Blog #4 - Vermont to Maine

drone picture of us at "Flutterby Beach" on Lake St. Catherine

As we left New York State and into Vermont we got a surprise.  We headed east on Hwy 149, a two-lane road, just north of Glen Falls, NY and were dumbfounded to be caught up in bumper to bumper traffic stretching for miles in every direction.   We had no idea that we passing through an extremely popular tourist area on the outskirts of the Adirondack Mountains and near Lake George.

"Flutterby Beach"

A little further up the road we stopped for a short stay at another Boondockers Welcome spot, “Flutterby Beach,” on Lake St. Catherine, just outside of Poultney, Vermont.   The owner of the property was out of the state but was gracious enough to let us stay anyway.  What a wonderful, peaceful place for some “down time.”  We especially enjoyed sitting down by the lake in the evenings, reading, and hearing the loons calling out, then watching for them to float by. 

loons on the lake

 Poultney is such a quaint small town, just 2 miles away.   We wish we could find a town like this one to live in, just not so far north though and with some health food stores closer by….. ‘just wishing….

Vermont was a gorgeous state, a lot like New York State but even more mountainous and with more dramatic scenery.  Bright orange day lilies were everywhere, some even growing in clumps in amidst all the wildflowers along the roadsides.  Babbling, stone-filled creeks and brooks seemed to everywhere. 

daylilies everywhere

Driving through New Hampshire was a lot like driving through Vermont.  In New Hampshire we stayed in Ammonoosuc Campground, in Twin Mountain.  It was a private campground with a lot of seasonal residents but it was nice and wooded. 

our Ammonoosuc Campground campsite

tacky seasonal neighbor's campsite who still thinks it's Christmas in July!

   We had planned on taking the Cog Railway up to the top of Mt. Washington and good friends of ours had recommended that we see the Franconia Notch area as well.  The remnants of Hurricane Barry were crossing over this area while we were there bringing with it overcast skies and rain.  The dark, rain-laden clouds hung low over the mountain tops like a nightcap, rendering our plans to take the Cog Railway to the summit pointless.  We saved a lot of money by not going up there, but still, it was sad to miss it. 

historical Mount Washington Hotel - the Cog Railway is back in the clouds

 Luckily, the rain held off long enough for us to hike the Flume Gorge, drive the Kancamagus Highway, and see Diana’s Bath Falls.  The Flume Gorge was as nice as Watkins Glen but comparing them would be like trying to compare apples to oranges.

wooden walkway suspended from the side of the gorge

one of the waterfalls - you can see the wooden walkway in the top right part of the picture

another waterfall and one of the wooden bridges

Jean enjoying the hike in Flume Gorge

Diana's Bath, a favorite waterfall for the locals

a view while driving on the Kancagamus Highway

typical road sign in the White Mountains

great lunch place in Lincoln, on the Kancagamus Highway

Onward to one of the main destinations of our trip…. Acadia National Park in Maine.   We decided to stay in Schoodic Woods Campground (the newest campground), on the tip of the Schoodic Peninsula, just north of the main, Mount Desert Island, part of the park and Bar Harbor. 

our campsite in Schoodic Woods Campground

  It’s kind of out in the middle of nowhere, very peaceful and quiet, with extra-large, open campsites, tall pines and firs.  It is about 8 miles away, as the crow flies, from Bar Harbor but about an hour away by car.  There is a seasonal ferry across the bay but we choose to drive the distance to get thoroughly immersed in the experience of being in this area. 

Jerome enjoying Schoodic Point

 We spent one day seeing Bar Harbor and driving the park loop drive on Mount Desert Island.  The rest of the time we just relaxed and enjoyed.  Now we understand why everyone that has been to Acadia National Park has fallen in love with it!  

in front of Two Cats Cafe in Bar Harbor

 The beauty of the rocky shoreline with pungent, pink Rugosa roses growing everywhere, and the vast blue Atlantic Ocean in the background will stay in our memories each time we think of Maine now.

Jean on the rocky shoreline of Mount Desert Island

view from the top of Cadillac Mountain on Mount Desert Island

Jerome standing on the rocky shoreline of Mount Desert Island looking out over the Atlantic towards the Schoodic Peninsula

 ‘And yes, just in case you’re wondering…. of course, we ate “lobstah” while we were out and about, sightseeing.

We couldn’t leave Maine without stopping in Freeport, where the LL Bean Flagship Store is. 

   Our good friends, Brian and Maryanne live near here and we were able to spend a wonderful day with them.  They took us to see the area, to have lunch at their favorite lunch place, JR Maxwell & Co, in Bath, then to Popham Beach State Park (the busiest park in Maine) where Brian was the park manager ranger for over 20 years.

Popham Beach State Park with Rugosa roses in the foreground

Jerome, Brian, and Maryanne walking into the civil war fort at Popham Beach State Park

 We camped in the Winslow Park Campground, a city park on the shoreline.    The woman who left this beautiful chunk of land to the city stipulated that it had to stay a park and left “natural” or it has to be returned to her heirs, thus no electricity here.    Most people here rely on their solar panels (as we do) for electricity and the cool ocean breezes for “natural A/C.”   Unfortunately our campsite was between two campers that ran their generators a lot and one of them was an old, noisy one.  It was a bit annoying but it was worth it just to be here and we decided that we would still camp here again in a heartbeat.

our campsite at Winslow Park Campground with Jean at the table, in the shadows

Now we are on our way more inland and south.    We think of all of our friends and family as we travel and wish all of you well and a great rest of the summer.   Thank you for spending some time with us.

Jerome & Jean (and of course, Carly, too!)