My family has made many trips out West but our last long trip together was somewhere entirely different, New England. My husband and I met up with Dad in New Jersey where we visited with a relative then the three of us (me, DH, and Dad) traveled up to Maine where we met up with Kohldad and his wife. Iโm going to pick this report up on Day 5 of our trip as we enter southeast Maine and feed it to you a little bit at a time ๐ Iโll update the thread title each time I add a section so youโll know when to look for the next segment.
SEP 29
After a full day of driving, we were happy to reach Maine and meet up with Kohldad. The day was late and a light rain was falling so we were happy to settle in at Winslow Memorial Park and Campground on Casco Bay just south of Freeport. Just 23 of the campgroundโs 100 sites are on the bay but they werenโt busy so we were able to park with our door just steps from the bay. Dad prefers campgrounds with hookups but even he had to admit it was worth forgoing electric to enjoy the beautiful view just outside our door.
SEP 30
The next morning we were ready to tour Freeport despite the rain. And what rain it was! The forecast was calling for half a foot of rain! We were traveling in the fall, a little late for hurricanes or even tropical storms; the weathermen were calling this an extratropical storm. It had caused widespread flooding in South Carolina before moving up the coast to Maine and had poured an inch of water into Dadโs basement due to a clogged gutter drain. But he wouldnโt know that until he got home two weeks later. Luckily itโs an unfinished basement mostly used for storage.
Our first stop was the DeLorme Map Store where we marveled at Bertha, the worldโs largest rotating globe. Thatโs Dad and Kohldad at the base of the globe. The rotation device for the globe is surprisingly small. We enjoyed browsing through the maps in the store and bought a few things before making a dash back to the vehicles.
Leaving the DeLorme store, we drove through the continuing downpour into Freeport. We parked in an RV lot at the bottom of the hill and the others dashed through the rain into some stores. Meanwhile Iโd stepped over to the sidewalk where I was splashed by a passing car so back into my camper I went to put on some dry clothes before rejoining the others. The big draw at Freeport, of course, is the huge LL Bean store. It was interesting to see but we werenโt big spenders.
We found the rain had let up some when we left the store so we walked down Main Street a bit. A huge donut sign caught our eye then we saw the smaller sign for the Harrington House, a 19th century structure that now houses a small but free museum. Its main focus was on the townโs historic shoe industry which predates the LL Bean store. Worth taking a look if you visit Freeport.
After one last look down the wet streets of Freeport, we headed back to the RV parking lot. Uh oh! Guess where all that runoff went! We found stormwater drainage had flooded the lot where weโd parked the campers. It wasnโt deep enough to cause any damage though and had receded enough to allow us to get to our vehicles.
We didnโt have far to go to our stop for the night, Recompense Shore Campground at Wolfeโs Neck Farm, just east of Freeport and again on Cosco Bay. This is a non-profit demonstration farm dedicated to promoting sustainable agriculture. Revenue from the campground helps support the farmโs activities. The camping facilities were average but quiet and it was nice to be able to walk around the farm and along the bay.
Hey, look, the rain has finally stopped! We got a glimpse of blue sky shortly before sunset.
To be continued โฆ
SEP 29
After a full day of driving, we were happy to reach Maine and meet up with Kohldad. The day was late and a light rain was falling so we were happy to settle in at Winslow Memorial Park and Campground on Casco Bay just south of Freeport. Just 23 of the campgroundโs 100 sites are on the bay but they werenโt busy so we were able to park with our door just steps from the bay. Dad prefers campgrounds with hookups but even he had to admit it was worth forgoing electric to enjoy the beautiful view just outside our door.
SEP 30
The next morning we were ready to tour Freeport despite the rain. And what rain it was! The forecast was calling for half a foot of rain! We were traveling in the fall, a little late for hurricanes or even tropical storms; the weathermen were calling this an extratropical storm. It had caused widespread flooding in South Carolina before moving up the coast to Maine and had poured an inch of water into Dadโs basement due to a clogged gutter drain. But he wouldnโt know that until he got home two weeks later. Luckily itโs an unfinished basement mostly used for storage.
Our first stop was the DeLorme Map Store where we marveled at Bertha, the worldโs largest rotating globe. Thatโs Dad and Kohldad at the base of the globe. The rotation device for the globe is surprisingly small. We enjoyed browsing through the maps in the store and bought a few things before making a dash back to the vehicles.
Leaving the DeLorme store, we drove through the continuing downpour into Freeport. We parked in an RV lot at the bottom of the hill and the others dashed through the rain into some stores. Meanwhile Iโd stepped over to the sidewalk where I was splashed by a passing car so back into my camper I went to put on some dry clothes before rejoining the others. The big draw at Freeport, of course, is the huge LL Bean store. It was interesting to see but we werenโt big spenders.
We found the rain had let up some when we left the store so we walked down Main Street a bit. A huge donut sign caught our eye then we saw the smaller sign for the Harrington House, a 19th century structure that now houses a small but free museum. Its main focus was on the townโs historic shoe industry which predates the LL Bean store. Worth taking a look if you visit Freeport.
After one last look down the wet streets of Freeport, we headed back to the RV parking lot. Uh oh! Guess where all that runoff went! We found stormwater drainage had flooded the lot where weโd parked the campers. It wasnโt deep enough to cause any damage though and had receded enough to allow us to get to our vehicles.
