Friday morning, my last day in Bar Harbor, I woke to dense fog. There was even a “dense fog warning” from the National Weather Service. Ugh. I’d planned to hike from the park loop road up and over Champlain Mountain and then down to do the Great Head walk and then back up the Beehive the easy way and then continue to Gorham Mountain and catch the bus. The beauty of this walk was the views – it would mostly be ridgline, a few hundred feet above the Ocean Path where I’d walked on Sunday. It would not be very good in the fog. In fact, it would be kinda pointless.
I decided to drive in and park at the visitor center, so I could charge my batteries a little and still use the bus. I decided to go to the Opera House and post pics and blogs and stuff and then see what the weather was doing.
It took almost two hours to upload all my pics! When I was done with that, I took the computer back to the RV – I was working a plan to go see the new Harry Potter movie at the “Reel Pizza” place – I’d heard it was really cool – you order pizza and sit on couches. There was a line around the block the day before for Harry Potter! With the thought that I’d be late getting back to the campground I decided to take the RV back then. I also decided that I would drive back via the Park Loop Road and check the conditions.
It was like a wall of fog. You couldn’t see a thing. On the road I could see to drive just fine, but when I looked out, it was just white. I asked the ranger at the entrance station if it was going to clear up and his answer was “how long ya staying?” - it wasn’t looking likely that it was going to clear up today!
I got back to the campground and was debating what to do. I’d also found a “Paint your own pottery” place in Bar Harbor so I was thinking of maybe doing that then going to the movie. In the end though I decided to go ahead and walk the Great Head Loop – it was an easy 2 mile or so walk to a point 145 feet above the ocean. It was a nice walk, wooded in many places so still nice in the fog. At the view points I couldn’t see a thing, but I got some cool pictures of the rocks in the fog.
I’d kinda hoped I could get back to Bar Harbor in time to see Harry Potter, but when I got back to Sand Beach it was 4:30 (the time that I needed to be in line for the movie) and the next bus didn’t come until 4:55. It was almost 6 by the time I got back to the Village Green. I did have a nice chat with the bus driver – she, like many of the Island Explorer drivers, is a school bus driver during the year, and lives about an hour away deep in the wilderness.
I decided that for dinner I was going to try this Mexican restaurant I‘d passed many times – turned out to be fabulous! I had a sautéed veggie and cheese burrito! The salsa was very chunky and full of garlic, not very spicy, but had a lot of flavor! Yummy!
After dinner I did my usual “wander Bar Harbor and browse the shops, then get ice cream” as I waited for the bus. I was going to get the 7:45 bus, however just as I was making my way to the Village Green, ice cream in hand, I discovered Kathdin Photography – the shots in the window were great, but I had to finish my ice cream first! I knew if I went in I’d miss the bus and have to take the 8:30 bus! Oh well! The photographer himself was there and his work was awesome! I enjoyed looking at every print in the shop! He had a calendar that showcased a lot of his work so I bought one.
Saturday I woke to rain on the roof of the RV. I actually woke several times before it was time to get up because of the rain. It was loud. I finally got up for good about 6:30 and started getting ready to head out. There was not much to do because I hadn’t put the slide out or gotten out the table. I pretty much got dressed (which I didn’t even truly “have” to do), donned my Gore-tex, and started the engine. My 1st stop was the dump station. Dumping the RV in the pouring rain, what a great way to start the day! Luckily it’s a quick procedure and by 7:30 I was on my way to Ellsworth.
I’d decided that I didn’t want to drag out the coffee pot, run the generator, etc so I’d treat myself to breakfast at McDonald’s in Ellsworth. I got a large coffee, forgetting that McDonald’s supersizes everything! It was a bucket of coffee! I ended up calling Mom and Dad so we could chat while I finished it so I could continue to be productive while I drank it!
My next stop was Hannaford’s – I had to pick up just a few things, didn’t want to get too much because anything I don’t eat by Friday I’ll have to get rid of somehow. After Hannaford’s was the LL Bean outlet, then I headed out to South Arm.
