Sunday 9/27/09 … Naweedna to Jason’s, Spencertown NY… Leaving day M&M rose early, had morning beverages, quick showers, packed, and were off by nine. Janie & I followed shortly thereafter. It was a gloomy, rainy drive. We were heading to Jason’s and there are those pesky Finger Lakes between us and him. There are generally two ways to get around the impediment: sensible people take the Thruway north of the Finger Lakes; others take I-390 to go under the lakes and connect with I-88 up to the Albany area and down to Jason’s. The Thruway is shorter but much more heavily trafficked. Long ago, we decided it was better to sacrifice a little time for the more rural and scenic southern-route. However, on this particular day, we couldn’t see much through the steady rain, and what we did see was a lot more traffic than usual. I imagine the Thruway would have been worse – that’s what I’m telling myself anyway. We arrived at Jason’s around five, greeted with our usual grinning, hugging and jumping up and down; then moved to his cozy kitchen for a spot of tea to ward off the damp chill of the early evening. Jason had a Unicycle Club meeting at six, so, after he left for that, we heated up a bunch of Mikey’s leavings and sat around being homebodies until he returned. Jason lives in a converted hunting cabin back in the woods overlooking some ponds that the local Beavers have tried to re-engineer to their own, un-human-like needs. Check out the satellite view … Jason’s … he lives at the END of Lawrence Lane; you can see two of the bigger ponds off to the east.  Jason has to work tomorrow, and we will be on the road again continuing our journey to the great NE, so we all turned in at a reasonable hour – after a couple of brews and some great conversation - and got a good night’s rest. It was a short visit, but as usual, very rewarding. What a dear boy he is ;-) Monday 9/28/09 … Jason’s to … Blackberry Crossing, Kancamagus Highway, White Mountains NF, Conway NH …Sheet lifting … We were up at six. Jason was already busy in the kitchen when we walked in. Us: “Good morning, how was your night?” Jason: “Mikey’s Sloppy Joe was a real sheet-lifter.” Oh yeah, that’s what we’re talkin’ ‘bout. I told you the boy is a gem. I related AJ’s idea: a small exhaust fan installed under the sheets, at the base of the bed … necessary when co-habiting with a delicate female person.  Jason, being the wondrous person he is, had been up for a while, and while he was waiting for us to rise, he wrote us an email in case he had to leave for work before we got up. Ah, but there’s more. When we entered the kitchen, we were greeted by the smell of fresh-baked scones. The boy is a marvel, I tell ya. We had a short chat, munched some scones, drank our morning beverages, and thoroughly enjoyed the dawning of the day … until Jason excuse himself and bounded up the stairs to change his clothes for w-w-w-w-work. Yep, it’s Monday and the dear boy has to go to school to enlighten the country’s youts, in the Jersey vernacular. When he came down, he was all decked out in a clean white shirt, neat pants, and … a TIE. Jason in a tie; I don’t know if I’ve ever seen that before. He looked so debonair – a real professional. I was ever so proud of our boy ;-) 

We stayed around a bit after Jason left – mainly to research the RAM he needs to get to make his computer a little more responsive. Then we were off down his l-o-n-g drive and on our way to … hmmm, where are we going again? It had rained heavily last night – accompanied by booms of thunder – and today dawned misty with occasional spotty rain. Ah, but it got better and better as we headed east toward ... wherever.  The mind tends to wander while driving. This particular morning, it was especially footloose. In Jason’s directions to his house, he says, “Turn at the old wagon wheels, and, after you’ve driven about as far as you think you can go, turn right – at the Kahn sign.” He gave us those instructions many years ago, and we still chuckle when we reach the “as far as you can go” part. Just to encourage you to push your limits, Jason erected a “Kahn” sign on a tree near the point where you begin to feel lost. Over the years his “Kahn” sign has faded a bit, so my idle-while-driving mind drifted off to thought of getting Jason a new “Kahn” sign. Map But a new sign could be more elaborate than just the name. For example, it could say “House of Kahn”. As my mind continued to wander down the path of possibilities, other ideas began to take form. First there was “King Kahn” but that seemed too easy. That led to “Kingdom of Kahn”. Well, once you get to that point, the progression begins to take form: King … Kingdom … Dom. Yeah, that’s it “Kahn-Dom”; he needs a new sign with “Kahn-Dom” emblazoned on it. After finishing off the Kahn Variations, my mind drifted off to thankfulness for having a life companion who enjoys the same things I do – no matter how silly. So there I sat enumerating to myself the many things Janie and I have in common – and the important things that are conveniently different. I eventually got around to verbalizing my thoughts and ended with, “Isn’t it nice that we are so co-pathetic?”  That became a well-worn phrase throughout the trip. Yep, that’s us, co-pathetic. Oh the civility. After driving north parallel to the NY-VT border, we finally crossed over. An hour or so of driving in VT brought a revelation. These people are civilized; old is venerated; even the new construction is designed to look old. But more importantly, they obey the speed limits – and they actually treat it as an UPPER limit. As we entered one quaint village after another, the drivers ahead actually slowed to the posted 30 MPH limit and didn’t speed back up until they reached the 50 MPH sign on the other side of town. Yep, you got that right, they drove according to the posted limits – and the limits were very reasonable. Not only that, they stopped for pedestrians without having any of those “It’s The Law” nag-signs.  Furthermore, there were NO tailgaters. RVan is like a queen bee attracting sex-craved drones; we always seem to have a string of vehicles behind us all trying to push us down the road. It’s very annoying when all you want to do is dawdle along, enjoying the passing scenery. More often than not, someone zooms in behind me and gets close enough to read the fine-print, legal-warnings on the bikes; I can only see the top of the vehicle in my rear view mirror. That’s annoying – especially with the bikes hanging out there in harm’s way. But in VT, everyone – well, nearly everyone – kept their distance … usually several car lengths behind. At one point, we were following a very slow moving truck, so a train of vehicles collected behind us. To my amazement, they were equally spaced with several car lengths separating each vehicle. This is the way it should be, right? Everyone seemed to be operating with the admirable philosophy: No worries, no hurries. They were just motoring along slow and easy. What’s the hurry when there’s so much wonderful scenery? It was a most refreshing experience. 

Our first destination was Sugarbush and we arrived there around 12:30 after crossing through the Taftsville Covered Bridge. It’s so cool that RVan at 8’3” just barely makes it through the 8’10” clearance. The skies had cleared and the sun was refreshingly warm. Warm also described our mood as we thought about all the great cheese and maple syrup inside the rustic farmhouse. We stopped at the sampling station where the nice woman stopped wrapping cheeses for delivery and offered us tastes of new varieties. Yummy good stuff. Then it was off to the next room to sample jams, jellies, and other sweetened concoctions. We were in the market for hot pepper jelly, and they had four different offerings. We set about picking the one that fit our palate best.  We hurried on to the maple syrup room to make sure they had an ample supply of our favorite Grade B – they did and we set aside two gallons for later redeeming. Then we turned our attention to getting a gift for last night’s host. We first looked at the already-packaged variety packs – none of them completely satisfactory. Wait, these people do mail orders; that’s how we get our supplies regularly. I asked, and sure enough, they would be happy to pack up any thing we want, so we selected some goodies for Jason. These people do mail orders in a timely fashion because we got this lovely email from Jason a few days later: 

Bogs and Janie-  I was overjoyed to open the dense package when I got home yesterday.  Cheese and syrup and chewy goodies!  What could be better? Well perhaps me being there with you guys and eating it together, but outside of that what could be better?  Thanks so much for the very nice gift.  I am entirely undeserving, but thankful.  I will strive to be deserving of it the next time I see you.  How are the weather and the sunrises?  Miss you both. Jason

 We then filled our shopping list with bars of Smoked Cheddar, Bleu, 6-year Cheddar, 2 gallons of Grade B, Pepper Jelly, and a sampling of granola bars. All that plus Jason’s stuff came to a tidy $250. Cool. We are in shopping mode … and tomorrow there are not one but TWO New Balance outlets on our agenda. We’ve been waiting three years for this – let the shopping begin. Our route took us though Woodstock and Orford. As we drove though, thoughts of our trip with Bob’n’Char passed through my mind. That was six years ago, but the towns, shops, and picnic area all made it seem like yesterday. Memories; where would we be without ‘em?  New England 2005 w/B’n’C We were in Lincoln NH a little after three. Lincoln is the eastern gateway to the Kancamagus Highway that threads through the White Mountains NF and ends in Concord on the eastern side. I first did the Kanc back in the 70s. Needless to say, things have changed a bit. Compared to then, the Kanc has been “discovered” as they say. We’ve noticed a huge increase in traffic the last few times and today was no exception. Of course, with so many non-VTers, you are going to get those ill-mannered drivers, and sure enough, no sooner had we started the Kanc when an entourage consisting of a Suburban (with 1 occupant), 2 motorcycles, and a single-occupant sedan screamed around us at the first opportunity. We proceeded at our usual leisurely pace and caught up with them near the other end, but the damage to my psyche had been done. The whole time my mind was reeling with possible “conversations” I might have with them. Never mind the beautiful fall scenery; I gotta tell these guys off. A peaceful frame of mind is a fragile thing it seems.  

