A coastline beckons

Introduction

2009-01-25T14:35:00.001-05:00

Looking back...
Journal entry written on August 3, 2007

I think it's well past time to carry on a conversation with myself...

Denise, what are you thinking? Or should I say not thinking?

Vacation destinations usually jump into my head during the winter months and solidify as spring rolls into summer. It's the beginning of August, and my target timeframe for a vacation is the end of August or the beginning of September. My target destination? It's been a total mystery for a long time, but I think a decision is finally at hand.

Initially I was thinking about returning to Nova Scotia. I have a lot of exploring left to do there! It wasn't until very recently that I realized (one of the reasons) why my enthusiasm wasn't bubbling over. The trip there was to be a combination of cycling and hiking and wandering with the assistance of my bright blue fossil-fuel-powered vehicle. I would really like to get to the Cabot Trail on the far eastern side of the province, and because of the grades of the hills (short & steep), I don't think I want to ride it. But somehow, looking at the amount of driving I was going to need to do just didn't excite me. I went back to thinking, dreaming...

I know that I want to spend some time in Acadia National Park, riding, and playing with my camera. Yes, I know I was there twice last year, and twice in 2005 too. I think I've developed an addiction to that park, and in my mind that's not a bad thing. OK, Maine it is (again).

I think, I think... I'm going to head for the Mid-Coast region of Maine. It's a section of the coast where I haven't spent any time at all. My plans are pretty fluid right this moment - instead of heading out the last week of August, I think I'll drive up on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend. (The area is just too close to the Boston area to wander up there at the beginning of the holiday weekend, too many people.) I'll probably do a day trip or two on my bike, plus head out for a several day (well, probably a short loop) tour. That piece will probably start in (or near) Bucksport and head down to the tip of Deer Isle. And then I'll spend a few days in Acadia - both on Mt. Desert Island and on the Schoodic Peninsula - riding, walking, exercising cameras. How's that for a plan?

My original thoughts were to take two weeks, and this will definitely be short of that. Hmm... no plane fare for this trip, still a chunk of vacation time remaining after this trip, maybe I'll balance things out and take a long weekend hiking and camera trip somewhere later in the fall. My dreams (right now) are leaning towards Death Valley for that shorter trip. But for now? It feels like Maine...

Ah, a puzzle on the way to a solution...

2009-01-25T14:32:00.001-05:00

For now, please use Blogger's list of posts in the sidebar to follow my trip in reverse sequence. I plan to flip this blog on its head so that the posts flow from oldest to newest (like the table of contents in a book), adding a real Table of Contents and a Page by Page sidebar entry, and adding (better) next and previous links at the bottom of each post.

I probably won't be able to make these changes for the next several weeks.

...Denise, January 25, 2009

Pictures? Yes, of course there are more!

2007-10-10T20:06:00.002-04:00

I had two things I wanted to do on this trip - ride my bicycle, and play with my camera. Doing both made me happy, and both contributed to the success of my trip.

A good number of pictures are included within this journal, but as appears to be normal for me, there are more in my photo galleries. Yes, there is an overlap; there are photos in both places that also exist in the other, but there are also photos that can only be seen in one place.

There are 5 photo galleries within my travel category page A coastline beckons - September 2007. You can start at this top level, or you can go directly to the individual galleries:

Images of Acadia - this gallery contains photos of Acadia National Park taken over four days. The changing light conditions were due both to weather / sunlight conditions as well as the fact that I wandered Park Loop Road multiple times each day, once by bike, and once by other transportation modes. This gallery also includes shots of the sunset from the top of Cadillac Mountain.

A book! Photos from my Images of Acadia gallery are now available in book form.
Images of Acadia - September 2007
Looping eastern Mount Desert Island - The photos in this gallery are from the day I wandered on Mount Desert Island outside of the park, as described in my Sun kissed journal entry.
Contrasting old & new structures - pictures of the new Penobscot Narrows Bridge, and the old, Fort Knox, in Prospect, Maine. I was fascinated by the new bridge...
Mid-coast to Deer Isle - contains photos of my stay in Camden, of my loop ride heading south of there, and of a quick ride on Deer Isle.
Saco Heath - photos taken as I walked through the Saco Heath peat bog. This walking stop was a perfect break in my drive from home to Camden. I visited Saco Heath for the first time in December, and I found the difference in my two visits to be amazing.

(If you're interested, photos from my first visit can be found in the gallery Saco Bay by foot - December 2006.)

Rover's thoughts

2007-10-09T20:02:00.001-04:00

Shhh... don't tell Denise that I have taken over her computer! I didn't know that writing could be so much fun, and I thought I'd add my parting thoughts to Denise's before she marks this journal as complete.

I really like it when we move from place to place on our bike, but you know what? Denise was right, and this different kind of bike trip was just what she needed right now. The corners of Maine where we were wandering are really beautiful. It was very interesting to see the world from the top of that bridge - Denise wanted to walk down the stairs, but I thought it would be fun to slide down the cable stays. I know, I know, that's a bit crazy, and of course neither activity is allowed. But I can dream, can't I? (Denise said she wouldn't slide down even if it was allowed, you know she doesn't like heights, don't you?)

And oh! Riding and walking along the rocky coastline, seeing the ocean sparkle, and chasing the birds with a camera, that was so much fun. Somehow I think - no really, I know - we'll be going back there again someday. Sitting at that very windy spot high on Cadillac Mountain to watch the sun set was pretty special too.

