Sunday, July 24, 2011

Our adventure begins

I can honestly admit that after arriving home from vacation, I’m feeling a little overwhelmed at the moment. I’ve got so much to accomplish within the next couple of weeks, and today I actually had to make a list of it all. I’m still going through all the mail in my inbox and have so many photos to share with you but no idea of where to begin. So I decided to just start at the beginning.

It’s a very good place to start.

(name that tune)

In a few posts from now, you’ll probably be crying uncle for all the Maine pics, but here we go.



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I took off work last Friday so that we could leave a day early. Our plan was to get up to Maine and stay somewhere along the southern coast. Then Saturday, we would take a leisurely drive along the Coastal Highway, since we couldn’t get into the rental until mid-afternoon. We planned on visiting the park and some other places.

I get bored sometimes on the road, so I pick up the camera. This is the New York City skyline at dawn last Friday.



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We left the house at 3:30, solely to avoid traffic on the Jersey Turnpike and the dreaded George Washington Bridge, which we crossed at dawn. There was a single car ahead of us in the toll line.

Mission accomplished.

We were beginning to get tired after getting into Maine and began looking for a hotel room shortly after 1 pm. Unfortunately, every place we stopped either did not accept pets or was completely booked. I got on the phone and made some calls, finding out from another motel that there was one along the road that might have openings, AND they accepted pets.



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When we pulled up, we nearly kept going because the place had the look of a dive written all over it. But we were so tired of driving at that point, having slept so little the night before that we took the room after having a look.


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The Pioneer Motel had seen better days but our room was clean and the bed seemed comfortable when we sat on it. Actually, the king-sized bed was the biggest surprise and now has the distinction of being one of the most comfortable in any hotel/motel room/rental cottage that I’ve slept in. The sheets were actually wonderful. The motel, just north of Wiscasset along Rte. 1, never filled up that night and we watched from our porch as cars pulled in, took one look and left.

Early the next morning, we hit the road north.

My husband’s idea of early and mine are not the same, but it’s easier to just go with the flow sometimes. We were on the road at 5:30.

Are you really surprised?




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All in all, it was a pleasant ride and the little towns along the coast are lovely. I believe this may be Belfast.



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I know we’re getting close when we can see the bridge at Bucksport.



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It was a perfectly beautiful summer day and the radio played a forgotten song.

(name that tune)



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And then, we were heading up Cadillac Mountain at Acadia National Park. I shot this from the car window - that’s Eagle Lake.



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We were on the top of the mountain by 8:30 am. That’s the town of Bar Harbor in the photo above and you can really see the golf course well.

I brought the video camera along with us on vacation, and took this 30 second clip. The drive looks like it’s happening faster than it actually is, but we were only doing about 20 mph.



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Sorry if that made you nervous.



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We had the most delicious coffee at the camp store on the top of the mountain and my husband bought himself a new cap. He also bought George two stuffed toys – one a Peregrine Falcon (not a Paraguay Falcon) and the other a Snowy Owl.

George’s old Scary Bird lost its voice a while ago.



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Afterward, we headed down to Bar Harbor and parked at Geddy’s next to our car’s twin from Maine. The color of our car is ‘sunset orange pearl’, only available in 2003-2005 I believe; the orange color was changed after that.

My husband wanted me to get a photo for posterity’s sake.

Speaking of photos, one of my husband’s pastimes is visiting camera cams from places we’ve been. His favorite is the one at Geddy’s on Bar Harbor where you actually get to move the camera.



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The camera is there on that pink building, just at the left edge of it. Here, let me circle it for you.



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Check it out, if you like.

Geddy’s Harbor Cam

Our adventure continues tomorrow. Until then . . .

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29 comments:

Anonymous said...

Was your car chugging up that mountain? George didn't seem bothered by the view at all. He probably knows the drive to Maine by heart now. :-) Going to go check out the camera now, oh wait... it's dark outside.

DI

Deb said...

looks like a wonderful trip....great photos...

Reena said...

Totally cool pic of NYC!
That was fun driving along with you ... it all looks like the temps would be 20 degrees less, but we all know, they weren't .. but still ....they should have been! Always a beautiful view from Cadillac Mountain!
Funny about the camera cam! Gotta go look .. tomorrow!

Leontien said...

So far it looked like you had a great trip!

Can't wait to see more!
Leontien

spindrift,maine said...

Oh, I thought about you a bazillion times last week. Can't believe you were so close. I know that motel and it is a keeper. Good call! I love it when folks pass by a perfectly good spot because it doesn't have a web site or a national name. Makes more room for the natives who are also on vacation. How did you do with the HEAT?