We arrived at one of the last campgrounds on the Kanc around four. We usually get to the Kanc late in the day, so we normally end up in a campground on the west side. This time we picked one near the east end of the Kanc –one we’d never been in before – and one of the smallest on the Kanc: Blackberry Crossing. So here I sit eating Sugarbush cheese, drinking an adult beverage, and telling you all about our day. Works for me … hope it works for you ;-)  Tuesday 9/29/09 … Blackberry Crossing, Kancamagus Highway, White Mountains NF, Conway NH to … Sea Wall CG, Acadia NP …Down to the sea … Shortly after leaving the Kanc, we saw a flock of Turkey. We’ve been seeing more and more Turkeys on our trips – well, not the one to AK, but most of the others – do they have Turkey in AK? It seems the Turkey population is rebounding nicely. Shortly after the Turkey sighting we found ourselves in Conway NH – a town we’ve learned to dislike. Conway guards the eastern end of the Kanc, so there is no way to avoid it. Normally, the narrow streets are chucky-jammed full of traffic and tourist-y pedestrians. The first time I was there, I, too, was one of those tourists: I stopped at the big, possibly original, EMS store. Well, every other time after that, I just wanted to get on with the trip and … on to Maine. However, this time, Conway was much more civilized. So much so, it’s quaint NE nature was allow to shine. Ah, but it was early morning before any of the shops opened and the hunter-gathers arrived for their day’s activities. We were heading for the NB Outlet in Norway ME. The web site had it located downtown, so we followed the directions, parked right in front of the building, and discovered no NB outlet at all. I got out to make sure we weren’t just overlooking it. As I turned to relay the distressing news to Janie, I noticed a young mailman sauntering down the street with his big leather bag stuffed with mail. As he approached, I asked, “There’s supposed to be a NB Outlet here; where is it?” He said, “Oh, yeah, they moved to a new store out on Speedway … do you know where that is?” Me: “Do I look like I’d know?” He proceeded to give us directions like go down this street to the river, turn left, go past the Speedway, and you’ll find the store just on the other side of the Wal-Mart.”  Verbal instructions almost never have a scale, so I was sort of expecting it to be fairly close. Not so. As we drove along, I started steeling myself against the possibility that we’d never find the place. Ah, but perseverance prevailed, and after much driving we saw the welcoming sign – in the neighboring town of Oxford, ferchrissake. Scale … Dick Young is correct; you always need a scale – even on your verbal maps. We arrived at the NB Outlet in Oxford ME by 9:00 – just as they were opening the doors. I walked in and announced to the collected salespersons standing at the checkout area that I was here to buy some stuff … starting with shoes … two pair in all likelihood. We were the only shoppers in the store, so I had everyone’s undivided attention. Kelly stepped up and said, “Follow me.” It turns out that Kelly is the store manager. Kelly is very young and a recent Marketing/Management graduate, although she did start out as an English major. She directed me to a new version of the NB 1060s that I bought three years ago – and now have 500 miles of treading on them. Ah, these feel good; what else you got? Ooooo, these are nice too. I’ll take ‘em both … start a pile … how about some shirts like this one I’m wearing … I ended up with the shoes, a couple shirts, a rain jacket, six pair of socks, and a couple pair of shoe laces … not just any shoe laces; these are NB’s Bubble Laces that actually stay tied. Oh, Janie was also there … and she got some stuff, too:  shoes,

long-sleeved biking shirt w/thumb holes, and a pair of gloves – paws for the cause with little pink ribbons supporting breast cancer research. After leaving NB, we headed toward Ellsworth – a town you must suffer through to get to Acadia - and a rendezvous with Ranger Gretchen (Gebhardt). We used our new-fangled Internet connection to exchange emails with her en route and arranged to meet on Thursday, 6ish at Lompoc in Bar Harbor (they got bocce).  Yet another new twist on our traveling … we took the freeway. We had to take the Maine Pike to get to I-95 which would take us toward Ellsworth. The Maine Pike, like the Penna Pike and Mass Pike, and all other Pikes is a toll road. Amazingly, we found ourselves on the Maine Pike … without passing a toll plaza. What’s up with that? Read on, dear friend. Ah, a toll road with no toll booths … wait … what’s that up ahead? Oh, a toll booth. Hmmm, I guess they just put a toll booth in the middle of the toll road and hope to catch everyone. You see, ME’s terrain doesn’t lend itself to big, open toll plazas like those on the NYS Thruway. We paid our $1.25 and motored on. The very first sign we saw was for a service plaza (3/4 of a mile ahead). Hey, I could use a pee; let’s stop. We took the exit and saw the plaza way off in the distance … on another road. Hmmm, don’t actually need the plaza since we travel with our own toilet; we just need to pull over to pee. Ah, here’s a Park&Ride; let’s pull in there. Business done, we headed back the way we came. Oops, this only goes to the ramp to enter I-95 going IN THE OTHER DIRECTION. Too late. We can’t go back; we have to drive the 3/4 mile back to the toll booths. Crap. My plan was to plead stupidity and hope the operator would let me turn around and go north with no additional charge. Janie saw a place to turn around BEFORE we got to the tool booth, but I decided to plead my case with the attendant. We thought of Bob and Mikey’s operating philosophy: “it’s better to beg forgiveness after than to ask for permission before”. We just don’t swing that way, but in this case we should have abided by that rule. I told my tale of woe to the toll booth operator and he said, “You’ll have to pay $1.25 to exit, drive 12 miles to the next exchange, turn around, drive 12 miles back, and pay another $1.25 to get back on. Even my best hang-dog “you gotta be shitting me” look didn’t work. After handing over my $1.25 and starting to pull away, he said, “I’d just turn around right here, but you didn’t hear me say that.” Okay, so I turned around in the wide, paved part of the toll area and pulled up to the toll booth where I’d been just a few minutes ago. “Hi, remember me? I just came through a few minutes ago and …” After I finished my story, I handed her my $1.25, and she said, “Oh, that happens all the time” as she handed my money back. Oh thank you great goddess of the toll plaza. We were now on our way and cursed the “3/4 mile to the service plaza” sign as we passed by. Hmmm, wonder what that a-hole guy did with my $1.25? If he could pocket the money, did the nice lady have to pay out of her pocket? How do they do the accounting at toll booths anyway?  Thanks to sucking it up and driving the freeway, we found ourselves in Ellsworth, the gateway to Mt Desert Island (MDI) and Acadia in the afternoon. Hey, we have time to make it to the Sea Wall campground TODAY. That’s only three days from Naweedna to Acadia – with stops at Jason’s, 2 hours shopping at New Balance and doing “doughnuts” on the Maine Pike. We are doing great. Oops, road construction. Wouldn’t you know it? The MDI end of the causeway was under construction and the traffic was backed up for a considerable distance. No problem, we got music and

some pretty good scenery – as long as we don’t look directly in front or behind. We watched a GBH looking for a good fishing spot while we inched our way along.  As luck would have it – luck hell, we have it all under control – the Atlantic Brewing Company and the attached Mainely Meat BBQ joint was right on our way. While Janie ordered our takeout, I went into the brewery to pick up a couple of 22 oz bottles of MacFoochie’s Scottish Ale brewed with Scottish heather tips. When I got back to Janie, she was toting a bag with 1 qt of baked beans, 1 qt of coleslaw, two pulled pork sandwiches, a bottle of sweet BBQ sauce and a wee cup of vinegary hot sauce. We were set for a couple days worth of dining. We like the Sea Wall CG because it is on the Quiet Side of MDI. If you check out the MDI Map, you can find it by following ME-102 down to ME-102A. The Sea Wall CG is on the landward side of the road and the Sea Wall Picnic area is on the seaward side. It is called sea wall because there is a large pile of cobbles heaped up by frequent storms. The storm pile – sea wall – makes a good ramp for parking and looking out over the bay. This is why we prefer Sea Wall CG. We spend mornings and evenings down by the sea and only use the CG for sleeping.  We pulled into SW CG area at 4:28. The Ranges were just locking up the entrance station. We stopped and asked the lady Ranger about camping – lots of sites in D Loop – and paying – pay tomorrow; we open at 8:30. This is exactly what happened last time. We spend each evening down at the sea wall, come in to the CG long after closing time, and go back to the sea wall for breakfast well before opening time. Hey, there’s no Iron Ranger, and if the real Rangers aren’t here to take our $10, we can’t just nail the money to a tree can we? We took a quick drive through the CG to verify that there were lots of empty spaces. Then we headed down to the sea wall to check out the birds, watch the moon, and have dinner. I set up the scope and Janie proceeded to check out the waterfowl while I enjoyed my Scottish Ale – all 22 oz of it. Ah, this is what it is all about. Somewhere between the entrance to MDI and setting up shop at Sea Wall we passed a Turkey along side the road. That’s the second Turkey sighting today – and the first ever on MDI. We also saw lots of …Common Eider (nearly all female or immature)Black GuillemotHerring & Great Black-Backed GullsCormorantRed-Necked GrebeCommon Loon… and … Harbor Seals Birding From RVan:  Pic     Pic    SW Scenery:  Pic     Pic Even before it got dark, we could see the Moon hanging in the sky above the bay. After darkness fell, we were treated with a good view of Jupiter. When we put the scope on it, we could see three or four little Jupiter Moons in a plane around it. I tried to take pictures, but there wasn’t enough light and I didn’t want to take the time to mount the camera on the tripod. Thus, my 1/5th second exposure on a chilly, breezy evening came out looking like … well, you have see for yourself. We know what it looks like to us; you can draw your own conclusions … 

Moon & Jupiter:  Pic    Pic All the moons and planets were aligned for our baked bean, coleslaw, pulled pork feast. It was just as good as we remembered … and the hot sauce made me sweat although it was pretty windy and cool outside. Does it get any better?

Wednesday 9/30/09 … Sea Wall CG, Acadia NP … Let’s Ride Bikes

We were up fairly early – certainly before the Rangers arrived at their little toll booth – and headed down to Sea Wall Picnic Area to have morning beverages and a bite to eat while scouting for birds and seals … and enjoy the sunrise. It was a bit chilly, but still nice.

Morning at SW: Pic

Now before I begin the descriptions of our civilities, let me get you acquainted with the geography and such. Here are some links for reference; check ‘em out while reading on.MDI Interactive Map (click active area for more information & pictures)MDI History (geology, pics & links)Acadia VideoAcadia PDF MapAcadia Bridges PDF (scroll down to read about the bridges and such)Acadia Pics & Info (good stuff, have a look)

The main part of Acadia is located on Mount Desert Island. The island is bounded on the East by Frenchman Bay and on the West by, well, Western Bay. MDI is barely an island in that it is only separated from the mainland by a short passage. However, that passage requires that all traffic going and coming to MDI is channeled through one road, which just happens to be under construction at this time – thanks to stimulus money I suppose.

