'22/#20 Twelve Years Later

 We are still in Bar Harbor and if you have followed us from the begining you know that we were here once before. That was before we hit the road full time. Our stay in Bar harbor was just a week but we still had an amazing time. That is one of the reasons we were so looking forward to this trip. The last time we planned on doing the lighthouse and puffin boat trip but were so enamored with Acadia National Park we never got on the boat, so just twelve short years later here we are.

The day couldn't have been more perfect. The water was calm, the views of the lighthouses were clear, we spotted seals and sea lions and harbor dolphins, and yes even a few puffins. It is the end of the puffin season and most have migrated north but as with any migration there will be a few stragglers. 

On the way back we passed the mouth of Winter Harbor and caught a few of the heats of the Annual Lobster Boat Races. Yes they were racing lobster boats! One of them had been clocked at 71 mph! I don' think they can harvest lobster traps that fast but they can get them to market in a hurry. 

As with many tourist areas the local businesses support each other and we took advantage. A local lobster "pound'' offered a discount with our tickets from the boat ride. It was a restaurant we wanted to try so it seemed like a perfect time.

You can see we ordered a variety of food, from seafood dip to steamed shrimp and a platter of shrimp, scallops, whole belly clams, and haddock.

You can also see that we made short work of it all. With our bellys full and all the sea air it is time for a nap. What is on the agenda for next week? We have all week to figure that out.

So I will sign off now from our home in Maine because.....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

 

'22/#19 The Reason To Roam

 It's been two weeks since we arrived here in Bar Harbor and we are settled in. We have the lay of the land (sort of), have got our job down down pat (almost), know all the people we work with (names?), and are getting down to business. That is the business of enjoying our nomad lifestyle.

Yesterday we were pure tourists. Bar Harbor is an old northeast coastal town with the streets layed out before cars were common and big trucks like ours were unheard of. So driving the streets and finding parking with our beast is at best, challenging. We decided to park the truck at the hotel where we work and take our scooters into town. With the wide walking path leading into town and the slow traffic in and about town the scoots were ideal transportation.

Since our timing put us in Bar Harbor at low tide we decided to take the land bridge to Bar island. The island is uninhabited and the only way to get there is by boat, unless it is low tide. At low tide a sand bar that is mostly gravel, sand , and rocks emerges from the water and is a nice stroll out to the island. Beware of the time because if you are on the island when the tide comes in it is either swim or call the local cruise company for a water taxi that will set you back $150. The land bridge is about a half mile across and the water is cold, so it is imperative to pay attention, or wait the 10 - 12 hours before the next low tide.

Low tide

High tide. Island in the sea fog.

Then we just tooled around town looking for places to eat and shops to browse and just enjoy the day. The locals have complained about the heat since we arrived but except for a few days in the low 90's it has been beautiful summer days with highs in the high 70's to mid 80's. Then it was back home to relax.

In the evening we went back into town with the truck. With the shops closing and the tourists calling it a day is was a little easier to find a parking spot. After great dinner at a local pizzaria and a walk around town checking the stores that were still open we did more of the tourist thing. Spent a little money and stopped for desert at a little ice cream shop. We enjoyed our desert on a bench in the Village Green park while people around us walked, and talked as the sun went down. Small town America at it's finest.

Well that was yesterday. Today we get back to real life. There is laundry to do and some cleaning around the house is in order because as I have said in the past, this is not a vacation. This a lifestyle. Yesterday was as close to a perfect a day as we could have and that is the reason we live this gypsy life. So I will sign off now with a special day in my memory and chores in my future from our home in Maine because.....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary