Maine sleepyheads on a Tuesday

Quite a late start this morning ... 11:00 a.m. Eastern and we have just showered and dressed. But that's the beauty of a vacation in a small fishing village in coastal Maine ... it's laid back and relaxed. And we have wonderful hosts who warned us about that before we came out. Not sure what is planned for the day. Definitely a low key day.

I'm amazed at the red welt of a mosquito bite on the back of my right leg (nope, i didn't scratch!). I was told that the young mosquitoes don't know how to control their venom, or whatever it is, so the welts mean a young one got ya.



















1,503 steps Monday

Bangor, bridges, forts and Acadia Nat'l Park ...

Time to cover the weekend's activities ...

Saturday began with a trip to Bangor to the Bangor State Fair. We had seen it all after an hour and a half ... and that's because the last half hour, we watched the Swampmaster from Florida's alligator wrangling show. Or was it a crocodile? I wonder what they would think of our "county" fair, which is way larger. While in Bangor, we drove past (after stopping on the street to take pictures) one of Stephen King's Bangor homes.

Then we drove to the Fort Knox (not the one with the gold) and Penobscot Narrows Bridge State Park. In 2006, the older bridge was replaced with a more modern designed bridge with two towers, one of the towers having an observation floor. As you enter the park and pay the day use fee, if you want to go up into the observation tower, you are given a "tour" time. We had photo ops at the Fort Knox sign, then headed to the elevator which would take us to the observation area. Some great views from up there! After our time in the observation area, we returned to Fort Knox to play and explore the fort. Saturday evening, although we couldn't stay for it but I would have liked to, "Romeo and Juliet" was being presented inside the fort. That would have been something to see!

Instead, we had Girls Night Out and the boys had Boys Night Out. The boys went to the Down East Deli in Prospect Harbor for a meat pizza and then to see Inception at the Milbridge Theater. We gals went to Nautica, which was also in Prospect Harbor. We got back before the boys.

Today, Sunday, we went to Acadia Nat'l Park and left our cars in the Visitors Center parking lot. L.L. Bean sponsors or helps support the Island Hopper buses which go all over the park, Bar Harbor, and into outlying villages or communities, and the fare is free. We took the Island Hopper to two of the busiest, most popular stops on the Park Loop drive: Sand Beach and Thunderhole. Acadia is beautiful. But I think I've been saying that every day about Maine and whatever we see on a given day.

We made a laundry stop in Ellsworth, our last one before Boston and home, followed by a pizza dinner at Pat's. Except that Michael and I split a spaghetti and meatball dinner. We were told we had to try a whoopie pie, so I bought a peanut butter one (I'm hoping it will be like a Reese's peanut butter cup) for later, just so we could say we had tried it.

Strange things are afoot at the Stinson house. Details in a later blog ...

5,007 steps Saturday
4,844 steps Sunday

Reminder about the photos ...

You can view more photos here.
Part 2 is here.

O Canada, and a rainbow

Today we went to Canada, to explore Campobello Island. We visited FDR's summer home ... very beautiful, well maintained, both the "cottage" and the grounds. We followed a trail to Friar's Head, through trees and meadows, with a breath taking view of the bay. We drove to the end of the island and, although we didn't tour it, I took a picture of East Quoddy Head Light. Our friends had been there previously and said it wasn't worth the admission.

Instead, we drove back over the border and when we were in Lebec, we followed the signs to West Quoddy Head Light, which is the easternmost spot in the U.S. The light is still maintained by the Coast Guard (yay!), which comes out twice a year to service the light. Hooray for the ATON guys!

Heading back in, we stopped at Blue Berry World, a kitschy, Route 66-type of place, which sold everything you can imagine blueberry related: ice cream, pies, muffins, candles, soap, recipe books, etc., along with touristy stuff. We had tried to stop there on the way to Lebec and Canada, but it hadn't opened yet.

We returned to the Stinson house about 4:30 p.m. I took a nap and I heard there was a bocce ball game played before the Maine state bird, the mosquitos, won. There was a brief sprinkling of rain that brought a gorgeous rainbow to the harbor.

Tonight there has been a refreshing breeze. Maybe there is a storm on its way. As I write, there is a music fest down the road, so I hear faint music. This is really a great area. I'm thankful for this experience, this vacation, these friends, their home, and this area. It almost feels like the rest of the world is far away.

10,023 steps

Playtime at Bar Harbor and Pirate's Cove

This was the sunrise at 5:30 this morning.

Went to Bar Harbor for window shopping, lunch at Geddy's, then miniature golf at Pirate's Cove. Was a drizzly day, but that's seacoast weather. Enjoyed the cooler temperature.

6,860 steps

Introduction to the area

Last night after we arrived at the house, the rain came. It rained off and on throughout the late night and early morning, with thunderstorms. So nice to hear the rain.

Woke up this morning and saw the beautiful view of the harbor out the window of the bedroom we were in. Was so nice, I opened the drapes and crawled back into bed to look at the view.

We were shown the free part of Acadia National Park, the exclusive area of Grindstone Neck, Tidal Falls where fresh water and salt water meet to create rapids. We also ate lunch at a local burger place called Jordan's (described as Ellsworth's version on In-n-out Burger) - yummy! We did laundry and some grocery shopping. I bought *another* reusable bag, which had a picture of Adriondack chairs on a beach with an umbrella. I think reusable bags are my new fetish. Perhaps I should join RBBA (Reusable Bag Buyers Anonymous), but I don't think there's such an organization ... yet.

Michael played frisbee before dinner and Wii with the boys after dinner.

11 p.m. now. Bed time soon. I hear we're headed to Bar Harbor tomorrow. :-)

1,004 steps

In Prospect Harbor at last!

Arrived at the Stinson house in Prospect Harbor about an hour ago.

Started the road trip about 9:30 a.m., leaving Boston with a stop for an hour or two in Salem. Had breakfast at Reds - very yummy! Saw the old burial ground and the town square where the alleged witches were hanged. Photo ops with the Bewitched statue.

Continued on to Freeport, Maine (passed quickly through New Hampshire) to experience the L.L. Bean complex in the outlet mall. Spent too much, but found the comfy zip up sweatshirt I'd been hankering for - among other things.

8:00 p.m. dinner stop at Hollywood Slots in Bangor. That was an awesome and delicious buffet dinner. Last chance for Mexican and Chinese food.

About an hour and a half in the dark before we arrived in Prospect Harbor. Love the house. Had only seen pictures of it. It is totally awesome. Now listening to a gentle rain. Glad we made it here before it started raining.

9,360 steps