Somes Sound – a true fjord – splits MDI into two unequal parts. The split makes MDI look like, well, for want of a better image, testicles. The Right Nut has the bulk of Acadia NP (Park Loop Road, Jordan Pond, Eagle Lake, Cadillac Mountain & all the Carriage Roads) and the too-busy-to-be-quaint Bar Harbor. The Left Nut is much less frequented and, consequently, is called The Quiet Side. We prefer to stay on the Quiet Side and play on the other side. Unfortunately, things on the Quiet Side tend to close at the end of September, so we are frequently forced to take up residence on the Bar Harbor side when our visits extend beyond that date – like this time.

Although the Carriage Roads interconnect, they can be divided into three main sections that comprise three day-rides for us. One day’s ride covers the most heavily used part on connecting roads that loop around Eagle Lake, Bubble Pond & Jordan Pond. Appended to that triumvirate is the loop around Day Mountain including the up & down climb to the top. On the eastern side of the Right Nut, there’s another series of connected Carriage Roads bounding Sargent and Parkman Mountains with extensions that go down to Upper Hadlock Pond. These roads continue on through The Amphitheater and connect with the Jordan Pond and Day Mountain roads. The third set of connecting Carriage Roads is found north of the way-too-popular Eagle Lake. These roads are frequented by locals who use them for their daily constitutionals. There are several small, beaver ponds that harbor a variety of freshwater fowl and other wetlands denizens. Each of these three connecting

Carriage Roads makes for a day’s biking that can be extended or short-circuited as needs arise. Who needs a carriage when we got bikes? Yay!

Okay, enough of the background stuff. Let’s get back to breakfast at Sea Wall Picnic Area … We got a pretty good view of a male Eider. Them’s pretty birds. We got more views of Harbor Seals spying. They are so cute. After indulging ourselves in waterfowl, water-mammals, and granola, we headed up to Brown Mountain Gate House where we parked and set out for the first bike ride in Acadia. Right off the bat we saw a Hermit Thrush and a bunch of Juncos. Our plan was to ride the Hadlock Pond loop, the Amphitheater Loop, and the Day Mountain Loop with a sojourn up to the top of Day Mountain for a nice lunch while scanning the sky for Peregrine. This is the same ride we did when we were here three years ago – and we saw not one but two Peregrines then.

Carriage Roads: PicReady To Ride: PicBrown Mountain Gate House: Pic

Acadia Pics & Info

The very first thing I noticed was the quiet. We are normally riding on crushed stone that makes a noise as you pedal along. Jason calls it the frying bacon sound – very descriptive – maybe that’s why I get so hungry when I bike. The Acadia Carriage Roads were pretty much washed clean during hurricane Bill’s torrential downpours this summer – we saw lots of gravel in the ditches along the Carriage Roads. Thus, the roads are down to their fine-grained, hard-packed base. It was extremely smooth and QUIET to ride on. Ah …

We got thoroughly engrossed in the scenery: Babbling mountain brooks flowing on bedrock surfaces with granite slab sides (Pic)Stone-lined drainage channels (Pic, Pic)Granite bridges – engineering art (Pic, Pic, Pic, Pic, Pic, Pic, Pic, Pic)Slab “sidewalks” along stream beds trails (Pic)Coping stones along Carriage Roads (Pic, Pic)

There was a noticeable lack of man-made construction material. You know, things like that ugly plastic drainage pipe or the even more hideous corrugated steel pipes. The only evidence of human control – other than the actual Carriage Roads – was the hand-hewn stone used for coping stones and bridges. It was ever so pleasant.

At one point, the quiet was broken by a croaking Raven. We scanned the skyline to see if we could find it. Ah, there it is. It came soaring out over the valley. These damned things just seem to soar about for the fun of it. Hell, I’d go.

A little farther along, we came upon an older man who had stopped to gather himself after a long climb. We stopped to chat with him and learned that he’s from Connecticut, been biking Acadia for over 30 years, spends a month in the Bar Harbor CG every fall, his wife is down at the docks watching the Queen Mary II come into port. Pretty neat life – too bad his wife isn’t as co-pathetic as mine ;-)

A little after noon, we found ourselves crossing the Jordan Pond spillway. There’s a small bridge there and middle-aged couple sitting on the bridge sharing a beer – at noon. Must have been German, eh?

Next we came to the Day Mountain Loop and the spur that goes up to the top. We’d planned to have lunch up there and see if we could spot a Peregrine catching some updrafts while sighting in on a duck or two. We had clear, blue sky all morning, which gave way to strata-Cirrus and then strata-cumulus. “What does that mean?” “It’s getting cloudy.”

Day Mountain: Pic, Pic, Pic

No Peregrines today, but, to our surprise, we were alone the whole time we lunched on the top of Day Mountain. I did the cosmopolitan thing and used our vantage point to call Mom and see how things are at home. If other people had been up there talking on their cell phones, it would have pissed me off, but if Mama ain’t happy, we can’t travel. All that time, not a single soul interrupted our solitude.

Bike Data: 21.77 miles, 3.4 hrs bike time, 6 hrs total time

Just as we pulled back in to Sea Wall for our evening respite, we saw a Bald Eagle flapping by. Ah, Eagle approved.

Thursday 10/1/09 … Sea Wall CG, Acadia NP to … Blackwoods CG, Acadia NPLet’s Ride Bikes … Again

MDI Interactive MapAcadia PDF MapAcadia Pics & Info

On this glorious day, we decided to do the Jordan Pond, Eagle Lake, Bubble Pond loop. These are the most popular sections and we expected lots of company. We weren’t disappointed. Traveling at this time of year, we are immersed in the Newly Weds and Nearly Deads. We are part of the latter. It was refreshing to see so many older people out biking and hiking. Unlike years past, nearly all of them were in good physical shape and doing quite well, thank you very much. That’s a real encouraging sign. Everyone is very friendly with easy rejoinders to a smile and good morning comment. People out enjoying themselves and feeling good about it should be friendly and quick to return greetings.

We’d parked in the RV/Overflow parking area at Jordan Pond House. This is just about THE most popular place in the park. However, when we arrived a little after nine, the parking lot was nearly empty. This was not the case when we returned at 1:30. We’d had a short day because we needed to relocate our campsite and get a shower before meeting up with Gretchen for dinner in Bar Harbor.

Jordan, Eagle, Bubble Pics: Pic, Pic, Pic, Pic

While I was racking the bikes, there must have been five cars pass by asking if I was leaving. Yeah, I’m leaving, but not right this second. This Pond House thing is a real popular place. All the parking areas are full and people are desperate enough to park on the road shoulder – even when there are numerous signs prohibiting it. I expect I could have sold our parking place for enough to buy lunch at the Pond House. We had a couple nice, home-made sandwiches instead – and relative solitude.

The two campgrounds in Acadia close for the season at different times. Blackwoods is on the Bar Harbor side and much more heavily utilized. Sea Wall is on the Quiet Side and a lot more sedate. Blackwoods closes 10/31. Sea Wall closes on 9/30. If you are paying attention to the dates, you will note that it is 10/1. That means Sea Wall’s

gate is closed and we have to move our site of operation to Blackwoods. That’s exactly what we did.

Upon entering the Blackwoods campground, the first thing we asked was, “Where are the showers?” “Down the road, first building on the left. It will cost you $1.50 for 4 minutes.” We drove around the very large CG a few times and finally settled in on a campsite. When we went back to register, the Ranger dude assigned us B-10. Hunh? That’s in a loop you said was closed; we’d finally settled on A-113. No problem, you’re in B-10. Fine. Now off for a shower and a date with Gretchen.

But foist, let’s go around the Acadia Loop Road. I had to show my Golden Age Pass AND my photo ID. I guess some people are “loaning” their passes to younger persons. Whatever, we did what we had to do and took a slow drive around the very famous loop road. We even went down to Sand Beach. Of course we didn’t go to the actual beach – way too cool and windy – but we did have a nice tour of the parking lot. Then we stopped at Thunder Hole where we parked at the Thunder Hole Restroom – nice name, eh? We took a little walk down to Thunder Hole, but it wasn’t doing much thundering today. We looked at the rocks where some people were washed out to sea earlier this year. Yikes.

Loop Pics: Pic, Pic

We went down to the Fabbri memorial and Janie got out and read the plaque. Next it was Otter Cliffs and a stop to look at a raft of male Eiders. They still retained most of their breeding colors. Neat. This part of the loop road is a two-lane, one-way affair. A bit farther down, the road splits with one lane taking a high road and the other a low. We took the low one. There was no one in view when we entered the split, so I was moving sort of slow while we scanned the water below for birds. BEEP. Wouldn’t you know it, the one person using the park loop for a commuter road pulls in behind us and beeps. Ditzy bitch. Hope you get where you’re going – you could have taken the other lane and been there by now. On to Seal Harbor and then inland to … still very, very busy … Jordan Pond House … and on toward Bar Harbor.

We arrived in Bar Harbor – the place of the very narrow streets and inadequate parking – a little before six. It took a little driving around to find the street for the Lompoc, but we eventually found it – and a conveniently-located parking lot right next door. Ah, but there was only one empty slot … and we got it. Now that we’d sorta found the parking lot by accident, I needed to stroll around to see exactly how we were going to get out and home – after having a brew or two. No problem, up this little alley, over to Cottage Street, then to Main Street, which turns into ME-3 that takes us back to Blackwoods CG. Now to find Gretchen.

We’d parked beside a green Subaru with NY plates … could that be Gretchen’s car? Nope, her Subaru has OR tags. We walked down the street and passed the Lompoc. I looked in the window and saw an attractive blonde. Hmmm, she looked at me and yelped … it’s Gretch. We entered, hugged and greeted, and got down to the business of ordering a beer (Atlantic Brewing Company’s Coal Porter for me; Corona for Janie). We were full of questions and I don’t think Gretch got a chance to fully answer any of them. She’s the first Park Ranger we’ve known personally, so we wanted to know what she does, how she likes it, how she got the job, stuff like that.