I think it's OK to tell you this. It can't be a secret since Denise just published a start at her journal. At the end of October Denise & I are heading to Death Valley National Park to walk in the desert and to play with her cameras. I've never been to Death Valley before! It has a scary name, but the pictures I've been looking at make it appear to be stark but beautiful.

I hope you'll join us on our trip to Death Valley by keeping an eye on Denise's journal What's in a name?. Hmm... maybe I should call it "our" journal. Maybe Denise will let me write about our wanderings there. You don't mind if I help with the descriptions, do you?

My goal for the winter - after our jaunt to Death Valley, of course - is to help Denise figure out a biking (a touring!) destination for 2008. She really needs to know much earlier in the year where she (we! I may only be a little red dog, but I count too!) will be wandering on her bike.

With lots of love & licks -
Rover

Traveling WITH a bike

2007-09-27T19:59:00.000-04:00

...as opposed to BY bike

This was a different type of trip for me. It wasn't a tour, where my bike and I travel from point to point, moving every day (or two) through and to a new area. Explorations through travel...

Instead, I decided to head to a small corner of Maine, to spend some time each day wandering on my bike, and also to spend some time walking along the rocky coast, absorbing the sights and sounds around me.

Sometimes as I am planning a trip I forget that traveling with my bike doesn't always have to mean that I (absolutely) need to use my bike as a means of moving from place to place. This trip was what I needed at this point in my life, a chance to ride in a beautiful place, a chance to rest, a chance to reflect.

Even though I wasn't touring, I did take some of my touring habits with me. Before I started touring years ago, I was not very comfortable talking to strangers. That is something that came naturally as I started touring, with just my bike (and Rover, of course!) as a companion. Somehow that habit has become a natural part of my life, whether I'm home, touring, or just wandering in the world.

It was a good trip, a time of peace, a time of reflection.

Photos: A last waltz along the rocky coast

2007-09-24T19:56:00.000-04:00

Photos: Circling one more time by bicycle

2007-09-24T19:53:00.000-04:00

Split personality

2007-09-24T19:48:00.000-04:00

...a ride, a coastal walk, a drive

Ah, one more day to enjoy visions of the sea, to roll along the gentle hills, to visit with the birds...

Today's excellent breakfast included pancakes with grated lemons and currents in them. It sounded a bit odd to me, although the smell of lemons emerging from the kitchen was wonderful. That interesting combination adorned with a light coating of maple syrup provided quite a taste delight. Funny, yesterday's desire to go back to simpler foods didn't apply to my B&B breakfasts. I have to admit that I'll be quite happy to return to my morning cereal and fresh fruit though.

Happy stomach, car packed, bicycle ready to roll... Of course you probably already know where I rode today. Yes, really. I headed around Park Loop Road for the third time on this trip. I had different lighting conditions on each loop. The angle of the early morning sun set up patches of sparkling water. A quiet ocean, topped with ripples and sparkles, more beauty.

After I finished the loop for the last time (for this trip, that is), my bike jumped into my car for a lift home, and I headed into the B&B to change into non-biking clothes. My car didn't seem to know how to turn away from Acadia, and I headed back out to the coast for a last camera stop. That stop was rewarded by a butterfly posing for photos. What a nice surprise.

OK, OK, it's 2:00, and I have a long drive ahead of me. A lobster roll for a late lunch made my stomach happy, and then I headed for home.

Some pockets of bright yellow & red trees popped up between the coast and Augusta, and then green became the color of choice once more. Driving from daylight through sunset and into the night sky...

Photos: Sun drops & colors the sky

2007-09-23T19:43:00.000-04:00

From late afternoon sun highlighting the landscape, to the setting sun sinking beyond the horizon...

Photos: A walk in the park

2007-09-23T19:38:00.000-04:00

I could lose myself, sitting and thinking, dreaming, staring at the ocean...

My first try at a butterfly capture... unfortunately he decided not to open his wings.

What do you see?

Are you sure this is just an old weathered piece of wood? I see an animal...

Photos: A two-wheeled loop via Northeast Harbor

2007-09-23T19:26:00.000-04:00

Sun kissed

2007-09-23T19:18:00.000-04:00

...a delight of a day

I've been thinking of heading up Cadillac Mountain to see the sun rise, but somehow the right morning hasn't shown itself yet. I checked the forecast last night, and saw that yesterday's fog was going to continue to hover overnight. Since I didn't know when the fog would clear, I figured I'd be happier with more sleep. No sunrise for me today...

When I first woke and looked outside, the sky was getting lighter, but I didn't see any blue. Back to sleep for another hour... when I woke up again, bright blue provided a good morning greeting. Another tasty B&B breakfast, and then it was time to ride.

Somehow riding out of the door appealed to me much more than driving to ride, so I dusted off my plans from yesterday's abandoned route and headed to the south and west. The road was lined with trees, and with visions of Mount Desert Island's mountains. Rolling up, flying down, and repeat. I hit the coast in Seal Harbor and then moved on to Northeast Harbor.

I'd love to know how the town of Northeast Harbor was named. The town is on the southwestern edge of the eastern side of the island. Confused? Mount Desert Island has two distinct sides, with Somes Sound running roughly up the middle. Northeast Harbor is on the southwest corner of the eastern side of the island, and Southwest Harbor is to the west, on the southeast corner of the western side of the island. Are you confused yet?

