Campobello Island, New Brunswick, Canada - Part 1

In September of 2013, I went on my last adventure with my "big black van", my destination Campobello Island which is located in the Province of New Brunswick, Canada.  I initially was going to return to Cobscook State Park in Maine - very close to Lubec where you cross a bridge onto the Island.  I gave this way too much thought going back and forth on whether or not to go to Cobscook, made and cancelled my reservations at this park four times and finally decided not to do it.  The primary reason for my decision not to go to Cobscook was no electrical hook-ups.  September up in that area of Maine, the temperature can go down into the 40's.  The year before when I camped at Cobscook with Jill, I used a small propane heater and discovered using propane in my van gave me anxiety even though I only used it when I was awake.  If I was to camp in that region of Maine, the Bold Coast, I had to find another campground that offered electric hook-ups making it possible for me to use my electric heater. As I searched for campgrounds in the area, I found my choices were limited primarily because I'm very picky - only a certain kind of campground appeals to me, I need privacy and nature and decent site size.  I finally found exactly what I was looking for and it was in Canada on Campobello Island at the Herring Cove Provincial Park.  Jill and I spent a half day exploring the Roosevelt "Cottage" and grounds on the Island in 2012.  I was familiar with the Island, it had impressed me and I decided this was a good option and  made a reservation.  On September 9, 2013, I was sitting in my van, sipping coffee, at site 28, Herring Cove Provincial Park ready to experience one of my best camping adventures ever!

I've been rereading my Campobello journal and have been doing research on some of my favorite Island landmarks and reaquainting  myself with some of the people I met during my stay. While doing this, I found there's just too much to write about in one post and so, in the end, I'll probably divide my Campobello trip into 3 or 4 separate entries.
Maine seems to be a real destination favorite for many people.  It's a beautiful State, offers many kinds of adventures, from woodlands, mountains and popular parks and cities to the wonderful coastline that extends from York right up to Lubec.  Personally, my favorite part of this coastal area has been north of Bar Harbor.  I've already written a post called, "My Maine" detailing my travels in this area and my favorite sights to see.  If you're going to visit Maine and especially if you're going to the Bar Harbor area which includes Acadia National Park, you should think about extending your trip north to Lubec and then crossing over to Campobello Island - you won't be disappointed - I promise!
The trip from Bar Harbor to Lubec takes about 3 hours if you go straight through (you won't).  I'd advise you to stay at least one overnight near Milbridge as you travel up the coast on Rte. 1.  Really nice area and offers a variety of fun activities and of course, lots of lobster.  Once you reach Lubec, you'll cross over to the Island via the Roosevelt International Bridge.

You are entering Canada which is a foreign country - sometimes hard to remember when living here in Michigan so close to the border - you'll need your passport or an enhanced driver's license and if taking a pet you'll need shot records including rabies certificate.  You'll also need a permission slip if taking a child without a parent present - check into that requirement and also requirements for pets - could change.  The time on the bridge is, my guess, about 3 minutes - it's very short.  You also need to add in possible wait times getting onto the bridge in the peak summer tourist season and also, whatever time it takes to get through customs which should not be a problem.  The island is small, about a 20 minute drive, end to end.  There are only about 800 full time residents and the actual name for the community is Welshpool.  The Roosevelt Campobello International Park includes 2,800 acres, Herring Cove State Park has a campground, golf course, hiking trails and over a mile long sandy beach.

  There are a few motels and you can rent homes through VRBO.  There are many "only found here" sights to see and many adventures like whale watching tours, great hiking trails, etc.   Most of my information comes from my 2013, 2 week camping experience and also 2016, when I returned to the Island with my daughters and grandkids for a day visit.
There's absolutely no way to include all I saw and did on the Island in this post unless you want to continue reading for another hour.  Two of my very favorite adventures ever took place on Campobello and each will be found in their own posts.  So, as I frequently say, I'm alive today, onward and upward and looking forward to another day when I continue sharing my love affair on Campobello Island with you.