Eventually we ordered dinner. Gretch got the Green Lasagna; Janie got Shrimp & Grits; and I got Fried Tofu. It was all very good. The company was even better, and we had a gay old time until around 8:30 when we old farts started to fade. We’d been going to bed early – shortly after dark – and getting up early to greet the morning

birds, so we were pretty pooped. Plus we had to drive back to the CG – in the dark. Goodbye hugs were accompanied with threats of getting together in a month or so when Gretch passes through the RaChaCha area. Will do, with Bethany, too.

Bike Data: 15.46 miles, 2.34 hrs bike time, 4 hrs total time

Friday 10/2/09 … Blackwoods CG, Acadia NP … Let’s Ride Bikes … Again … And … Again

MDI Interactive MapAcadia PDF MapAcadia Pics & Info

We were up at our now normal six-ish. We were heading to a small parking area used by locals – there are a lot of ‘em who take their morning (and evening) constitutionals from the Duck Brook Bridge area. Sure enough, when we arrived, there were only a couple spots left. All the other vehicles had Maine plates; we were the only ‘foreigners’. Today’s ride consisted of Paradise Hill Loop, Witch Hole Loop, and the Parkman Mountain Loop (all connected by the Seven Bridges trail that has, count ‘em, SIX little wooden bridges over the same small stream – don’t know where the seven comes from).

Duck Brook Bridge: The Duck Brook Bridge is a spectacular, three-arch structure over DuckBrook. Completed in 1929, there is a central 30-foot span flanked by smaller 20 foot spans, each of which has rough-dressed uneven radiating voussoirs with prominent keystones. The gravel-surfaced deck is 200 feet in length and flares at either end. The railing has dressed ashlar copings and there are pairs of rectangular openings piercing the railing above the lesser arches and three pairs above the main arch. Above the spandrels of the arches, corbelled and semi-circular balconies extend off from the deck to allow the traveler to enjoy the scenery from excellent vantage points.

Map (zoom in until Carriage Roads show up, scroll down to see Paradise Hill & Witch Hole loops)Duck Brook Bridge Pics

We like the Paradise Hill Loop because it has a great view of Bar Harbor – the actual harbor, not the village. The Bar Harbor Yacht Club is right below the overlook (little white specks between Hill’s Cove & Bar Harbor) and out a bit in the deeper water is where the cruise ships anchor (Bar Harbor-Yarmouth route). Today it was the Crystal Symphony. Bar Harbor, the village, has shuttle boats to bring the tourists – and their money - to town where the streets are lined with all sorts of shops, restaurants, and bars.

Paradise Hill: Pic, Pic, PicWitch Hole: Pic

Whoa, what was that? Oh, it was a little Yellow-Rump Warbler flitting across in front of us. It rained last night and today it is noticeably cooler with clear, blue skies overhead. It is hard to imagine a better ride than this. The terrain is beautiful – all the way from the lush growths of encrusting moss & lichen to the marvelous vistas of the surrounding mountains, valleys, and ocean bays. The carriage roads are graded with just enough ups and downs to keep things interesting – and the blood flowing in the nether regions, if you know what I mean.

The place is pristine clean and natural looking; we only saw only a couple pieces of litter the whole time we were on the carriage roads. That’s really amazing when you consider the number of people using the roads on a regular basis. And then there are the dogs. Lots and lots of people walking their dogs – and we never saw one speck of doggie-doo anywhere. Nor did we see the dog walkers with plastic, pick-it-up bags.

Conscientious visitors, local volunteers and friends of the park keep it all picked up. They even clean the growth from around the coping stones – they don’t want to spray because the lakes and ponds are the water source for the villages on MDI. We’ve never been on better trails – or at least as consistently enjoyable – as these Carriage Roads. Too bad there are only 45 miles accessible to the public – there are some more, but they are private and can only be used for foot and horse travel. Nope, it really doesn’t get any better than this. Janie said she kept singing Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious all day.

We got a good view of a GBH catching the warming rays of the morning sun. A Raven croaked and croaked again before we saw it soar out over the valley to the next ridgeline. We saw a pair of Hooded Mergansers working the quiet water of a small pond. A bit farther along, a big ol’ Hairy Woodpecker flew across the trail in front of us. It landed on the top of a small, dead Birch snag. Guess what? There was another one at the base of the same snag. They stayed there for some time before flitting off into the deeper woods beyond.

Aunt Betty Pond: Pic

We had lunch at an overlook on the north flank of Parkman Mountain. While we were looking around for a spot to sit for a bit, we saw a Bald Eagle soaring over the adjacent ridge. As we were watching its majestic swoops and swirls, another one came in to view. Okay, this spot is Eagle Approved. We had a nice lunch while taking in the panoramic view off to the north. Like I said, it’s hard to imagine a better place to ride. It was an all together fine day.

Parkman Lunch: Pic, Pic, Pic

Bike data: 23.59 miles, 3.5 hrs bike time, 8 hours total time

Saturday 10/3/09 … Blackwoods CG, Acadia NP to Mt Desert Island CG, Somesville ME …Do That Again … Bow, Bow, Bow

I took a gander at the weather board while Janie was registering us for another night in Blackwoods CG. Hmmm, good morning but rain moving in the early afternoon. Okay, we have time for at least an abbreviated ride. We’ve done everything once, so why not start over and do it again – backwards? And that’s exactly what we did. We parked at the Brown Mountain Gate House (same as the first day’s ride) and did the Hadlock Pond Loop going the other direction. It was equally enjoyable. When we were done, we assessed the weather and decided to do a little more. That’s when we came across the German couple.

We didn’t exchange names, so I’m going to call ‘em Hansel & Gretel. They were very nice. Apparently, they were on a cruise, so they rented bikes and opted for a ride. We caught up with them at an overlook that provided a nice view of Somes Sound and the Atlantic beyond. We discussed the weather situation and exchanged a few pleasantries. Janie & I bid them a good day and headed on down the trail. Shortly

thereafter, they caught up with us at one of the bridges. We exchanged amazement of the engineering art embodied by the structures. I commented to Hansel that these 1920-30s structures must seem fairly recent to people from Europe who are used to things being centuries old. He took a look at the 1925 date carved in the stonework of the bridge, looked at me and said, “It’s older than me.” Yep, that it is, my friend. It’s all good. They were lighthearted and having a wonderful time exploring Acadia away from the hustle and bustle of the other tourists – just like us.

A little later in the day, we were stopped at another overlook of Somes Sound. As usual, we scanned the adjoining ridgelines for soaring birds. Sure enough, there was one – a Raven. It was catching updrafts and working its way in our direction. Then we noticed two more coming in from the other direction. Finally, a fourth joined in and we had ourselves a Coven of Raven to watch. They soared around in formation with one a little higher and another just below, almost touching. They would bank and swoop in unison – sorta reminded me of the Dahl Porpoise we watched playing in Clementine’s bow stream in AK.

Still later, at yet another overlook, we watched a Raven soaring over the distant ridge. Once it got sufficient elevation, it glided over in our direction … and … came right over our heads … just a few tens of feet above us. We could hear the wind swishing in its feathers. Awesome – and I really mean awesome. I got chills.

Fall Moss: Pic, PicJordan Creek: Pic, Pic

A little after noon, we decided to turn around and head back to RVan. It was beginning to cloud up and the predicted afternoon rain was coming to fruition. We didn’t hurry, but we did move out expeditiously – for us – and a good thing, too. Big, wet drops started to splatter us just as we turned onto the final leg back. We made it without getting too wet, but it was looking like a very damp night and next day. Hey, we could use a day off and … go shopping. That’s exactly what we did – after getting a much needed shower. Of course, we could have just stood naked in the rain but that would have been illegal among other things.

But what are we going to do the rest of THIS day? Let’s go back to Sea Wall; the waterfowl shouldn’t mind a little rain, right? Well, it looks like they do. Most of them were huddled together with their heads tucked under their wings patiently waiting out the now gloomy day. We watched for a while and Janie made us a grilled cheese to cut the chill and then we dug into the last of the pulled pork – with the last of the hot sauce to make us sweat.

Hmmm, no birds to look at; how about a tour around the little back roads on the Quiet Side that we’ve discovered over the years? We went up, got off the main drag and went through the real working villages on the Quiet Side of MDI: Bass Harbor, Pretty Marsh, Goose Cove, Indian Point. It was nice and peaceful. Then we remembered an even smaller and less used little road that goes down by the ocean: Cape Road (Map; zoom in a couple clicks to see the road). Great views of the sea and absolutely no one save a lone fisherman unloading his day’s catch. We were even able to connect to the Internet so I could check some of the college football scores – nothing very interesting.

Next we drove down Indian Point road and were a little disappointed because we collected a herd of locals behind us. These small roads are great if you don’t have any traffic. However, if you do, there are precious few places wide enough for us to

pull over and let ‘em go by – church parking lots are great for that, but there weren’t any along Indian Point.

That took us to Sargent Drive (west boundary of the map). Yeah, I know, it should be Sergeant or Sargeant, but it isn’t. In fact, it isn’t even always Sargent. It all depends on which end of the road you are on. The sign on the north end is clearly labeled Sargent, but in hoity-toity Northeast Harbor several signs are labeled Sargeant. Take your pick … none of ‘em are Sergeant. However, Sargent Mountain is always Sargent … don’t try to figure it out. It’ll make your head explode.

Sarge(a)nt Drive is an isolated part of the park. It is a narrow, two-way road that is plastered on the eastern edge of Somes Sound (map). There are great views all along the way … but very few pullouts where you can safely enjoy them. We pulled off in all that were available and were treated to great views of the scenery and a couple Common Loons and Cormorants. Then it was back to Blackwoods CG and site B-10 for the night.

