By now it is July 28th and I have been on the “open road” for one month, having left Oregon June 28th. On this day,  I headed for the final destination of this eastward journey, Acadia National Park on the Atlantic. It was time to be up and out, so began the  disassembly of  everything I had assembled two days ago.  I bade goodbye to the tiny bees though I discovered that three of them had hitchhiked with me hoping to start a new colony at Acadia.   I managed to sh0e one out of the car early on but the other two were having themselves a good time buzzing about.  I became less concerned when I realized they really had no interest in me.  Guess I must be quite malodorous  since showers are few and far between. This last campground charged $2.75 for 6 minutes and the shower was not one that I would feel clean from after I finished there. There will be no showers in Acadia. 

Acadia National Park,  the eastern terminus of this grand park tour/ driving adventure, is the 57th park I have visited of the 63 national parks. The quickest and most direct route from the White Mountains would be making my way via secondary roads to I-95.  My need to get there fast was less acute than my need to avoid not only interstates but particularly this interstate.  So Siri wound me through the countryside and small towns with a few  roller coaster roads  thrown in to make it an enjoyable and also fun drive.  Traffic was quite cooperative as there were no slow-pokeys to grouse about, it  moved at a decent clip but not like the world was going to end tomorrow and they need to get off of it.

I arrived at the Acadia National park on Mount Desert Island in Maine. At the Hulls Cove Visitors Center visitors center I discovered that the campground I was staying at was a 25 minute  drive  south on the other side of Bar Harbor. After collecting  ideas of things to do from the Park Ranger,  I headed to Blackwoods Campground.  It definitely lives up to its name as it is nestled in a dense forest of fir trees with minimal sun and is quite damp and humid.   Per usual, I drove in arcs trying to figure out the layout and where in the heck the signs were as to which arc I was on.  But at least I got it on the second go round.  Within minutes I knew the new “Loud Family” was kitty-corner from me. When writing this 4 hours later,  there has been no let-up.  I wonder if they stopped to eat or just took turns between bites to keep the uproar going. My inner guide kept encouraging me to say “Isn’t it lovely what a wonderful time they are having.” I was almost an insurmountable challenge. But in no time I was set up and ready to sit back and relax. One great surprise here was having cell phone service in the campground.  Guess we were close to Bar Harbor towers. So I had my “normal” Facetime visit with son Nick and grandson Luke which felt awesome in the dark woods holding a flashlight on my face.

As I but my head on my pillow I had thought perhaps the sounds of nature would lull me to sleep but instead I listened to a screaming baby down the way, a barking dog in the “block” behind, the chopping of wood for the campfire close by, the cars driving by returning those who prefer restaurant food or a bar to camp food or a beer around the campfire, the loud family having a whale of a time, a cadre of several adults having a rousing game with everyone cheering every minute or so.  I actually fell asleep.

I awoke and thought I might be hallucinating. It sounded like the patter of a light rain on the tent.  I figured it couldn’t be because when I went to bed I had checked the weather forecast and it was for the next two days being mostly sunny and perhaps rain by Wednesday. But it was in the low fifties and spattering rain off and on.  Of course last night was the first night I had left the chair and other things out since for the last few days when checking the forecast it was all positively on the spectrum of a few clouds and sun. I covered my wet chair with a rain cape and managed to enjoy a bit of coffee and oatmeal and decided I might as well be on my way to see the sights.  

The only way to drive the Cadillac Mountain road, One of the “premier” experiences at Acadia is through a reservation system ahead of time.  I had reserved a spot for  the 11:00 am hour.  I knew the prospects were pretty dim for feasting my eyes on some spectacular vista of the harbors and waters surrounding Acadia.  With time to spare, I drove down to Otter Point and though the craggy rocks of the coastline were visible, a shroud covered everything mid-treeline and above. 

But a part of me irrationally thought perhaps the fog would lift or there would at least be a brief break to witness what is describe as amazing vistas around.  NOT!  The fog was thicker, the rainy mist thicker, the wind stronger.  Not to be daunted I prowled around the rock faces, hiked the Cadillac Summit Loop Trail, bracing myself against the wind all the while, and then got in my car, removed my dripping raincoat, found a towel to dry my hair, and blasted the  the heater on high. I was not liking Acadia National park very much. 