I stopped at the information center in Northeast Harbor to get a local map and directions to the road that runs along the side of Somes Sound. The rolling road at first allowed passing glimpses of the water, and then it changed to a sound-side road. Water sparkled in the sunlight, and I could see the hills I rode on one of my previous trips to this area when I wandered down to Southwest Harbor. I have to say that I prefer the road that runs along the eastern edge of Somes Sound. Why? Because it runs right next to the water. A roadside sign told me that Somes Sound is the only fiord in the eastern United States. (That's probably a relatively useless fact, but I did find it interesting.)

My big circle of the eastern side of the island didn't venture onto any of Acadia's roads. After my bike was done rolling up and down hills, I headed into the park. Thunder Hole very nicely did some thundering, and I spent time (once again) walking along the rocky coastline. I think that I was very lucky yesterday to catch the eider surfing close to shore. They were out there again today, but they were a bit further out in the water. I wonder how they pick their playground each day. Funny birds...

As I walked, I was entertained by some monarch butterflies. They didn't want to pose for pictures, but they were quite happy to decorate my day.

A sunny day, a blue sky, and I wanted to see the sun paint the sky. The sunset beckons.

Sunset today was at 6:21, and I decided to grab some food before I headed up the mountain. Today was about that point in my trip when my interest in restaurants wanes, so I headed to the grocery store for food choices. Let's see, a bagel, hummus, and fresh tomatoes. That made a great late afternoon meal.

I headed up the mountain at about 5, wanting to give myself time to absorb the late afternoon daylight before the sun disappeared behind the hills and into the water. I went to the summit, then headed back to a lookout point below the summit that gave a good view to the west. There were a lot of folks at the summit, more than at the lower viewpoint. There were still quite a few of us scattered across the rocks at my chosen sunset spot though.

Rover really wanted me to take his picture while we were waiting for the sun to set, but I was afraid that he would blow away. The wind was absolutely howling. I wish I knew how fast it was blowing. I only know that I had to sit down because I couldn't stand straight without swaying.

As I was watching the sun sink to the horizon, my attention was grabbed by a bird. A sea gull was soaring on the wind. Wings spread wide, with no movement. Just floating.

The sun sank lower and lower. There were wisps of clouds that took on the intense colors of the setting sun. The sun painted the sky. It was a good ending to another good day.

Photos: Fog chasing my feet

2007-09-22T19:12:00.000-04:00

Do you ever wonder what tasty morsels are lurking in the seaweed? Oh, to have a bird's eye view...

A raft of Eider!

I really wish there was a way to get closer to these birds. Yes, I did have a long lens on my camera, but it really wasn't long enough. It was fun to watch them anyway...

Photos: Fog sends me around Park Loop Road again

2007-09-22T18:59:00.000-04:00

My bicycle wheels started to head toward Northeast Harbor this morning, but the dense fog made me turn around and head back into the park. The first photos here are from outside of the park.

Hey Denise, I think it's too foggy to stay out here... Let's head back into the park. It's probably foggy in there too, but the people in those fossil-fuel powered vehicles are probably moving slower there.

OK Rover, you're right!

Ah, time to turn back, and to seek the more lightly traveled roads of Acadia...

Hey frog, thanks for posing!

Funny, I stopped in the information center after wandering through the gardens so I could change the lens on my camera in a dry place, and I was talking to one of the women working there. Apparently this frog is often sitting on a lily pad in the pond where I saw him. I still feel lucky to have had a chance to capture this photo.

Hmmm... I guess I'm going to be stuck in the fog all day. But riding in the park feels a little safer than on the higher speed roads I started on this morning.

Enveloped by mist

2007-09-22T18:54:00.000-04:00

Another day of not following plans

It's my turn to write today. I haven't been pedaling, but I've been helping, keeping an eye out for interesting things along the road, subjects for photos. And Denise has been buying me really good dark chocolate, so I decided that I would help some more by writing today's journal entry. Oh, if you didn't figure it out already, this is Rover writing.

Denise was thinking of getting up early enough this morning to drive to the top of Cadillac Mountain to see the sun rise. Luckily she checked the forecast last night, because it just wasn't a good day for that. Fog... It was much nicer to know that last night instead of getting up early to find the wall of mist and fog that was outside of our window this morning.

It was another good food and breakfast conversation morning. Evin made pancakes filled with those wonderful Maine blueberries. There was an egg dish too, a frittata loaded with veggies. Yum. That gave us a good start to the day. And Denise discovered a great place to pick up fresh-baked snacks for our ride, a community market called The Alternative. The blueberry scones there are a great on-the-bike snack. Yes, she did bring a stash of energy bars, but I'd much rather munch on scones.

Wisps of fog and mist decorated the morning. Last night the weather wizard predicted that the fog would lift by 10 AM, so we headed out on our bike anyway. Instead of driving to the Schoodic Peninsula through the fog, Denise decided to try a different loop here on Mount Desert Island. Bicycle wheels were headed uphill and down, pointed to the south. We were going to ride to Northeast Harbor, then follow the shore of Somes Sound back to the north. Of course, even though the map shows that road next to the water, chances are still pretty good that there would be land in between us and the water. We didn't find out though. After we were riding for a while I popped my head out and yelled to Denise that it was getting foggier and foggier and that we probably should turn back. The road we were on was two lanes with wide paved shoulders, but it was getting hard to see, and I was worried that even though Denise was wearing a bright yellow vest that people might have problems seeing us. Maybe I was just being nervous this morning, but Denise listened to me. We turned around.

We headed back and went into Acadia at the Sieur de Monts entrance. The Wild Gardens of Acadia was a good stopping point for a bit. We wandered through the garden, and Denise played with her camera (well, what did you expect?) And then, a very nice frog hanging out on a lily pad posed for some photos. I hope that Denise did a good job of capturing him. That was fun!

It seemed like the fog was lifting, so we went back out to route 3 to restart our exploration. But it was still pretty foggy, so Denise turned the bike again and headed back in to the park. Yes, we really did ride Park Loop Road again. Don't tell anyone, but I think Denise is addicted to riding that road. But that's OK with me; it's beautiful, and it's fun seeing it in different conditions. We talked to a couple from Vermont who visited here in March. They said that part of Park Loop Road was plowed (from the beginning to just past Thunder Hole), and that hiking Cadillac Mountain then was awesome. They said that they were actually standing on top of the mountain with no other humans around. I think that may have planted an idea in Denise's mind, but I have a feeling that when spring rolls around that she'll choose a long weekend destination somewhere with more of a chance of warmth. I loved our trip to Zion this spring; I could happily go back there, and I bet Denise wouldn't mind that either. (Oh, you're right, it's not time to dream of next year's travel yet...)

Anyway, back to our ride... we passed the point where it was possible to head back to Bar Harbor without finishing the ride. The mist was getting heavier, but Denise still wanted to ride. She had to stop periodically to wipe off her sunglasses. The road was wet, and the mist was visible as small droplets of water. It really didn't seem like rain though, just heavy mist. As we pulled back in to Bar Harbor, a blue patch appeared in the sky. Blue, puffy white clouds too, but overall it was still gray out.

Back at the B&B, Denise wiped big droplets of water from her bike, then switched to her wandering by foot attire. It's been a week of wearing lots of layers, both for riding and for walking. (I'm so glad my red fur keeps me both warm and cool; it's much easier than figuring out what clothes to wear every day.) The chill never left the air today, and while the fog finally moved off a little bit, the day stayed gray.

Back in the park, we walked around the edges of Sand Beach, finding some interesting views looking inland. Then we parked the car near Thunder Hole and went in search of birds. Those funny birds that Denise couldn't pin a name to yesterday? They are Eider, a large sea duck. And they really are funny. We stood and watched groups of them playing in the surf. They were diving, and they were riding the waves. I think they were eating something out there too; I just don't know what it was. I would bet that we head out to watch these birds again tomorrow.

I wonder where we'll ride in the morning. I know that Denise wants to get to the Schoodic Peninsula, but I think she kind of wants to do the ride we didn't do today. Tomorrow is supposed to be our last full day here, so I guess Denise will have to choose.

I hope the sun spends the day with us tomorrow.

Photos: Same place, different mode of transit

2007-09-21T18:47:00.000-04:00

Photos: Two wheels around Park Loop Road

2007-09-21T18:02:00.000-04:00

What a nice quiet road!

I really wonder how bad Park Loop Road would be in the middle of the summer. Somehow I've managed to ride it on both edges of the summer. But then again, I think spring and fall are perfect times to play.

Looping in two modes

2007-09-21T17:45:00.000-04:00

...conversations with strangers

This morning's air held a touch of chill along with blue skies. The chill (temporarily) disappeared as I headed uphill toward Acadia. My first glimpse of the ocean showed islands capped with fog, and a wall of fog off in the distance. It was frustrating beauty, impossible to capture with a camera. And it wasn't just me - I had a long conversation with a photographer while he was swapping lenses and trying to get that perfect image. It wasn't working for him either. My camera kept clicking anyaway... It's always fun trying to capture impossible images.

While fog was decorating the ocean, the sky above me remained blue for a while longer. That ended as the road curved back toward the ocean, and the wall of white crept closer to shore. Fog? A marine layer? Whatever it was brought both cooler temperatures and fuzzy images. Mist, floating, receding, blowing back across the rocks once again. Riding, rolling wheels, feet turning circles and keeping me warm...

I rolled by Sand Beach and Thunder Hole, watching the mist across the rocks, rolling... Almost as soon as I turned inland, the mist cleared, blue took over the sky once again, and I was finally able to shed my extra layers. Warmth...

Once around Park Loop Road, and then my bike explored a few more roads before I switched modes of transportation. I headed back into the park to play along the coast. It was time to do a little walking.

There were some black & white birds playing in the water, tempting my camera. I was never able to get close enough to the swiftly paddling birds to get a good picture, but it was fun to try. It was a challenge traversing the blocks of rock, finding a path to get closer to the water, then finding another path back to the road again. My initial look at the terrain would convince me that I couldn't move any closer, and then I'd see another person closer to the edge of the water. Hmm... if she was able to get down there, then I can too!

It was a day of conversations with strangers, about riding, about cameras. It was (another) day of riding, of camera play, of chasing birds across the rocks in an attempt to capture their images. I think that I will be quite happy with a repeat tomorrow. (Are you bored yet? I'm not!)

Photos: ...and a ride too

2007-09-20T17:43:00.000-04:00

Photos: A bridge and a fort

2007-09-20T17:36:00.000-04:00

Today was a day for driving from Camden to Bar Harbor, but it was also a day to satisfy my curiosity. I first saw the Penobscot Narrows Bridge as I was heading to the ferry to Nova Scotia for last fall's tour. The bridge was still under construction. I really wanted to walk on it, but I behaved myself and didn't.

When I saw that the bridge was open, and that there was an observatory atop one of the towers, I knew that I had to stop there today.

Playing hide & seek

2007-09-20T17:27:00.000-04:00

A bridge, a bird, a ride...

