Acadia National Park

Acadia National Park, Maine - June 12-17, 2019

Day 1 (June 12, 2019)

We left at 19:37 with 8446 miles to start. We drove 390 miles in 7 hours including a 20 minute break. We had nice views of the Manhattan skyline at night and could see from the Freedom Tower to the Empire State building. We took the GW bridge across to NY, costing $42 toll. We tried to avoid traffic, but were stopped on the alternate route by a sign that said we were too tall for a 10.5 ft bridge. We had to cut across New Rochelle in the middle of the night to get back to 95 . We did 413 miles with 50.8 gal of gas. We slept at cracker barrel in Sturbridge, MA, at 3 am!

Our first morning on the road, waking up at Cracker Barrel.

Day 2 (June 13, 2019)

I broke in the RV pooper with my 5 am poop! We woke up a 730 and ate at cracker barrel and jack had the MOMMA'S FRENCH TOAST BREAKFAST. Jacks shoulder hurts because of bumps from a sunburn. We left at 9am the mileage was 8826.

At 11:40 we arrived Freeport, ME and visited the LL bean flagship store for 2 hours. Jack got a nice new rain jacket and we all got some nice shower bags. We then drove to the Acadia ranger station, arriving at 415, just before they closed! After getting the rental car and gas, we arrived at the campsite at 1800. Jack got ride in the front seat to the campground. We drove 340 miles today in 515, for a total of 730 miles from DC to Acadia. We went 329 miles on 43.3 gallons this time.

We arrived at the campground and it was soaking rain, so we parked as flat as we could on the very unlevel campsite, put on rain jackets, and jumped in the car for dinner. We had an excellent dinner at the Cafe This Way. Papa had a 1.5 lb steamed fresh lobster, his second of the day. I had grilled salmon, but it was a little small and I was hungry. Juju had a nice Halibut with sauce. For dessert I had dark chocolate truffle cake with raspberries and we shared a slice of fresh wild blueberry pie.

We then went do sleep, with the slides in and the RV caddywhompus because it was raining too hard to fix. The shower at the shower house felt good after 2 days of driving.

Day 3 (June 14, 2019)

We slept in a little after the two long days of travel, ate a breakfast of sausage and eggs cooked in the RV. We ate them outside on the picnic table. My sunburn seemed worse this morning and there were now huge blisters on my shoulders.

It was sunny out, and things started to dry out. We packed our gear for the day and headed over to Sandy beach to hike great head. The beach was very sandy, but all of the rain made a river into the sea impassable. The river had carved the sand like the Grand Canyon, and I watched the sides collapse as they were eroded by the rushing water. We hiked up and around the lake to make it to the trail. Out on the point, we had nice views of the water and golden cliffs on the other side. We sat and had sandwiches for lunch, while watching the waves crash on the bottom of the cliffs. Papa dropped his sandwich on the rock and the bread exploded. He picked it up, but a seagull saw him drop it and came over to hang out with us. We put a small piece of bread on a rock a few feet from us and he jumped up to fly to it, but the wind was very strong. He carefully navigated in the air, just feet from us, to land on the rock and grab the bread. He then stayed very close and kept an eye on us and our food. As we sat, a fog was building offshore, but then it moved in and we were soon in the fog, as if in a cloud.

After that hike, we headed in to Bar Harbor (pronounced Bah Haba by the locals) to hike to an island that could only be reached in low tide. We wanted to check out the tide pools. We watched a seagull gulp down a Jonah crab (like a stone crab). He had to shake it and jab it with it beak to break it apart. There were millions of snails, and we could see them moving around. There were even snails on other snails. Juju and I saw a weird looking organism, which looked like a tiny seahorse.

After the hike we had a late lunch snack at the Side Street Cafe. Juju liked her strawberry rhubarb margarita. I made my own burger with pulled pork and avocado. Papa ate two lobsters in a giant lobster roll! We walked around town for a little bit, and had some ice cream. I had Nutella ice cream!

Then, we decide to drive to the top of Cadillac Mountain. It was clear and first, then a cloud blew in and it was very windy. We looked around for a while for the ‘real’ summit marker until Papa figured it must be on a small second peak nearby. We made the short walk and found 3 markers, some dating to 1856!