We didnโt have far to go to our stop for the night, Recompense Shore Campground at Wolfeโs Neck Farm, just east of Freeport and again on Cosco Bay. This is a non-profit demonstration farm dedicated to promoting sustainable agriculture. Revenue from the campground helps support the farmโs activities. The camping facilities were average but quiet and it was nice to be able to walk around the farm and along the bay.
Hey, look, the rain has finally stopped! We got a glimpse of blue sky shortly before sunset.
To be continued โฆ
OCT 6
Dawn at Umbagog Lake State Park near Errol, NH, was nearly as pretty as the sunset of the night before. We ate breakfast and prepared to depart.
Unfortunately, clouds had moved in overnight giving us a gray start to our travels. We stopped for a few minutes at a small lake on our route. The on south down CR 16 we went. A stop at Walmart near Gorham for supplies then we were into the White River National Forest.
When we came to US 302 we turned east. Our destination was Mount Washington. Weโd talked to Kohldad and found they were still in the area so we rendezvoused at an overlook at the Mount Washington Resort. This was another of the elaborate hotels built over 100 years ago where the well-to-do vacationed in the summer. It was impressive!
With the skies overcast, we debated on whether it was worthwhile to proceed on to Mount Washington and decided to press on. Kohldad led the way, the DH and I followed, and Dad brought up the rear. As we approached the base of the mountain blue sky began peeking through the clouds and by the time we reached the Mount Washington Cog Railroad visitor center there was more blue sky than cloud.
We checked the schedule for the railroad and found we had enough time to check out the displays in the Marshfield Station before the next train left. The cog railroadโs website urges advance purchase of tickets but we were late in the season and had no problem picking up tickets shortly before departure.
As the time of our departure neared, we went outside. In a yard next to the tracks were a number of restored pieces of antique equipment. I doubt they were painted these bright colors originally!
From this location at elevation 2700 feet, we were to ride 3 miles up to elevation 4288 feet. The steepest grade is 37 percent. This cog (AKA rack-and-pinion) railroad was the first in the world and is still the second steepest in the world with only one in the Swiss Alps being steeper. The tracks extended from the Marshfield Station out across the rolling terrain.
There are two steam engines still used for special runs on the railroad but normal runs are made using more modern bio-diesel engines introduced in the early 2000s since theyโre more cost effective and environmentally friendly. The passenger cars are handcrafted beauties, not original but youโd think they were. The conductor provides interesting commentary on the way up.
The view out the window gives an indication of the steepness of the grade. Early on there were firs embedded amongst beautiful fall color. As we climbed the mountain the trees got smaller until they all but disappeared.
Uh oh, weโre rising into the clouds! There goes our view. Weโre going to be on top of the tallest mountain in the area and we arenโt going to be able to see anything! And just when it was looking so good!
But wait! Just as we neared the crest we climbed up above the clouds. And as we passed the crest we saw the clouds pouring over it like a waterfall and disappearing down the other side. What a strange sight!
Up at the observatory on top of Mount Washington we could look back at the track and watch as trains going down disappeared into the clouds.
On the observation deck the wind was blowing hard, making the cold temperatures at the mountaintop feel even colder. A cairn and sign marks the highest point. There was also an NGS benchmark on top of the mountain. I bet it was a hard job doing the surveying required to set it back in 1951.
Down at the Mount Washington Resort overlook, one of the plaques had talked about the Tip Top House. It was probably a welcome sight for folks who hiked the mountain in the early days. I read lately that the owners of the cog railroad recently considered building a resort hotel along the track to draw more riders but decided against the plan due to cost and environmental issues.
While the view to the northeast was cloaked in clouds, the view to the southwest lay exposed to our appreciative eyes. It was easy to see why this mountain is described as the โmost topographically prominentโ mountain east of the Mississippi. At 6,288 feet, Mount Washington towers above the surrounding terrain by hundreds of feet. So itโs not surprising several hiking trails pass through the area including the oldest established mountain trail, the Crawford Path, and the esteemed Appalachian Trail.
The DH and I spent most of our hour at the summit exploring the outside of Mount Washington and only had time for a quick trip inside to warm up before heading back out to the siding to await our train. A view down the train tracks showed the ingenious cog rail that allows the train to climb the steep grades.
A plaque near the siding identifies the peaks of the Presidential Range weโd passed on the way up and explains theyโre part of the White Mountains which, in turn, are part of Appalachian Mountains.
Here comes our train! If you look closely you can see the large cog under the engine which meshes into the center track. Unlike typical trains which send power to steel wheels on two smooth rails, the cog railroadโs engine powers the gear on the middle rail. Thereโs no way it could climb this mountain pulling along on those smooth outer rails!
As we descended the mountain I could see clouds still blanketed our path. We had a short time to look back at the top of the mountain before we were enveloped once again.
When we came out of the layer of clouds we were still far up the mountain above the Marshfield Station. Partway down is an area of double tracks where trains can pass each other.
Back down at the bottom, we took one more walk around then headed for our campers. We saw one of the steam engines headed to a maintenance building for the night as it was late in the day.
