One if by Carriage, Two if by Sea

We continued our exploration of Acadia National Park on Day 30 of our Grand Adventure.  We decided to check out a small portion of the island's Carriage Roads, which were planned and financed by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. between 1913 and 1940.

There are 57 miles of carriage roads in the park for the use of hikers, bikers, horse riders or even horse-drawn carriages. Motor vehicles are not allowed. This feature is just one aspect that shows the foresight and generosity that went into planning Acadia, making it one of the great national parks of the country.

There are also many beautiful bridges among the roads. We spent some time at this one.

Even with so, so many visitors to Bar Harbor and the park in August, there was peace during our walk along one of the carriage roads to Eagle Lake.

Underneath the bridge we explored was a rocky stream.

Petunia found it a very enticing place to explore.

After Petunia made her way to all the rocks she could easily reach, she paused to determine each time if she could make the jump to the next one, which was a little further than comfortable, while also wet and slippery.  I remember willing myself to be quiet and watch, neither encouraging her to go for it nor discouraging her from the risk.  I had the feeling even then that this was a parenting lesson with training wheels...a foreshadowing of many such, ever more consequential, moments to come.

We were blessed enough to still have Petunia's grandparents with us and they treated us to a wonderful cruise out of the harbor that afternoon. We saw animals, natural beauty, summer "cottages" of the uber wealthy, a lighthouse and all type of marine vessel!

The biggest treat was to come toward the end, however.

We set sail for our tour. We were threatened if anyone dared hum the tune to Gilligan's Island. ha!

Well, isn't that something?

Egg Rock Lighthouse, with all sorts of sea birds and seals on the rocks around it.

Look at the little guy in the bottom left corner. Is he posing for the camera?

By this time, Petunia had been going around town for a couple days in her officers navy hat that was a gift from her grandfather. We were told that the female captain of the ship might welcome a little help, and sure enough...Petunia got to pilot the ship through Frenchman Bay.  She was honest-to-goodness steering the ship under the direction of the captain, following commands and in control of the wheel under the captain's watchful eye. What an opportunity!

Love our little sailor girl!

What a brave mariner!

Listening to some tricks of the trade!

Well done, officer!

When we got back to land, it was close enough to low tide that we could walk out on the bar again.  This time, though, Petunia spent some time trying to skip rocks and needed a little help.

So she got her next lesson of the day...this time a lesson on rock skipping from Gramps Fuzz!

Showing off the great skipping rock she found to put her new found knowledge to the test.

There it goes!

Happy with her results!

We decided to end the full and wonderful day with a ride to the top of Cadillac Mountain for the sunset view.

What a way to end a fabulous day!

Day 29: Walking the Ocean Path in Acadia National Park

Most of Acadia National Park is located on Mt. Desert Island. There is so much to do in the park and on the island, including in the main town, Bar Harbor, that even if you're there a week, you can barely scratch the surface on all there is to do.  We know this because we were there for a week that seemed so fun and full of activity, and yet we left with both happy memories and a list of "what we want to do next time."

Our first day there we walked out on the bar near low tide. On our second day there, we were joined by Petunia's grandparents, who left their idyllic camp to come spend a few days with us near Bar Harbor.  The main activity of the day was walking the breathtaking-at-every-turn Ocean Path.

The Ocean Path is an easy walk along a 2 mile stretch of shoreline that delivers above and beyond what it asks of the hiker.  In fact, you can opt to stay on a flat or very gradually sloping path the whole time, if you choose; although there are many options for short detours that provide for a little more exertion and even more stunning sightseeing angles.

Scenes of this path are so varied, too!  You start at a sand beach, go by Thunder Hole, of course see sweeping views of the water with all kinds of boats, take a short walk through a forest, and end up on a cliff!  How is that for a little variety?

What a magical hike we got to enjoy in perfect weather!

The Ocean Path starts above the sand beach in the background. We had walked a while, obviously, to be able to turn around and get this shot.

What does Mark see through his lens?

This cute fella taking a nap in the sun on the rocks below!

Petunia and her Nana love sharing adventures together!

Some "bunny" was here with her crew watching Thunder Hole in awe! We got some good waves that day. Thunder Hole is active because of a small cave below sea level. When the waves come in and the air pushes them out *technical talk* anyway...sometimes there is a big, loud sound like thunder. It's fun! We even got sprayed a couple times.

These are the views from the path out to the deep blue sea.

Mark turned his camera over to Petunia and climbed a few rocks.

As you can see here, most of the path is flat and easy.

Until you decide to go down to Boulder Beach, anyway.

Cairns are used as trail markers along several of the hikes in the park and so they have popped up even along the beach and other places in the park. There were several standing on Boulder Beach when we down to it, and Petunia built a small one herself.

And then you walk through the forest! What magical light!

And our final destination was the tip of those cliffs! We went right out and I sat close enough to see over so I could look for rock climbers who sometimes scale the cliff.

Here is the rewarding view from atop Otter Cliff!

With all that beauty, these are my favorite...

...views of the day!

To get a perspective of how big the island is, take a look at this map.  If you're looking at the map as a clock, then just a little "past 3:00" you will see Sand Beach and can follow it to Otter Cliff. All that scenery and adventure took place in that small percentage of the island.