Today was a day of driving, sandwiched with exploring and riding. The bird? While I was following my bicycle wheels down a road on Deer Isle, and big red-headed woodpecker flew by and landed on a tree. I put my foot down on the ground and reached for my camera, but that fabulous bird must have sensed me and flew off. Funny though, my ride was out-and-back, and as I approached that same spot on the way back, the woodpecker reappeared. It repeated the same behavior, disappearing as soon as I reached for my camera. (Luckily there was a bird book at my B&B so I was able to confirm my suspicion. It was a pileated woodpecker, and according to the book these birds can be 18 inches long. What a fabulous creature. There's not a picture in my camera, but there is one in my mind.

My first stop this morning was at the Penobscot Narrows Bridge. You might remember a picture of the unfinished structure in one of my journals from last year. I remember stopping, and starting to walk onto the still under construction bridge. I remember thinking better of wandering out there, and returning to my car. So when I saw that the bridge opened late last year and that it had an observatory in one of it's two towers, I knew that I needed to go back. It's a single-plane cable-stay bridge. Someone I was talking to today told me that two construction companies built the bridge, each starting on opposite sides of the river and meeting in the middle. It's a beautiful structure, and the ability to go up to the top of one of the two towers was a real treat. We were warned not to look down when the elevator doors opened. A glass wall is a short three-feet away when you stop out of the elevator. The view was great, but what I really found fascinating was looking down at the cable-stays of the bridge from my perch in the observatory. How high was I? 42 stories above the river. Yes, the glass walls made it OK, even with my somewhat wacky uncertain feelings about drop-offs.

I had to spend a little more time down below the bridge. At the other end of the park is the Fort Knox State Historic Site. After the American Revolution and the War of 1812, there apparently was still concern that the Penobscot River could be attacked again. Building started in 1844 and continued for 25 years. The fort was never completely finished, According to the brochure the area was used twice, but the troops "lived outside the main fort structure in large tents. No enemy ships ever appeared on the Penobscot or threatened its towns during these wars." The structure is well-preserved, and a good place for wandering for a bit. It was quite a contrast, seeing the brand new bridge standing right next to a well-preserved structure wearing over 150 years in its facade.

Ah, it's time to ride. But I still have a ways to drive before my bike will jump out of the car. I headed down heavily wooded roads in the general direction of Deer Isle. Sometimes I don't think there is a straight road in this state... I wandered and turned, and turned again. The trees gave way to open fields decorated with large rocks, and more large rocks. Eventually I reached the bridge to the island, apparently the twin of the old (now replaced) bridge at Penobscot Narrows. The Deer Isle bridge is under construction, changing a very narrow 2-lane bridge into a very narrow 1-lane bridge. I have to admit I'm glad that I wasn't riding across the bridge; I doubt that the cars would have appreciated my slow pace. I parked at the information center just south of the bridge, and walked in to talk to the volunteer manning the center. I wanted to pick up a map, and to check that the roads I planned to wander on. We talked about riding on the islands very narrow roads (which of course didn't bother me at all!), and then I headed out. I crossed a causeway, sunlight sparkling on the water on two sides of the road. Then the trees closed in once more, and I met that friendly woodpecker. I kept riding, occasionally seeing glimpses of water through the trees. I rolled up and down, up and down, eventually reaching a point with water on both sides of the road, sand, flowers still blooming. I turned back just short of the end of the road, wandered down another road, turned back again. I still find it amazing that a road ridden in two directions can sometimes seem to be two different roads.

Deer Isle. Hmm... I needed to head north (inland) and then east before heading south once more to find Bar Harbor on Mt. Desert Island. I picked up a hint at the information center, a way to avoid route 3 in Ellsworth. Sweet! Just after I rejoined Route 1 it crossed a river in the center of Ellsworth. I turned south on route 230, avoiding the more heavily traveled route 3 south. It was a funny direction day though. route 230 heads south, and rolls around a peninsula turning north for a bit before it hits route 3. I was told to take a turn to the east to skip the around the bottom of the peninsula piece of the road. Instead of the shortcut hitting route 3 directly, it rejoined 230. I guessed the direction, and turned left. Let's see, I was driving south on 230. I turned left to grab a shortcut then turned left again, and ended up on 230 south once more. How is that possible? I am now going north on 230 south. Luckily route 3 showed up quickly, before I decided I was really heading in the wrong direction (and I really wasn't..).

Heading south once more, I finally reached Bar Harbor, my home for the next four nights. Kerry & Donna are in Bar Harbor too, so we shared dinner and conversation once more.

Time to dream of tomorrow.... I plan to ride Park Loop Road at least once, maybe twice. And I plan to spend some time walking the rocky coastline, visiting the birds.

Photos: Another Camden wander by foot

2007-09-19T17:23:00.000-04:00

Shaking my head hard feels so good!
Don't you do that too?

Photos: Looping south

2007-09-19T17:09:00.001-04:00

Is this supposed to be art?

There was some disturbed ground around the building, so I suppose it must be a structure in transition. It would be interesting to watch the building's evolution.

Follow the yellow brick road...

2007-09-19T17:04:00.000-04:00

Plans? What plans?

Brrr... a morning temperature of 45 degrees kept me sitting at the breakfast table enjoying morning conversations with my fellow B&B guests while I waited for the sun to warm the air. Breakfast was a wonderful treat of deep dish french toast topped with warm pineapple, and a side dish of Maine blueberries.