We went to camp, and had to set up the RV by adding some fresh water and finally leveling it so we could put out the slides and awning. We showered, packed up the telescope and headed to town for a very late snack. Most places were closed, so we just had a simple pizza snack dinner. We tried to drive up part of Cadillac mountain to find clear skies, but it was cloudy, so we went back to camp.

A beaver was here!

Beaver dam in a meadow.

A deer snacking on some leaves.

The weather can change quickly on Cadillac Mountain (1,530 ft).

Typical shoreline with Otter Rocks in the background.

Thunder Hole.

Day 4 (June 15, 2019)

We had hardboiled eggs and cereal for breakfast outside.

We did a cool bike ride. The first bridge we saw was made in 1917 and it was made out of uneven stone. We went up a very steep hill for 1 miles (it felt like 10 miles) at the top was a cool bridge with 2 arches. This bridge was built in 1926. After we rode past a few more bridges we saw the super long and ancient looking bridge that was a log drop if you fell off. At the end of the bike ride we did 10 miles!

POPOVER time! Popovers are muffins that are humongous and the inside is sweet. Popovers go super well with butter and their special strawberry jam. We each had two popovers.

We hiked up bubbles which was very steep, 500 vertical feed in 0.5 miles, the hike overall was 4.5 miles. At the top of bubbles was a cool narrow rocky area which I thought papa would never fit because I was almost to big to make it through. At the top we had rice krispy treats and some chips. It was very delicious. On the way down was a famous boulder called “bubble rock” which I tried to push it off the cliff but I could not. I climbed an 8 foot vertical wall. The way down was very pretty.

We went over to Southwest harbor to eat lobster at Beal’s. We ordered at the counter, right next to tanks of live lobster, you just say what size and pull them out for you and steam them in sea water. Papa had 2, 1.5 lb lobsters, but he shared some, plus clams and a lobster roll. I had Haddock and chips. It was nice and sunny, so we ate on the pier, overlooking the harbor.

After dinner, we went to the bass harbor head lighthouse to try to see it during sunset. It was beautiful outside, mostly cloudy but warm enough and low tide. I had fun playing in the rocks and jumping around on them.

A stone bridge built in 1921 for a carriage road to cross a river.

A larger bridge on the side of the big hill.

Me with a popover.

View of Bubbles on the way around the lake.

A marsh feeds the lake and the tiny fish love to eat the nutrients.

Made it to the top!

I loved climbing all of the rocks to get to the top.

Me trying to push this boulder off the cliff.

Dinner on the pier at Beal's.

Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse.

Day 5 (June 16, 2019) Father's Day!

We started the morning with coffee on ‘coffee rock’ by the sea. It was a beautiful morning, with a light cloud cover, so it wasn’t too hot. The rocks and sea were very beautiful. Back in camp we had squishy eggs, sausage and cereal.

We went on a boat, with Diver Ed. On the boat we saw some cool animals like the sea cucumber, sand dollars, lobsters, starfish, and crabs. Diver Ed went to the bottom of the sea in a dry suit to pick up sea creatures and then took a video camera to show us the creatures on the bottom. He was 65 feet down. In the natural light, it was only green and pretty dark. When the camera lights were turned on, all of the colors returned. There were lots of sand dollars on the sea floor. Sand dollars, sea cucumbers, and sea stars are all related. There were also many sea stars of different shapes and sizes. My favorite is the blood star, so small, red, and cute. Sea stars have eyes at the end of their legs, and scallops have eyes all along their open ends. While Diver Ed was filming with the camera a sea star approached and touched a scallop. In defense, the scallop quickly began squirting himself up off the bottom and away from the sea star. Diver Ed also found a lobster, hanging out in a hole under a rock with its claws sticking out. Diver Ed was able to pull him out and put him in the bag to show us later. We also saw a sea star with its stomach out, so it could digest some food that it caught. Diver Ed found a tiny crab that used little hairs on its body to camouflage itself to look like moss and algae. There were also Jonah crabs, that look like stone crabs. After Diver Ed came back up, we got to touch, pet, and hold all of the sea creatures. My favorites were the blood star, sand dollars, and tiny crab. I also pet the sea cucumber while Papa was holding it and I tried to pick up a lobster, but they were a bit squirmy. To help put away the sea creatures, Diver Ed loaded me up with sand dollars. All of the sea creatures were put back in the sea and we headed to shore.

