Update 23: Rockport, Maine

Update 23 : Rockport Aug. 21-24

On our short drive to Rockport we passed over this new bridge.  Upon our arrival, we set up camp in the trees and went in search of dinner. The place suggested by the campground sat next to a boat launch, diners ate outside and a small building provided the kitchen. The limited menu didn't offer the guys much to eat, so we kept driving. We drove clear down to Port Clyde at the bottom of this peninsula without finding a place to eat.  Our journey took us back to the Rockland Cafe....in Rockland, Maine.   Rockland, Rockport and Camden city limits nearly bump into each other.

Camden's colorful storefronts, interesting shops and yummy restaurants beckon the tourist to stop here for awhile. And we did! Large Victorian and Federal homes line the streets leading to downtown. Many of the old homes now house B & B's, Inns, and business firms. These well maintained structures create a lovely entrance to town from either end.

Immediately north of the downtown shops, the terraced city park overlooks the harbor. People sit on the park benches visiting and eating ice cream cones.

In the harbor four 3 and 4 mast ships await tourists who want a 4-5+ day cruise adventure. These dark masts pierce the sky above all other masts. Their thick girth adds to their distinction. Each sported a large tent like tarp near the front deck.  Several other tour boats of typical tour boat size provide 2+ hourly cruises.  The bustling harbor includes pleasure boats of all sizes from very large yachts to canoes, some fishing boats also sway against their moorings.

Lynn and I enjoyed popping in and out of the shops along Main Street. Derrille and Jay noticed that several shops stood on stilts above a river that flowed under the town's north end to the harbor. Beside one of the shops,we stopped to look at the river. From here we noticed a bridge further up the river and went to find it.

Around the corner and over about a block we found the flower bedecked bridge. Flowers cascaded from hanging pots and flower boxes from one side of the river to the other turned the span into a colorful rainbow garden.

Across the bridge, tall sunflowers tower over the visitors. Huge pots held more flowers.This "rainbow" creates a shortcut to downtown Camden  from the Riverhouse Hotel who sponsors the flowers show each year.


We walked across the bridge enjoying the experience of a flower bridge. Ducks below the bridge  quacked loudly for attention and to be fed. Realizing we had nothing to give, they paddled off down the river.

We explored other streets and lanes before going to Cappy's for lunch. The Sunday brunch menu allowed Derrille to order a Sunday special of blueberry French toast. To our surprise the French toast came out in a crock and closely resembled a blueberry cobbler. Derrille said it wasn't what he expected, but it was tasty, as was all of our food.  Jay had spied some raspberry pie in a deli down the street, but we were too full from lunch to partake of any dessert. We'd done a little shopping, lots of looking, seen the harbor, found the bridge, and ate good food in a quaint New England town ...awesome day so far..

From there we drove to Rockland to the Maine Lighthouse Museum. The museum's 4 o'clock closing time didn't allow enough time for a good visit so we put it off until tomorrow.  Instead we drove to the lighthouse on the other side of town. A one mile breakwater runs from the mainland out across the harbor entrance. 

The Rockland Breakwater Light

sits at the very end of the breakwater . To create the breakwater, pyramid making sized blocks of granite were placed three abreast from the beach to the lighthouse. The blocks sit next to each other but at varying heights. The uneven surface of the blocks requires concentration to move across them safely.

 Fishermen cast lines out for mackerel.  Lobster buoys polka dot the sea with color as they bob with the waves. Seagulls search for starfish and urchins dinner.

This lighthouse provided a bigger living space in the keeper's house, than others we have toured. Immediately next to the keepers white board house the brick lighthouse sends out its beacon. We climbed to the top and went out on the walkway around the light. The wind blew our hair and the sea salt filled the air as the sun began to set. What a great reward for our two mile walk!

The next morning we arrived by 9:30 AM at the Maine Lighthouse Museum. A video explains the creation of the Fresnel light and its use in lighthouses. Exhibits tell of the history and politics of lighthouses. Several models of lighthouses and keeper uniforms stand on display.

This little museum houses the most Fresnel lights of any museum. The lights  come in rankings called  first to sixth order. The museum has samples of each order, except for the first order light.  There is only one available and it is currently in use, not to mention its enormous size, 12 foot size and 1200 pounds,limits the ability to move it from its current position. Other sections of the museum are dedicated to specific people, especially women who worked as keeper's, the lifesaving part of the keepers job, the Coast Guards involvement, and any aspect involved with lighthouses.  They had a lovely gift shop too.

