Home Again

Made it home Saturday night around 6 PM.  We spent Friday night in Wilkes-Barre, PA.  Had lunch outside of Boston with my friend Dick D. and his wife Lynn.  Nice 2 hour break from the car/road.

Karen spent the night and was back on the road by 8 AM Sunday morning, she really wants to get home.  It nice to be here again...my husband and all the pets were really missing me.  Nice feeling!!

In two weeks Pete and I leave for Key West...so more travel tales will be forth coming shortly!!

Last Day In Maine!!

Our last day in town!!!  :(  We had listened to the weather forecast and anticipated a beautiful day.  We waited long enough for it to finally arrive.  The morning was typical, a heavy dose of fog was out there.

I decided I really wanted a robust breakfast, so off to the Brass Compass we went for my breakfast.  

We had to wait a while to head north, since the main reason for heading to Camden was to hike Mt. Battie, which was promising a fantastic view of miles of Maine coastline.  

My friend Dick D. had also advised us to make sure to check out the Camden Harbor as it is the site for the largest collection of multi-masted schooners in North America.  The harbor was our first stop and there were a few schooners in sight, but most were bundled up for the winter.  

We went poking around in a few shops and happened in one where the owner immediately filled us in on the local politics.  Was a very interesting monologue.  He had very strong opinions regarding the ultra liberal very rich residents of the community.   

From there we headed to Camden Hills State Park to hike Mt. Battie.  We decided to hike up to the top and explore the trails.  There were gorgeous views everywhere and we could see for miles up and down the coastline.  While we were on the mountain the sun finally broke through. 

The fall colors are still incredible and the trails were very easy to follow.  For those of you who know me, you know the Buckeye Trail is marked with blue blazes.  Seems the blue blazes followed me to Maine!!

From there our map indicated that there were Belted Galloway Cattle on a farm nearby.  I know, for those of you reading this you gotta wonder what goes on with me.  Certain things just strike my fancy and Belted Galloway cows are one of them.  We found the farm.  I took some photos…of course.

We finished our last night in Rockland back at the Black Bull Tavern, which is where we started it last week with Diane and Betts.  Dinner was good. 

We want to get packed up and ready to go tonight, so it is an early evening tonight.

Hump Day

Lousy weather today.  Heavy clouds, heavy fog and lots of rain.  Started off slow but we finally decided to drive up to Freeport and do some shopping…something neither of us particularly like to do.  

So, we were back at the condo by 6 PM.  I have two new pairs of shoes, Karen has a couple of items.  We picked up some shrimp and crab cakes on the way home…a feast is looming on the horizon!!!

Vinalhaven Island

Full day today!!!  John called at 9 AM, so that got Karen out of bed.  Once she was up she was ready to go, so we caught the 10:30 AM ferry to Vinalhaven.  The trip was 1 hr, 15 minutes on a ferry that was rolling with the waves.  It was funny, the sea looked totally flat, but there were definitely swells and that ferry just rolled along.  Definitely not a place for anyone prone to sea sickness.  

I laughed when the UPS truck loaded on the ferry.  UPS is everywhere!!  The driver said he had to get his run done before the final ferry of the day, at 4:30 PM, or he would be stuck on the island for the night.  We saw him from the other side of the island loading on the ferry for the 2:45 PM trip.

I did get a different vantage of the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse from yesterday.  The ferry went right past the lighthouse and so we could finally see it up close.

Just as we were landing at the ferry terminal I noticed that Pete had called.  No cell service on the island and I was a little concerned since I knew a big storm was going through the Midwest today.  Have to wait until we return until I find out what that call was about.

First stop after the ferry landed was at a restaurant as we were both very hungry.  I had a crab roll, first cousin to a lobster roll.  You would think they would gussy it up a bit, but it is just crab meat and mayonnaise on a hamburger bun.  It was a funky little restaurant right over the water.  We were lucky to get what we got since the place was closing on Friday for the season.

From there we headed to the Lane’s Island Preserve, about a 30 minute walk from the ferry terminal.  It was an area on the island protected by the community. We followed the trail around the 40 acres and enjoyed the views from many different points on the path. 

 

From the Preserve we took the Around The Mountain Road, which dead-ended and turned into a footpath.  Followed the path up to the top of the hill, found a playground and then down the hill where we found a very strange contraption that moves giant granite boulders.  Don’t remember what they called it, some weird word, but it was very interesting looking.  

After that we were both running out of steam.  It was about 3 PM and we were shooting for the 4:30 Ferry, so we headed toward the terminal, taking our time.  When the ferry arrived we loaded and just watched the boat traffic.  It was that time of night when the boats were returning to their port.  We started noticing seals in the harbor.  There were at least 3-4.  Karen and I both wondered if it was a nightly ritual, that they follow the boats home in hopes of some handouts.  They didn’t seem to mind the boat traffic or their close proximity to humans.  

We enjoyed the ferry ride back to the mainland until we noticed that Rockland seemed to be totally socked in with fog.  Very interesting changes in weather…most of the day we had had clear skies and plenty of sunshine.  But that changed very quickly.  

The photo above is another lighthouse we passed.  If I had a longer lens on my camera you could have seen a very dramatic picture, with the clouds and the light.  

Unloaded from the ferry right at 5:45, were back in our condo by 6 PM and that’s the day for us.  Hope yours was as nice!!!

Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse

Monday was a very slow start. The weather is overcast and looks as though it could rain. Decisions, decisions, what to do today; we have several options and finally we decide to hike out to the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse. It should be about 7-8 miles…enough to get in some good exercise.

We follow Route 1 around the coast going past all the small shops and residential area to get to the Lighthouse Road. It is all residential and very pretty homes, right on the water. We find one that is for sale with posters in the front yard, $385,000 asking price, most of the cost is in the waterfront.