Along Came A Spider...

Last October I went to Maumee Bay State Park in Oregon, Ohio to try out my Transit Camper van.  My first morning at the campground Mitzi and I took a walk down a nearby service drive.

 I saw a sulfur butterfly float slowly in front of me - I watched to see if would land and then take a picture but instead of landing, I saw it thrashing around in the weeds next to the road.  I went over to take a closer look and saw that the butterfly was tangled up in a spider's web and the spider already had its legs around the  butterfly ready to do what spiders do to unsuspecting insects - "suck the blood". 

This immediately brought to mind, "Along came a spider, who sat down beside her..." but in this case, the butterfly flew in to sit beside the spider - bad luck for the butterfly. I began taking pictures from every angle but was hampered by the wind which caused the tall stalks of  the weeds holding the large web to be in constant movement. Many of my photos ended up blurry but I did end up with some dandies. I especially like the picture of the silk visible as it came out of the spinnerets.

I didn't see the silk coming out in real time but instead first noticed it when I had my pictures downloaded to my Picasa - pretty amazing.  This whole event was a nature lover's dream.  I went back to the web four times and was able to capture the whole process from the beginning when the butterfly was first caught in the web till the end of the day when all that was left was the empty shell and then disappeared. The first time I left the area, I made an arrow with leaves and a stick and it pointed toward the web area. When I went back, the grass had been mowed and no more arrow.  Fortunately, I made a path in the weeds around the web when I took my first pictures and because of that, I found it.  The spider stood on-guard above it's prey all day - head down about an inch above it.  By morning of the next day the spider was again on the butterfly, possibly eating a little left-over butterfly "soup".

I went over for one last visit that afternoon and found that the spider had repaired the web - added a zig-zag pattern and the remnants of the butterfly were gone.

The whole experience had been great for me and the spider but not so much for the butterfly. For many years I've loved finding orb webs in the barn and if I find one and a child is nearby, I tell them it was made by one of Charlotte's grandkids .  The last morning at Maumee, Mitzi and I took a walk and the fields were full of webs covered with dew - beautiful. 

Recently I reread my journal entry and looked through my pictures and then did a little investigating.  The spider was a common garden spider also known as a black and yellow garden spider or simply, yellow garden spider.  It's not harmful to humans and generally if approached the spider will jump off the web and hide in the weeds.  The orb web might be as large as 2 feet in diameter and the zig-zag in the middle may be there to attract insects or possibly to warn away birds that might fly through and destroy the web - this still isn't known.  One thing for sure, this spider is a writer like Charlotte but never going to see "Hi Farm Lady" in its web.  The process of eating insects doesn't involve "sucking the blood" as stated in Charlotte's Web but is really interesting.  You can read an explanation by googling - Charlotte's Web - How Does Charlotte Eat?  - AwesomeStories. I love the part when the spider "literally vomits digestive fluid over the prey".   Great reading.

