Summer Touring in Maine - an Eclectic Review - Page 3 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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I'm not at all sorry I asked the question! I heard that when you own a boat that BOAT is short for Bring Out Another Thousand.
It's a lovely boat. Looking forward to more.
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great start!!! A friend of mine actually just asked me about visiting Maine (they are in NJ, we are in CT) - I might have to share your post with her!!
Your photos are BEAUTIFUL!!!!! What program are you using for editing??? I am a "amateur" photographer myself............or at least I like to think so...........and just find your work beautiful!!!!
Thanks Lisa (can't remember if you are 1,2 or 3). I use mostly Lightroom 4, sometimes doing additional work in Photoshop.It's an ongoing learning process.
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Originally Posted by Colexis Mom
More great pics!
Thanks for the kind words.
Quote:
Originally Posted by CinderAbby
Thanks for including the picture of Owl's Head. The last time we went to visit my aunt (before my uncle got sick and passed) we went to Owls Head and climbed up all the stairs to the lighthouse and have different pictures/different views. It was an enjoyable afternoon for us.
We also have a picture somewhere of Abby in front of that train. We also have a picture with her in front of the statue of Andre the seal. Thanks for all the memories today.
I'm glad you have fond memories of the area. Now I remember Andre - I believe we have some photos of him as well.
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Originally Posted by lauriep
More beautiful photos of places I miss! The Owl's Head Transportation Museum was always a bit hit whenever I took visitors there-- lots of old cars and planes. Not my thing, but the Farnsworth Museum I loved, especially the Homers and Wyeths.
Just since Maine winters have been mentioned-- here's an old photo of my house in the snow-- you can just make out the house through the snow-covered lilacs. (Sorry-- as you can see, my photo skills and computer skills are lacking. I managed to scan the photo but have no idea how to crop it so just the photo shows!)
Laurie - Thanks for the Snow Photo - wow, that is a LOT of snow. Might take some getting used to.
Quote:
Originally Posted by rlb38
I'm not at all sorry I asked the question! I heard that when you own a boat that BOAT is short for Bring Out Another Thousand.
It's a lovely boat. Looking forward to more.
Ain't that the truth!!! Which is why the boat is not in the LONG TERM retirement plans
I'm going to sneak tomorrow's update in a tad early, since I have a busy day tomorrow. Apologies in advance for photo overload.
Acadia National Park
I titled this report an "Eclectic Review," because I wasn't quite sure how to attack it (Eclectic means disorganized, right?). We've been to Acadia National Park several times, but what I'd like to do is just show some of the highlights. So, I'll be showing photos from different trips, but will try to note that as I go along.
Acadia National Park sits mostly on Mount Desert Island off the coast of Maine. It's about a 2 hour drive from Camden, so easy to get to for even a day trip (but not recommended – there's more than enough to do for several days).
It became a National Park in 1919, and was originally called Lafayette National Park. The name change occurred ten years later. It was also the first National Park East of the Mississippi River – can you tell I've been to the Visitor's Center too many times?
There are several entrances to the park, and most people stay in the town of Bar Harbor – while a beautiful town, this place can be an absolute zoo during the season. Add Cruise Ships disgorging hundreds of passengers at a time, and you might not want to venture into Bar Harbor traffic. Acadia National Park is big enough that you can still enjoy the beauty and serenity if you time it right.
Cadillac Mountain
One of the “must dos” when visiting Acadia is a ride up to the top of Cadillac Mountain. On a clear day, the views are incredible. You have several options – you can ride the Island Explorer Bus (sponsored by LL Bean), take your car, or even ride a bike. Guess which option we chose?
If you guessed biking, you'd be wrong We plan to use the bus service this summer, but we generally drive; you do have to pay attention to the maps, because there are several one way roads. The photo above is a random couple riding up the hill – thought it was sweet that he was giving a little push. Any bets on whether their next vacation has the word “Spa” in it?
You do see some interesting sights. We were surprised to see these folks peddling up the hill. We had a chance to visit with them at one of the look outs, and they were very friendly – and were happy to have their photographs taken. The women claimed the men were making them do most of the work.
Here are some views from Cadillac Mountain; the first three were taken in the fall of 2010 (we spent a week in Acadia doing a Photography Workshop). The next three are from October 2011.
And a few more general views from 2011 – we actually went to Acadia 3 times last summer, so these photos were taken at the end of July, and in October. It was foggy and rainy most of the time in October, and we never did see full-on fall colors.
Jordan Pond
Another “must do” is a visit to Jordan Pond. This is a hotspot for photographers and, and it can be difficult to get a parking spot in the busy season. These photos were taken in October of 2011. It wasn't the ideal time for photography, as it was about 3pm, but it had finally stopped raining, and this was the first sunshine we had seen in days.
There is also a Tea House at Jordan Pond where you can get refreshments and a meal. We've not been there, choosing not to fight the crowds. One of our goals is to book a dinner reservation when most of the park visitors have left for the day.
Another thing everyone does is drive the Park Loop – there are parking spots every so often, and you can check out the rugged coast line and crashing waves. On some parts of the Park Loop, where it is a 2 lane road and one-way traffic, you can actually park in the right hand lane. So, you do have to be careful when driving through the park.
