We arrived at Bar Harbor Campground at 1:54 p. m., six minutes ahead of check-in time. Knowing they charge $25 for early check-in, I prayed for grace. And we received it.
Pulling into the campground, as we approached our site, I could see the opening at the top of the hill. My heart sped up, thinking I would finally see Bar Harbor.
I couldn’t set up fast enough. As soon as the opportunity presented itself, I bolted to the top of the hill to see the Harbor. I learned that rather than one large harbor, multiple inlets with different names made up the harbor. Our campground borders Frenchman Bay, and it captured my heart at first sight.
After relaxing, we went exploring. First stopping by our neighbor’s place, Acadia National Park, to get the lay of the land. We discovered the multuple bike trails we could ride, and bought the $35 seven-day pass.
“If you come before 9:00 or after 4:00, you shouldn’t have any problems. Between 9;00 and 3:00, it can be rough.” The tall, slender, gray-haired park ranger from Ft. Myers answered our question about parking with kindness.
His answer prompted us to decide we would take morning rides before the crowds arrived. If we do one a day, we’ll hit six of the 8 trails. But who knows, maybe some days we’ll ride 2.
Leaving the park, we drove the five miles to town. Bar Harbor didn’t meet my expectations. More like Provincetown, MA; I had expected a Nantucket feel. People packed the sidewalks. Narrow roads made for interesting driving; we barely had enough room to pass oncoming cars. Every parking spot had an occupant. We couldn’t get out of there fast enough.
We’ll go back, but not during the weekend.
Ron discovered The Chart House while searching for restaurants. Nestled between Bar Harbor and the campground, it sits on the bay. Happy hour, from 4-5, takes place in the bar or on the long pier lined with seats. Making our way down the pier, we sat near the end, overlooking the beach and bay. A little slice of heaven on earth.
Back at the camper, Ron grilled chicken and vegetables for dinner; we forgot to pack rice for a complete stir-fry. Then we took the pups for an exploratory walk towards the water.
Single-track trails led into the woods, too small to ride, but perfect for walking.
He took my breath away.
Coming around a turn, I saw this magnificent 8-point buck with velvet on his horns watching me.
He didn’t move.
He didn’t flinch.
He just watched.
The dogs didn’t bark; somehow, they understood the sacredness of the moment.
And then I did the only thing I knew to do.
I kept walking.
And they watched us go. His doe stood fifty feet away, completely oblivious.
“I can’t believe we’re riding bikes in Acadia National Park!” I said to Ron as we set out into the woods.
Then I peppered him with questions he couldn’t answer:
“Why do we find ourselves in strange woods alone? “
“What do we do if we see a bear? ”
“What if we see a moose? “
Then I thought, if the Lord’s calling me home today there ain’t nothing I’m going to do about it.
Might as well enjoy the ride.
Anxieties conquered, I let off the brake and let the wheels roll.
“I could do a linner at that place across from the campground and call. it a day.”
Ron agreed with my after ride suggestion, so we headed to Bar Harbor Lobster Pound for an obligatory lobster roll. Since Ron doesn’t like lobster, it fell to me to fullfill the Maine requirement.
Melt-in-your-mouth good. I ate every bite. On the way out, I got a homemade cookie dough ice cream cone that finished the meal. perfectly.
In Gettysburg, we watched the movie “Gettysburg.” In Maine, we watched “The Perfect Storm.” Ron napped as the movie rolled. A perfect Saturday in Maine for us.
After the movie ended and Ron woke up, we stretched the dog’s legs with another walk in the woods. Then we hopped on our bikes to Udder Heaven for ice cream. Located beside the campground, it had a full parking lot and a line when we arrived.
Music blared from the BBQ side, a lone singer with electric drums filling the evening air with classic tunes.
Ron’s cookie dough cone tasted like the one I had earlier.
We ended the evening by the fire. Children’s giggles surrounded us. Campfire conversations drifted through the air, interspersed with outbursts of laughter. Sitting on a mountain in Maine with my love, I enjoyed the gift of life that God gave us.
We woke to fog over the mountain. Sleeping past 6:00 felt heavenly. Ron made breakfast while I finished my quiet time with the Lord. Afterward, we dressed and headed for Acadia for our morning ride.
Yesterday we followed the “Around Lake” signs. Today we followed the “Around Mountain” signs.
And had the obligatory Popovers at the end of the ride.
After biking and pop-overs, we went back to the campground to let the pups out. Then we decided to go to Bar Harbor Bike Shop and look for a basket to replace the one we lost.