One Morning In Maine

My first morning in Maine.  My first sunrise.  I waited in anticipation. Gradually I sensed the black of night shifting toward the new light of dawn - and like the title of a song we sing in our church, "Morning Has Broken".
The sky in the east didn't appear promising when I looked out my van window at 5:45 AM on that Thursday in September but I grabbed my coffee and camera and went out to sit on a rocky ledge directly behind my campsite.  This campsite is situated on an entrance to a small inlet in Birch Harbor, Maine.  The ocean pounded the coast about 1/4 mile away where I camped last year but this year I'm in a calm, quiet place  Maybe this was meant to be, I need calm, I need peace.  I need to sink down in quiet  for at least small periods of time during this vacation.
I waited and my waiting was rewarded with a magnificent sunrise.  Slowly the sun rose from the ocean.  The sky changed from soft pale shades of lavender and pink to vibrant, almost overwhelming shades of purple, orange, pink and yellow.
I ran cautiously over the rocks trying to capture it all with my camera.  I wanted to preserve it and savor it for years to come.  What I saw in those moments were gifts. They were additions to my basket of treasured Maine memories. The rocks in front of me led to the water which was lit by a path of gleaming sunlight  A loon played in that path - he would sit, then dive and then sit again.  The path of light, beyond the loon, bounced off a point of land - land with rocks and tall, broad, stately jack pines.  Lobster boats crossed back and forth across the path - they would stop, check a trap and then move on.  The path led out past another finger of land and then to that amazing ball of fire, the rising sun.
I realized that, as I sat absorbed in all the splendor of this sunrise, another natural phenomenon was taking place.  The sea was also beginning to rise.  The tide was coming in - coming in with grace and with a visible determination and strength.  The sea climbed the rocks toward my toes.  The seagulls called, the crows yelled, the loons sang and the water quietly began to cover the huge granite ledge that was my vantage point.
I could see the homes that are a part of Birch Harbor.  I could see the seaweed swaying as it was moved by the gentle waves - seaweed that would soon be invisible - hidden by the slow movement of the rising sea.
The tides have intrigued me during my visits to Maine and watching this tide come in and watching this sunrise and watching all that was before me belonging to this coastal environment - I sat in awe, amazement and peace.     Written in Birch Harbor, Maine 2007

My Sit Spot

I want to make something very clear, that's not me in the tree - don't know if I can even climb trees any more and it's been a long time since I've had brown hair (a really long time).  The book, "My Year Without Matches", is one I read awhile ago - actually I only read half - the author became very philosophical and I found it boring and I put it back on my bookshelf.
I did come across an idea I liked, finding or creating a "sit spot" - a place you go to everyday and sit quietly and observe nature and be part of it.  I decided I would try it out and at first thought my shelter in the pasture might work.

I recently added a room to the shelter and when I'm sitting in it, I have a good view of our woods so I sat out there for awhile and remembered I hate being cold and scratched that idea.
I was talking to my friend, Betty Nick, and she told me about her own "sit spot".  She has her rocking chair by a large window and can sit there and look out at her bird feeders and enjoy the quiet and peaceful scene in front of her.  She showed me a picture and it looked very cozy and more important, warm.
I decided to create a Betty Nick style sit spot.  My office, on our second floor, has large windows and with some physical effort moving furniture, I created a space for a chair right next to them. I  thought my childhood rocker might work but the springs are shot and so is my back  and so, it didn't.

I looked for another solution and found it at the nearby Sears Outlet.  I bought a very comfortable recliner and it's working out just great. 

I can look out at a nearby, big maple tree and see nuthatches searching for tidbits of food hidden in the bark.  I have a suet feeder close to the window and frequently a downy woodpecker lands on it and stays for awhile.

I can sit here and read and for now, during this holiday season,  I can sit after dark, lights out, music playing and look out at a light show.  We bought one of those small "Star Shower" machines and little red and green lights dance in the maple tree - very peaceful - quite beautiful.  

This little area I've put together is going to help me get through winter. Right now there's light shining in on me through the big windows, I'm listening to Carole King while Mitzi sleeps on my lap and I write this post for my blog.  I'm just doing my thing in my own little world and am content.

So, for now, Grandma isn't having solo camping adventures but she's enjoying her sit spot and dealing with winter in a positive way - onward and upward.

Command Central

I went to Maumee Bay State Park and camped for 5 days.  It was my first trial run with the Transit.  I realized right away that the bench seat behind driver's seat had to go.  It really took up way too much space.  Fortunately Maumee is close to Novi so I returned home and Steve and Larry removed the seat.  This made a huge difference - finally room to spread out.  Unfortunately, also during this first camping trip, I found that I had to do too much bending especially in the morning when I made coffee and cereal. Everything was spread out and moving around the van bent over created back and neck issues.
I thought about my black van and remembered I could reach almost everything I needed while sitting in my chair.  I called the area "Command Central" and realized I should create a similar space in the Transit.  Since I returned home I've been doing just that and think it's now about perfect. 