Back at US 302, we pulled into Fabyans restaurant in an old train depot of the same name. It was a small place but the food was good. And it was a fitting choice for this day!
There was just enough daylight after our meal to find our way to a nearby Twin Mountain National Forest Campground, Sugarloaf I, where we settled in for the night right at dusk.
To be continued โฆ
Dawn at Umbagog Lake State Park near Errol, NH, was nearly as pretty as the sunset of the night before. We ate breakfast and prepared to depart.
Unfortunately, clouds had moved in overnight giving us a gray start to our travels. We stopped for a few minutes at a small lake on our route. The on south down CR 16 we went. A stop at Walmart near Gorham for supplies then we were into the White River National Forest.
When we came to US 302 we turned east. Our destination was Mount Washington. Weโd talked to Kohldad and found they were still in the area so we rendezvoused at an overlook at the Mount Washington Resort. This was another of the elaborate hotels built over 100 years ago where the well-to-do vacationed in the summer. It was impressive!
With the skies overcast, we debated on whether it was worthwhile to proceed on to Mount Washington and decided to press on. Kohldad led the way, the DH and I followed, and Dad brought up the rear. As we approached the base of the mountain blue sky began peeking through the clouds and by the time we reached the Mount Washington Cog Railroad visitor center there was more blue sky than cloud.
We checked the schedule for the railroad and found we had enough time to check out the displays in the Marshfield Station before the next train left. The cog railroadโs website urges advance purchase of tickets but we were late in the season and had no problem picking up tickets shortly before departure.
As the time of our departure neared, we went outside. In a yard next to the tracks were a number of restored pieces of antique equipment. I doubt they were painted these bright colors originally!
From this location at elevation 2700 feet, we were to ride 3 miles up to elevation 4288 feet. The steepest grade is 37 percent. This cog (AKA rack-and-pinion) railroad was the first in the world and is still the second steepest in the world with only one in the Swiss Alps being steeper. The tracks extended from the Marshfield Station out across the rolling terrain.
There are two steam engines still used for special runs on the railroad but normal runs are made using more modern bio-diesel engines introduced in the early 2000s since theyโre more cost effective and environmentally friendly. The passenger cars are handcrafted beauties, not original but youโd think they were. The conductor provides interesting commentary on the way up.
The view out the window gives an indication of the steepness of the grade. Early on there were firs embedded amongst beautiful fall color. As we climbed the mountain the trees got smaller until they all but disappeared.
Uh oh, weโre rising into the clouds! There goes our view. Weโre going to be on top of the tallest mountain in the area and we arenโt going to be able to see anything! And just when it was looking so good!
But wait! Just as we neared the crest we climbed up above the clouds. And as we passed the crest we saw the clouds pouring over it like a waterfall and disappearing down the other side. What a strange sight!
Up at the observatory on top of Mount Washington we could look back at the track and watch as trains going down disappeared into the clouds.
On the observation deck the wind was blowing hard, making the cold temperatures at the mountaintop feel even colder. A cairn and sign marks the highest point. There was also an NGS benchmark on top of the mountain. I bet it was a hard job doing the surveying required to set it back in 1951.
Down at the Mount Washington Resort overlook, one of the plaques had talked about the Tip Top House. It was probably a welcome sight for folks who hiked the mountain in the early days. I read lately that the owners of the cog railroad recently considered building a resort hotel along the track to draw more riders but decided against the plan due to cost and environmental issues.
While the view to the northeast was cloaked in clouds, the view to the southwest lay exposed to our appreciative eyes. It was easy to see why this mountain is described as the โmost topographically prominentโ mountain east of the Mississippi. At 6,288 feet, Mount Washington towers above the surrounding terrain by hundreds of feet. So itโs not surprising several hiking trails pass through the area including the oldest established mountain trail, the Crawford Path, and the esteemed Appalachian Trail.
The DH and I spent most of our hour at the summit exploring the outside of Mount Washington and only had time for a quick trip inside to warm up before heading back out to the siding to await our train. A view down the train tracks showed the ingenious cog rail that allows the train to climb the steep grades.
A plaque near the siding identifies the peaks of the Presidential Range weโd passed on the way up and explains theyโre part of the White Mountains which, in turn, are part of Appalachian Mountains.
Here comes our train! If you look closely you can see the large cog under the engine which meshes into the center track. Unlike typical trains which send power to steel wheels on two smooth rails, the cog railroadโs engine powers the gear on the middle rail. Thereโs no way it could climb this mountain pulling along on those smooth outer rails!
As we descended the mountain I could see clouds still blanketed our path. We had a short time to look back at the top of the mountain before we were enveloped once again.
When we came out of the layer of clouds we were still far up the mountain above the Marshfield Station. Partway down is an area of double tracks where trains can pass each other.
Back down at the bottom, we took one more walk around then headed for our campers. We saw one of the steam engines headed to a maintenance building for the night as it was late in the day.
Back at US 302, we pulled into Fabyans restaurant in an old train depot of the same name. It was a small place but the food was good. And it was a fitting choice for this day!
There was just enough daylight after our meal to find our way to a nearby Twin Mountain National Forest Campground, Sugarloaf I, where we settled in for the night right at dusk.