We had a wonderful walk and worked up an appetite for our delicious seafood dinner in Seal Harbor, where Martha Stewart has her summer home. We ate at the Lighthouse and our butter was served in real half shells. Now that's my kind of whimsy!

Day 28: Exploring the Bar in Bar Harbor

One of the many things we have loved about our previous visits to Maine is our usual day trip to Bar Harbor, a beautiful coastal town that has much to offer.  In the past, we have come to see the boats, explored some of the natural wonders in nearby Acadia National Park, taken a whale-watching cruise, eaten delicious food, and shopped in the one-of-a-kind stores that line a few blocks near the water. There never seems to be enough time to hardly scratch the surface of all there is to do and see around here.

Having an RV this time meant we could stay in a campground very close to Bar Harbor for several days and experience many more things all in one visit.  After getting set up at camp, we took the Island Explorer, a free bus that operates all over Mt. Desert Island where Bar Harbor is located, into town.

Of course the first thing you have to do in Bar Harbor is come down to the waterfront and take in the scenery.  When we arrived, the gray overcast day was just giving way to the sun and we caught the transition as we looked out at the water.  While some rays of light were starting to shine through, the last of the fog was still burning off.

We realized that we were there shortly after low tide and that we would be able, for the first time, to walk out onto the bar that gives Bar Harbor its name.

What a fascinating experience to get to walk way out on what is normally the bottom of the sea!

Petunia and I are walking out at the beginning of the bar. Yes, this is normally covered in water high enough for ships to pass over. That land out there?  It's Bar Island. But a couple times a day, a little before and a little after low tide, you can walk (or drive your car) to the island.

Many interesting things await discovery out there!

When we went out, we were past low tide, so some water was starting to come back in. The little pools of water made the exploration even more exciting. We got to see a good bit of (very small) sea life in that water.

All the while, higher water and large ships are not too far away.

The water comes back in so subtly, but so quickly, that you don't realize how fast it is rising.

We had a fabulous hour out there. If the water weren't coming back in rather quickly, we could have stayed longer.

By the time we got out on the bar, the weather was wonderful!

This is what happens when the tide comes back in so unexpectedly fast.  Mark had a little dry path to walk out and look at some pools and two minutes later, his path was gone.  He had to balance on a rock and take off his shoes so they wouldn't get soaked.

Petunia, a lover and respecter of all life forms, got carried for a lot of the visit because she couldn't stand the thought of possibly stepping on a shell or clam and injuring it.  She made certain we stepped as carefully as possible, too. Love her heart!

We sure did work up an appetite and were thrilled to get back "on land" and go eat a delicious dinner, followed by the first of many trips to an ice cream shop during our visit.  What a great day and our Bar Harbor adventure was just barely under way!

Days 17 - 27: Summer Camp in Maine!

We have gone to summer camp at the lake! And the best part about this summer camp is that it is our parents' home on Cold Stream Pond in Maine, so we have enjoyed the best of lake life and activities along with lots of family time--grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, 2nd or 3rd cousins (I have never completely figured that out) and new friends!

There have been day-long playdates and sleepovers for Petunia, and she spends most of her time in or on the water--with a cousin or friend, if at all possible.

Enjoying beautiful weather, we have had the opportunity to go kayaking, swimming, boating, and tubing a few steps from our door.  When not in the water, we have been enjoying playing games and eating copious amounts of good food, often with some extended family.

Although you could spend a full summer right here at camp, we have pulled ourselves away a couple times for some fun outings, too.  One day we went to eat at a restaurant on Lake Millinocket, and enjoyed hanging around a bit to soak in the amazing views of Mt. Katahdin in the background.

We are gearing up for our next adventure for a few days but are grateful and excited that we'll get to come back to "home camp" for a few more days before we leave Maine.  This state deserves every bit of its reputation as an awesome place to be!

Mark and I were out kayaking when he got this shot of me with "camp" in the background. What a lovely place to be!

Some version of this is Petunia's most common attire.

Picnic on Waffle Island with her cousin who is a special friend. I wonder how many hours total she's logged on Waffle Island so far?

For this journey, we didn't even leave our lake, just went to another part of it. Petunia did a great job as captain.

Petunia and another cousin, who are anxiously anticipating going ashore!

The water here is so clear and beautiful, and the sand glitters with gold specks, like we're on some exotic faraway island.

Petunia showing off a piece of gold.

Closer to home, we have enjoyed watching the playful--and sometimes aggressive with each other--hummingbirds at the feeder.

When one starts humming right by you, it is surprisingly loud!

Magnificent creature!

We caught another sight of our friend, Mr. Bald Eagle

Petunia is standing between her grandparents, who came with us in the RV to take us to lunch in an enchanted setting.

We ate lunch just up from this view! Lake Millinocket with Mt. Katahdin in the background.  Breathtaking!

Petunia captured this pic of us.

"Keep Maine Beautiful" as it is indeed a beautiful state!

These days at camp have been a delightful mix of lake activity, socializing, resting and sightseeing. Lots of talking and laughing! What a blessing to do all this with family.