All my coffee necessities are under the chair.  My microwave is next to the chair sitting on top of my wood box that has a variety of supplies and my cooler is in front of me. I also fixed a better "Mitzi Gate" which you can see on the right - easy to pull across the door opening and hooks to cooler handle. 

In the back, beside my bed, I also added a cabinet with 3 big drawers.  I can put my clothes in two of the drawers and maybe food in bottom drawer. Also, I don't need a "Mitzi Gate" down there - no way for her to get out the backdoors which are now blocked by the cabinet and the bed.

Finally, I was able to secure my table and chair for outdoor use to the cabinet and bed frame and now I have easy access to my screen house supplies under the bed.

I've camped in my black van, a tent and the popup and I know it takes time to get organized and feel comfortable in the space.  I think this time I've been able to draw from my other experiences and changing the Transit from a 15 seat church van to a well-organized camper van has been relatively easy.

So, I'm ready to go camping whenever that might be - probably not till late winter when I'll head South.  Looking forward to it! Now, I just need to come up with a name for this camper - calling it the "Transit" isn't very descriptive - pretty boring.  I have a few months to figure this out and then it's onward and upward and AWAY we go.

Ugh!!!

I'm sitting here thinking about leaving home for my first camping adventure in my Transit

tomorrow and ugh - don't even know if I want to go and don't know where I want to go.  I have "no plan man" and this is so unlike me.  I generally am excited, know exactly where I'm going and have researched the whole trip.  As someone once said (over and over), "sad".
I think my trip to Alaska is weighing in heavily - it was so wonderful that everything else seems to be just "everything else" holding very little excitement.

Also, this is my first trip with Transit so there's a little bit of the unknown in this new beginning.  The last issue - I love my 1000 mile camping trips and definitely can't do that now - saving money for a winter trip.
Right now, I need to get over this case of the "blahs", pack up and go wherever.
Here's the thing - I don't need to have a specific plan.  I have a lot of flexibility with the Transit - if I don't like my destination I can just move on.  My thinking at this moment is head down to Maumee Bay State Park for a first experience and then maybe over to Indiana.
This should prove interesting - an adventure into the unknown, experiencing the unexpected and going with a mindset that is hopefully open to a new kind of travel, being flexible in my thinking and just "going with the flow". So now, I need to get out of this chair and get moving. 

Wish me luck - onward and upward.

Photography

This morning I saw a comment on one of my blog posts.  The comment included a question about my camera - what did I use.  For years I had a nikon d50 and I loved it.  So many of my good Maine photos were taken with my d50.  I finally upgraded when the camera developed a problem with color.  I bought a nikon d7100 but after a short time realized it was too heavy and sold it.  Now I have a nikon d3400 and am fairly satisfied with it.  I primarily use my 70-300 lens.  I use the Picasa program on my computer to primarily crop and highlight or shadow.  This program is no longer available for downloading.
Believe me when I say, I know practically nothing about my camera and keep it on automatic - really no technical skills.  In spite of that, I manage to take some good photos.  I think my biggest assets are patience and persistence - an example would be my robin photos.  I spent hours in a chair watching this family and was rewarded with some good photos.  When I am in nature, with my camera, I can get lost in the moment and that's when I find peace.  Photography is more than a hobby for me, it is therapy - quiets the mind and soothes the soul.

Transit to Camper Van - Update

Jill gave me this bumper sticker.  I'm not sure if I'm outrageous yet but it's my new goal.
My Alaska adventure begins on August 27th and I'll be in Alaska till September 9th.  I'm really looking forward to this trip - very excited but I have to admit I'm also looking forward to camping in my Transit.  I'm planning my first camper van experience about 2 weeks after my return from Alaska.  I've decided to camp in the area or at least lower Michigan to work out the kinks and familiarize myself with driving this very long vehicle.
I've been modifying my first design.  I decided to take out the two back seats which has really opened up my main living space.  I now have room for a chair and it no longer feels so closed in.  I also added curtains.  I bought half panels and modified them to fit the Transits Windows.  Lots of privacy now.

