Acadia National Park

WE MADE IT!

We took off from Freeport a little earlier than the last few days. We drove for about three hours. In Bangor, we drove over the Penobscott River (but we didn't see Donald ;-)). We drove into Bar Harbor past our hotel and and had to loop back around to it. Then we went down to the city of Bar Harbor for lunch overlooking the bay. After lunch, we went into town for a quick bit of shopping. From there we drove up to Cadillac Mountain. 1500 Feet above see level and what did we see? We saw the sea! The Atlantic Ocean, Bar Harbor Bay and much of Acadia National Park!


After we left Cadillac, we went to Jordon Pond and bought Acadia shirts and hats. Then we drove to Long Pond for a surprise for the girls. On Long Pond they have kayak's for rent. The four of us, went kayaking for about an hour and a half.



Maria and Debbie were in one kayak and Bob and Sarah in the other. After an hour or so, we tried switching and while we were switching a duck tried to bite Debbie and then one tried to bite Bob.





We then went back into Bar Harbor for a bite to eat and we saw the reason it's called Bar Harbor. There is a sand bar that allow people to get out to one of the islands at low tide.

Stay tuned!!! Tomorrow is going to be very fun!!!

New Hampshire and Maine

We started out in our usual fashion with a PIT stop in Concord, NH. Then we drove toward Maine and drove through Durham, NH to see yet another hockey school, New Hampshire.

We drove in to Maine and started up I-95. At a vistor's center, we collected brochures. Then Debbie noticed that the rest stop was shared with U.S. Route 1. She wondered if maybe we could get to Route 1. WE COULD - right out of the rest stop! Never seen that before! We were driving up Route 1 and thought about going over to 1A which is closer to the ocean. Missed the first turn for 1A and we happened to pass Stonewall Kitchen. Deb almost jumped out of the car. So, we circled back and took a look. We walked out with a bunch of food... no, they shipped it home for us.

Then on my second attempt to take 1A, I realized that it was going to take us south back the way we had just came. So, I turned left to head north and take a chance. What a beautiful chance that was. We found the coastline at what I believe is Phillip's Cove, where Sarah took this video of the ocean.


Then we continued up the coast and drove into Kennebunkport, Maine and had lunch. We all tried some lobster, Sarah couldn't eat it. Then we continued up the coast thru Old Orchard, were we saw the Amtrak train pass through town. Then we drove to Portland Maine to find a place for the night. We had to drive to Freeport, Maine to find a place. After dinner the girls went swimming and Debbie went exploring. She found LLBean in Freeport.

Tomorrow we head for Bar Harbor and Acaidia National Park.

Manufacturing and Education

Monday was about manufacturing and eduction and green mountains.

We left the hotel (sans Panera - there are none in Vermont) and drove and through the campus of the University of Vermont. We drove by the Gutterson Fieldhouse where the Catamounts play hockey. Then we drove south of Burlinton to the Vermont Teddy Bear Factory. We learned alot of beary good jokes. They sew the teddy bears inside out. They cut out the pieces with cookie cutters and a 34,000 lb. press.

Then we drove to Waterbury, Vt., where we visited Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream - but Ben and Jerry no longer work there. It wasn't too exicting, all we really saw were people loading cups in the filling machine. But the sample was good. It was a new flavor called Chocowate - a Chocolate Chip-like flavor.

That was all before lunch. Oops we ate desert before lunch. Oh well, what are vacations for? Then we drove up to Stowe, Vermont to find lunch and found a Pizza and Pasta place.

After lunch, we headed back to the highway and stopped in at a place called the "Glass Blowing Studio". We watched a couple of men create some drinking glasses. This was actually the best demostration of work we saw. After we watched them make one glass, Debbie and Bob bought an ornament for Debbie's glass tree and called the girls to go... They didn't want to leave.

We finally got on the road and headed through the rest of the Green Mountains. They are a stern contrast to the ones we've seen the last two years. But they are very pretty and more reminisent of the ones Bob grew up in. I heard one lady talking to the hotel clerk about the rain. She said, "we don't get much rain. You do, but that is why you are so green and we in southern California are brown." The green here is very vibrant and lush.

