Posted on by Jim

Maine

All I could see from where I stood
Was three long mountains and a wood;
I turned and looked the other way,
And saw three islands in a bay.
Maine poet Edna St. Vincent Millay summed up her home state pretty well with that one.
Maine has at least its fair share of fun facts.  It’s the only state in New England that didn’t become a state in the 18th century.  It seceded from Massachusetts, which required the consent of the Massachusetts legislature in 1819, then was grated statehood the following year as part of the Missouri Compromise (by which Missouri was admitted to the union as a slave state, thus keeping equal the number of slave and free states).  Maine is the only state in the country that borders only one other state (New Hampshire).  Alaska and Hawaii border no other states and every state but Maine in the lower 48 abut at least two others.  Maine produces 99% of the nation’s blueberries and 90% of its lobsters.  It’s the easternmost state and the  northernmost of the lower 48.
For purposes of our trip, the funnest fact is that Maine’s coastline is longer than California’s, if you count all the squiggles – 3,478 miles to 3,427.  There are lots of squiggles – inlets, coves, bays, harbors, plus 3,166 off-shore islands.  
After coming over the mountains out of New Hampshire, our first stop was Belfast, a genuinely charming little town about halfway up the coast.
Our first full day there, we teed it up at the beautiful Samoset resort, a few miles south of Belfast.  The weather and the setting were special.
After golf, we treated ourselves to our first lobster dinner of the trip at Young’s Lobster Pound, a classic Down East joint with a view of Belfast across the Passagassawakeag River (no, I haven’t been drinking and typing – that’s really how it’s spelled).
Sunday, we got a bonus visit from Gwen, who celebrated her new job by flying from San Diego to join us for a few days before settling into full-time employment.  Mom was especially happy about all of this!
During a spell of cruddy weather, we explored Belfast and its harbor…
discovered a long-lost family enterprise…and were tempted to buy a Brett Kavanaugh Christmas ornament.
Wednesday, we drove another hour up the coast to Bar Harbor and the glorious Acadia National Park.
We tried to climb Cadillac Mountain, but the combination of soggy ground…and foggy vistas…
made us stop before we reached the top.        Nevertheless, it was a hike full of scenery and smiles.
Bar Harbor is surprisingly tacky and touristy.  It’s an almost-daily docking spot for big cruise ships.  However, the surrounding area is full of little harbors (some of which are replete with lobster traps!), villages and more than a few big, old-money estates.
We also enjoyed some downtime.  Our campsites were on waterfronts.  We enjoyed scenery, campfires, meals, playoff baseball and college football on TV and just hanging out…and Sting is still dreaming of driving the rig!
October is the end of the “season” in Maine.  In Belfast, boats were being taken out of the water and towed to winter storage.  We caught one great restaurant in town for breakfast, then found it closed when we tried to go back the next day for seconds. 
We were on the front end, not the peak, of fall foliage.  There’s still more green than color, but there’s enough color to let us know what time of year it is.  We also noticed a lot more color at the end of our time here than at the beginning (40-degree nights will change leaf colors quickly).
We had to say goodbye to Gwen on Thursday, but then connected with Ralph and Kim Klinke, dear friends from Snoqualmie Ridge, who were visiting Bar Harbor on a photography and hiking excursion.
One highlight of our time together was hiking up to Bubble Rock Overlook, from where we could see not only the precariously located Bubble Rock (proving that glaciers have a sense of humor)…
but Jordan Pond and the Atlantic beyond.
We all indulged in another lobster dinner after that adventure.  Ralph and Kim had never eaten lobster in the shell before, so we coached them up – “See those cracks in the shell made by the restaurant?  Break them apart there and eat the meat.”  What priceless expertise.
We also played golf at the eighth oldest course in the U.S. , Kebo Valley, near Bar Harbor.  It’s a classic track, proving that 350-yard par 4s can be treacherous.
Our coolest evening – literally and figuratively – was sunset at Schoodic Point.  At sunset, it was full of rocks, waves, cameras and friendship.
We had high expectations for our time in Maine, and they were exceeded.
Next stop:  Boston (which will be in a good mood after the Red Sox blowout of the Yankees in Game 3 of the ALDS).

4 Replies to “Maine”

  1. Gorgeous photos of Maine. So nice to see Gwen’s sweet smile. What a treat. See you two soon! ❤️

  2. Love your Maine photos. Jesse loved Maine vacations. Glad it all worked out. I was wondering what October would be like. Totally agree about Bar Harbor. For many years, we rented houses in Southwest Harbor when the kids traveled with us. We migrated to the Asticou Hotel in Northeast Harbor after we bought the CT house. The hotel had a “no bark, no tell” policy so Gatsby & Daisy traveled with us. Thanks for sharing your adventures.

  4. So much fun n to have shared this adventure with you! The lobster expertise was much appreciated 🦐

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