I think it looks great and is very functional.

I still have the same two front areas designated as pantry and kitchen and all my screen house supplies are under my bed.  It will be very easy for me to camp with electricity or rustic with no electricity.

I'm pretty impressed with my design.  

As for driving - I went to the middle school to practice backing up today and really did OK.  The only thing giving me a real problem is using my passenger side mirror.  It's huge and I feel like it distorts my perception of vehicles next to me.  I need to figure this out or I won't be heading to Florida in January. As some of you know, I hate driving through Atlanta and if I can't see cars on passenger side, when I have to make quick lane changes, I'm in trouble.  I will continue working on my mirror problem and with practice, it should be resolved.  

So, my transition back to van camping is moving forward.  I'll be happy to have the flexibility that I missed when  I camped with my tent and the popup.  Now I can stop anywhere, stay as long as I want and don't have to worry about packing up wet on a rainy day.  Good times coming.   Onward and upward.

A New Beginning...

In 2005, at age 60, I went on my first solo camping adventure - the destination was Maine and I drove my big black conversion van.  If you really know me, you know how much I loved that van and when I sold it, I almost ran down the road trying to get it back.  Since that sad day, I've camped in a trailer, a tent and a popup.  I enjoyed tent camping as I liked being right in nature   When I moved on to the popup, it seemed to combine van and tent camping and that was a plus. It was easy to tow with my Explorer and not too hard to setup.  I took it to Maumee State Park a few times and camped in Georgia twice.

I became disenchanted with the popup after awhile because I felt it was in charge of my trips not me.  The setup while not hard was time consuming and I decided I only wanted to camp in one location on each trip - too much trouble putting it up and down.  Also, I didn't want to pack up wet and toward the end of each trip, I was constantly checking the weather because I had to leave when it was dry - not much flexibility.  The final straw for me was at Maumee in June when the daily temperature was in the 90's.  If I went away from the trailer I had to close the windows in case of rain and the popup became a furnace.  Every time it rained and I was in the trailer, windows had to be zipped up, then zipped down and then up - drove me crazy!!! I totally felt ready for a change and after a talk with Larry, the decision was made to sell the the popup and buy a Ford Extended Transit (15 passenger). So, the trailer is gone and I'm  the proud owner of a Transit and have already converted it into a camper van.  The van is large enough to make the conversion while still leaving enough seats for family.

The conversion was easy to do because basically I just visualized my black van set up and duplicated it as much as possible. I had so many camping supplies that my expenditures were only about $60.  The first project was seat removal and then setting up a frame for bed and this was accomplished with the help of Larry and Jill's husband, Steve.  We had an old futon frame and that was modified to be used for the bed frame.  Changes were made and it is perfect. It can be lifted at the end of the frame (close to a back seat) so that someone can sit in the seat and have leg room.

Instead of that blue mattress I used foam and blankets to make a mattress that is comfortable for my very sensitive back.  I have storage space under the bed and have most of my screen house supplies there.

I have a pantry area, microwave, chair, TV table, potty pail, gate to keep Mitzi in and screens for side and back doors.  Some people might think it's crowded but I think it's perfect - totally fits my needs and even Mitzi's chair is ready for her when we travel together.

Now when I travel I can stop whenever I want and simply plug in and I'm setup for one night or extended stay.  I also don't have to worry about packing up dry - I'm free to come and go as I please  - I love the flexibility.
I still have some work to do but basically ready.  My plan is to head for Savannah, Georgia mid October and maybe down to St. Marys for a short visit and a quick trip out to Cumberland Island.
I'm  once again taking along my little travel companions Specs (my mother's nickname) and Ellie (for Eleanor Roosevelt) - two women who inspire me in so many ways.

Of course,  best travel companion ever - Mitzi - will be right there with me too.

