The Adventure....Friday and Saturday

Friday - Bar harbor and a hike

For some reason, we slept in a little longer than usual, and by the time we drove into Bar Harbor and had breakfast, it was too late to take the ferry that we had planned.  So we walked around town again, this time going down to the pier, which we hadn't done yet.  Another cruise ship had docked, and the passengers were being ferried ashore, so the shops were very busy.  But we had no agenda at this point, so we just wandered around.

We were staying in an EXTREMELY inexpensive motel a few miles from town, and we dreamed about where we'd like to stay next time, assuming we win a lottery between now and then.

There must have been some sort of car convention in one of the towns, because we saw cars like this all over the island.

And I took a few pictures of boats, because I like pictures of boats....

 

Then we were off to the southern end of the island for a hike. Our destination was Ship Harbor, and it was a pretty little harbor. The pictures would have been much better with a little sunshine, but it was in short display on this day.

 

Maine is all about raw beauty, and the forces of nature.  It can be a very harsh environment, and I admire the people who choose to live there year round.  The towns and villages are very beautiful, and there are flowers everywhere.  The people we've encountered are very friendly and accomodating, as tourism is their livelihood.   If I thought I could endure the winters, I'd love to live here. 

Saturday - the trip home

Our route home this year is a little different than in years past.  We're going through New Hampshire and Vermont.  The morning was dreary and drizzly, and as we neared our first stop for the day, the sun came out and all the clouds disappeared just in time for our drive up Mt. Washington.  I read the warnings that if you're afraid of heights, this may not be a pleasurable experience.  But I figured if I was in a car, on a road, how bad could it be????  Let's just say, it was not the most pleasurable experience on the way up, but experiencing the summit was well worth the white knuckles.  And DH was driving.  I couldn't have done it.  For those of you who live near 'real' mountains, you're probably snickering right now, but I've lived on the East Coast for nearly 30 years now, and this is a 'real' mountain to me now!  And that's a scarey road!!

The top of the world

 

Next, our travels took us to Vermont.  I think this is the most beautiful state I've ever been in.  We didn't get many pictures, because we didn't take the time to stop, and the light was all wrong, but believe me, this is incredibly beautiful.  "Leaf Season" is beginning, and I would love to be able to come back in another week or two, to see the state painted in nature's most glorious colors.  We stopped a couple of times today, and bought apples, potatoes, and maple syrup.  I have a real desire right now to quit my job and the rat race, move someplace in the country, and take up a much simpler life.  I'd like to have the time to garden, and can my own vegetables, bake foods using my own produce, and be far more self sufficient than I am.  I'd like to erase the daily commute, and spend more time living!  and enjoying!  and sewing and creating!  To that end, we did purchase a couple of lottery tickets today.  Keep your fingers crossed.

We will finish the drive home tomorrow, and in all likelihood, there won't be any pictures or interesting stories.  Thank you to everyone who has followed our journey.  This blog is also my scrapbook, so I tend to include a lot of pictures when we're travelling.  I plan to get caught up on all your blogs in the coming week, and get back to stitching.  I still have a few small items to complete before the end of the month. 

Good night from beautiful Vermont!!