My somewhat late cycling start time of 10:30 still gave me plenty of time to ride, with time to chat with people along my biking route, and time to walk and hold conversations with the ducks prancing across the grass and paddling through the harbor here in Camden.

Today's plans were to drive south two towns to Rockland and to follow the Rockland to Port Clyde bike route published on the Explore Maine by Bike web site. Did I follow through on my plans? Of course not! Somehow following directions didn't feel right to me this morning, so I didn't follow them. I should know by now that I'm happier letting my wheels follow the roads as they desire (and yes, my bike does often express route desires!).

I rode south from Camden, through Rockport, and then on to Rockland, following Route 1 which was busy but very rideable. It was a two-lane road with wide paved shoulders, and while there was traffic it was not a bother at all. A quick stop in Rockport at Sweet Sensations & 3 Dogs Cafe added a blueberry scone to my food stash for the day; extra energy in fresh baked goods is always welcome. After I arrived in Rockland I searched out the Chamber of Commerce to pick up a local map. What luck! They had a printed copy of the map from my planned route for today. I had printed the directions and not the map, and the map was really what I needed. It showed the main route rather than turn by turn directions, much easier for my wheels to follow without much thought. I turned away from Route 1, heading toward the water. Glimpses of the coast jumped out and continued to entice me to keep rolling down the road, and the very jagged coastline was occasionally reachable. Owl's Head Light provided some stunning views, and then the road wandered through the trees once again.

After riding today, I finally have Rockport and Rockland straight in my mind. For some reason before I rode my route, I kept confusing which of the "rock" towns came first. The names of these towns reminded me that long ago Maine was part of Massachusetts. Similar town names at home have always struck me as odd - Medfield and Medford, Westfield, Weston, Westford, and at least one other "west" town. And now here in Maine we have Rockport and Rockland right next to each other. I wonder what the town-naming powers were thinking. Do you think it was a conspiracy to cause confusion? Or was it just a lack of imagination?

I arrived back in Camden this afternoon with time to do some wandering by foot. I attempted to walk to the top of Mount Battie, following a trail through the woods. I knew there would be a section of increased exposure, and I knew there was more than a small chance that I would not cover that terrain. I reached an area with good views before the trail headed up at a very steep angle. I'm more comfortable going up than down, and I learned a long time ago to think about whether I would be happy on the return trip. Remember Angel's Landing in Zion National Park? I didn't make it to the end of that trail, and I also didn't top out on Mount Battie today. I found out later that there is a road to the top, so I could have hiked up the trail and back down on the road. I'm not unhappy that I turned around though, no regrets!

I wandered down to the harbor once more, this time accompanied by my camera attired with a long lens so I could easily sneak up on the resident birds. The ducks very kindly agreed to pose for me.

Dinner tonight was a real treat. Kerry and Donna (of Fit and Fat across the North with RAGBRAI) finished their cross-country trip last week. They started in Portland, Oregon, traveling across the north, and finishing in Massachusetts. Kerry reached out to me a week or so ago, asking me to share dinner with them at the end of their voyage. Sometimes timing gets in the way, but this time things worked out. They planned to travel in Maine before heading back to the west, and we were in the same town tonight. Camden, Maine was a good (in person) meeting place for three people who had met online, three touring cyclists, all sporting yellow wrist RoadIDs... Funny, we could have used that as a subtle way to recognize each other at our first meeting. Our shared dinner, and enjoyable shared conversation was a good end to another good cycling day.

Somewhere over the years my biking trips have turned into an excuse for finding new sources of good dark chocolate. And guess what! I've found another winner. This time my treat is made my Hershey's, and is one of their Cacao Reserve products. The package bears the description "extra dark chocolate 65% cacao". Yum! I'm sure I'll be adding this prize to my chocolate diet.

Tomorrow I'll be jumping a bit farther up the coast. I plan to see the world from the top of the bridge in Bucksport and then to use my bike to wander on Deer Isle. I'll end the day in Bar Harbor, my home base for the next four nights.

Photos: A late afternoon wander in Camden

2007-09-18T16:56:00.000-04:00

Ah, a mystery building. This small structure sitting on the lawn of the library, looking out over the harbor - small from a width, not a height standpoint - was a curiosity. I walked up to it thinking there would be a door, an entryway. Nope, just glass.

And then... I realized that there was an entry to the library below the lawn. That mystery building? It was a skylight in the reading room.

And yes, I did walk in and sit on the floor with my camera pointed to the ceiling. It worked, didn't it?

Dinner tonight was at a Thai restaurant in Camden. I was treated to a window seat with a view of the street and a hand-painted rooster. Good food, and yes, a good seat too.

Photos: Saco Heath

2007-09-18T16:45:00.001-04:00

At first, I was thinking of finding a place to ride today somewhere between my home in northeastern Massachusetts and my B&B for the night in Camdem, ME. But then, I decided to do my wandering today by foot.

I first discovered the Saco Heath last December when I was looking for a new place to wander on a cold and somewhat snowy day. This beautiful space is owned by The Nature Conservancy. While I did see a couple of other people during my wanderings there, most of the time I was alone to absorb the beauty.

If you'd like to see this place in a very different season, jump over to my photo gallery Saco Bay by foot - December 2006. Now that I've seen the heath in winter and at the beginning of autumn, I need to try to visit in the springtime when it is starting to come back to life after the winter.

Jumping to mid-coast Maine

2007-09-18T14:50:00.000-04:00

...a driving & walking day

Morning rolled around with the gift of a clear blue sky. Chilly temperatures warmed into the low 60s, still somewhat chilly but very comfortable for walking. Happy...

