Tomorrow we pack up our memories and say goodbye to Maine, a state we’ve dreamed of visiting for years. How lucky we were to visit beautiful Acadia National Park before the real crowds of summer arrive.
Acadia National Park – Ocean Path
Friends Jeannie and Jeff came up to spend our last day with us at our cozy cabin. After a short walk, we lunched, laughed and enjoyed the view from the porch as a rain shower passed over. All too soon it was time to say goodbye…or should I say, until we meet again.
While this feels like the end of our trip, we still have over 3,000 miles to drive before reaching home. I think we’re both ready!
This little finger of land in Lamoine, Maine is where we’ll spend the next week before heading home.
We’ve reached the northernmost point of our trip and are comfortably settled in a spectacular log cabin overlooking the Mt. Desert Narrows body of water. We have plans to visit Maine’s Acadia National Park and hope to get together once more with friends Jeannie and Jeff…but other than that, we may just sit and enjoy the view from the deck.
Our host assured us there would be space for Minnie, and Reg backed her in like a pro. While he tended to all the details of parking her for the week, our host gave me a tour of our temporary waterside home. What a special place this is. Gorgeous inside and out…we may never leave!
After breakfast we took a short morning walk around the point, returning to enjoy a quiet Sunday watching the tide roll out…and then back in.
From our front porch we could see the finger of land across the water hiding Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park. Curious, we drove around and found a trail to explore, looping through the grounds and offering views of coastal tide pools, towering forests and an occasional wildflower.
Safety firstTypical Maine woodsPink Lady’s SlipperRocky Maine Coast
Taking advantage of another beautiful day, we thought we had found the perfect outing. A short ferry ride from Portland, Maine took us across Casco Bay to Long Island where a 6-mile walk awaited. We packed our lunch and cashed in on the senior ticket rate, excited about our big, cheap adventure. Expecting a trail through the woods and along the shore, we were disappointed to find the walk followed a paved road through mostly residential neighborhoods. Even worse, there was not a public restroom to be found. Posted signs warned of poison ivy making a discreet duck behind a bush too risky for me. We called it quits and raced back to the dock to catch the next ferry back to the mainland, reminding us that you can’t win them all!
The ferry made several stops at different islands.Fort Gorges, built from 1858-1864.What a day…Reg’s face says it all!
The weather took a turn for the worse, dumping buckets of rain. The perfect day to check out Freeport’s main shopping attraction.
L.L. Bean fans flock to the many specialized L.L. Bean stores in Freeport. But don’t expect too many bargains. While other brand name retailers offered 30-60% markdowns, Bean deals were few and far between.
With the return of the sun, we took a chance on another island walk. A 7-mile portion of the West Side Trail took us by foot from Fels-Groves Farm Preserve, across the bridge over Casco Bay and a circle around Cousins Island. We hoped for an expansive ocean view at trail’s end, but once again our expectations were dashed. However, we enjoyed the walk and appreciated the bench (where we ate our lunch) and the congratulatory signpost at the end.
We have one more week to enjoy the great state of Maine. This morning, Reg and I woke up to a new, gorgeous view through the trees and across the water to Mt. Desert Island that sits adjacent to Acadia National Park. We’re taking another lazy Sunday before joining the sightseeing crowds. More to come…
After nearly 3 months on the road, we crossed the line into Maine!
First stop in the state of Maine – a short, 2-night visit with friends and former California neighbors Jeannie and Jeff at their lovely coastal home. Although the weather wasn’t looking good Friday morning, we donned our raincoats (just in case) and set off on a path through the 295-acre Beech Hill Preserve, hoping to take in the 360° view of Penobscot Bay, Camden Hills and the St. George Peninsula. Our hopes were dashed upon reaching the summit of Beech Hill as the clouds closed in.
We were able to have a look at the 1913 restored sod-roofed hut and the remains of a stone circle. Jeannie captured our hiking memories with her photos.
We tidied ourselves up and went out for dinner at Archer’s, a terrific seafood restaurant with a harbor view, where our evening began with drinks and Oysters Rockefeller. Thank you so much Jeannie and Jeff. It was sad to say goodbye, but you gave us wonderful memories and a perfect introduction to the state of Maine.
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