I’d meant to get gas in Ellsworth but I was waiting for a gas station on the right hand side of the road and didn’t see one! I was almost to Bangor before I found one. I pulled in and was aiming for a middle pump – the gas is on the driver’s side. As soon as the car in front of me pulled away I saw that there was an old attendant station in the middle – it wasn’t under the overhang of the pumps, but out some, creating a very narrow passageway to get out from the pump. At this point it was too late to abort the mission, I had to go forward. I pulled in and was very close to the pump. I almost couldn’t get out! The pump though wouldn’t reach the gas tank so I had to pull up. When I got out to pump I noticed that I was only inches from the concrete post that supports the overhang! Aghhh!!! I didn’t have much room to maneuver on the other side because of the old attendance station. I went ahead and pumped my gas thinking I’d deal with getting out after. Of course the thing takes 20 gallons (and it wasn’t even empty, down to a ¼) and the whole time I’m standing there worrying about how I’d get out. Right after I started pumping a guy in a big diesel truck towing a big pull-behind, came up behind me, if I got really stuck my plan was to ask him for help. As it was I just pulled forward slowly, and by some miracle the RV cleared both obstacles!
The drive was uneventful. It was a nice drive on windy, yet good, highways. The rain stopped and by the time I made it to Farmington the sun was coming out. I stopped at Gifford’s Ice Cream stand in Farmington – I’d gotten a twitter about great ice cream stands (not sure who I’m following that twittered that, but it was interesting and useful!) and Gifford’s was one of about 10 listed! It was good! I’d got “Deer Tracks” which was coffee ice cream, hot fudge swirl and toffee chips. Yum!
As I got closer and closer to Andover I was getting more and more out in the wilderness! I’d checked the phone at a town called Dixiefield and had no service, so I figured that was it, I wouldn’t have any again until Wed. So, you can imagine my surprise when, about 2 miles from the turnoff to the campground, my phone blurrrppeed at me that I had a text! I had full coverage! WOW! I stopped in Andover in a large parking lot and checked e-mails and such one last time.
The road into the campground was a narrow 2 lane road – paved though and in good condition. There was a “scenic turnout” and when I pulled over there was a pickup truck in the turnout – I was worried about blocking their view until I noticed that the woman was talking on a cell phone. I checked my phone – sure enough, full coverage! The turnout is about 6 miles out the road though, and it’s the only place with cell coverage.
South Arm campground is very nice. If they had some sort of public internet connection it would be perfect. They have internet, and I saw the router box so the have a network of some kind, but they don’t make it public. Even just a computer where you could pay for use would be great! I like being out in the wilds but I also like to be connected!
Otherwise, it’s quiet, they have a swimming beach on a really cold lake, big sites, electricity, and showers!
Sunday I had a lazy day. I slept in till 8:30! Then went to do my laundry, I had to wait for the washers so I sat in the sun and read my book. I’m reading Thoreau’s The Maine Woods in honor of being in the wilderness of Maine. I had debated driving the six miles down the road to check emails etc, especially since I had to level up the motorhome, but in the end decided not to – I was going out Monday morning to go to Grafton Notch State Park so I could go 24+ hours without checking email. Right? It was hard, but I did it.
After my laundry got done and I ate lunch, I rented a kayak for the rest of the afternoon. It was fun paddling wherever I wanted to on the lake and I’ll prob rent another one on Tuesday!
After kayaking I got a shower, had dinner at the picnic table and read until the bugs drove me in.
Tomorrow I’m headed out to Grafton Notch State park to hike on the AT. As with all things RV it takes a lot of planning. I need to get out of here early because it’s going to take probably 2 hours to get there (at most), and I need to finish early because I need to be back here by 8:00. I really wish I had a small car with me that I could drive, then I wouldn’t have to worry about timing. I don’t want to have to park this thing in the dark! Although it will be nice to have a change of clothes and shoes when I’m done hiking, not to mention snacks!
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| Maine - Day 8 Great Head |
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| Maine Day 9 - Bar Harbor to South Arm |
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| Maine - Day 10 Kayaking at South Arm |
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