Getting ThereLast Saturday, Oct. 4, we flew to Boston and rented a car for the trip north. Flights were on time and the hassle-factor was minimal. We were a little disappointed as we left Boston because the trees were mostly green - were we too early for the fall foliage? Our first night was a beautiful B&B in Dover, New Hampshire, The Silver Fountain Inn. (http://www.silverfountain.com/) It was a home built in the 1800's and beautifully decorated. Susan, the innkeeper, was extremely gracious and offered us tea or hot apple cider and a warm cookie. She told us the town was having an Apple Festival and gave us recommendations for dinner. We were too late for the festival, but did a self-guided walking tour of the river front and mill area, then ate at a restaurant very popular with the locals, Christopher's Third. Sunday morning breakfast at the Inn was over the top - the Mr. had banana waffles and I had a wonderful omelet with lots spinach, mushrooms and Havarti cheese. We shared our meal with two other couples and enjoyed visiting with them. One couple was from Texas and we had many things in common. The other couple was from Wales and he was a trumpet player in the BBC Wales orchestra. (I love the way they talk - Brilliant!) Dover was off the beaten path of I-95 and we were glad we made it our first stop.
We left Dover around 10:00 a.m. and headed north. At Brunswick we left the interstate and took Route 1 through scenic little towns and villages. As we continued north the color improved and there were small pockets of reds, oranges and yellows. It was very rural with occasional peeks at the ocean. Eventually we made it to our destination, The Claremont Inn, at Southwest Harbor. After checking in we met Tom, one of the guides, and were fitted for our bikes, 18-gear hybrids with upright handlebars. We met the other bikers in the bar before dinner and then ate in the dining room of the Claremont as a group. There were a total of 11 of us, plus the two guides.
Guides - Tom & Cindy: Very energetic! They were fun to be with, welcoming, encouraging, and extremely knowledgeable about the area, the local people, the flora & fauna, and biking.
The "Other" Team Colorado - Kent & Shera: They were the most "seasoned" in our group and we enjoyed their company at dinners. From Denver, Kent had done Ride the Rockies, but Shera was a little nervous about the distance and the hills. She did great, just didn't do all the optional miles.
The Southern Couple - Jay and Debbie: Neonatologist and nurse from Tennessee, marathoners; Jay had a new camera and Debbie often showed up without him because he was taking pictures.
Sister Act - Helen & Patty: sisters from Chicago & Pennsylvania. Patty had done this trip before with another sister and convinced Helen to go this year. I wonder if I could convince my sisters to do something like this with me.
Mom & Daughter - Allison and Jessica: Allison is in Real Estate in Detroit and Jessica (the daughter) is studying Interior Design in Chicago. They were both very fit and had a great time with each other and everyone else.
Mom & Daughter - Allison and Jessica: Allison is in Real Estate in Detroit and Jessica (the daughter) is studying Interior Design in Chicago. They were both very fit and had a great time with each other and everyone else.
The German - Goetz: Travelling by himself, he was like an Energizer Bunny. He did all the optional rides and hikes and took lots of pictures.
Swan's Island
The first ride was to the ferry for the trip across the harbor to Swan's Island. It was bright but breezy and chilly. We were glad for all the layers we had including gloves, ear warmers, wind pants and jacket. Lobstering is the main industry and there is evidence of it everywhere. We watched one lobster boat pulling his traps as we passed by. We biked around Swan's Island, stopping first at Saturn Press. The "old-fashioned" printing press of years gone by is still in use by the printer and all design is done upstairs. The process and the proprietor were very interesting. We especially enjoyed meeting Pica, the elderly French bulldog who greeted us.
Swan's Island is the year-round
residence of about 300 families scattered around in small communities. There are no "services" but there is a post office, which we visited to take advantage of the facilities. We had a marvelous picnic lunch at Hockamock Head Lighthouse prepared by Tom. I think this was my favorite meal of the whole trip. Sunshine, ocean views, good company, and marvelous sandwiches of fresh mozzarella, ripe tomatoes and pesto on a hard roll. There were several shacks like this one on docks with all the trappings of the lobster trade.After the ferry ride back we visited another lighthouse, Bass Harbor Head Light. We also rode past a yacht builder and saw a deer, smaller and darker than the ones we see in our neighborhood. Monday evening we sampled the local delicacies at Beal's Lobster Shack. It was very authentic, but sadly didn't agree with me and I spent the night re-visiting every bite. I don't think I'll be going out of my way for lobster any time soon.
We rode about 31 miles on Monday.