Bike Data: 13.18 miles, 2 hours bike time, 3.5 hours total time

Oh, I almost forgot. Gretchen was going with a fellow ranger over to one of the seaward islands to check out some exotic birds or something. Now this island has a real exotic name: Isle Au Haut (zoom out until you recognize the twin testicles known as MDI). I hadn’t seen it written, and while Gretch and Janie talked about it – while using their best French accents – I got the idea it was Isle o’ ‘Ho. Well, you could imagine my chagrin. Our lovely Gretchen going off to spend a weekend on the Isle of ‘Hore; it just doesn’t seem right. Oh, wait, it isn’t right ;-)

Sunday 10/4/09 … Mt Desert Island CG, Somesville ME to … Blackwoods CG, Acadia NPHunting & Gathering Day

Useful resources …MDI Interactive Map (click active area for more information & pictures)MDI History (geology, pics & links)Acadia VideoAcadia PDF MapAcadia Bridges PDF (scroll down to read about the bridges and such)Acadia Pics & Info (good stuff, have a look) It rained most of the night – hard at times. We got off to a slow morning as befitting our slow day. What to do on a RAINY DAY? Hey, how about some shopping? There’s an LL Bean outlet in Ellsworth, we need to pick up some propane, and a little gas wouldn’t hurt – for RVan; I can produce my own, thank you. Hmmm, we might could use a shower before goin’ to town. Also, if we get back in the afternoon, as we expect, I could spend some time typing up my notes. That means we should have electric, which in turn means we need one of those private campgrounds.

We’d been driving past and oogling a private campground at the head of Somes Sound: Mount Desert Island Campground. All you can see from the road is a large, paved parking area and the office … and a big flag emblazoned with OPEN. We pulled in and went inside where we were greeted by a lovely, middle-aged woman … from Ithaca. We had a pleasant chat and then headed out to find a suitable campsite. Holy cow, this place is beautiful. Some of the campsites are situated between rock outcrops that look like rock gardens. There were several down by the water, and we picked one of them (B-6).

While we were chatting with the nice lady from Ithaca, we noticed small bundles of nails on the counter. What the hell? She said they were to nail your tent down to the platforms. Yep, the campsites have nice wooden platforms for tenters. Hmmm, if they were only big enough to allow RVan …

We went immediately to the showers, then dressed for town and headed down the road. We found the Mobil station where we got propane four years ago when we were here with B’n’C. After gassing up we headed directly for Bean. Janie found a couple tops for her and a very nice winter coat for her sister, Rose. Me, what did I get? Well, there were several things of interest, but the sizes, holy cow, they were all large and larger. I did find a nice courier bag I can use to tote the notebook, keyboard, and binoculars from sitting site to sitting site at home. Yay!

When I used the cell phone to call Mom, I noticed we had wall-to-wall bars, so I connected to the Internet to check the weather and ball scores. The prediction was good for tomorrow and even better for Tuesday. The ball scores, well, the Bills were doing exactly as expected; losing big to the Dolphins. I tell ya, ya gotta be a masochist to root for the Bills.

Once out of Bean, we crossed the street and pulled into the Hannaford lot: we needed bread and other ‘necessities’. Lo and behold, there was another Roadtrek exactly like ours in the parking lot. We’d seen them a couple times in the park and exchanged waves. This is the first time we’d seen one our size; they are usually of the bigger variety. Of course I parked beside it.

As we were getting out to go into the grocery, the woman from other Roadtrek showed up and said hello. I’d just stuffed a handful of peanuts in my mouth – never go grocery shopping hungry, right? I managed a muffled hello back, and we exchanged pleasantries for a bit. It turns out she and her husband were having a Rain Day also, but they were going to a movie … and she had to get back to the theater. Hail fellow, well met … on with our shopping.

I figured we’d have trouble beating in the time on our Rain Day, but it all took care of itself and we pulled into B-6 at 4:30 – just in time to pop the cap on my last 22 oz bottle of Scottish Ale. I managed to get myself pretty blotto before dinner came my way. So what’s new?

Monday 10/5/09 … Blackwoods CG, Acadia NP … Back On The Trails

Rain over … the day dawned misty but promising. We planned to repeat last Thursday’s ride: do a figure eight around Eagle Lake and Jordan Pond. However, we were NOT going to park at Jordan Pond House – the hub-bub center of Acadia. This time we will start at our favorite parking place: Duck Brook. We were about to bike off when a car from NJ pulled in behind us. Like I said, most of the vehicles in the small parking area are local. The man and woman started asking Janie about RVan. It seems they are interested in something similar. We looked at ‘em up and down and noted that they were suitably svelte to handle the close confines, so we dispensed the virtues of a small camper … you can get it in your garage if you have tall enough doors. Then we were all off; them hiking and us biking.

When we park at the Duck Brook area, we start off with the two small loops: Paradise Hill and Witch Hole Pond. We did a figure eight with them and while we were at a high spot with a view over toward Cadillac Mountain – with all the vehicles snaking up

to the top – we scanned the horizon for soaring birds. Hey, there’s one now. It was a Peregrine just sort of hanging in the updraft from Cadillac. We were ecstatic.

There were other birds to be viewed also. We saw a Nashville Warbler, Palm Warbler, Ring-Necked Duck, and Hooded Merganser. The fall migration is on. Oh, yeah, there was another soaring Raven sighting. They must just go up and soar around for the fun of it. Must be nice, eh?

The Paradise Hill loop has an excellent view of the Bar Harbor harbor. Word thinks I’ve typed too many ‘harbors’. Well, it is just wrong. This time we got to see yet another big cruise ship in the harbor. Ah, but it wasn’t just any old cruise ship. This was the Queen Mary II (Check this Link out). These big boats always look so large in the rather small and narrow confines. The water must be pretty deep out there.

Queen Mary II: PicSheep Laurel: Pic

Although the day was nice and clear, the cumulus clouds began to build toward late afternoon. One in particular got big enough to become a cumulonimbus with a very dark and threatening look. We were just finishing our last loop around Paradise Hill, and I hurried up to have a look see out over the valley. Yeah, dark, threatening, but no evidence of any falling rain. Okay, let’s keep on biking. Oops, we went one signpost too far. With just a couple miles left to go, the dark cloud started disgorging its contents. Big, fat raindrops quickly wet my map. Before we could cover ourselves and the bikes, it started to hail. Not large, hard hail, but the sorta soft granular stuff. Hail? We’d never biked in hail before. Hope we don’t have to do it again any time soon.

It is very inconvenient to get wet when we’re traveling in RVan. As you know, it is small, and every available space and surface is used. Thus, there is no room to hang or lay out stuff to dry. Hell, it wouldn’t dry overnight anyway – not after the temp drops below dew point. The very worst thing is to get wet at the END of a bike outing. You have no hope of getting stuff dry, so you just have to bag it in plastic, shove it in a corner somewhere and hope it doesn’t stink too bad when you have a chance to get it out again. Hey, no problem, only the rain gear got wet and tomorrow is supposed to be sunny and zero chance of showers.

Bike Data: 26.84 miles, 4 hours bike time, 8 hours total time

Tuesday 10/6/09 … Blackwoods CG, Acadia NP … BOP Day

MDI Interactive Map (click active area for more information & pictures)Acadia PDF MapAcadia Pics & Info (good stuff, have a look)

BOP day. What does BOP stand for? Well, it is really quite simple: Bird Of Prey. This was our last day in Acadia; the next two days were expected to be rainy and we don’t have time to sit them out. Fortunately, THIS day was going to be very nice and it certainly was. It began brisk & breezy and worked its way up to crisp & breezy - just as you would expect for fall in early October ... in New England.

We were planning to repeat last Friday’s ride in reverse. It was so nice; they did it twice. That means starting at Duck Brook, doing the two loops there, and then heading UP Seven Bridges (although there are only six), then UP Around The Mountain, and finally back down to Aunt Betty Pond (zoom in to see Carriage Roads;

ABP in NC part) – one of our favorite places to sit and look out – where we could look up and see where we’d just been. Although we’ve done this circuit a few times before, we’ve never done it in this direction due to the steep climbs – sure, the elevation is the same either way you go, but they are more gradual grades the other way around. Ah, but that’s a good way to end our seven-day Acadia experience.

The Duck Brook loops were very productive in the early morning. We saw Yellow-Rumped Warbler, Junco, Phoebe, Chickadee (ME state bird), Chestnut-Sided Warbler, Ruby-Crowned Kinglet, Magnolia Warbler, along with some other perhaps less notable things – meaning I forgot to write ‘em down ;-)

Seven Bridges trail is a piece of work. The book that describes the trail in Acadia says it’s called Seven Bridges although there are only six. This is the first time we’ve ridden UP Seven Bridges. It’s a fairly steep climb – for Acadia – so we had ample opportunity to count the brides – there are SIX of ‘em. The bridges are necessary because the trail follows a very narrow valley formed by a tributary to Chasm Brook. The trail crisscrosses the stream several times - kind of like shoe laces. There are actually more than six crossings, but the lower ones are handled by culverts. However, the upper crossings are accomplished by cute little wooden-bridges that are very closely spaced so it is possible to see as many as three of them at a time. That’s why I never get the count correct when we come careening down the slope. This time, going up, I made a point of keeping track. There are exactly six wooden bridges on Seven Bridges trail.

Seven Bridges road connects with the Around The Mountain loop. The mountain, in this case is Sargent and Parkman, its lesser partner to the west (Map – switch to Terrain and zoom in – trails are dashed; Carriage Roads are solid; highways are labeled with numbers). There are a couple of large switchbacks that take you up and around ridgelines to soften the grade. The day was busy with a southwesterly breeze, which was caught by the generally north-south ridges to form some serious updrafts for BOP to glide along. Conditions were right for good viewing. We were excited.

As soon as we started the first switchback, we were greeted by an Accipiter, probably a Cooper, swishing by and carried aloft by the updraft. We watched it for a while before it disappeared over the ridge – but we were able to see it – or another one – after we turned the corner. Little did we know that this was just the beginning of BOP day.

It was around noon, so we opted to stop at every good viewing area to scan the skies and have a bite of lunch. All in all, we did half of our two sandwiches each at four different viewing areas. All of them were productive. Our first stop offered up Osprey & Peregrine. The Osprey came soaring overhead first, and just as it was gliding out of sight, the Peregrine showed up. Zoom – they are muscular fliers. They hang on the wind for a bit and then, with just a couple strong wing beats, they are gone off to the next big updraft.