Not seeing any parking, we stopped at the grocery store for supplies.
“Why don’t you drop me off and I’ll go in and look while you drive around?”
“Good idea,” Ron replied after we left the grocery store, heading back to the bike shop.
Heaven favored us, and we found a parking spot right in front.
Once we shopped and put our groceries away, we drove to Southwest Harbor for linner (lunch + dinner) and discovered a pleasant surprise.
Beale’s seafood bustled with life and had excellent lobster rolls.
With an hour to kill after lunch, before golf, we visited the Carroll Homestead in Acadia National Park.
Golf at Causeway Golf Club’s nine-hole course proved expensive and disappointing. With the more affordable of the two options close to us, we had to play.
No organization, extremely tight holes, and slow play made for a frustrating round. Pretty views dulled the ache. Worth a try, not a re-visit.
We passed a Books and Blueberries sale on the way to the course and stopped on the way home, buying neither.
Another day ended with a fire. What an incredible Sabbath the Lord gave us today. We worshipped in His creation and lived in His favor. Thank You, God, for this day.
Our fourteenth anniversary dawned bright. Ron slept in late, and I did a little writing. After a lazy morning, we took the dogs for a long walk in the wild blueberry fields.
“I’m staying in the car. I’m not getting out.”
My words to Ron when we parked the truck in the East Parking lot on top of Cadillac Mountain.
Do y’all know I suffer from vertigo?
Heights petrify me beyond words.
And so, as we drove to the top of Cadillac Mountain, fear and anxiety overwhelmed me. With every ounce of my being, I wanted to turn around.
But we couldn’t. We had to keep going.
By the time I reached the summit, nausea had set in, and fright had taken over.
Ron left me in the truck with Ruby, whom we brought along for the ride.
While doing deep-breathing exercises, I opened my Bible app to Psalm 121, my mother’s and Aunt Margie’s favorite Psalm.
“I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?
My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.
The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.”
Psalm 121:1-8
Then I prayed, asking God to remove my fear and anxiety and give me strength to gaze upon His creation. And He did. When Ron returned, I left him with Ruby and conquered my fear.
Praiseo God!
Bar Harbor’s welcoming moose. I finally remembered to snap a picture after several trips into town. The patriotic lei around his neck made me smile.
We celebrated our 14th wedding anniversary in Bar Harbor. First, we had drinks and an appetizer at Stewman’s Lobster Pound, with lobster nachos. Then we shopped around town before boarding a sunset cruise.
Tuesday morning, we lounged around the trailer before heading to North East Harbor for breakfast at the North East Market & Lobster pound.
We learned that lobster pound restaurants have facilities for storing large quantities of lobster, hence the name “lobster pound.” Maine’s coast is fed by a northern stream, making the waters extremely cold. The rest of the eastern seaboard’s warm water comes from the south in the Gulf Stream.
Leaving the North East, we went to Bass Harbor Lighthouse on the other side of Mount Desert Island in Southwest Harbor.
Not at all what I expected; the tiny, white house didn’t seem big enough to serve as a lighthouse. The area had a small parking lot. A line started at the stop sign and went over the hill, with cars waiting to find a spot.
Ron waited in traffic while I followed the flow of passengers from other cars to see the building. I offered to sit in the truck and let Ron go when I got back, but after he saw the pictures, he didn’t want to see it, so we turned around and went back to the campground.
After taking the dogs for a long walk, we packed lunches and bags for our afternoon whale-watching expedition. Hopping on our bikes, we rode to the campground entrance to catch the free Island Explorer bus. At $6/hr to park in Bar Harbor, this offered a much more affordable option.
Arriving 50 minutes before departure, we got the last two seats left on the top deck. People show up early in Maine.
With no land in sight, 30 miles offshore in 58-degree water, we saw five Fin Whales and one Humpback Whale, and a school of dolphins.
Our 7:40 bus broke down, so we caught the 8:20 bus and arrived back at the campground at 8:30. We enjoyed our first night bike ride with our never-before-used headlights. I’m happy to say they worked well, lighting up the road home with no problem.
We fed the pups and enjoyed our last night in Maine, listening to the campground’s evening sounds.
Children played.
Adults talked.
And the quiet night air kept a record of the activity, watching over us like a loving mom enjoying her family, taking pleasure in nature’s gift.
By 8:41 the next morning, we pulled out of the dump station, headed to Ossipee, NH, for our next adventure.
Until next time, Maine!