Kayaking and Hiking
We did not ride bikes on Day 2. After a wonderful breakfast, the kayak guide picked us up and took us to be fitted for life vests, polypropylene shoes and "skirts" that fit around the kayak opening to keep our bottom half dry. The tides and wind determine the destination and we ended up going across to Bartlett Island which is owned by the Rockefeller's. We saw a bald eagle, but not a lot of other wildlife. The wind was pretty strong and the water was choppy where it was not protected. The kayaks were 2-person boats and the person in back (me) was in charge of controlling the rudder with both feet. Great upper body workout, too. 
After a few hours on the water we walked through the little town of Southwest Harbor and stopped at Eat-A-Pita for lunch, then back to the Claremont to prepare for the next adventure - a hike up Beech Mountain (elevation: 839 feet). This was the group photo-op (see above) and Robin, a local who happened to be up there with us, patiently took the group photo with every single camera. She was very sweet. The view was fantastic, though a little hazy in the distance. Guides, Cindy and Tom, pointed out the places we had been and other places we would be going.
Entering Acadia 
Wednesday was the day to transfer from the Claremont in Southwest Harbor to the Manor House Inn in Bar Harbor. Most of the group chose to ride the first 9 mile option to Northeast Harbor. We missed the turn-off and added a few miles and an extra hill, but got to see Upper Hadlock Pond, which was beautiful. We felt like we were in the Amazing Race and had to make up for lost time, but we recovered and met Cindy at the van for re-fueling. In Northeast Harbor we visited the little general store to buy lunch to take into the park for later. Acadia National Park has over 50 miles of carriage roads reserved for bikes and horses, and several miles of hiking trails. 
It was spectacular. As the week progressed so did the patchwork of autumn colors.
It was spectacular. As the week progressed so did the patchwork of autumn colors. We had lunch on the lawn at Jordan Pond House, then did the optional Day Mountain (elevation 583 feet). This is us at the summit. We saw a few horse drawn carriages and our bikes were equipped with bells so we could warn them if we approached from behind. We eventually rode into Bar Harbor and found our bags delivered to our room at the Manor House Inn.
We rode about 40 miles on Wednesday counting our detour to Upper Hadlock.
Dinner that night was on our own, and the Mr. & I chose Guiness & Porcinis, a little Italian place in Bar Harbor. Delicious!
Cool & Cloudy
Thursday we woke to misty rain, but the forecast said it would be clearing and it was relatively warm. After our morning Map Wrap we rode out from Bar Harbor and back into Acadia, stopping at Adelman's Deli for sandwiches for a later lunch. We rode for quite a distance along the Park Loop Road, a one-way road with cars and tour buses. Bar Harbor welcomes cruise ships and there were two large ships in port every day we were there. They dump the cruisers into the town where they queue up for buses then get shuttled around the park. The Park Loop Road follows the shoreline for a good distance with several overlooks and points of interest including Sand Beach and Thunder Hole. 
We stopped at Bubble Pond for a picnic lunch. It had been overcast and dark all morning, but as we ate our lunch the sun was trying to peek through. At one point this branch was absolutely glowing as the sun hit it. It was spectacular and the photo does not do it justice.
By the time lunch was finished the sun was shining in all it's glory and we were ready to tackle Cadillac Mountain (elevation 1530 feet.) It was a 5 mile climb from Bubble Pond, and all but Kent and Shera tackled it. We shed layers for the uphill and worked up a bit of a sweat, but it was windy and cold on top so all the layers went back on. The down hill was great, and we had earned it!
We rode approximately 32 miles on Thursday.
That evening's dinner was at Maggie's in Bar Harbor. After dinner we went back to the Inn and Tom pulled out a dice game. We each had to pony up $3, and it was a dice rolling game of chance. The Mr. is usually very unlucky in such things, but he actually won the pot!
Last Day
Friday the sun was bright and according to the local news, the colors had reached "Peak." We rode back into Acadia and biked along Eagle Lake, Witch's Hole Pond and then did the Aunt Betty Pond option. The colors were indeed glorious. We were sad that this was our last day riding. We were back to the Inn by noon and said Goodbye to our new friends. We had a 6-hour drive back to Boston where we returned the rental car and had a short night before our early morning flight back to Colorado.
On Friday we biked about 16 miles.
We had a marvelous time! We give Tom and Cindy 5 out of 5 snowflakes for being excellent guides and hosts. We look forward to future bike trips and will definitely choose Bike Vermont (http://www.bikevermont.com/) for our next 2-wheel adventure.