When the second switchback took us to the exposed snout of a ridge, we looked up and saw not one, not two, but THREE male Kestrels gliding by just above eyelevel. What beautiful birds. We could clearly see the steel blue wings contrasted against the coppery body – and the distinctive facial markings with the bull’s-eye pattern. Woo-hoo.

Ah, but we were not done with Kestrels. Farther down the road we were treated to two female Kestrels gliding by. Although not as colorful as the males, the females are significantly larger and look more powerful as a result. One theory as to why female

BOP’s are larger than the males is that the size disparity offers up a wider variety of prey for feeding the young. The smaller males bring in comparatively smaller prey for the young hatchlings. Later, when it is safe to leave the developing young alone in the nest, the female joins the hunt and brings in larger prey to satisfy the needs of the growing offspring. The wider range of prey species increases the probability of success. That’s what we’ve heard anyway.

Still not done with BOP – our last stop offered up an impressive showing featuring more Osprey and Peregrine. The Osprey glided overhead and then the Peregrine dove down from above. They came close to each other and seemed to be playing some sort of aerial tag just for our enjoyment. They succeeded. The aerial high jinks continued for a bit and then they were all gone out over the bay in search of fish and ducks, in that order.

After turning the corner and heading along the west side of Parkman Mountain, we were treated to a soaring Raven hanging on the updraft and carrying something in its beak. We couldn’t make out what it was carrying, but it was fairly large – only slightly smaller than its head. Another Raven came soaring in behind it, and they both continued northward across the sound and out of sight. Hope they shared whatever it was. We saw them or at least another pair of Ravens later – without any food offerings.

Somewhere along the way we met up with another biking couple. The woman was a birder – but curiously didn’t have any optics. We exchanged our BOP sightings and she confirmed them. It’s always good to have your observations independently corroborated. The excitement of the moment can easily fall prey to seeing what you hope to see rather than what was actually there. She told us that they’d had a couple sightings of Osprey and some good views of Peregrine. Yay! It really happened.

Later, just before reaching the trail junction for our return along the lower slopes, we saw two more (maybe the same?) Osprey and another Peregrine. Oy, what a day. We’ve never had so many BOP sightings in such a short period. See what I mean by BOP Day?

Bike Data: 25.59 miles, 3.5 hours bike time, 8 hours total time

Total Bike Data for six days of biking in Acadia: 125 miles, 19 hours bike time, 36.5 hours total time

Wednesday 10/7/09 … Blackwoods CG, Acadia NP to Bradbury Mountain SP, Freeport ME … Leaving Day

It began to rain last night and continued through most of the day. Rainy day – a good day to leave Acadia. However it turned out to be difficult to accomplish. Although we got an early start, it was ten before we were off the island. We stopped to gas up RVan and, while I was doing that, Janie went into the adjoining IGA to pick up a roll of paper towels. We’d looked at ‘em in a camp store yesterday; they were $2.10 for a small, no-name. In the IGA she got a big roll of Bounty for $1.79. The difference pays for a few ounces of gas. Hey, we’re on vacation, right?

Janie resurrected a back-road route through Ellsworth – truly a town worth missing – and we were on US-1A heading to Bangor and I-95. We’d come in this way, so we were well aware of the traffic issues caused by several sections of road construction – incentive moneys at work. The first one was especially bad. As we inched along, we

noticed a sign: “Sylvia’s We Serve Breakfast All Day.” Hummm, it’s eleven, we’re hungry, breakfast sure sounds good – especially if the place specializes in it. We turned in and will be forever grateful that we did.

You know a place is good when it is filled with stout-looking locals. You know it must be special when there are uniformed policemen there as well. This is what greeted us as we walked into Sylvia’s. That and a less-then-five-feet-tall waitress. She was fairly young and perky. All the better. Sit anywhere was the greeting and that’s exactly what we did. A quick glance at the menu revealed a bewildering combination of eggs/hash browns/bacon/sausage/ham/baked beans/homemade breads … I looked up at the waitress and said, “I’ll bet if I tell you what I want, you can find the proper combination on the menu.” You bet. I got 2 eggs/bacon/grilled hash browns/wheat toast/decaf – already had the caf part. Janie also got 2 eggs, but she sided hers with deep fried hash browns (a Sylvia’s specialty), raspberry muffin, baked beans, and water. She’d already had her tea. It was all yummy. Just what you’d want on a chilly, drizzly day.

Amazingly, the traffic subsided considerably while we were in Sylvia’s, and we found our passage to I-95 to be relatively painless. I-95 was also quiet so our journey to Skowhegan was pleasant. Not Acadia pleasant, but pleasant enough for a rainy day of driving. We arrived at the NB Outlet a little before one and stayed until two thirty. We didn’t need shoes – got them in Norway, so we were now concentrating on clothing. Janie managed to find a coupon to ease the financial pain: one for 20% off three items plus an extra 5% off. Why it didn’t just say 25% off, we don’t know. Marketing! She found the coupons in a fall 2009 newspaper she picked up in Acadia. The NB ad said it expired in 2008. Hmmm, a 2009 paper with a year old coupon – wonder what they’ll do.

What they did was give us 25% off of everything we bought. Thusly, we shelled out $178 for …Me: duffle bag, 2 zip up jackets, fleece shirt w/hoodJanie: 2 zip up jackets, head band, knit hat, 2 pair shoelaces, body glide

Okay, we are now ready for Freeport and the HUGE LL Bean store. As we drove south from Skowhegan, we could see some very dark, ominous clouds off to the SW. They looked like they meant business. Remember this isn’t the Great Plains, so you don’t get a clear view of the whole horizon. Thus, guessing how bad the storm might be and which way it’s headed is difficult. A bit farther down the road, I noticed a vertical black cylinder extending up above the trees to the base of the overlying roiling clouds. A tornado funnel? I kept watching and eventually came to a clear view of … a tall smoke stack at an electrical generation facility. Good, not a tornado, but it sure looked like one.

We really didn’t feel much like doing more shopping today … it really should be fun you know – so instead we set up camp in a little state park we used five years ago: Bradbury Mountain SP. We remembered the place being small, nicely wooded, clean, and comfortable … and free because the ranger never came around to collect our fee and there was no Iron Ranger. When we got there today at a very respectable 4:30, we found everything to be as we remembered except … a newly constructed building at the entrance. As we drove by, Janie thought she saw a shower curtain. That can’t be; there can’t be showers here. We drove on and picked out a site (#5). I had to pee, so I walked back to the building to do that and check out this shower curtain thing. Guess what? They have showers … and no toilets. Yep, the building has three nice, new showers; each one in its own private room with a sink – but no toilet. A fourth room in the building houses the utilities – and propane to heat the water. Real

HOT water and no time limit … and … free. But still no toilet. I looked around outside and saw a lean-to with big fish-cleaning sinks and counter tops. But still no toilet. I went back to RVan to relay the news – and pee.

Thursday 10/8/09 … Bradbury Mountain SP, Freeport ME to Mary & Dan’s Cabin, Tucker Pond, Warner NH … Let’s Go Shopping

Freeport is NOT FREE. We arrived a little before ten and left around four thirty. We stayed waaaaay longer than we’d intended. Thus, we stayed another night at Bradbury Mountain SP. We called Mary and conveyed the news … she took it very well. So what did we do for the nearly seven hours we were in Freeport? We shopped until we nearly dropped. We certainly dropped a lot of coin.

We did ALL the LL Bean stores – Outlet; Bike, Ski and Boat; Hunting & Fishing; Home; and Main – as well as Cool As A Moose, Mangy Moose, North Face, Patagonia & Wilbur's Candy Shoppe. Whew, what a day. It was gorgeous outside so what better to do than spend the day inside? Hey, we did get to be out as we hiked from outlet to outlet. Freeport is a huge time and money sink. So what did we score? A bike mirror & more body glide for me; knit top & matching cardigan, winter coat for Janie; and a door mat for Naweedna (porch slider). We also bought one of those famous LL Bean boat totes and filled it with goodies for Mary & Dan’s Cabin warming gift.

An interesting – I hope it’s interesting – event occurred while we were in the LL Bean Home store. They have Shaker chairs in various colors hung up on the wall, Shaker style. A lady salesclerk was standing on a small portable ladder with one of her hands on a chair. I could see her speaking in the general direction of the chair she was touching, and I watched while she slowly turned her head in my direction. Our eyes met for an instant and I was moved to say, “Are you talking to a chair!?” She laughed and used her free hand to point to a customer standing out of my sight behind a rack of merchandise. As I continued to wander around the area looking at stuff, I could hear her telling everyone in earshot, “He thought I was talking to a chair.” She was having a good time with the incident.

Once we exhausted our shopping enthusiasm, we were overcome with hunger. It had been a long time since granola back in the campground. When we were here with B’n’C back in 2005, Bob & I asked a local up on Main Street about a good place to eat. There is NO shortage of places to eat in Freeport, but most of them cater shamelessly to the heavy tourist traffic. We’d done some of them in the past and found them expensive and very uneven in quality. The local said the Corsican was the place to go. That’s where we went and had an altogether great experience. Hmmm, where was it located?

We had just packed our purchases in RVan and started scanning the area. Right there in plain sight was a sign with Corsican Restaurant on it. Well, let’s amble over there and see what they have to offer. The bill of fair was encased in a free-standing signboard right outside the entrance. Janie had decided she was up for some lobster. I, not being able to eat seafood, searched the many entries for something I could handle. I found a bewildering assortment of possibilities. While we stood there debating the pros and cons of my choices, we heard a tapping sound and looked up to see a middle-aged couple sitting at a window table. They were gesturing for us to come in and mouthing the words, “It’s okay; the food is all good.” They assumed we were trying to decide about the restaurant rather which entrée to get. We came in and started talking with them. She is a retired Bean employee; they live in Old Town ME (home of the canoes); and they come down to Freeport on an annual pilgrimage to scarf up on some special-to-them deals … and have lunch at the Corsican.