So, as I prepare to celebrate my 73rd birthday, it's a new beginning for my camping adventures.  I'll continue  doing  solo camping but sometimes I'll share them with family and friends.  And with that, onward and upward.

Frankie, Grace and Me

Frankie, Grace and Me

      Recently, I finished Season three of Frankie and Grace.  This Netflix series is about two friends, Frankie, who is very free-spirited and Grace who is uptight and focused.   These two women, who are in their early 70’s, have been thrown together as housemates by a set of circumstances that include betrayal, divorce and the coming out of the closet by their ex-husbands, who have, for years, been lovers.   The storyline weaves through the complicated lives of Frankie and Grace, their ex-husbands and their children.  The series is laugh-out-loud funny and yet it is often thought provoking and sometimes sad.   Jane Fonda, at age 80, stars as Grace and Lily Tomlin at 78, is Frankie.  These two actresses plus an excellent supporting cast and a strong storyline make the series one of the most popular on Netflix.

      My daughter gave me a Roku and a subscription to Netflix for Christmas.  She suggested I watch Frankie and Grace and once I started, I binged and made my way through 3 seasons in one week.  As I went from episode to episode, I found myself strongly relating to the two women because, like them, I am also in my early 70’s and have lived through crazy, sad and painful experiences.  Often while I was binging on the series, I thought  it should be titled, Frankie, Grace and Me.

     There is an episode in the third season where Frankie and Grace both end up on the floor suffering from intense back pain.  They can’t get up and both are trying to be first to reach the phone by pushing, crawling and rolling over each other.  I found myself laughing so hard that I thought I was going to fall  off the couch.  Then, suddenly, everything changed, Grace was sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall, upset and crying because she didn’t want to ask for help or need help from her children.  She told Frankie, a mother should be the one helping her children, the children shouldn’t be in a situation where they have to help their mother.

     This part of the aging process is probably difficult for most women but especially for those of us who have been very independent.  I am one of those people who rarely asked for help, but now, after two back surgeries and two shoulder surgeries, I find my life has changed.  I remember the first time I was made aware of this fact and also remember the experience threw me for a loop.  I was shopping at Meijer, obviously  having difficulty reaching an item on a top shelf and  a young woman asked if she could help me.  I stood there processing what had just happened and replied, “I used to be you” meaning, I used to be the person who said, “Can I help”.  It was extremely difficult to say yes, but I did.  From that point on, I’ve found myself increasingly saying yes to offers of assistance and even more significant, when I need assistance, I ask for it.  Each time I’m in this kind of situation, I feel a little piece my independent self slip away.  As I watched Grace sitting there so upset, I knew exactly what she was thinking and it was depressing.

     Last night during the last episode of the 3^rd season, Frankie had a small stroke and found out 10 years prior to this small stroke, she had experienced a more significant one that went by unnoticed.  These two events, the stroke that just occurred and the one in the past, scared her and she felt her world turned upside down.  Frankie found herself facing her own death, it stopped her, changed her, and pulled her down.  She felt weak and was controlled by the thought that she was vulnerable and her life could end without warning.  Frankie no longer could float through life being her hippie, wacky self.  At that moment, Frankie had a choice to make, live a life constantly aware of impending death and being paralyzed by that thought or choose to live a life knowing death would come, it’s inevitable, but feeling hope and the renewed freedom to continue her journey with joy and passion.  With the help of her best friend, Grace, Frankie chose joy, hope and passion.

     The episode ended with Frankie and Grace up in the sky, floating over the ground, carried there by a huge balloon.  They stood in the balloon’s basket, laughing and talking, and looking at the future.  Frankie told Grace that they would solve their problems and deal with life as it hit them and then the background music became, “Who knows where the time goes” and off they went, continuing their journey together.