These are just some of the highlights, there are other well known spots like Sand Beach, Bubble Pond, Bubble Rock, and more. Not to mention the many hiking trails.
These photos don't begin to do justice to the beauty in the park, but hopefully they will bring back memories, or give you an idea about making new ones. I'll cover the Schoodic Peninsula and some of the surrounding area in a future post.
What beautiful photos of Acadia. I used to hike and climb the mountains and loved to explore the area. Do make reservations sometime for Jordan Pond House. It does get ridiculously crowded, especially at tea time (popovers!), but is a wonderful spot to have tea or dine.
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Thanks Lisa (can't remember if you are 1,2 or 3). I use mostly Lightroom 4, sometimes doing additional work in Photoshop.It's an ongoing learning process.
Just for the record.......I am Lisa #2...............but only because Lisa #1 is OLDER!
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Thanks for sharing so many photos of the area - I'm making notes for the New England trip I hope to make ONE day...
Unfortunately a lot of the photos in your latest update aren't showing up.
Anyone else having problems with the photos - they are showing up for me
Quote:
Originally Posted by lauriep
What beautiful photos of Acadia. I used to hike and climb the mountains and loved to explore the area. Do make reservations sometime for Jordan Pond House. It does get ridiculously crowded, especially at tea time (popovers!), but is a wonderful spot to have tea or dine.
We definitely plan to make it to Tea or Dinner!
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Originally Posted by Colexis Mom
Great pics of Acadia! Hoping to get up there this summer!
Its definitely worth a visit.
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Originally Posted by lfredsbo
Just for the record.......I am Lisa #2...............but only because Lisa #1 is OLDER!
They're there now - maybe there was a problem earlier when I was looking. Either way, they were certainly worth the wait.
Thanks for letting me know they're working now
Well, I most enjoy reading Trip Reports when there is a bit of drama and suspense. Our trips are usually fairly dull, but I do have some potential drama to add to this one.
We leave Monday for the big Road Trip to Camden.
This is the cover Lou made for our Trip Binder - he ranks right up there with the uber planners. If you look closely, there is another member of our traveling party ... 'Tasha, or Natasha, is our 7 month old cocker spaniel pup. She will be making the trip with us ... 8 days in a car with a dog ... 7 nights staying in "dog-friendly" hotels ... This will be different! No Auto Train, no Hampton Inns, no nice dinners in the evening ...
And then, how will she adapt to life on the boat? All questions we'll answer as the summer unfolds. And yes, I am nervous.
Here's the Little Princess:
The focus of this report will still be on Maine, although I may include some updates on the Road Trip and she-who-is-the-center-of-the-universe, if anything interesting happens.
I haven't been to Camden in ages, I may have to make a day trip some weekend this summer. Seeing your pictures reminds me how peaceful it is up there!
Acadia on the other hand is somewhere we visit regularly (3 times a year regular!!) Have you ever been to Schoodic Point? The best time to go is right after a storm. The waves are amazing.
Don't apologize for lots of photos and please don't stop including them. You may think your vacations are dull and you don't have a lot to write aboutbut your pictures are worth a thousand words. They're absolutely beautiful and I look forward to seeing all of them - whether they're places I've already seen or not.
Your pup is too cute. I hope she fares well both on land and on sea.
Natasha is a beautiful pup-- and too cute! I hope she loves life on board-- probably she'll like anything as long as she's along for the ride. Have a great trip!
Tasha is just too cute! I hope she gets on alright with the road trip and life on board the boat.
Thanks. She loves riding in the car, and we'll just have to see about the boat. She adapts well, so hopefully we can keep her occupied.
Quote:
Originally Posted by hleland
I haven't been to Camden in ages, I may have to make a day trip some weekend this summer. Seeing your pictures reminds me how peaceful it is up there!
Acadia on the other hand is somewhere we visit regularly (3 times a year regular!!) Have you ever been to Schoodic Point? The best time to go is right after a storm. The waves are amazing.
You're lucky you get to be in Maine all year round! I'll include some photos from Schoodic in a future post - it is beautiful, and I think less crowded.
Quote:
Originally Posted by CinderAbby
Don't apologize for lots of photos and please don't stop including them. You may think your vacations are dull and you don't have a lot to write aboutbut your pictures are worth a thousand words. They're absolutely beautiful and I look forward to seeing all of them - whether they're places I've already seen or not.
Your pup is too cute. I hope she fares well both on land and on sea.
Thank you - and I'm okay with dull vacations - it usually means things are going as planned. It just doesn't make for a good story
Quote:
Originally Posted by lauriep
Natasha is a beautiful pup-- and too cute! I hope she loves life on board-- probably she'll like anything as long as she's along for the ride. Have a great trip!
I hope you're right. She's been an easy pup, but we are now entering the adolescence stage where she is not quite as compliant . Like most Cockers, she just loves being near us - but also has an independent streak.
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We plan to use the bus service this summer, but we generally drive; you do have to pay attention to the maps, because there are several one way roads. The photo above is a random couple riding up the hill – thought it was sweet that he was giving a little push. Any bets on whether their next vacation has the word “Spa” in it?
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Just for the record.......I am Lisa #2...............but only because Lisa #1 is OLDER!
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