Driving, quickly crossing state lines from Massachusetts to New Hampshire, and on to Maine. A road sign smile, my first sighting (of this trip) of Maine's "WATCH FOR MOOSE ON ROADWAY" signs. I wonder if I will ever see one of those great animals on the road, or if the signs will just continue to make me smile.

It was a driving day, but I stopped for a walk on the Saco Heath. It's a peat bog that I first became acquainted with last winter on one of those messy road days when my bicycle decided to stay indoors. I headed up to Maine to do a little exploring of ground dusted lightly with that white stuff that we call snow. I promised myself to return again in the spring when the early season wildflowers were blooming, but somehow that didn't happen. Maybe next spring... It was a good walking stop for today. Tall trees shade the entry, bright green ferns carpet the ground. The trail leading through the woods eventually give way to a boardwalk winding through the heath. Green, decorated with white puffs of wildflowers gone to seed, the occasional lone tree, some with bare branches, some with spiky green needles, all standing out against a bright blue background. Quiet... I saw several other people either finishing their walk as I started mine, or starting as I finished. Most of the time I was alone. Quiet, peaceful, a good place for letting my thoughts wander...

Back on the road, I followed I-95 to where I-295 branched off, heading through Portland and then towards the coast. I made a quick stop at a Maine visitor center just off the highway. A local grower had dropped off a basket of fresh apples, a nice unexpected snack! While I took the opportunity to check email at a computer provided for visitor use, I overheard a smiling but frustrated woman asking for directions. She tossed an old Maine highway map on the desk and asked that it be thrown out. Yes, if you have an old Maine map and you're planning on driving on the interstate - you should treat yourself to a current map. Why? A few years back the state highway department renumbered all of the exits on I-95, and they swapped the numbering of the roads. Both changes probably made sense, and at first the exits bore both the old and the new numbers, but no more. The exits are no longer numbered with sequential "add one" numbers. Instead they bear a number corresponding to the mileage from the beginning of the road. That makes much more sense to me, but it can be a bit disconcerting if you're following old directions. I think what really threw this woman off is that her map showed I-295 as going around Portland and I-95 as cutting through the city. (Yes, it's still an interstate, not surface streets...) Sometimes maps are wrong, and sometimes roads just aren't marked as we expect them to be - whether we're being assisted by a fossil-fuel-powered vehicle as I was today, or whether we're rolling under our own power. I shouldn't be surprised by mystery roads since I'm used to riding around home where for some reason the powers that label the roads figure that they don't need to put signs on "major" roads because of course everyone knows the names of the roads. Huh. Not me! But tell me - how important is it to always know where you are? Hmm... maybe I should spend this vacation getting lost!

Still driving, following route 1... For the most part it was a 2-lane road, a very reasonable place to drive, and a not terrible place to ride. It wouldn't be my first choice for riding, but it's a pleasant empty road up here, a far cry from route 1 closer to home. Trees, still green but fading... It's early for fall colors, but the trees seem to be edging toward a not very bright fall. The green appears to be darkening, edging toward brown. Occasionally a pop of red or yellow appeared. Here's hoping that my camera can find some interesting colors over the next few days.

I finally rolled into Camden and found my home for the next two nights - Abigail's Inn, a beautiful setting, very comfortable, friendly owners. I chatted with them for a while, then it was time to explore the town. I was fascinated by what looked like a structure that belonged on top of a house. But it was on the green lawn outside of the library. What's the name? I want to say it is a widow's walk, but I don't think that's right. Circular, windows all around, narrow, no doors, just glass. I grabbed a couple of pictures, then kept walking. Oh look - there's an entrance to the library on a road facing the harbor, lower than the lawn. Yes, you're right. I just had to walk inside to see what the structure was. From the inside of the building, it provided a skylight. And yes, I really did sit on the floor and take a picture of the skylight from the inside of the building.

There were people walking along the water, ducks paddling and waddling about. And on a hill overlooking the harbor a woman sat with a beautiful bright blue and yellow bird. I think that she said he is a blue macaw. He's shared her house for the past twelve years, and he loves riding in cars. He is quite happy riding down to the edge of the water and then hanging out on the back of a park bench with his owner. He almost looked like he was talking to her. It's amazing what you can see and learn by walking, looking, and talking to strangers. It was a good day.

Tomorrow? Two wheels rolling...

Dedication

2007-09-17T14:48:00.000-04:00

This tour is dedicated to the memory of my brother Neal, who lost his battle with cancer on September 3, 2007.

As I ride and absorb the beauty around me, I'd like to think that Neal is grabbing a ride on the back of my bike, that he is accompanying me on my voyage. He is still with me, occupying a space in my heart forever.

Getting closer...

2007-09-15T14:43:00.001-04:00

...Rover jumps for joy

Just in case you haven't figured it out from the title, this is Rover speaking. Yes, I can speak, and I can write too. Sometimes I bark, but usually I speak in human language so Denise can understand me.

And oh! Our trip is almost here. I'm counting the days, only 3 (including today) until we head off to the coast of Maine. As I wander around the house, I don't see any sign of our impending departure. I barked at Denise and suggested that she start putting things together, but she told me that there is no need for worry. We aren't taking that much with us - just biking clothes, off-bike clothes including hiking shoes for some wandering on two feet (well, four feet for me!) in Acadia, camera and (multiple) lenses.

