Another OT Trip report: Bar Harbor/Acadia
Posted: Mon Nov 01, 2010 8:13 pm
We just got back from a week in and around Maine. We traveled from NJ to Wells, ME and spent an overnight at my sister's cottage before moving on to Bar Harbor (another 3.5 hours or so north).
For all the times we have been to Maine this was an area we had never visited. It was lovely and way off season so at times it seemed like we had the entire National Park to ourselves.
On the way to BH we had to cross Penobscot River via this beautiful bridge.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/89321198@N00/5137594820/" title="D50_Oct2010 002-1 by mbw1024, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4149/513 ... b50e64.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="D50_Oct2010 002-1"></a>
If you look at the top of the left tower you can see the observatory. The views up there on this perfectly clear day were fabulous.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/89321198@N00/5137597104/" title="D50_Oct2010 022-1 by mbw1024, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4145/513 ... cfd40a.jpg" width="500" height="308" alt="D50_Oct2010 022-1"></a>
We made it to the summit of Cadillac Mountain in time for sunset. I was never so cold in my life. The wind could have knocked a smaller person right over!
But it was worth it!
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/89321198@N00/5137605814/" title="D50_Oct2010 079 by mbw1024, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1388/513 ... e9bf61.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="D50_Oct2010 079"></a>
We stayed at the Primrose Inn which we enjoyed quite a lot.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/89321198@N00/5137644864/" title="D50_Oct2010 486 by mbw1024, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4011/513 ... 3bb90e.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="D50_Oct2010 486"></a>
I ushered in my birthday back atop the mountain for sunrise.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/89321198@N00/5137003165/" title="D50_Oct2010 157-1 by mbw1024, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1112/513 ... 2af380.jpg" width="331" height="500" alt="D50_Oct2010 157-1"></a>
We also took a boat trip that day. Historical light houses. That was cold too but not nearly as bad as sunset.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/89321198@N00/5137616402/" title="D50_Oct2010 253-1 by mbw1024, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4012/513 ... 7cddfa.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="D50_Oct2010 253-1"></a>
The next day we spent doing an audio tour of the park in our own vehicle. If you don't know there is a 22 mile park loop road that lets you basically circumnavigate the park. I thought this would take us a few hours. We started at 10 and wrapped up around 5:30 with still one more stop to go. It was a GREAT trip and we explored some areas extensively.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/89321198@N00/5137022267/" title="D50_Oct2010 309-1 by mbw1024, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4007/513 ... 616b08.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="D50_Oct2010 309-1"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/89321198@N00/5137648448/" title="D50_Oct2010 422 by mbw1024, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4027/513 ... 787ce7.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="D50_Oct2010 422"></a>
Towards the end of the day the fog started rolling in.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/89321198@N00/5137043803/" title="D50_Oct2010 434 by mbw1024, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4045/513 ... 59bfec.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="D50_Oct2010 434"></a>
The next day we visited Northeast Harbor (last stop on audio tour). To get there we had to drive along Somes Sound, the only fjord on the east coast.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/89321198@N00/5137655984/" title="D50_Oct2010 502 by mbw1024, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1159/513 ... 134a76.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="D50_Oct2010 502"></a>
And also Bass Head Light
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/89321198@N00/5137049855/" title="D50_Oct2010 517-2 by mbw1024, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4090/513 ... ed8582.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="D50_Oct2010 517-2"></a>
We headed back to Wells for the rest of the week and we closed up my sister's cottage for the winter.
It was a great week .. until next year, Maine!
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/89321198@N00/5137406425/" title="L100_Oct2010 493 by mbw1024, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1379/513 ... 70decc.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="L100_Oct2010 493"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/89321198@N00/5138014830/" title="L100_Oct2010 501 by mbw1024, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4018/513 ... 6c623b.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="L100_Oct2010 501"></a>
If you care to see the 200+ photos you can do that here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/89321198@N ... 138014830/
For all the times we have been to Maine this was an area we had never visited. It was lovely and way off season so at times it seemed like we had the entire National Park to ourselves.
On the way to BH we had to cross Penobscot River via this beautiful bridge.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/89321198@N00/5137594820/" title="D50_Oct2010 002-1 by mbw1024, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4149/513 ... b50e64.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="D50_Oct2010 002-1"></a>
If you look at the top of the left tower you can see the observatory. The views up there on this perfectly clear day were fabulous.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/89321198@N00/5137597104/" title="D50_Oct2010 022-1 by mbw1024, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4145/513 ... cfd40a.jpg" width="500" height="308" alt="D50_Oct2010 022-1"></a>
We made it to the summit of Cadillac Mountain in time for sunset. I was never so cold in my life. The wind could have knocked a smaller person right over!
But it was worth it!
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/89321198@N00/5137605814/" title="D50_Oct2010 079 by mbw1024, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1388/513 ... e9bf61.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="D50_Oct2010 079"></a>
We stayed at the Primrose Inn which we enjoyed quite a lot.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/89321198@N00/5137644864/" title="D50_Oct2010 486 by mbw1024, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4011/513 ... 3bb90e.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="D50_Oct2010 486"></a>
I ushered in my birthday back atop the mountain for sunrise.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/89321198@N00/5137003165/" title="D50_Oct2010 157-1 by mbw1024, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1112/513 ... 2af380.jpg" width="331" height="500" alt="D50_Oct2010 157-1"></a>
We also took a boat trip that day. Historical light houses. That was cold too but not nearly as bad as sunset.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/89321198@N00/5137616402/" title="D50_Oct2010 253-1 by mbw1024, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4012/513 ... 7cddfa.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="D50_Oct2010 253-1"></a>
The next day we spent doing an audio tour of the park in our own vehicle. If you don't know there is a 22 mile park loop road that lets you basically circumnavigate the park. I thought this would take us a few hours. We started at 10 and wrapped up around 5:30 with still one more stop to go. It was a GREAT trip and we explored some areas extensively.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/89321198@N00/5137022267/" title="D50_Oct2010 309-1 by mbw1024, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4007/513 ... 616b08.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="D50_Oct2010 309-1"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/89321198@N00/5137648448/" title="D50_Oct2010 422 by mbw1024, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4027/513 ... 787ce7.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="D50_Oct2010 422"></a>
Towards the end of the day the fog started rolling in.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/89321198@N00/5137043803/" title="D50_Oct2010 434 by mbw1024, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4045/513 ... 59bfec.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="D50_Oct2010 434"></a>
The next day we visited Northeast Harbor (last stop on audio tour). To get there we had to drive along Somes Sound, the only fjord on the east coast.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/89321198@N00/5137655984/" title="D50_Oct2010 502 by mbw1024, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1159/513 ... 134a76.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="D50_Oct2010 502"></a>
And also Bass Head Light
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/89321198@N00/5137049855/" title="D50_Oct2010 517-2 by mbw1024, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4090/513 ... ed8582.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="D50_Oct2010 517-2"></a>
We headed back to Wells for the rest of the week and we closed up my sister's cottage for the winter.
It was a great week .. until next year, Maine!
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/89321198@N00/5137406425/" title="L100_Oct2010 493 by mbw1024, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1379/513 ... 70decc.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="L100_Oct2010 493"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/89321198@N00/5138014830/" title="L100_Oct2010 501 by mbw1024, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4018/513 ... 6c623b.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="L100_Oct2010 501"></a>
If you care to see the 200+ photos you can do that here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/89321198@N ... 138014830/