We didn’t exchange names. I’ll just call them Maude and Burt. Maude suggested some entrees – all of them fishy in nature. Janie told her that I couldn’t eat seafood. Maude paused a minute and then said, “You should leave him at home.” We joked around a bit more before the proprietress came over to take our order. I don’t know her name either, so let’s refer to her as Elena. We related our experience of 2005 – Elena was there then as well – and asked her about business. It was after lunchtime and just before dinnertime, so the place was empty but for the four of us. Elena said business was good and she gets most of her clientele by word-of-mouth (as we learned of the place) and recommendations (like the couple beckoning us to come in).

Janie got a Lobster Roll and a cup of Clam Chowder. I still couldn’t decide what to get, so after a brief consultation with Elena, I ordered a bowl of Black Bean Soup with a side of Caesar Salad … and a Corsican Pizza (we actually ate most of that for dinner after we got back to the campground. We topped it all off with a slab of warm Blueberry Pie topped with a generous scoop of Ice Cream. It was a very pleasant late lunch – and well worth the wait.

As we were wending our way out of Freeport, we passed a house with an old Roadtrek 170 parked in the drive. This was the SECOND 170 we’d seen on this trip. I can’t recall ever seeing another one like ours on any trip before. This one was even older than eight-year-old RVan. All the models we recall seeing had the A/C built into the roof cowling like ours does. This 170 had an A/C pod attached to the roof like most other RVs. Wow, two 170s on one trip. That’s a first … and maybe a last.

We were so excited to get started shopping that we’d forgotten to switch the frig from coach battery to propane. Thus, on our return to RVan several hours later, we were greeted with a whine signaling a dead coach battery. No problem, it will get charged up while we drive back to the campground. The only problem with that logic was the fact that the drive was too short to fully charge the battery. We found ourselves without coach lights shortly after finishing dinner. Jason had given us a pair of LED head lamps, so we broke those out while we prepared to slither into bed and read a bit.

New rule of the road: never try to kiss your traveling companion while wearing a turned on head lamp. We learned that when, in the glee of the moment, we tried to give each other a little congratulatory peck. We were both light-blinded for a few minutes thereafter.

Friday 10/9/09 … Mary Dan’s Cabin, Tucker Pond, Warner NH … This Old House

Up early and down the road to NH. We were heading to Mary (Janie’s sister) & Dan’s new-to-them cabin on the shore of Tucker Pond, just outside Warner NH. But foist, we found ourselves in the LL Bean Outlet in Concord NH. Yep, yet another LL Bean stop. That makes FIVE we’ve been to on this trip. Janie is hunting for a light-weight rain jacket and some of Bean’s Perfect Pants. She has a pair of the Perfect Pants and we both like ‘em very much – her because they feel good; me because they look so good on her. Unfortunately, she’s seen in recent catalogues that they’ve ‘improved’ the Perfect Pants and she’s trying to find a pair of new ones to see how they’ve been changed. They didn’t have them at the main retail store, so she’s been looking for some of the old style at one of the outlets. Well, she found a pair at the Concord Outlet and a couple others that were serviceable – all pants at half-price for

Columbus Day, so she got 3 pair for less than the outlet cost of 1 pair! Ah, but there were no rain jackets to be had in her size.

Onward to Warner and Mary & Dan’s cabin on Tucker Pond (zoom in to see the roads). Getting to the cabin is a lot like getting to Jason’s. The road out of Warner starts out like any paved back road, but, as you drive on over hill and dale, it gets progressively narrower and bumpier. Eventually, you start seeing intersecting dirt roads with names like First, Second, … These are roads that lead down to cabins bordering the lake. Mary & Dan’s cabin is at the very end of Sixth. We were counting down the roads, and when we got to Fifth, we looked up ahead and saw a gray Toyota van pulling out of Sixth. My first thought was, “Damn, there’s always somebody coming out of or going into the road I want to take. Then we recognized the van and its occupants: Mary & Dan. Bless their hearts; they had driven out to make sure we didn’t miss the turn.

They led us down Sixth past several turn offs for other cabins … good thing they were there to dissuade us from turning prematurely. Just like the road to Sixth, the drive continued to get narrower and less well used. The trees were crowding the lane but Mary & Dan had assured us that they’d driven their much larger RV down there several times. We pressed on to the very end of Sixth where we found a nice parking area adjoining their back yard. The cabin is a rehabbed relic from the late forties. It was owned by Dan’s aunt & uncle who recently sold it to them. We were their first guests. Yay!

We got the tour starting with the outside. It is a grand place that sort of rambles down to the water’s edge. There’s a screened porch, dock, and diving raft out in the water. When we got to the dock, Dan uncovered one of those old wooden canoes with the wicker seats (Pic). It was beautiful and came with the house. Dan also has a kayak and a row boat. They are well equipped for the water side. On the inside, the upstairs wall facing the water consists of about ten windows that offer a fantastic view out over the water and the mountains in the background. The view is to the west and the far horizon is dominated by Mt Kearsarge, which is readily identifiable by the relay towers mounted on top – they provide the cabin with cell and Internet connectivity which comes in quite handy.

Cabin Outside: Pic, Pic, Pic, PicCabin Inside: Pic, Pic, Pic, Pic

We sat around the table and watched out over the lake as the setting sun glowed golden on the surrounding mountain sides. We had an early dinner followed by a couple of brews … and a whole lot of talking. It was quite a pleasant evening made even better by the view and brew. We all turned in early because being in the cabin is like being in RVan. When it gets dark, you eat and go to bed … maybe read a bit … but generally find yourself asleep by nine. Good for the health you know.

Saturday 10/10/09 … Dan’s Cabin, Tucker Pond, Warner NH … Americana Day

Another good thing about going to bed early is … getting up early the next morning. That means you have more beautiful sunlight to display the wondrous NE scenery and … Fall Foliage. Speaking of Fall Foliage, it just so happens that the village of Warner has an annual Fall Foliage Festival and it is happening this weekend. As we learned later, many of the little NE villages take advantage of the long Columbus Day weekend and offer a variety of festivals and gatherings to attract the many tourists who come from surrounding states to partake of the local color – foliage and

otherwise. We were off to Warner and the FFF, after industrious Dan had made 3 trips to the local landfill/dump/recycling center. What a guy.

Warner is a small village – smaller than Geneseo, although its Main Street is about the same length. The buildings and houses are even more impressive. All the streets in the center of the village were lined with vendor’s tents. They were offering a wide variety of this and that, and about every other booth proffered some sort of edible material. We stopped at one of the more interesting: a local woman selling mint products made from the mint plants that grow in her yard – and no where else as far as she knows. Apparently some former owner planted the mint and it has ‘gone wild’ but only on her property. That’s a well-behaved ‘invasive species’. She offered a cup of her specially brewed Hoary Mountain Man Mint Tea for $0.25. Janie fished out a quarter for Dan – we men aren’t allowed to carry money – and he bought a cup of tea to share. I’m not a mint person, but the others all agreed it was very good. Dan also bought some of the lip balm made from olive oil and an assortment of what most people call useless weeds: plantain, comfrey are just two that Janie remembers.

Mint Lady & Dan: PicFestival: Pic, Pic, Pic, Pic, Pic

There was an organic farm produce stand run by a guy that had the down east farmer look. I watched him from several different angles. He had one of those expressive faces that say “Had a hard life, but having a good time doin’ it.” Times like this I wish I was a National Geographic photographer and could just hand him my card and ask if I could take some pictures. Instead, I found some higher ground and cranked up the telephoto to grab a candid shot. When I snapped the shutter, I could see him looking straight at me. He knew what I was up to all along. Damn.

New Englander: Pic

We walked around looking into nearly all the stalls and found ourselves at the end where there was a big barn – actually an old carriage house attached, New England style, to an even bigger and likely older house. The barn was filled with yard-sale like stuff. Outside the door they had big baskets filled with smaller baskets. I picked up an attractive bread basket very much like the one I’d seen offered for $200 at a booth across the street. This was had a tag with $1 and it was in the 50% off bin. I considered buying it, walking across the street and selling it for a bargain rate of $100. but hey, I was afraid to take a picture of the down east farmer; you don’t think I have the nerve to sell a used basket for a xx% profit. You do the math; I’m busy.

We went upstairs in the barn and found ourselves surrounded by racks of old books, bins of vinyl records, cases of cassette tapes, and, of all things, a bunch of eight-track tapes. I looked though the vinyls but they were either classical or real schmaltzy Ray Conniff-Montovani-Mitch Miller stuff – hard to believe anything would be too schmaltzy for me, but they were. One of the eight-tracks was an interesting Freddy Fender but who has an eight-track player – that works? Janie found Life On The Mississippi by Mark Twain. Jason had suggested it to us and she’d actually been looking for a copy. It was marked $1.19. We didn’t have the exact change, so I took the book and $1.20 over to the jolly sales lady. She looked at the book and said, “A quarter.” I said, “What?” She said, “It’s a quarter for the book.” I guess the $1.19 price is a relic from a former sale. I went back to The Bank of Janie – and exchanged my $1 for five pennies. The deal was done.

Mary & Porta-John: PicOld Building: Pic, Pic

Forever Locked: Pic, Pic, Pic

We were getting kinda of hungry so we went over to the White Mountain Coffee emporium that also sells ice cream and deli items. Now don’t get confused. There is a Green Mountain Coffee AND a White Mountain Coffee. Anything worth doing is worth overdoing, I always say. We settled in on a sandwich and soup to split for each of the couples. M&D got a Turkey Club and some kind of noodle-y soup. Janie & I opted for Egg Salad and Tomato-Cheddar Soup. It was all excellent and exactly what was needed a breezy fall-like afternoon in New England.

