Journal 72-3 Magnificent Maine

We decided to head back west to Acadia National Park to try to capture some of the foliage changes in places we had seen before. We took a slightly different route on State Route 182, known as the Blackwoods Road. Named for Colonel John Black, whose family owned much of the forestland in this region during the first half of the 19th century, it offered a quieter, softer pace. Here we really saw the beauty of the wild blueberry barrens and passed through the small town of Cherryfield, known as the “Wild Blueberry Capital of the World.” (Cherryfield, why not Blueberryfield?) This is the end of harvest time and many farm stands dot the highways and are filled with wonderful vegetables and fruits.










Back in Acadia NP we decided to stay in the western less visited section down at Seawall CG. We then drove the scenic loop, route 102 past Echo Lake and Southwest Harbor. We only stayed one night as they were getting ready to close the CG for the season. So we took route 102A north past Seal Cove and Pretty Marsh and onto 198 back to the eastern side of the Park and Blackwoods CG again. We spent a day or two revisiting Cadillac Mountain, Jordan Pond and the Bubbles just to get some comparison pictures of the dramatic changes that were taking place.




















As we left awesome Acadia we stopped in Ellsworth to buy our Maine lobster at a ‘lobster pound’. No, these are not places where they rescue lobsters but rather the name for the roadside stands and cafes where they have wood fired, outdoor boiling kettles, at the ready to plunge in your fresh-off-the-boat dinner! We had had this plan for months and months that we would buy a fine steak, a fresh lobster and a good bottle of champagne for our own ‘surf and turf’ dinner. Well, we did and it was and we both agreed we should have gotten two lobstahs, not just a way too tiny one!



We had decided to drive a little further north on Hwy.2, hoping to catch more of the leaf show in places like Newport and Skowhegan, Farmington and Rumford, as we eased our way westward toward New Hampshire and the White Mountains National Forest again. We could really see the forests beginning to increase the colors with each successive cooler night and we were increasing our anticipation too. But, as you all know, it was with saddened hearts and a huge hole in our lives that we left this majestic state and after some of the pain subsides, we will look back with fonder, clearer memories on a glorious state to which we already have said we would return.






We hoped the best was yet to come in New Hampshire and Vermont......