We stopped just over the border in New Hampshire, to see where we were going to spend the night. We found a Panera and the tea was very good. We decided where to stop and then drove up to Hanover, NH. to drive thru Dartmouth. We found the hockey rink and drove thru the campus. Then we drove on to Concord, NH for the night. The girls swam and went to bed.

Sunday

Well, we started our day with mass at Katie and Phillip's church - Holy Cross. It is a beautiful building and we happened on a graduation mass. So, it was longer than usual. But they did a great job of making it really neat including a great sermon - even though we didn't know anyone graduating ;-) Bob got to hold both Lily and Sierra during mass. (at different times)

The girls were precious in their matching outfits! And Lily and Sarah took some more pictures..











After Mass we took off across the state of New York. We drove to Utica and had lunch at "99 Restaurant." It was good. Not as good as the home cooked stuff we have had lately, but good.

From there we took NY Route 8 up thru the Adirondacks. That was quite an adventure. First we encountered the Town of Russia. I think that Town in New York is like a township in Ohio because we were in both the Town of Russia and the Village of Poland. From there we entered the Town of Ohio !!! Then we crossed Hamilton County and Warren County! So we felt right at home ;-) The mountains were pretty, but a bit hazy. There were numerous mountain lakes that were pretty. As we started down the other side, we crossed the Hudson River at Riparius. Sarah wanted to know where Skully landed his plane. I told her way down river.


Then we were looking to cross Lake Champlain. One the way we found Ft. Ticonderoga - site of battle in both the French and Indian War and Revolutionary war. The park was closing as we got there, and they were just closing down after a Grand Encampment - remembering the French and Indian War.

We crossed Lake Champlain at one of the narrowest points - Crown Point. The bridge at Crown point was torn down and they are building a new one. So, we got to take a river ferry across. We bumped into one of the people from the Encampment and he told us that the fort at Crown Point couldn't be seen very well for years, because of the bridge. They were snapping shots to get a view of it from the water.

Then we crossed into Vermont and headed up the Vermont country side. We were staying in Burlington for the night. Along the way we saw this sculpture that we thought was interesting. It is made of fire hydrants. Tomorrow? Ben and Jerry's.

Sierra and Lily

Sierra is beautiful! Sweet as can be. Great Uncle Bob got to hold her first, but then we all got to take turns. She is really trying to sit up already and would do it if she could keep her balance.

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We didn't get a picture of Lily... actually, I did but she was so fast, all you could see was a blur. But this picture of this daisy was taken by Sarah and Lily. Sarah was teaching Lily what Aunt Judy is teaching her.

Lily, Maria, Sarah and Uncle Bob played a mean game of ... "Duck, Duck, Goose". Watching ol' Bob get up to chase a 3-year-old is quite a sight. Watching Lily run around, climb up her Dad to sit on his shoulders, or throwing a frisbee is so much fun!!

Thank you Phillip and Katie for dinner!

Wonderful Omelet

Thank you Janet, for the wonderful omelets! Two PIT stops later, we're headed for Katie's!

Cleveland

Second stop is Cleveland... actually North Royalton, Ohio. Our neighbors, Janet and Bernie moved to Cleveland and we stopped in to see them. They know how to treat their guests - Woodford Reserve for Bob and Sangria for Debbie. Pop for the girls. The girls are educating Bernie on "Wizards of Waverly Place".

Bob already found two things that he forget. Good start to a vacation --sheez. One is my camera charger.

First Stop

What Else?

If you go into the Centerville store, tell Matt or Julie that they made our blog ;-)

New England Vacation

After all the driving over the last two years, I really thought we would go somewhere and stay for a week. But after all the hub-bub over the National Parks with the PBS documentary, we decided to keep searching after the parks. So, our goal this year is Acadia National Park in Maine. On the way to and from there, we hope to drive thru nine or more states. We also hope to see several friends and family on the trip. One star on the trip will be our new great-niece / cousin Sierra and her sister Lily.

If you are new to our vacation blogs, peek at the last two. There are links on the right. Sit back, enjoy and come along with us at your computer.