Low Tide High Style said...

I can't wait to see more of your adventure "Maria"! *did I get it right, and do I win a cookie?!" And the video made both of my dogs bark, apparently they thought you were driving too fast, hehe.

Kat :)

Cloudia said...

LOVED this road trip with you & George!



(have you seen my "Big Things & Endings" Post? I'm inordinately proud of it...)


Aloha from Waikiki;


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Carolynn Anctil said...

Looks like you had beautiful weather for your trip. Bit early for me, though.

Rebecca Lewis said...

Love your pictures and to have only one car ahead of you going through the tolls at the GW ... awesome!
;-)
Your room story reminded me of one of our little adventures .... while the exterior didn't look too bad the interior was a bit different ... with only one light (a red one) and Mirrors all over the walls and ceiling and the sheets ~ well lets just say they weren't as nice as yours so we didn't even sit on it.
Can't wait to hear and see more!
Rebecca

Ashley Sisk said...

Beautiful photos - it looks like you guys had a wonderful time.

ELK said...

do ri mi ... one of my favorites ...so nice to relive your amazing time through your gorgeous images..

kate hang in there you will get it all done ~

Christie - Fine Lines said...

Thanks -- fun pix!! I thought George looked kind of serious around those curves!!

Lili said...

It was fun seeing these shots as you passed through all the old familiar (to me) places! That shot of your twin car reminded me of waving to my twin car when you were with me! (Hope you get rested up and are all ready for the BD celebration tomorrow too.) xo ~Lili

Hilary said...

I'm loving this trip, enjoyed vicariously through you. Beautiful pics of a place I love.

Karen thisoldhouse2.com said...

I like to visit webcams of Marthas Vineyard, a place I'd live if I could afford it. Loving this trip we're re-taking with you :-)

Sarah said...

Great pics! Love the Maine scenery, but the motel porch is a real keeper. Can't wait to go to Bar Harbor someday myself. Until then, I'll satisfy myself with your photos!

Looking forward to the rest of the week. I got Do Re Mi, but the forgotten song has slipped my memory.

Country Gal said...

Fantastic post , video and photos ! Thanx for taking us along looks like a great time had by all ! Have a wonderful day !

Jeanette said...

Looks like a wonderful vacation! Maine sure is beautiful!! Oh and I believe that song was Radar Love?

The JR said...

FUN! Good pictures.

Tanya Breese said...

you take such beautiful pictures...i especially love the one of the motel's porch with the chairs lined up...

Daryl said...

I waved when you drove past .. it was fun to get the text .. did you photoshop the license plate on the Element? And that bridge is so similar to the one in Boston .. love it .. would have wanted to take many snaps of it. SOOO glad you are home!

beth said...

i love hearing the excitement in your voice while sharing all these photos....even if you are tired and overwhelmed, it was still there :)

xoxo

oh and by the way, no uncle crying here. i will look at your photos for days and days !!

The Weaver of Grass said...

You really do have the most wonderful places to visit over there. I remember the first time I saw the New York Skyline as we came in over the bridge with Frank Sinatra's New York, New York playing on the radio - bliss.

Mary said...

Aww, that glimpse of George with his head out the window was priceless! Welcome home. And God bless you for driving through the night... don't think I could do that!

Thunderstorm here at the moment. I have to go coax the cat out from under the sofa... I hope you missed the worst of the heat last week. It was 108 in Newark on THursday!
xoxo

trump said...

A really great post and i enjoyed those images so much. I have never been to the state of Maine even though i lived in up state New York. I will also check that cam out as well, and congratulations on a first class post. Richard from Amish Stories.

abb said...

That cam is really neat! Never heard of anything like that that you could control!
And it just goes to show you, you can't judge a book by its cover.

Jeannelle said...

Wonderful post. I love the video!

JaneK said...

you will not hear me cry uncle for sure. I've never been to Maine and it is on the top of my list... but I don't see it happening in the near future so this will let me visit it vicariously :)

GailO said...

Hi Kate! Glad to have you back!

You really do leave early don't you!:) Next time if you want you can stop in RI...you drove right thru our town...and we accept dogs: Just don't wake me in the morning:)

It is always hard for me to get back into blogging after a vacation too...in fact I still haven't really been doing much since returning from Puerto Rico...and it has been 4 months!...overwhelming like you said. I know I am going to enjoy seeing all your photos of Maine...