To be continued โฆ
Only later on did we find out we had both traveled almost identical paths as far as Rangely Lake. That's where they turned to go around the south side of the lake while we stayed on the north side. We figured we were about 1 hr apart from each other at this point.
But thanks to a lot of extra driving, looking, and luck we didn't get skunked on the moose hunt. We talked to a local in Rangely which said the winter of 2014 had been a rough year for the moose so they were hard to find.
But thanks to a lot of extra driving, looking, and luck we didn't get skunked on the moose hunt. We talked to a local in Rangely which said the winter of 2014 had been a rough year for the moose so they were hard to find.
Part 5
OCT 5
On this day Kohldad and his DW broke off from our group to wind their own way home. Dad, the DH, and I headed southwest on Hwy 2. Log trucks were a common sight as were small towns. At Skowhegan we turned north on US 201.
Passing through Solon ME on US 201 I snapped a picture of a somewhat decrepit old building with a sign proclaiming it to be the Solon Hotel. It looked kind of spooky to me! We turned onto US 201A here to loop south to catch CR 16 as weโd missed a turn that would have taken us to it earlier.
I noticed the barns in this far northern state were connected to the homes, I assume to facilitate access when the snow is deep. I had fun trying to catch a good picture of one as we rolled along and this is the best one I was able to get. I also noticed round school buildings werenโt built just in the south.
At North Anson ME we came to a river so craggy with rock that we stopped for a closer look. Upstream of the US 201A bridge, ridges of rock funneled the flow of the Carrabassett River into rushing torrents. Here we turned west on New Portland Rd (CR 16). This road paralleled the river and I could see it was just as rocky for about half a mile.
Another half-mile upstream I saw where a homeowner had constructed what appeared to be a lighthouse in their front yard. It was a nice piece of work but who ever heard of an inland lighthouse!
Coming into Kingfield on CR 16 we spotted an old mill dam and pulled into a parking lot alongside it. I climbed up on the top of my camper to take a picture of the dam then walked around to the other side for a few more pictures.
Back on the road, we picked up CR 142 out of Kingfield. At the small community of Phillips, we turned off CR 142 onto CR 4. More beautiful countryside. Even a little bit of fall color.
CR 4 took us to Rangely Lake where we stopped at an overlook for lunch. There are several large lakes in this area which have made it a popular summer destination. Rangelyโs biggest claims to fame are its trout fishery, a boat built specifically for these lakes, and elaborate summer resorts popular in the late 1800s and early 1900s. I noticed the information plaques were in both English and French, the latter a nod to the fact this area is less than 100 miles from Quebec.
Thereโs a state park on the lake with a campground but it closed four days earlier on October 1 so we traveled on to the town of Rangely. Here we got the closest to a moose as we were going to get on this trip ๐ At Rangely we turned west on CR 16.
We crossed from Maine into New Hampshire. I saw a sign saying we were entering NHโs Great North Woods Region. This isnโt to be confused with the North Maine Woods, a huge swath of woods with multiple owners but centralized management, which we hadnโt visited on this trip. NHโs Great North Woods Region differs in that it has no centralized management. Either way, I bet the trees look the same!
Our stop for the night was Umbagog State Park. Due to the lateness of the season we were able to snag two of the few sites with a great view of Umbagog Lake. In fact, there was only one other camper there. The DH and I had a good view of Dadโs camper and the lake from our dinette. It was still early in the day so, since this is a small park with no trails, I walked around the campground a few times and out to the dock where I watched a fellow row around the lake. I stitched together a panorama of the view across the lake from three photos but the result doesnโt do justice to the beauty of the place.
It had been a sunny and relatively warm day so we dined outside that evening. Later I walked back to the dock and found the lake was as smooth as glass, perfectly reflecting the sky and eventually a splash of sunset color. A fine end to a fine day!
To be continued ...
OCT 5
On this day Kohldad and his DW broke off from our group to wind their own way home. Dad, the DH, and I headed southwest on Hwy 2. Log trucks were a common sight as were small towns. At Skowhegan we turned north on US 201.
Passing through Solon ME on US 201 I snapped a picture of a somewhat decrepit old building with a sign proclaiming it to be the Solon Hotel. It looked kind of spooky to me! We turned onto US 201A here to loop south to catch CR 16 as weโd missed a turn that would have taken us to it earlier.
I noticed the barns in this far northern state were connected to the homes, I assume to facilitate access when the snow is deep. I had fun trying to catch a good picture of one as we rolled along and this is the best one I was able to get. I also noticed round school buildings werenโt built just in the south.
At North Anson ME we came to a river so craggy with rock that we stopped for a closer look. Upstream of the US 201A bridge, ridges of rock funneled the flow of the Carrabassett River into rushing torrents. Here we turned west on New Portland Rd (CR 16). This road paralleled the river and I could see it was just as rocky for about half a mile.
Another half-mile upstream I saw where a homeowner had constructed what appeared to be a lighthouse in their front yard. It was a nice piece of work but who ever heard of an inland lighthouse!
Coming into Kingfield on CR 16 we spotted an old mill dam and pulled into a parking lot alongside it. I climbed up on the top of my camper to take a picture of the dam then walked around to the other side for a few more pictures.
Back on the road, we picked up CR 142 out of Kingfield. At the small community of Phillips, we turned off CR 142 onto CR 4. More beautiful countryside. Even a little bit of fall color.
