Leaving Vermont behind, we head into New Hampshire Sunday morning. A lot happening this Columbus Day Weekend as we drive by signs boasting apple pie contests, quilt shows, antique sales, and apple picking. So many sweet little villages decked out for autumn celebrations. However, with just two weeks left to go we need to head on down the road to make our destination of Acadia National Park in Maine.
Our curiosity about the fall color changes caused us to reflect on elementary biology lessons. Leaves are green due to the pigment called chlorophyll. Found in most plants, it is critical for photosynthesis which allows plants to make energy in the form of sugar from sunlight. The shorter fall days trigger the leaf changing cycle due to a decrease in chlorophyll production. Each type of tree produces a specific leaf color unique to the combination of sugars left in its leaves. Other factors affecting the intensity of foliage color is temperature and moisture. Warm fall days + long cool nights – rain = happy, colorful leaves. We are really starting to see some fabulous colors on this beautiful Monday morning in southeast Maine with an outside temperature of 83 degrees! I think it may be warmer here than Florida.
A dramatic, scenic overview off I-95 of Mount Katahdin was spectacular. Deep blue water framed by colorful forest and a mountainous backdrop has developed into some of my favorite photos. Further down the road, we arrived in Island Falls, Maine in the early afternoon on Monday, Oct 10. A friend from home who returned to his roots, Bill Lane and his lovely lady, Anita, greeted us with some warm hospitality. We parked our rig on their property for an overnight visit on our way to Bar Harbor on the coast. We all piled into Bills pickup truck for a tour of their town and stomping ground. Dazzled by the many beautiful little lakes edged with cabins, we have learned that it is a popular tourist destination in the summer months. There were just a few tourists left as places were closing up in preparation for the long, brutal winter ahead. Later that evening we enjoyed some delicious homemade lasagna prepared by Anita, in fact, I even got to take some with us the following day. I do enjoy good food! Next morning we all went out to breakfast and took in another view of the rambling countryside occupied by many farms and occasional Amish families. On the way back to Bills, Randy finally got to see a moose, albeit a dead one shot by a local hunter. We would rather have seen a live one but hey, it is a part of life up here and many of the locals were raised on fresh game. The men planned on taking the moose directly to a butcher for eventual replenishment of their home freezers. Anita confesses that she especially enjoys moose stew. After saying our farewells, we headed back on the road for the coast.
We have been practicing our New England accents on the way to the Bar Harbor (pronounced Ba Haba) KOA located on Mount Desert Island. Arriving on October 11 in the early afternoon, the sun still shone warmly. We went for a walk on the beach at low tide along the rough, rocky shore. This is quite a change from our soft, sandy Florida Beaches. A full moon campfire, cider, and rum ended our crisp down east evening.
The town of “Ba Haba” and Acadia National Park are just a few miles down the road. We opted to tour the park first with a drive up to the top of Cadillac Mountain. Submerged in cloud, we were unable to take in the panoramic views at the summit. However, we made up for it hiking along the craggy shorelines where sea and shore emerge, revealing the landmarks that define Arcadia’s coast such as Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, and Otter Point. This is granite country and I was tempted to have Randy haul a slab home for our kitchen counter renovation but our camper is already filled with pumpkins and gourds. A late lunch at Jordan’s Pond rewarded us with creamy “lobsta” stew and homemade popovers, butter and strawberry jam…some major artery clogging food but oh so yummy.
Next morning the rain finally caught up to us and a decision was made to head out on US-1 down the coast. Winding our way thru quaint little towns toward Portland we admired the historical manors and old weathered buildings that are classic New England. Next stop: Old Orchard Beach before heading out of Maine. Apparently there is a lot to see and we will get an early start tomorrow.
Randy and I began our day at the “Merry Moose” camp diner, consuming oversized pancakes loaded with Maine blueberries and a side of sausage links. No doubt that I have eaten well on this trip. A perfectly foggy, drizzly day accompanies our tour of lighthouses and graveyards. We actually had the opportunity to see 5 different sea beacons among the many along Maine’s coast. Pungent sea air and rain mingled with the sounds of the light house fog horns as they continually guide ships to safety. Two Light State Park boasts a pair of beautiful white lighthouses. Viewed from a distance, like so many of Maine’s Lighthouses, this duo is located on private land and inaccessible. In Bug Light Park the fog cleared long enough to reveal the cute little beacon named bug light. Its buddy, Spring Point Light is connected to a jetty made of huge granite planks allowing a walk up to and around this beacon. Finally, the most famous Maine Lighthouse called Portland Head Light is indeed a scenic photograph waiting to happen. Located in Fort Williams State Park in the town of Cape Elizabeth, we were able to walk around this picture perfect lighthouse and peruse the little museum as well. Gray seas pounding against dark, glistening rocks created sprays of surrender to the nautical depths beneath Portland Head’s foundation. Speaking of which, the city of Portland is gorgeous regaling ancient red brick structures everywhere you look along the wharf. It reminded me of NYC with its big city energy but retaining its New England flavor on a much smaller, quainter scale.
Driving thru the countryside of Scarborough we came upon many ancient cemeteries scattered with headstones of all sizes, shapes, and etchings. Some scrolled with fancy detail and ripe with a blackened patina. Keeping with the Halloween season, I would ask Randy to stop so I could hop out and photograph the leaf strewn grounds of tombstones dating as far back as the 1700’s. One in particular that fascinated me was Captain Mariner, only 42 when he died in 1872 and the stuff that ghost stories are made of!
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