The road ends up in a park that overlooks the harbor. A path takes off to the left, skirting around a golf course associated with a resort. Oh man, where are my clubs when I need them. Looks like a gorgeous course, again, overlooking the water.

The path leads out to the jetty, quite wide, wide enough for 5-6 people to walk abreast. The jetty is made from huge blocks of cut granite. It is 7/8 of a mile out to the lighthouse. Karen is in heaven as there are ducks and Iders floating around us. She has to be careful to stop walking while she is looking through her binoculars or she’ll trip on the cracks between the boulders.

We’re not the only ones hiking out to the lighthouse. There are several others who are carefully making their way. When we get there we are surprised that everything is shut up for the winter. Not sure why we’re surprised, given the time of year. Guess we just wanted to see inside. The Keepers accommodations block our view of getting a good look at the lighthouse, but we take a break, eat a delicious Honey Crisp apple and then head back.

We are both worn out by the time we get back to the condo. It is 3 PM and we are done for the day. Karen starts working on a project of hers and I settle in with my book. Pizza for dinner. When the sun sets we notice for the first time, the lighthouse is very visible from our condo balcony. Nice to know it is out there doing it’s job!!

Sunday on our Own

Sunday was finally able to sleep in; made it to 8 AM before I finally rolled out. I was on the computer when Diane and Betts called and were ready for breakfast. I was ready, Karen was still in bed. We agreed where to meet, left Karen to catch up. Got to the bakery and it was closed. Restaurant next door was open with a fabulous menu. Great Sunday morning breakfast. Karen found us with a little help from Betts!!

Diane and Betts were packed and ready to go so we said goodbye and waved them off. Now what to do without our professional guides??!!!

Threw in the photo above for my husband, he is such a huge Blues fan...thought he would enjoy seeing it. This historical marker is right outside our resort.

Again, we were drawn to the water, this time the commercial docks. Karen wanted to see if she could buy fish directly off the boats. Yes, 4 days from now when they come back in. Oh well, that’s just about the time we will be leaving. Then we made it to the Ferry Terminal and got the information we needed. We’ll be making a ferry trip to Vinalhaven soon.

All the boats are being put to bed for the winter. Very few are actually in the water, and the few that are are bundled like the ones in the photos above. Lots of two-masted and three-masted yachts are still around.

From there we wandered up through town, poking our heads into shops, once again getting drawn in to a used book store, through a couple of galleries and the Wythe Museum. Finally found our way back to the condo, had a quick lunch and then some down time and then back out the door to explore the south end of the harbor area. Kept looking for the lighthouse and finally found it, at the other end of the harbor.

Our last stop in town was at the Puffin Project. Puffins get a lot of press here in Rockland. You can see a mural that we found above. Turns 0ut they were almost wiped early in the early 19th century due to women's fashion demanding feathers. One man in the early 1970's started a project to try and reintroduce them onto the outer islands of Maine. It took a long time, since the fledglings go to sea for 5 years before they return to mate but eventually they started to return. It was a great story.

We came back to the condo, grabbed our grocery list and money and headed to the grocery store. Bought enough food for a couple of meals and headed home for the day. It has been a low energy day and we are both ready to relax in the condo and call it a day.

Saturday, First Day of Exploring!!

As usual, I was the first one up. The deal was I could call Diane and Betts anytime after 7:30 AM. So I was very polite, I waited until 7:45!!! Thought that Diane would join me for the first walk of the day around the village of Rockland, but no, they wanted to meet us for breakfast in 30 minutes. So Karen was awake enough to know that breakfast was in 30 minutes and I was out the door.

Brilliant sunshine bouncing off the bay greeted me…too bright to look at. The water was like a magnet pulling me close. Clear blue skies but the wind is still blowing really hard, so it is more than chilly out!! Walked around part of the boardwalk, then up through the side streets of the village. Nice brisk walk to get the blood rolling. Was still the first one in the restaurant for breakfast, then Karen and then Diane and Betts. Not much of a continental breakfast…poor pickings, and since we were here on a time share, we paid $8 for it!!! No one even asked for the ticket we were supposed to turn in for our meal. Won’t do that again!!!

First job of the day was to see if I could find a replacement cable for my camera. Found a Radio Shack. They didn’t have a cable, but something better and cheaper. A USB drive that accommodates the camera’s card. Very cool. I still love technology!!!

So off we went!! First stop of the day was Pemaquid Light House. We weren’t actually there for the lighthouse but for the rocks the lighthouse sits on!!

Check out the pictures you will see why…all the rocks are uplifted, so they are on their sides rather than flat as you would expect to see them!! From there to the Pemaquid Beach and Salt Marsh, then to Ft. Wm. Henry, then lunch at The Cupboard, yummy food, which none of us except Karen could eat all of!!

Then we went into Damariscotta to wander through the shops and check out their pumpkin decorations. Got lost for a while in a bookstore, which I am prone to do, found a history book on prehistoric Scotland, which I am also prone to do.

From Damariscotta we made our way to the Whaleback Shell Midden, a prehistoric site where the natives ate their oysters and discarded the shells. Originally there were huge mounds of these shells, but leave to man to find a way to commercialize and then destroy the site. Not much is left today, but in the hands of Diane and Betts we learned more than the average visitor.

From there we were looking for a farmstand, in our mid-western lingo that translates into a road side vegetable stand. Beth had a sign on the main road, so we followed her directions. Finally found her ‘stand’….some stand….huge, bustling, lots of business and lots of semis waiting to be loaded. Karen and I bought some of our fresh vegetables for the week.

Finally we made it back to the condo. It was a long, delightful day. Hoping that Karen and I will do as well on our own once Diane and Betts head home!!