     I sat on the couch crying, because I know Frankie’s fear, especially when I find myself thinking about our familial predisposition to strokes and heart disease.  I become afraid identifying every headache as a signal for a stroke and every case of heartburn, the beginning of a heart attack.  It’s during this kind of thinking, that I face the reality of death and it scares me.  As I sat there, watching the episode unfold,  I realized that the sequence of events, the stroke and everything related to it was overpowered by the movement of the balloon,  rising up and heading off into the sky. Frankie and Grace had both acknowledged, we don’t know what the future will bring but we can still soar.

     At age 72, I find that I can either continue worrying about how my life will end or put those thoughts away and choose to live life with “gusto”.  Mary Oliver’s poem, I Worried, expresses this choice with great clarity.  We can sit and worry, thinking will this happen or will that happen or we can put those thoughts away and go out in the world and sing.  I want to go through the last years of my life singing, being free to have adventures and “wallowing” in the love of my family.  I want to be like Frankie and Grace and soar, not knowing where life will take me, dealing with unexpected rough weather and hoping for a soft landing with few regrets.

February 9^th, 2018

My Maine

My Maine

Driving along the coast of Maine, going from one place to another generally might take longer than you might think because you are constantly dealing with Peninsulas. Just be aware and enjoy the scenery. 

I visited the Pemaquid Peninsula a couple times and really enjoyed the area. This information is from those trips and the information might not be completely accurate, just check on-line.  I camped in the Sherwood Forest Campground and spent most of my time in the New Harbor area. If you go there - don't miss the lighthouse on the tip. The Pemaquid Lighthouse was chosen to represent Maine on the quarters issued for the States.

 In New Harbor is the famous Shaw's restaurant - if you buy a lobster, check out the tank in bottom part of restaurant - you can choose a big one and they'll cook it there.  I didn't buy the dinner because, I didn't need the side dishes - I just wanted
one huge lobster although, the onion rings are the best I’ve eaten.  If you are sitting on the outside deck watch for the seagulls, they steal your food.  The deck on Shaw’s is wonderful - overlooks the harbor and you can watch the lobster boats coming in and going out. You can take a day trip to Monhegan Island - great trip and the boat docks at Shaw's. 

If you are aware of Rachel Carson, you might be interested in the Salt Pond Preserve in New Harbor where she did a lot of research for her book "Edge of the Sea".  New Harbor is very small but a great place to visit.  For more information about the Pemaquid Peninsula, go to my entry "Off To Maine - Again".

I enjoyed the Pemaquid Peninsula but it’s the area north of Bar Harbor that I love the most. I've spent about 8 vacations in the part of Maine known as Down East and farther up, the Bold Coast.  This is the part of Maine I truly love and I highly suggest, if you go to Maine, you spend time in this area.  Many people travel to Bar Harbor but not a lot continue up Route 1. The area north of Bar Harbor and up to Eastport is what I consider the “true” Maine. I take 95 up to Bangor and then Rte. 1A to Ellsworth. There’s an L.L. Bean Outlet store in Ellsworth (FYI). From Ellsworth you can drive over to Acadia National Park which is on Mt. Desert Island.  

Also on the Island is Bar Harbor – lots of stores and lots of tourists (not my favorite place but my girls loved it).  In Acadia, you can bike or walk the carriage trails - go for a horse drawn wagon ride that takes you around the carriage trails - go to the Jordan Pond House for popovers and tea (a little pricey but good for the "soul") and take the trip up to Cadillac Mountain for a wonderful view of the surrounding area including the sea.  There's much more to do in Acadia - you can check on-line.

As you make your way back to  Ellsworth,(on the Trenton Bridge) there are lobster pounds - good for lobster dinners, etc. On the road to the Schoodic (Rte 1) you can stop at Wimpy’s for a good seafood dinner. From Rte. 1, take Maine State Hwy. 186 to Winter Harbor.  As you go through this small town, stop at the Winter Harbor 5&10 - famous for the huge variety of items for sale including lots of shirts. There’s a nice coffee shop across from the dime store.  I have to admit, I love the Winter Harbor 5&10. 