I was really surprised to hear that Denise is breaking her shoe rule for this trip. Oh, you don't know what that is? Well, she has a rule that says she can only take two pairs of shoes on any trip. On a biking trip, that's usually her biking shoes and her Chaco sandals, which are really comfy for walking. But even though this is a biking trip, we're going to be doing some walking in Acadia National Park. The sandals could work, but she thinks hiking shoes are probably better. It's funny though, I'm perfectly happy with my four bare paws. I wonder why humans feel that they need to wear shoes. Hmm... I don't think the weight from an extra pair of shoes really matters on this trip though since we're only doing day trips on the bike and we won't need to carry them. I also find it interesting that she's still using her biking rules for everything else. Two sets of clothes, one to wear, and one that might still be wet from hand-washing the night before...

I reminded her to pick some energy bar flavors that I like too. After all, riding in the TailRider - that bag on the rack where the cameras ride - and keeping an eye out for good photos, well that can be hungry work!

I thought that we would be out on a bike today, but it's gray and rainy outside. I jumped onto Denise's computer to check the long-term forecast, and... I hope, I hope, I hope that the forecast is right because it says that once today's wet disappears that we are in for some clear but cool days. I'm going to call the weather wizard and see if she can help keep the days on the dry side. (What? Of course I'm on a first-name basis with the weather wizard. She doesn't always abide by my wishes, but we do talk...)

I'm having good dreams while I wait for Tuesday to roll around. I'm dreaming of rolling down the road, of seeing (and hearing!) the ocean, the rocks, the birds, of meeting strangers, of playing with cameras, of...

What do you mean I need to be able to reach the pedals to help with our forward motion? I thought that jumping up and down on this silly bicycle seat would be enough!

If you've followed Denise's other exploits, then you already know who I am.

But for any new readers out there... My name is Rover, and I travel with Denise. I jumped into her bags shortly after she left home on her cross-country adventure back in 2002, and I've been traveling with her ever since. No, I really can't help with pedaling, but I can help find sights for photos, and I make Denise smile. That's enough, isn't it?

You're leaving when?

2007-08-22T14:40:00.001-04:00

Changes...

I made my decision to wander in Maine before my brother received his bad news just a week ago. (You may remember that I dedicated last September's trip to him as he fought his battle with cancer.)

As the days moved by, the timing of my planned trip started to feel really off. I thought and I thought. I agonized, and I thought some more. What should I do? Ever since I heard Neal's news, I've been fighting with myself over my plans. Should I leave the plans as is and potentially need to cancel at the last minute, or need to come home in mid-trip to be with family? Or should I change the dates?

Plans can be changed, vacation dates can be moved, but I need to make that decision now. Why? Because I have B&B reservations, and B&B reservations typically come with a very restrictive cancellation policy. Of the four B&Bs where I have reservations, two have a 14-day cancellation policy, and two have a 10-day cancellation policy. At first I was just going to leave the reservations as is, knowing that if I needed to be with my family during my planned vacation that I would lose my deposits. But as the days creep by, it just feels like my timing is really off. When I compared the cancellation policies and today's date, I realized that if I cancel now I will only lose one deposit.

I finally decided this morning to try to move my trip out further into September. Time for the telephone... I canceled reservations at two of the B&Bs, and I moved the other two. One of those was the reservation where I was already inside of the 14-day cancellation window, but the B&B owner was wonderful and just moved my reservation without charging me for the canceled reservation. How nice! I don't know if that was because I started the conversation by acknowledging that I knew they wouldn't refund my 1-night deposit, or if that's an unstated policy if the reservation is moved as opposed to cancelled. No matter the reason, that made my day! And I was lucky to find four consecutive days available at the B&B I chose in Bar Harbor. I'll be staying in two different rooms, but my original reservation had that quirk as well.

I suppose that given my brother's life situation that my vacation isn't really important. It may be selfish, but it still feels important to me. It's well past time for a break, a calming wander on my bike, a canvas of ocean and rocks waiting for capture by my camera.

My moved Maine trip is still not too far off, beginning on September 18th instead of the original September 2nd start date.

My changed plans leave me with a trip that is two days shorter than the original. I'll still be covering two distinct sections of the Maine coast, one that is new to me, and one that is quite familiar. And yes, I'm still looking forward to my trip.

Pieces of the puzzle

2007-08-13T14:39:00.000-04:00

...are falling into place

Vacation is just three short weeks away, and the pieces of the puzzle are very nicely falling into place.

My destination hasn't changed since I made my initial decision just a little over a week ago. Where am I going? I'm heading to coastal Maine, starting in the west in what is referred to as Mid-Coast Maine, and going as far as the Schoodic Peninsula in Downeast Maine. It's an area that is very do-able as an out-and-back self-contained (bicycle) tour from home, but I've decided to do it (mainly) as a series of day rides. That way I'll be able to focus on the areas that interest me most instead of spending a great deal of my time on the bike in "transportation" mode.

I've made reservations at B&Bs, and I've perused maps and potential bike routes. From a biking standpoint, there's a mapped loop ride that I want to do that starts in Rockland, some wandering along the coast from Camden to Castine, an out-and-back ride from Castine to Stonington (that I'm adapting from a published loop ride of Deer Isle / Stonington), and riding in Acadia National Park, both on Mt. Desert Island and on the Schoodic Peninsula. Then there's a new bridge in Bucksport - the Penobscot Narrows Bridge - that has an observation tower that my camera is screaming to visit, and there's walking to be done along the coast, and...