CR 4 took us to Rangely Lake where we stopped at an overlook for lunch. There are several large lakes in this area which have made it a popular summer destination. Rangelyโs biggest claims to fame are its trout fishery, a boat built specifically for these lakes, and elaborate summer resorts popular in the late 1800s and early 1900s. I noticed the information plaques were in both English and French, the latter a nod to the fact this area is less than 100 miles from Quebec.
Thereโs a state park on the lake with a campground but it closed four days earlier on October 1 so we traveled on to the town of Rangely. Here we got the closest to a moose as we were going to get on this trip ๐ At Rangely we turned west on CR 16.
We crossed from Maine into New Hampshire. I saw a sign saying we were entering NHโs Great North Woods Region. This isnโt to be confused with the North Maine Woods, a huge swath of woods with multiple owners but centralized management, which we hadnโt visited on this trip. NHโs Great North Woods Region differs in that it has no centralized management. Either way, I bet the trees look the same!
Our stop for the night was Umbagog State Park. Due to the lateness of the season we were able to snag two of the few sites with a great view of Umbagog Lake. In fact, there was only one other camper there. The DH and I had a good view of Dadโs camper and the lake from our dinette. It was still early in the day so, since this is a small park with no trails, I walked around the campground a few times and out to the dock where I watched a fellow row around the lake. I stitched together a panorama of the view across the lake from three photos but the result doesnโt do justice to the beauty of the place.
It had been a sunny and relatively warm day so we dined outside that evening. Later I walked back to the dock and found the lake was as smooth as glass, perfectly reflecting the sky and eventually a splash of sunset color. A fine end to a fine day!
To be continued ...
Part 4
OCT 3
We awoke at Blackwoods Campground in Acadia National Park to find the skies had cleared and it was the start of a beautiful day. Dad, the DH, and I hopped aboard the free Island Explorer shuttle and traveled to the Nature Center at the Sieur de Monts entrance. After browsing through the center we took a walk through the nearby wetlands and woods.
Returning to the Nature Center, it was still a little while before the next shuttle so we had time to check out a garden with its many labeled examples of the native vegetation.
The next shuttle carried us along the Park Loop Road. We hopped off at the Sand Beach. In the South, sandy oceanside beaches are everywhere. Evidently that isnโt the case in Maine as I read Sand Beach is โone of the few cold-water, shell-based sand beaches in the world.โ Cold water such as that off the coast of Maine tends to dissolve sea shells. But at this site an offshore rock, called โOld Soaker,โ diverts a strong current into a glacially formed pocket which captures the shell fragments which get ground up to form the beach.
Further down the Park Loop Road we stopped at Thunder Hole. Here there was a large parking lot and a small gift store which was once a park visitor center.
But the feature that attracts everyoneโs attention is the rocky shore and, more specifically, a narrow cleft in the rocks. Incoming waves plunge into this cleft and are magnified into a rushing stream that eventually smashes up against the end of the cleft. Depending on the level of the tide and the strength of the waves, the resulting spray ranges from minor to spectacular. At the time of our visit it was at the minor end of the spectrum.
Later that evening, after eating supper back at the campground, Kohldad and I decided to see if we could walk to the ocean. There was a dirt road that led from the campground to the Park Loop Road. From there we were able to clamber down onto the rocks along the shore. The area faces east and was already losing the light of the sinking sun but we enjoyed the company of a single cormorant and the sight and sound of waves crashing on the rocks, so different from the light slap of waves rushing up onto sandy shores weโre used to in the South. It was nice having the place all to ourselves.
We agreed to return at daybreak the next morning and walked back to the campground passing this chipmonk, or โmini-bearโ as my DH calls them, along the way.
OCT 4
Iโm not a morning person but the chance to catch a sunrise on the beautiful, rocky Maine shore had me up, dressed, and out the door in the wee hours of the morning. Kohldad joined me and, both of us bundled up against the cold, we made the walk over to the ocean. The sky was just starting to brighten the sky as we set up our cameras.
Hey, whatโs that? Two cruise ships heading in to the port at Bar Harbor! The sunrise was gorgeous but was made even more interesting as we watched the ships sail across the horizon. The timing was perfect as the first ship crossed between us and the sun as it rose out of the sea.
Ship 1 exited the scene then Ship 2 moved to center stage before it too finally disappeared behind an intervening point of land.
With the ships gone and the sun up, we turned our attention to the shore beneath our feet. The rocks seemed to glow as they began to soak up the warmth emanating from the glowing orb to the east.
On our way back to the campground, I snapped a pictures of some foliage that would soon be gone and other foliage which would last through the winter.
Back at the campground, we ate some breakfast then prepared to pull out. We had one more place we wanted to go in the park before we turned inland.
Cadillac Mountain is the highest point in the park. Its granite peak provides an excellent point from which to get a good view of the area. Kohldad and I were tickled to see anchored in the bay off Bar Harbor the two cruise ships weโd watched earlier that morning. Luckily we were still early enough to have arrived at this popular destination before the tour buses full of cruisers arrived.
As I read on this plaque, the top of Cadillac Mountain is rocky but still provides a foothold for a wide variety of vegetation. Even the rocks themselves were splotched with colorful lichens.