Returning to the main visitors center, I could at least get my park stamp and managed to spend some money – an alternative activity when the weather sucks. I heard tell that Jordon Pond is one of the favored activities in the park.  After fixing a sandwich from my trunk kitchen,  I started driving toward there when my car made a hard left turn towards  Bar Harbor.  Well since Lady Spitfire headed that way, it  might be a good time to check it out .  Naturally there were throngs of people on this miserable day,  engaging in shopping therapy to assuage their disappointment in the weather.  I fortunately pulled into a full lot and I knew parking would be a problem as I had witnessed the mile long line of cars parking on the road into town.  I somehow had the good fortune of being almost up to a car whose tail lights went on and  was leaving so I jammed on the brakes and voila Lady Spitfire pulled right in and paid $2.00 for  30 minutes to walk about town.  

The harbor was quite picturesque as was the quite imposing Bar Harbor Inn.  Several blocks on the  main shopping  street hosted the classic tourist shops of souvenirs, fudge shops, restaurants gifts, graffiti donuts, jewelry, coffee shops and most with the twist of lobster, lobster claws, lobster rolls making it uniquely Maine. Thirty minutes was plenty of time to spend having no desire to spend so I headed on to Jordon Pond. 

Of course parking here was an issue as well as all the lots were full and I was about to head back to the campground when right on the main road someone was pulling out of a spot.  I was glad I am good at parallel parking.  So I headed to find out all about Jordan and his Pond.  I had not really had any thought about taking a hike but there was a lakeside trail I thought I might walk a piece.  I did have my walking stick but also my purse which I definitely prefer to leave in the car . Usually there are no shops along a wilderness trail to squander my dollars.  There was a family in front of me with the gramma who appeared to be in her 70’s so I thought I will turn around when they turn around.  Well they kept on going so I kept on going.  The trail was this weird boardwalk quite unlike any trail  I have encountered. Mostly two boards wide with every so often a short 4 board platform to allow for hikers coming the other way to pass.  By now I was committed and was quite enjoying this new challenge.

There were a lot of people going in both direction so I was passing some oncoming traffic, allowing faster hikers to pass me and of course getting lots of kudos for being out there negotiating this crazy walk that mostly the “oh so young” were doing. The boardwalk turned into a bit of a boulder climb and for a short while and then into a bit of a tripping root and  tripping rock trail. 

This was a loop trail so by the time I reached head of the pond (When does a pond become a lake?)  the trail had smoothed out into an ordinary well groom flat trail.  I am sure glad that I accidentally chose bearing left at the trailhead rather than right as the most difficult and challenging part was done on fresh legs. By the time I straggled  back to the restaurant and gift shops I was done so I headed directly to my car but quite proud that  I did the loop hike.

My brain was fogged and I turned the wrong way in trying to go back to camp so I did my drive in circles routine until I accidentally hit upon the road that led me home. Funny how I now consider my tent and my car my home wherever they might be parked.

Back at camp it was as dismal and damp as when I left. I thought then that I did not want to spend another night here between the weather and the high level of noise  and so made a reservation up in Ellsworth  for the following night. It would also make the next days drive a bit less of a distance but not having to break down in the morning easier.  With that decided, in an effort to cheer myself up I decided to build a fire which of course smoldered out pretty quickly.  All the kindling I had collected and laid out the previous day was wet.  But after dinner I decide to give it one last shot and had an old newspaper which I stuffed under the wood and it took off.  Success. So given the less than ideal weather it was nice to have a fire to cozy up to…but not too cozy. 

Since it had unexpectedly rained the night before though not hard enough to drip drip through the rain fly that is supposed to keep me dry, to be on the safe side I found my rain cape and draped it over the part of the tents mesh roof that would keep the rain off of my face and bedding at least. The third day at Acadia, though still damp, cloudy, and foggy over the water and mountains, after the morning rituals I decided I would like to take a nice hike before I headed up mid-afternoon to Ellsworth. A coastal hike on the rugged rocky headlands along the Atlantic would foot the bill. I headed back to Otter Point (no otters there) to hike to the Otter Cliffs  (still no otters) , a popular hiking trail of packed gravel with majestic views of coastline,  rocky cliffs, tide pools,  boulders.    Plenty of eye candy later and with the sun making a feeble attempt to shine down,

I returned to the camp for lunch and my get-a-way. The only regret I had about leaving was that the loud family had departed and there might have been a quieter night at the campground — but then again a new loud family might appear. After a stop to view the Tarn landscape, traveling on, I arrived in Ellsworth and happily roosted in a comfy room for the night though I did have to turn on the heat as the room was frigid.  The air conditioning had been set to 63 degrees. This is the first hotel I have ever stayed at that offered free cups of hot soup from a tureen in the afternoon…  the soup of the day was broccoli cheddar and was robust and delicious.