the same place too.

 If you look closely you can see Patt in the distance.

and likewise if you look closely there I am.

Tomorrow is traveling — on to Bar Harbor, Maine in the US of A.