DOWNEAST MAINE
The scenic route (highway 1 vs I-95) was enjoyable and so New Englandy. Maine is about 320 miles long and 210 miles wide-or about as big as all of the other five New England States combined. There are 6,000 lakes and ponds and 32,000 miles of rivers and streams. and 3,478 miles of coastline. Meandering throughout the quaint towns of the Maine coast was beauteous. Loaded with loads of clapboard churches and lighthouses. There are 65 lighthouses (only Michigan has more!). Did you know the Appalachian Trail ends up here? As a matter of fact one of Keith's SS buddy has been walking the Appalachian Trail since March 15!! Shout out to Bob Knight. He should be up here any time. As a matter of fact there is a club (or cult-ha) where folks twitter, tweet and blog their trips-fascinating. Check it out- www.trailjournals.com Now that's a hell of a way to spend some retirement time. Bubba said we should go stand at the finish line-if only we could find it?
BAR HARBOR
The scenic route (highway 1 vs I-95) was enjoyable and so New Englandy. Maine is about 320 miles long and 210 miles wide-or about as big as all of the other five New England States combined. There are 6,000 lakes and ponds and 32,000 miles of rivers and streams. and 3,478 miles of coastline. Meandering throughout the quaint towns of the Maine coast was beauteous. Loaded with loads of clapboard churches and lighthouses. There are 65 lighthouses (only Michigan has more!). Did you know the Appalachian Trail ends up here? As a matter of fact one of Keith's SS buddy has been walking the Appalachian Trail since March 15!! Shout out to Bob Knight. He should be up here any time. As a matter of fact there is a club (or cult-ha) where folks twitter, tweet and blog their trips-fascinating. Check it out- www.trailjournals.com Now that's a hell of a way to spend some retirement time. Bubba said we should go stand at the finish line-if only we could find it?BAR HARBOR
YES we spent part of our honeymoon here....34 years ago-1976. I asked Bubba why and how did we choose Bar Harbor Maine? It was mid May and we wore our ski jackets and froze. Neither of us could remember. Don't most honey moons entail a Caribbean island or Hawaii?? Bubba has been back since. Working with Prez Senior Bush doing some fund raising. I had not been back since I weighed 125. Yes, we are talking the REALLY GOOD OLD DAYS. First stop ACADIA NATIONAL PARK. Pretty as ever and remembered. Pleep was so excited- yes yes back in a National Park. After getting sworn in as Junior Rangers Pleep and Sis insisted on a drive around the loop to start scoping out the Park....for that elusive Maine Moose!Bar Harbour and the Park are located on Desert Island- 270 miles from Boston and 475 miles from NYC. The late 1800's sealed the reputation of the area when America's most socially prominent families-the Rockefellers, Morgans, Fords, Astors, Vanderbilts and Pulitzers began summering in Bar Harbor. They built summer "cottages" of palatial dimensions, entertained lavishly and forever altered the rustic character of the island. A group of summer residents led by President of Harvard, Chas. Eliot formed a public land trust in 1901 to protect the island from uncontrolled development. The group appointed George B Dorr as its director (from a highly regarded Boston family) and he worked tirelessly to protect and preserve Acadia for public use. In 1919 it became the first national park to be established East of the Mississippi. Initially it was named Lafayette National Park (due to good terms with France at the time). But then an English family donated the 2000 acre peninsula but had one small stipulation- no Francophile name. Hence the name chance to Acadia National Park. The other good friend to Acadia was JD Rockefeller
SOUVENIR SHOPPING
Bubba so wanted me to get this "Mainer" sweater and I said only if you get this Mainer shirt my darling.
TESTA'S
This is the place we had a romantic dinner as newlyweds 34 yrs ago-then called Mary Ann's and now called Testa's, a favorite in Palm Beach. They operate in PB 1/2 the year and here for the other half. Pleep looked forward to a cold beer and his favorite MAINE LOBSTER-yum. Sis was on the no Chardonnay wagon and was so happy to order more of the same. She has mastered the art of eating a lobster- twist off the front claws,crack them open remove the sweet meet and dunk in the butter then on to the tail- break it off and dip again. She does not like the tomalley (the pasty green substance-lobster liver!) but Pleep finds it the best part of the meal-ewwww. Another one of her favorite New England delicious is the Clam Chowder. Pleep has taken to calling her Chowdah Head. A day of reminiscing. 34 years with my Honey. I am one lucky gal. I love you Bubba!
This is the place we had a romantic dinner as newlyweds 34 yrs ago-then called Mary Ann's and now called Testa's, a favorite in Palm Beach. They operate in PB 1/2 the year and here for the other half. Pleep looked forward to a cold beer and his favorite MAINE LOBSTER-yum. Sis was on the no Chardonnay wagon and was so happy to order more of the same. She has mastered the art of eating a lobster- twist off the front claws,crack them open remove the sweet meet and dunk in the butter then on to the tail- break it off and dip again. She does not like the tomalley (the pasty green substance-lobster liver!) but Pleep finds it the best part of the meal-ewwww. Another one of her favorite New England delicious is the Clam Chowder. Pleep has taken to calling her Chowdah Head. A day of reminiscing. 34 years with my Honey. I am one lucky gal. I love you Bubba!