Winter Harbor is small but worth a visit. Take a left from186 and it will take you to the entrance of Schoodic section of Acadia.  There’s a one way road that goes around the park. I don’t believe motor homes can drive through it – check on this if your driving one.  Stand at the tip of the peninsula and you can experience the power of the sea.  Waves crashing on the granite rocks - if you are lucky, you will be there after a storm - huge waves.

There is a fairly new campground in the Schoodic Park but I don’t know what it’s like. As you leave the park, you enter Birch Harbor and you’lI drive by Ocean Wood Campground.  This was the campground I originally went to on my first trip to Maine at age 60.  It’s on the coast and probably one of the best Campgrounds in U.S. (my opinion).  It was closed for awhile and is now owned by Roxanne Quimby (Burt’s Bees) and should be reopened in 2018. If you drive through Birch Harbor, try out the Pickled Wrinkle Restaurant but don’t eat the pickled wrinkles (ugh!).  

Continue up Rte 1 and you'll come to Milbridge.  I rented a cottage known as Two Jetties in July 2016 and 2017.  I rented it through VRBO. I could write a whole post just on Milbridge and probably will.  For now I’ll just write about a few favorite spots.  Chipman’s Wharf is a good place to buy fresh lobster (right off the boats).  There’s a campground (Mclellen) in Milbridge but I really only like one site. I do recommend it as a place to visit for a picnic right on the rocks overlooking Narraguagus Bay.  I like the Vazquez Mexican Restaurant in town.  The Mexican dinner is about $8 and really is enough for 2 people.  They make the tortillas right there.  

Look up this restaurant as it has an interesting history. River Lilly’s is a fun place to shop. Petit Manan Wildlife Refuge is close by and the Hollingsworth Trail is a nice walk out to the coast.  Driving away from Milbridge going north on Rte. 1 you might want to stop at the store that looks like a giant blueberry - called Wild Blueberry Land in Columbia Falls.

As you might expect, they sell everything related to wild blueberries which are a major crop in this area.  The wild blueberry barrens are beautiful in the Fall.  Continuing north on Rte. 1, don’t miss Jasper Beach in Machiasport. It’s off the beaten track – you definitely need to check on-line to find it.  I love this place – billions of beautiful stones.  I went four times and each time carried off bags of them.  It’s not just the stones, the beach is also beautiful.  It’s on a cove – if you walk to the end of the beach you might even want to go for a swim near the tidal stream that flows into a large wetland.  Jasper Beach is one of my favorite spots to visit. Again heading north up near Lubec is Cobscook State Park.  Jill and I camped there one year.  It’s a beautiful area and has some great campsites – no electric.  Going to Lubec and Eastport is another great experience - Lubec has the beautiful lighthouse with red and white stripes - also you can hike on the coastal trail starting near the lighthouse.

  Eastport is the eastern most point in US - you can watch first sunrise to hit the US.  Also, from Lubec, you can cross the International Bridge and go to Campobello Island (New Brunswick, Canada) - it’s about a 3 minute drive.  I’m going to do a whole new post that will deal with Campobello as it was one of my all time favorite places to camp. You need an enhanced license or passport to enter Canada and if taking a dog, check the requirements – probably up to date shots and for sure, rabies.  The girls and I took a whale watch tour – Island Cruises Whale Watching located on Campobello and Jill and I took a tour out of Eastport (Eastport Windjammers) both are excellent.

You might want to take a hike on the Down East Sunrise Trail which is a 87 mile multi-use corridor from Ellsworth to Ayers Junction in Eastern Maine near Eastport.  I walked parts of it.

There are so many things to see and do along the coast of Maine north of Bar Harbor and FYI, technically north of Bar Harbor is considered East but that’s a whole different story.  You can check on-line for more on that subject.  Anyway, I’ve mentioned many places I love to visit and you can check on-line for more info about them and for more spots to visit. 

There’s no doubt about it – I love Maine and will probably be heading back next summer.

“Maine days, days so wonderful you’ll want to do them over and over again.”  Quote from the movie, Fallen Angels.