Thereโs a lot more of Acadia weโd like to see but with our trip limited to two-weeks we wanted to keep moving. This was as far north as we could make while still allowing time to explore along the way.
As we traveled inland on Hwy 1A the land was rolling and cloaked with trees.
Approaching Bangor, we split up so each group could do their own thing. We didnโt visit any attractions and the only picture-worthy site I saw was the juxtaposition of a Baptist church over a Whoopie Pie cafรฉ which I found to be very funny. Is that just me or do you find this funny too?
We stopped for the night at a small campground alongside US 2, Two Rivers Campground at Skowhegan. Nothing spectacular but we had quiet sites along a small run-of-the-river lake. There was enough room to stretch our legs before settling in for the night. While thereโs plenty of opportunity to dry camp in Maine, Dad prefers campgrounds with electricity and there were plenty of those still open.
To be continued โฆ
OCT 3
We awoke at Blackwoods Campground in Acadia National Park to find the skies had cleared and it was the start of a beautiful day. Dad, the DH, and I hopped aboard the free Island Explorer shuttle and traveled to the Nature Center at the Sieur de Monts entrance. After browsing through the center we took a walk through the nearby wetlands and woods.
Returning to the Nature Center, it was still a little while before the next shuttle so we had time to check out a garden with its many labeled examples of the native vegetation.
The next shuttle carried us along the Park Loop Road. We hopped off at the Sand Beach. In the South, sandy oceanside beaches are everywhere. Evidently that isnโt the case in Maine as I read Sand Beach is โone of the few cold-water, shell-based sand beaches in the world.โ Cold water such as that off the coast of Maine tends to dissolve sea shells. But at this site an offshore rock, called โOld Soaker,โ diverts a strong current into a glacially formed pocket which captures the shell fragments which get ground up to form the beach.
Further down the Park Loop Road we stopped at Thunder Hole. Here there was a large parking lot and a small gift store which was once a park visitor center.
But the feature that attracts everyoneโs attention is the rocky shore and, more specifically, a narrow cleft in the rocks. Incoming waves plunge into this cleft and are magnified into a rushing stream that eventually smashes up against the end of the cleft. Depending on the level of the tide and the strength of the waves, the resulting spray ranges from minor to spectacular. At the time of our visit it was at the minor end of the spectrum.
Later that evening, after eating supper back at the campground, Kohldad and I decided to see if we could walk to the ocean. There was a dirt road that led from the campground to the Park Loop Road. From there we were able to clamber down onto the rocks along the shore. The area faces east and was already losing the light of the sinking sun but we enjoyed the company of a single cormorant and the sight and sound of waves crashing on the rocks, so different from the light slap of waves rushing up onto sandy shores weโre used to in the South. It was nice having the place all to ourselves.
We agreed to return at daybreak the next morning and walked back to the campground passing this chipmonk, or โmini-bearโ as my DH calls them, along the way.
OCT 4
Iโm not a morning person but the chance to catch a sunrise on the beautiful, rocky Maine shore had me up, dressed, and out the door in the wee hours of the morning. Kohldad joined me and, both of us bundled up against the cold, we made the walk over to the ocean. The sky was just starting to brighten the sky as we set up our cameras.
Hey, whatโs that? Two cruise ships heading in to the port at Bar Harbor! The sunrise was gorgeous but was made even more interesting as we watched the ships sail across the horizon. The timing was perfect as the first ship crossed between us and the sun as it rose out of the sea.
Ship 1 exited the scene then Ship 2 moved to center stage before it too finally disappeared behind an intervening point of land.
With the ships gone and the sun up, we turned our attention to the shore beneath our feet. The rocks seemed to glow as they began to soak up the warmth emanating from the glowing orb to the east.
On our way back to the campground, I snapped a pictures of some foliage that would soon be gone and other foliage which would last through the winter.
Back at the campground, we ate some breakfast then prepared to pull out. We had one more place we wanted to go in the park before we turned inland.
Cadillac Mountain is the highest point in the park. Its granite peak provides an excellent point from which to get a good view of the area. Kohldad and I were tickled to see anchored in the bay off Bar Harbor the two cruise ships weโd watched earlier that morning. Luckily we were still early enough to have arrived at this popular destination before the tour buses full of cruisers arrived.
As I read on this plaque, the top of Cadillac Mountain is rocky but still provides a foothold for a wide variety of vegetation. Even the rocks themselves were splotched with colorful lichens.
Thereโs a lot more of Acadia weโd like to see but with our trip limited to two-weeks we wanted to keep moving. This was as far north as we could make while still allowing time to explore along the way.
As we traveled inland on Hwy 1A the land was rolling and cloaked with trees.
Approaching Bangor, we split up so each group could do their own thing. We didnโt visit any attractions and the only picture-worthy site I saw was the juxtaposition of a Baptist church over a Whoopie Pie cafรฉ which I found to be very funny. Is that just me or do you find this funny too?
We stopped for the night at a small campground alongside US 2, Two Rivers Campground at Skowhegan. Nothing spectacular but we had quiet sites along a small run-of-the-river lake. There was enough room to stretch our legs before settling in for the night. While thereโs plenty of opportunity to dry camp in Maine, Dad prefers campgrounds with electricity and there were plenty of those still open.
