Acadia National Park

Well, I've got no excuses  for not blogging today.  We are sitting here on the coast of Maine in Bar Harbor experiencing our first real storm, the effects of hurricane Arthur!  It's been raining since about 10:00 p.m. last night and hasn't let up a bit.  The wind was howling at 2:00 a.m. but our wind gauge said the highest gusts were only 16 miles per hour.  I find that difficult to believe.  I looked out at the ocean and it was just like in the movies - white caps everywhere, trees bending with the wind - quite wild!  We are right on the ocean at this campsite!  One of the other campers didn't bring in his awning and so at 2:30 a.m. it was toast - looks beyond repair.  He must not have been watching the weather.

View from Cadillac Mountain

Jade with her new walking stick.

We have had an awesome time here.  It reminds us so much of Alaska, Seward and Homer, just quite a bit warmer.  Acadia National Park is beautiful.  We spent one day driving through the east side of the park visiting Sand Beach and other coves and overlooks along that side.  Had lunch at a cozy little restaurant - fish chowder, crab sliders, etc.  The people who live out here have some MONEY!  I didn't realize Martha Stewart lived on Mt. Desert Island (and they pronounce it "dessert") The next day we went back so we could drive to the top of Cadillac Mt. - the highest peak on the Atlantic coast.  There had been fog earlier in the day and it had started to clear but a few of the islands still had some around them.  It was neat to see the park in it's different "moods". The day before had been crystal clear.

Fog over Bar Island - you can walk to it at low tide.

The girls wanted to go souvenir and window shopping in Bar Harbor so we decided to make an afternoon/evening of it.  We took the free shuttle bus instead of driving (driving and parking in the town of Bar Harbor is a nightmare - very narrow streets and people and cars everywhere!) Had dinner at a place called Gayln's.  Yummy lobster, crab cakes, and seafood linguini.  We were stuffed!  At least Jade and I were.  Jeff and Mya decided to indulge in some homemade ice cream at Ben and Bill's Chocolate Emporium.  Jade (our health-conscious child) walked in and said "it smells like diabetes in here"!! Unfortunately, I think she is right.  What a popular place; there were people milling around on the street outside, people inside ordering mounds of ice cream.  There was nothing "small" about their small scoop.  Jeff made the mistake of ordering a medium but like the trooper he is, he finished it off - lol!

We were glad that Arthur decided to hold off until today. Yesterd- ay, we took the girls to Wild Acadia, this really cool multi-activity "playground" so they could go zip-lining and climb around the "aerial park".  They were strapped into these mountain climbing harnesses (the real thing) and given a mini-lesson on how to use the clasps to navigate and move around up in the air. Mya was a bit nervous - Jade, of course, was raring to go. They had lots of "helpers" but I was kind of nervous. But we didn't have to stay so like any good parents, we left and had lunch - just the two of us:-) We also went shopping and bought a yard-art do-dad wind thing-a-ma-jig that has a parrot drinking a margarita and sitting on a sign that says "it's 5 o'clock somewhere".  (We had to rescue that from the storm at 2 a.m.) Just as we got back to the aerial park, Jade decided to try the "drop swing" and about gave me a heart attack.  I saw her sitting up there but I didn't realize she was going to jump off the dang platform.  My heart went into my throat.  She was hooting and hollering - apparently, that was the second time she'd done it!! Both girls looked like climbing pros after 2 hours of moving around connecting and disconnecting themselves from the tether-lines.  (Think aerial obstacle course or American Ninja Warrior.)  Needless to say, they were pretty tired when we brought them home.  Yay!  I told Jade, parents always feel successful when they have been able to wear out their children - lol!

Well, it's taken me since 10 this morning (off and on) to get this blog posted with pictures.  I think it's nap time!  The storm seems to have passed (it's 3:00pm our time) except for the wind.  I'll see if I can post some more Wild Acadia photos of the girls - if the wifi gods will cooperate!

We are the blue dot!