Lunch: Pic, Pic

We took a tour of the Telephone Museum – yep, Warner has its very own museum dedicated to all things telephone. It seems a local played some part in the early stages of the telephone industry, so they established a museum right there in Warner. It was very impressive. There was a quote from Rutherford B. Hayes that was particularly noteworthy: “The phone is an amazing invention but why would anyone want one?” Well, the seemingly endless displays offered in chronological order provided ample contradictory evidence, ending with the modern world where the quote would be “how can anyone live without one or two or ten?” Just for the sake of irony, guess who was the first president to have a phone installed in the White House? Yup, Rutherford B. His Bad Self. I guess the “B” stands for Blasphemy. The most recent displays showed some ‘older’ cell phones. One of them was like Mary’s current model.

We slowly made our way back to the car and then set out on a tour of the two covered bridges that are the icons for Warner. They both cross the Warner River; one on the north side of town; the other on the … SURPRISE … south side. In between, there are some truly spectacular old houses with equally impressive barns and carriage houses. Again, the houses are connected to the working buildings by a roofed and walled structure that keeps the farmers dry and relatively warm as they go from house to working building. The connected buildings make the whole structure look formidable and it is, especially for the ones that have been rehabbed and the house, connector, and out buildings have all been made into living quarters. Very nice indeed.

We were headed to the Flying Goose Brew Pub-Four Corners Grille for a sampling of some local brews. On the way, we decided to check out a Buffalo farm Janie & Mary found in a brochure. We’d all thought it was the Buffalo ranch on the road out to their place on Tucker Lake, but closer inspection revealed it had a slightly different name and a way different address. So what is this place that says it has Buffalo, Ostrich, and Pork meats for sale? Okay, so how many of you would expect not one, but two, buffalo farms practically in the same little town in NH?

We pulled in at the stroke of four, which turned out to be closing time. The very nice sales lady allowed us to shop, chatted merrily with us, and asked me to “put a knot in the OPEN flag down by the road” on our way out. We bought about $75 worth of meat products and gladly tied up the flag. However, no sooner had I finished the task than a car pulled right in ignoring my handy work. Yankees!

We arrived at the restaurant at five. There were several empty tables clearly visible, but we were told it would be a few minutes before we could be seated. Dan asked some questions and discovered it was not only FFF in Warner but also Parents Weekend at the local college: Colby Sawyer. All the apparently empty tables – with the best views of Mt Kearsage – were RESERVED. (Hey, I just discovered a word you

can type in all capitals while using one hand.) We were in no particular hurry and the wait gave me time to look at all the old pictures on the wall.

The Four Corners Restaurant also includes the Flying Goose Pub. Flying Goose is a local microbrew, so they have all the wares on tap. I spent some time checking out the list and settled in on their seasonal CD Porter which I followed with a Robert Strong Brown Ale. They were both perfectly marvelous and lubricated the conversation quite well. When it came time to order, we all agreed that we weren’t really hungry enough to justify a full dinner, so we opted for sandwiches – and more beer. Fittingly, Dan got a Buffalo Burger, I got a classic Hamburger (with Onion Rings), Mary got a BLT, and Janie opted for another Lobster Roll accompanied by Sweet Potato fries. The fries and onion rings were excellent, as were the sandwiches and the conversation. Dan was so cute telling the story of how he and Mary met and eventually married. It was all good, and we were back at the cabin by 8:30 – just in time for bed ;-)

Sunday 10/11/09 … Dan’s Cabin, Tucker Pond, Warner NH to Woodford SP, Bennington VT … More Hunting & Gathering

We left M&D shortly after morning beverages. They had a lot of winterizing to do before heading home to Waldorf MD, and we, well, we had some more shopping to do. We headed back to Concord where we had stopped at the Bean Outlet on our way to the cabin. At that time, we noticed a nice, big EMS store right across the street, but we didn’t take the time to check it out. We were EMS bound this AM.

Dan: Pic

We arrived at the EMS store around 9:30 – the store opens at ten. What to do? Well, how about some breakfast? We had our granola in the surprisingly comfortable parking lot. Amazingly, there were several young people gathering at the EMS doors. One of them was a worker-girl. She jumped up and down to get the attention of those inside so they’d come and let her in. While doing so, her cell phone popped out of her pocket. She looked around sheepishly then bent down to retrieve it from the sidewalk. Ha – as it turns out, she was to be our salesperson.

Alas, EMS did not have a rain coat suitable to Janie’s needs – at least not at an acceptable price. But we did find a couple rain-proof stuff sacks that we can use to cover our rack packs on the bike – no more old plastic grocery bags for us. We also found some small duffle bags make of very pack-able rip-stop nylon. They are perfect for putting our clothes in and cramming into the cubby holes above the bed in RVan. Now we can actually pull our clothes out to pick what to wear. Otherwise we have to poke around in a totally dark, long & narrow space – and usually get the wrong item in the process – and scraped knuckles for no extra charge. I bought yet another long-sleeved fleece shirt. It is fairly thin with a zippered neck – and feels oh so soft and cuddly. I’ll wear it for you sometime and you can feel it ;-)

After our EMS shopping spree, we starting heading toward NY on small state roads in NH and VT: 4 & 100, specifically. The day was mostly sunny with a gusty wind blowing recently fallen leaves across the road. It was very fall like and made for some beautiful NE weather and scenery. Most of the villages were having festivals of one sort or another and they were choked with traffic – cars from NH, VT, MA, CT, NY … and one lonely pickup from WV. Although there was lots of traffic, nearly all the drivers were civil and obeying the speed limits. Absolutely amazing.

The gas prices were looking pretty good. Anyway, once we cross the border, we’ll have to pay the NYS surcharge, so we might as well gas up in VT. Whoa, what did that say? $2.39 cash price. That’s good. We are nearing the end of the trip, so it’s okay to use up our cash. Let’s do it. I pulled up to the pump, got out and started filling ‘er up. You know how they usually have the hoses arranged with the Regular on the left, Extra (or whatever they call it) in the middle, and Super-Extra High-Grade-Liquid-Money on the right? Well, this particular station had the Regular in the middle. Of course I automatically grabbed the hose on the left – usually the Regular but in this case the Extra. So we ended up paying $2.49 cash price, which was the same as credit for the Regular. Oh well. Next time I’ll be more focused. Right! Still cheaper than the $2.85 or so we would have paid a few miles west over the New York state border.

Hey, we are passing near Sugarbush. Why not stop in and get some more cheeeeeese? We arrived around noon and found the place packed. Hey, it’s Sunday of a long weekend … and one of those Chamber of Commerce fall days in New England. Free samples? No thanks. Not with all the snot-nosed kiddies hacking and grubbing around. We fought our way to the cheese cooler, grabbed our needs, and cashed out. We probably won’t find any better lunch stop than the rural setting of Sugarbush’s farmyard so we had a great sandwich and some … cheeeeese … right there in the parking lot.

On down the road to a little state park we’ve used before: Woodford SP, VT. We were a little concerned about finding a site given that this is a long holiday weekend, but never fear, there was plenty of room at the inn. In fact, we weren’t the only Roadtrek there. Amazingly, there was a new Roadtrek 170 right there in the campground. That’s the THIRD 170 we’ve seen on this trip. As I’ve said any number of times before, we’ve never seen another 170 … until now. What a trip.

Monday 10/12/09 … Woodford SP, Bennington VT to Naweedna … Home Again

The next morning found us back in NYS and on the Thruway. We awoke to a heavy frost covering the ground. When we got up Tuesday morning, the weather report showed SNOW in the area we just came from. And we missed it. Dang. However, that was for tonight (Monday). As for today, it was cool and crisp with mostly clear skies. The Red Tails were out in force. We saw more than we could count. They must be passing through on their way to more southerly climes. Hail fellows, well met; safe travels.

I’ll bet you thought we were all shopped out. Well, you’d be wrong. There’s one of those Premium Outlets in Waterloo, right off the Thruway and Janie is still looking for a raincoat. She’s also looking for some clip on sunglasses that will fit her new glasses. We use clip ons because you can flip ‘em up when you go to use your binos. They are also handy when biking and going from sunny glare to deep woodland shadow – frequently over a very short distance. Also, she plans to take a pair of old ones, remove one of the lenses, put some opaque felt over the remaining lens and use ‘em for an eye patch to prevent squinting while looking through the telescope. Inventive lady, eh?

We did all that and then rewarded ourselves with a stop over at Montezuma NWR, which is just down the road from the mall. Strange how such resoundingly different things can be so close to each other. We took a slow drive through and discovered all the action was at the main pond up by the visitor center. They’d drained all the shallow areas, so the birds were congregating in the only remaining open water at

the east end of the refuge. Soooooo, we finished the one-way road and drove back to the entrance where we found a wide, paved area to park RVan, get out the scope, and have a look-see at the birds.

So what did we see? Well, we saw a bunch of Northern Shoveler, Greater/Lesser Yellowlegs, Northern Pintail, Green Winged Teal, Ring-Necked Duck, and Osprey.

We also saw an ESF field trip. While we were alternately scoping and eating lunch, a big ol’ white van pulled up and a hoard of college students piled out … with one gnarly-looking faculty person. The students set up their scopes and started checking out the birds while the instructor lectured them on how to identify Rough-Winged Swallow. He eventually walked over to where we were at which point we remarked on the ESF field trip and how well behaved his students were. He asked about us and we told him we were retired Geneseo Geology. He started rattling off a list of BIO faculty he knew. As you may recall, Geneseo has a cooperative arrangement with ESF and several BIO majors end up there. Pretty soon they all packed back in the van like a bunch of clowns in a clown car and headed out for another site. We did the same and felt a little guilty about having all the spare room.

We got home around five, unpacked the necessary stuff, and set up shop on the porch where I sucked down a much-needed brew. It is always a little strange to walk around the house after a trip and this time it was even stranger because we had not taken the time to rearrange the furniture after M&M’s visit. Thus, memories of M&M greeted us as we entered each room. It was kind of neat and indicative of the whirlwind weekend we had with them.

The next day, Janie arranged all our loot and I took some pictures. She has a real talent for displaying our stuff. I especially liked the sunglasses attached to the sock and placed in the hoods of our various jackets and tops. Check it out for yourself. Our new friends: me, myself and I.

Loot: Pic, Pic