To be continued โฆ
OCT 2
We didnโt get a chance to explore Camden State Park the night we arrived so the next morning we drove up to the parkโs mountaintop overlook. There we enjoyed an expansive view across Penobscot Bay including the town of Camden where weโd dined the night before. There was a stone tower at the overlook which afforded an even better view.
If you want to a place to eat lunch while enjoying a view, this would do! We had just eaten breakfast though so we headed off for the dayโs travel. We all had something different we wanted to do this day so we traveled separately with an agreement on where to rendezvous for the night.
Traveling along Hwy 1, we stopped at Fort Point State Park near Stockton Springs ME. This park features the remnants of Fort Pownall which was constructed in the mid-1700s by the English to protect the area from the French. It had a modern design for the time with a blockhouse surrounded by four bastions, a palisade, a ditch, then an earthen bank. With the decline of French influence in the area, the fort instead served as protection and a trading post for settlers in the area. The fort met its end during the American Revolution when, in 1775, British sailors secretly removed its guns then American rebels retaliated by burning the blockhouse and filling in the moat. Just enough remains today to give a visitor a feel for the size of the place.
I wonder if this apple tree was planted by the British?
Another attraction at the park is Fort Point Light which was built to aid navigation on Penobscot Bay. A granite structure built here in 1836 was the first light station in Maine but it was replaced in 1857 with the present light tower and keeperโs house. Leaving the fort, one first comes to a small wooden structure housing a bell which was rung every 20 seconds by mechanical means when the bay was enveloped in fog. It needed to be rewound every 4 hours so the light keeper could forget about getting a straight 8 hours of sleep on foggy nights but at least he could get more than 20 seconds at a time. This was used until the 1960s when a more modern fog horn was installed.
`
It was a short walk from the fog bell tower to the light station. And a beautiful view of the bay was seen every step of the way.
The mailbox was cute!
The light keeper house and tower were quite picturesque. Nearby was a small flower garden which we also enjoyed.
Back at the parking area, we saw a truck that had more stickers than Iโd ever seen on a vehicle. Looks like Also Bob made a lot of stops on his way from California to Maine. The driverโs side was equally festooned. I wonder what heโll do when he runs out of space? Somehow I think this doesnโt help the resale value of the truck so maybe heโll just park it in the yard as a reminder of his travels.
Just 10 miles further up Highway 1 we came to the Fort Knox State Historic Site. No gold bars at this Fort Knox, just a lot of granite. The fort was named after the Revolutionary War veteran and first U.S. Secretary of War, Major General Henry Knox, who hailed from Boston but retired to Maine. The structure was completed in the mid-1860s after more than two decades of construction. The fort sits at the head of Penobscot Bay, just across the Penobscot River from Bucksport ME.
Itโs hard to get a good view of the fort except from the water as it was built into the hillside so this aerial view helped us get oriented. The parking lot is at the top of the picture and the trail at left took us to the fortโs entrance. The fort was designed by Joseph G. Totten, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineersโs foremost fortification expert. Considering the war armament and methods of the day, it looked pretty impregnable to me!
At the interior of the fort is a large open parade ground. The large arched casements housed cannons facing the river while the concrete squares in the grass are the powder magazines.
It took elaborate brickwork to create a vent in the ceiling.
A stairway took us down to Battery B on a lower level by the river. The guns placed here could fire hot shot, cannonballs heated in a brick furnace, which were used to set wooden ships afire. I guess thatโs one reason ironclad ships were invented.
The opening to the right is where the stairway to Battery B ends. It also provides access to the riverside area where it was seen a large part of the hillside had been excavated and terraced with stone. Iron mooring rings set into a stone waterfront wall were still in pretty good shape considering they are over 350 years old. One reason the fort is in such good shape is that it never saw battle.
Reversing our steps, we climbed up to the top level of the fort, the terreplein. From there we got a good view of Bucksport. It was easy to see how the fort could control traffic on the river โฆ if all the guns were in place. Around $1,000,000 was used to build the fort structure but cannon were never installed on this upper level as the need for the fort had passed.
We descended back down the beautifully fitted spiral granite staircase and exited the fort. Those stone masons did a fantastic job!
Highway 1 crosses the Penobscot River just downstream of the fort. The Waldo-Hancock Bridge, constructed here in 1931, was the first bridge over the river downstream of Bangor and was also the first suspension bridge in the state. Then, in the early 2000s, when corrosion finally made it impractical to repair the bridge. All that remains is a plaque marking the site.
A replacement for the doomed Waldo-Hancock Bridge was designed and built in just 42 months. The Penobscot Narrows Bridge went into service in 2006 and is the first cable-stayed bridge in the state. This beautiful structure also features an observatory at the top of one of its two 420-foot tall towers. This is the tallest bridge observatory in the world and the only one in the western hemisphere. Iโm sure the view would be stunning on a good day but this wasnโt a good day. It was cloudy and hazy so we decided against checking out the observatory and instead motored on up to Bucksport.
We found a nice place to park on the river and ate lunch while we enjoyed the view. After a stroll along the riverside greenway, we traveled on to where we were to stop for the night, Acadia National Park. The others had already arrived so we picked a site as close to them as we could get and settled in for the night.