Lynn didn't feel well this morning and left the museum to get some air. She and Jay returned to their RV. Derrille and I set off to explore the other cities on the agenda. On our way to Waldoboro we passed Moody's Diner. The parking lot overflowed with cars on this Monday about 11 am. Considering this as a sign of good food, we asked a local girl at the gas station about Moody's.  She replied, "Why it is THE place and everyone in Maine knows about it, just ask anyone."  We found her enthusiasm fun.  The road to Waldoboro made a big "U" off the highway. The buildings along the narrow main street stood several stories high. Tourists spots were absent so we continue our westerly drive.

 Soon the highway traffic stopped.  We considered the possibilities of road construction, or an accident.  The line didn't appear to be moving when the sign indicated a left turn would take us to Booth Bay Harbor. So we turned and once again headed toward the end of another peninsula.  Booth Bay Harbor looked like fun. Boats filled the harbor.

Some of the shops we'd seen in Camden were open here also. This town catered to tourists.  We drove around looking for a place to park and eat our lunch. As with so many places you could pay $10 for parking and then go to a spot near the water. Around the harbor nice homes or restaurants claimed the land.  We finally found a Veteran's Memorial Park where we could park for free, overlook the harbor and eat lunch: Although we did have to share the parking lot with the tree/shrub cutting crew.

Back to the highway west, the traffic moved, but slowly. We got in line and crept into Wiccasset. The tour books listed this as the prettiest little town in Maine. Maybe it was when someone awarded them the title, or maybe if it wasn't overcast. We didn't agree.  Also amazing was the lack of road construction or an accident. Apparently just enough people were crossing the highway to bring traffic to this standstill. Maine takes stopping for crosswalk traffic very seriously.  While crossing the bridge approach to town, we noticed a crowd of people on the right side of the highway. As we neared that spot "the crowd" was in line for a food stand up the hill about a block and around the corner.  We don't know what is served at    RED'S EATS. but it must be good.

Wiscasset became our turn around spot and we headed back.

Next spot:  West Scarborough, ME

Update 22: Bar Harbor

Update 22:  Bar Harbor Aug16-21

The old Victorian houses in each small town we travel through still manage to fascinate us. As the tide moved out the brown mud and sharp rocks became visible. In some places boat sat on the rocks waiting for the incoming tide. In Millbridge a large boat stayed moored way out in the middle of the cove where some water remained even on the outgoing tide. All around the boat, closer to shore, were the rocks and mud. We passed through the town of  Machias established in 1763. The large blueberry festival being planned sounded like a fun event.

We continued moving the 77 miles down Hwy. 1 to Bar Harbor and Mt. Desert Narrows Resort.  To our surprise two more Gulfstream G7 RV's occupied spaces close to us.  One looked identical to our model except in blue, and the other one was a newer model. This is the first time we have seen other G7s in the same park.

Our sites again offered a view of the water, probably Frenchman Bay, just off the Atlantic Ocean. Rain spurted down on and off all day. The weather felt humid and warm and wet.  So ....we did laundry upon our arrival. One of the next nights this beautiful pink color filled the sky as the sun set.

The second day turned out to be HOT!  We decided to visit Acadia National Park right away. About 2 million or more other people shared the same idea. Traffic in the park consisted of a massive bumper to bumper traffic jam. We stopped at the visitor center first. The line to get passes began inside the building, went out the door, and down the two flights of stairs. Two park aides worked the long line to triage needs. With out lifetime passes to the National Parks, we didn't have to wait. We picked up the park map and set out for the park loop drive. Cars overflowed the parking lots at each place of interest and parked along both sides of the main road. Finding a parking place involved a lot of luck after creeping around the lot.

The Wild Gardens of Acadia identify and label 300 native species of plants. The walk through the garden showcases the plants by where they grow: meadow, mountains, road, pond, bog, marsh, etc. Beyond the garden, a small nature center holds exhibits and park rangers to answer questions regarding the park or hiking trails.  About this time I began not feeling well...not sick, but not well. This photo with the black dots fascinated us. We stood on the bridge over a creek and watch these black shadows of the water bugs flitting across the top of the water.

Sand Beach appeared next on the map and sounded inviting. However the jammed parking lot and many, many, people moving toward the beach deterred our stop.  Just beyond the sandy beach huge pink granite boulders rise from the sea to the top of a cliff. People walked on the giant rocks or sat in the sun.Cars lined both sides of the road making the loop drive crawl on.