We went to town and had a very nice lunch on a pier overlooking Bar Harbor (Stewman’s Lobster Pound). I had my own lobster roll! Papa had a 2 lb lobster (his 7th of the trip) and Juju had Halibut. We walked around town for a little while and I had a dark chocolate lobster, much better than the live ones! We bought some seafood for dinner and headed back to camp.

Next, we hiked up Gorham mountain, for a 4 mile loop that would also take us along the coast. On top, we had very nice views of the coastline, sea, and Cadillac mountain. I could see the 3.5 mile long trail from the sea to the top of Cadillac mountain. On the way down, we found an interesting rock walled path. Once we reached the sea shore, we could see the famous Otter Rocks, and then climbed and jumped on the rocks to try to explore tide pools. We found some nice pools with lots of muscles and snails. We also saw a tiny sea centipede swimming in a pool. The rocks were EXTREMELY slippery, so we could not get down to the bigger pools. At the end of the hike, Papa went to the beach to collect some sea water for cooking our seafood.

Back at camp, we started a charcoal fire and soaked a cedar plank to cook some fresh Halibut. Papa boiled the sea water in a big pot to be ready to cook the live lobster that was hanging out in the fridge. When Papa pulled out the lobster, it was still feisty and alive, flapping its tail. We steamed the lobster for 15 minutes (maybe should have been 14). The Halibut cooked very nicely on the cedar and was finished about the same time. Both tasted AWESOME! The Halibut was flaky and fresh tasting with a medium cedar smoke flavor. The lobster was the best one I had ever tasted, maybe because we made it ourselves. I ate some tail and claws, bringing my total to one whole lobster for the trip. We finished the night with a fire and fresh local wild blueberry pie and a whoopie pie for desert. Papa said it was a Father’s Day for the record books.

I took a shower in the RV for the first time. After Papa showed me how, it was very easy and fun! After I went to sleep, Papa went to the rocks by the sea to check them out in the dark and fog, he said it was peaceful. He too, showered in the RV later.

Sea star puts out its stomach to digest food.

I am holding a sea star.

Papa holding a sea cucumber.

My first Lobster Roll.

Here is the Halibut cooking on the cedar plank.

Here is our Lobster and Halibut Father's Day dinner!

Day 6 (June 17, 2019)

Papa and Juju started to pack things up while I slept in. We then went down to the rocks for coffee. Papa and Juju saw a sea otter in the waves, but he disappeared under water. There was also a diving duck and seagull on a rock.

We went back to camp and packed up to head out. I helped Papa hold the drain pipe at the dump station to dump and clean our tanks.

We went back to the ‘Cafe This Way’ for eggs benedict, with candian bacon for me and smoked trout and lobster for Papa and Juju. We each had a crispy blueberry pancake. I talked to the park ranger in town to earn my junior ranger badge. We walked around town a little more to buy some T-shirts and Papa got a bronze bell.

We left Bar Harbor at 13:15 with 9180 on the odometer, then left the airport at 13:45. At 16:50, after around 240 miles, we stopped at a rest stop at the bottom of Maine and Juju got a Jr. Whopper. Juju started driving for the first time then, taking us down to the Flying J in Sturbridge, Mass in 2:30 hours. While Juju was driving, Papa and I made a pizza with dough and parts from Trader Joe’s. I thought Papa was crazy, but it worked! We made, baked, and ate Three J’s pizza at 70 mph. It had a special taste! Papa even washed all of the dishes while we drove. Papa and I worked on the journal while Juju drove on.

At the Flying J, about 370 miles into the trip, with 360 to go, we filled up on gas and hit the highway at about 20:00. I fell asleep at the dining table couch shortly thereafter and slept while Papa drove us home, through NYC at around 10 pm. Traffic was light the whole way. We arrived back home at 02:12 with an odometer of 9910, for 730 miles in 13 hours total time, including 3 quick stops for potty, fuel, and light snack.

The view from coffee rock.

Diving Duck.

Earning my Junior Ranger badge

Making 3 Js Pizza at 70 mph!

This one tastes special!

States visited on this trip.