To be continued โฆ
We didnโt get a chance to explore Camden State Park the night we arrived so the next morning we drove up to the parkโs mountaintop overlook. There we enjoyed an expansive view across Penobscot Bay including the town of Camden where weโd dined the night before. There was a stone tower at the overlook which afforded an even better view.
If you want to a place to eat lunch while enjoying a view, this would do! We had just eaten breakfast though so we headed off for the dayโs travel. We all had something different we wanted to do this day so we traveled separately with an agreement on where to rendezvous for the night.
Traveling along Hwy 1, we stopped at Fort Point State Park near Stockton Springs ME. This park features the remnants of Fort Pownall which was constructed in the mid-1700s by the English to protect the area from the French. It had a modern design for the time with a blockhouse surrounded by four bastions, a palisade, a ditch, then an earthen bank. With the decline of French influence in the area, the fort instead served as protection and a trading post for settlers in the area. The fort met its end during the American Revolution when, in 1775, British sailors secretly removed its guns then American rebels retaliated by burning the blockhouse and filling in the moat. Just enough remains today to give a visitor a feel for the size of the place.
I wonder if this apple tree was planted by the British?
Another attraction at the park is Fort Point Light which was built to aid navigation on Penobscot Bay. A granite structure built here in 1836 was the first light station in Maine but it was replaced in 1857 with the present light tower and keeperโs house. Leaving the fort, one first comes to a small wooden structure housing a bell which was rung every 20 seconds by mechanical means when the bay was enveloped in fog. It needed to be rewound every 4 hours so the light keeper could forget about getting a straight 8 hours of sleep on foggy nights but at least he could get more than 20 seconds at a time. This was used until the 1960s when a more modern fog horn was installed.
`
It was a short walk from the fog bell tower to the light station. And a beautiful view of the bay was seen every step of the way.
The mailbox was cute!
The light keeper house and tower were quite picturesque. Nearby was a small flower garden which we also enjoyed.
Back at the parking area, we saw a truck that had more stickers than Iโd ever seen on a vehicle. Looks like Also Bob made a lot of stops on his way from California to Maine. The driverโs side was equally festooned. I wonder what heโll do when he runs out of space? Somehow I think this doesnโt help the resale value of the truck so maybe heโll just park it in the yard as a reminder of his travels.
Just 10 miles further up Highway 1 we came to the Fort Knox State Historic Site. No gold bars at this Fort Knox, just a lot of granite. The fort was named after the Revolutionary War veteran and first U.S. Secretary of War, Major General Henry Knox, who hailed from Boston but retired to Maine. The structure was completed in the mid-1860s after more than two decades of construction. The fort sits at the head of Penobscot Bay, just across the Penobscot River from Bucksport ME.
Itโs hard to get a good view of the fort except from the water as it was built into the hillside so this aerial view helped us get oriented. The parking lot is at the top of the picture and the trail at left took us to the fortโs entrance. The fort was designed by Joseph G. Totten, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineersโs foremost fortification expert. Considering the war armament and methods of the day, it looked pretty impregnable to me!
At the interior of the fort is a large open parade ground. The large arched casements housed cannons facing the river while the concrete squares in the grass are the powder magazines.
It took elaborate brickwork to create a vent in the ceiling.
A stairway took us down to Battery B on a lower level by the river. The guns placed here could fire hot shot, cannonballs heated in a brick furnace, which were used to set wooden ships afire. I guess thatโs one reason ironclad ships were invented.
The opening to the right is where the stairway to Battery B ends. It also provides access to the riverside area where it was seen a large part of the hillside had been excavated and terraced with stone. Iron mooring rings set into a stone waterfront wall were still in pretty good shape considering they are over 350 years old. One reason the fort is in such good shape is that it never saw battle.
Reversing our steps, we climbed up to the top level of the fort, the terreplein. From there we got a good view of Bucksport. It was easy to see how the fort could control traffic on the river โฆ if all the guns were in place. Around $1,000,000 was used to build the fort structure but cannon were never installed on this upper level as the need for the fort had passed.
We descended back down the beautifully fitted spiral granite staircase and exited the fort. Those stone masons did a fantastic job!
Highway 1 crosses the Penobscot River just downstream of the fort. The Waldo-Hancock Bridge, constructed here in 1931, was the first bridge over the river downstream of Bangor and was also the first suspension bridge in the state. Then, in the early 2000s, when corrosion finally made it impractical to repair the bridge. All that remains is a plaque marking the site.
A replacement for the doomed Waldo-Hancock Bridge was designed and built in just 42 months. The Penobscot Narrows Bridge went into service in 2006 and is the first cable-stayed bridge in the state. This beautiful structure also features an observatory at the top of one of its two 420-foot tall towers. This is the tallest bridge observatory in the world and the only one in the western hemisphere. Iโm sure the view would be stunning on a good day but this wasnโt a good day. It was cloudy and hazy so we decided against checking out the observatory and instead motored on up to Bucksport.
We found a nice place to park on the river and ate lunch while we enjoyed the view. After a stroll along the riverside greenway, we traveled on to where we were to stop for the night, Acadia National Park. The others had already arrived so we picked a site as close to them as we could get and settled in for the night.
To be continued โฆ