Then a parking space appeared by the cliff, and we quickly slid in.  Grabbing the coolers with our lunch we headed for the boulder cliff. The huge flat pink rocks stair stepped down to the sea. People sat soaking up the sun on the warm rocks. 

Jay and Derrille walked down to watch the waves crash against the shore and send up its salty spray.
I found a great place to lie on the rocks. When I tried to cross my ankles a bruise like spot hurt, so I crossed them the other way.  We ate our lunch perched on the rocks, enjoying the moment. Although the sun beat down on the land, a thick fog bank drifted in and then out over the water.

We continued the loop drive and considered stopping at Jordan's Pond, but the hoards of people and cars kept us moving, albeit slowly, but moving down the main road.

1530 foot Mt. Cadillac ranks as the highest point on the Atlantic Coast north of Brazil. The literature stated from October to early May, the mountain is the first place on the continental United States to see the sunrise. (I'm not sure how that works, unless it is the height factor. We thought Lubec was the first place in the U.S. to see the sunrise. hmmmm) The drive circles the mountain as it rises to the top. The forest gives way and visitors get 360 degree views of the area.

The sky remained blue over the park, but the fog bank hung on stubbornly as we climbed Mt. Cadillac. Looking down on Bar Harbor from one of the viewpoints the white Caribbean Princess Cruise liner stood out among the much small ferries, fishing boats, and pleasure boats. We watched the fog hug islands in the water and conform to their shapes.

When we arrived at the top of the mountain the mass of cars, people and heat felt stifling! We lucked into a parking spot near the dome trail. From the trail we saw Bar Harbor to the north, Somes Sound to the south, mainland Maine to the west and the Atlantic to the east.

The fingers of land that create Mt. Desert Island peeked hazily through the fog. As we jostled through the crowd, one regular visitor mentioned she had never seen so many people here before. One fact we did learn stated: 25% of the North American population resides within one days' drive of Acadia.  Wow!  They must have all decided to come today!

We did take a photo op at the top of Cadillac Mountain.




Acadia National Park sits on a 54 square mile island of granite call Mt. Desert Island. A number of finger like land masses and with harbors, sounds and coves make up the island. The park includes both ocean and mountain scenery. Spruce, fir, pine and Northeast hardwood trees make up the forests among the giant granite boulders..


We left the park and drove into Bar Harbor:  a tourist town with a capital "T". Several streets of inviting shops and restaurants try to draw visitors in.  We dined on the wharf and watched the Caribbean Princess passengers board the launches to return to the ship. As dinner progress, I felt less and less well.
Derrille took the Stauss car and returned me to the RV. Lynn and Jay went to explore downtown Bar Harbor. Derrille returned with the car and joined them in looking at what Bar Harbor had to offer.

I went to bed as soon as Derrille brought me home at 5:30 PM on a Tuesday night. I didn't wake up until 6 PM on Wednesday night. Lynn and Jay spent Tuesday exploring SE Harbor and the other side of the island. They went in search of a restaurant we heard about, but they couldn't find it. That evening my shin  puffed up in size and emitted heat like an electric stove element left on high. So Derrille and I went to the Bar Harbor ER. After lab tests and x-rays confirmed I possess very healthy stats. The diagnosis stated I'd been bitten by a white-faced hornet (also called a bald-faced hornet) and experienced massive inflammation. The hospital treated 4 other cases of hornet stings in the past week. The doctor said it should go away in 48 hours. As I approach the three week mark at this writing time, and it is still visible, but almost healed. I can see two definite bite marks now.
I slept the next day too while Lynn, Jay, and Derrille took the cars into Bangor for servicing. They reported that in their exploration of Bangor, they saw very little. The following day, Lynn and I hung out at the RVs while the guys took the Stauss car into Ellsworth for an RV electrical connection cord fix.

Before leaving the island, we drove to Somes Sound to see the fjords written up in the tour books. The long narrow body of water showed us its picture perfect form. Calm water reflected the hills and forests like a mirror. The sun added specks of light and helped us look through the clear water to the seaweed and rocks below the surface. Sailboats glided quietly across the water creating vee formations in their wake. However the fjords, as we know them, were absent!  A reader board gave us a definition of "fjord" that mimicked our definition of a "sound".  Neither does it agree with Noah Webster....A pretty sight, but not a fjord.

We continued down to NE Harbor home of the rich and famous residents. We caught glimpses of some lovely "cottages" and yachts.   :)   Then we pack up the rigs and headed a little more south.


Next:  Rockport, Maine