Paul & Mary's Daily Diary

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Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

We were up early so we could have breakfast with the schoolgirl, but alas, Mary wanted to make a good impression and went to school early (…and she has a highly polished apple in her possession)

Robin and I had breakfast before our tour began. We ate at the hotel since that is where we’re getting picked up.

I went for the salmon, bagels, and cream cheese!

Robin and I selected a private tour this morning. Only four people joined us today, so we had plenty of room! The driver/guide was outstanding.

Off we went in a cloud of dust! Our first stop was Acadia National Park, the smallest but most visited national park!

• Location: Mostly on Mount Desert Island along the Atlantic coast.
• Known for: Rocky beaches, forests, mountains, lakes, and ocean views.
• Famous spot: Cadillac Mountain, one of the first places in the U.S. to see the sunrise.
• Activities: Hiking, biking, camping, birdwatching, kayaking, and scenic driving.
• Wildlife: Deer, foxes, seals, seabirds, and many other animals.
• Popular road: The Park Loop Road, which takes visitors past many major sights.
• Best time to visit: Summer and fall, especially when the leaves change color.

In short, Acadia National Park is known for its dramatic coastline, mountain views, and outdoor activities.

We meandered through a small section of the remaining park.

We walked for about 30 minutes, and the plant and flower displays were amazing. The signage was excellent, easy to read, and quite complete.

From the reserve/preserve, we traveled to Thunder Hole, which is a famous shoreline feature in Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island, Maine.

It’s a small inlet carved into the rocky coast where incoming waves rush into a narrow channel and partially submerged cave. When conditions are right, trapped air and water are forced out with a loud booming “thunder” sound, and spray can shoot high into the air.

A few useful things to know:

• Location: Along the Park Loop Road, between Sand Beach and Otter Cliff.
• Best time to visit: Often 1–2 hours before high tide, especially when the surf is strong.
• Safety: It can be dangerous during rough seas. Stay behind railings and off wet rocks—unexpected waves can sweep people off their feet.
• Experience varies: Sometimes it roars dramatically; other times it may just gurgle if the tide and waves aren’t right.
• Nearby sights: Sand Beach, Ocean Path, Monument Cove, and Otter Cliff are close by.

It’s one of Acadia’s classic stops because it combines dramatic ocean views, a rugged granite coastline, and natural sound effects. Robin went all the way down, but I was favoring my leg, so I sat at the top watching people.

Thunder Hole often closes because high waves hit the shore and soak everything, including the stairways to/from the rock formation.

From Thunder Hole, we went to Beaver Lake to stretch our legs. Because of the upcoming storm, it was quite windy! The beavers were nearly hunted to extinction in this area, but Rockefellow and friends brought them back.

The next stop was short but refreshing.

We found a nice park bench, and Robin decided to get down to business.

Then we went to the mountain, Cadillac Mountain, to be precise! It was 2,700 feet tall and the highest point on the East Coast!

Cadillac Mountain is one of the most famous places in Acadia National Park, Maine.

It is the highest point on the U.S. Atlantic coast, rising about 1,530 feet(466 meters) above sea level. From the top, you get wide views of Bar Harbor, the Porcupine Islands, Frenchman Bay, and the surrounding mountains and coastline.

• Famous for sunrise: Cadillac Mountain is known as one of the first places in the U.S. to see sunrise during parts of the year.
• Summit road: You can drive to the top on Cadillac Summit Road, but in busy seasons you usually need a vehicle reservation.
• Hiking: Popular trails to the summit include the North Ridge Trail and South Ridge Trail.
• Views: The summit has short walking paths with excellent panoramic views.
• Weather: It can be windy and much colder at the top than in Bar Harbor, so bring a jacket.

It’s one of Acadia’s must-see spots, especially if you like sunrise, photography, or scenic mountain views.

Now, it was time for lunch, and we stopped at a small restaurant. I had their chicken sandwich and a glass of vino.

From there, we returned to Bar Harbor and rested while we waited for Dr. Mary to arrive. She got out of class at 2:15 pm. Robin got cleaned up, and we headed for Lobster Ice Cream.

Lobster ice cream is a real novelty dessert, most famously associated with Maine, especially around coastal tourist areas.

It’s usually made with:

• A butter-flavored or vanilla ice cream base
• Small pieces of cooked lobster meat
• Sometimes a hint of salt or extra butter flavor

The taste is unusual: creamy, slightly sweet, buttery, and a little seafood-like. Some people love it as a fun Maine experience, while others try it mostly for the novelty.

It’s not a common everyday flavor, but you may find it at specialty ice cream shops in Maine, especially near places like Bar Harbor or other coastal towns.

We strolled down the street looking at all the goodies and taking pictures in the park

The fall colors are coming on strong, and things change daily!

A leaf usually takes a few days to a couple of weeks to change from green to orange, depending on the tree species and weather.

• Cool nights and sunny days speed up color change.
• Shorter daylight hours trigger the process in autumn.
• Drought, frost, or stress can make leaves change faster or turn brown instead.
• Some trees change gradually over 1–3 weeks, while individual leaves may change noticeably in just a few days.
• The orange color appears as the green chlorophyll breaks down and pigments called carotenoids become visible.

We stopped at Patty’s for a drink at 4:30 pm!

We headed to the hotel, all pooped out, and the rain was supposed to start in about an hour.

We crashed EARLY, and tomorrow we pack up and leave for New Hampshire.

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Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

At 2:00 am, the alarm went off, and I jumped up and completed my last-minute packing. It was a scurry of activity. Robin was up and moving too, and a few minutes later her nibs poked her head up and joined in. At 3:50 am the iPhone vibrated. I thought it was mad to start work so early, but the driver let us know he was out front.

When he saw the stacks and stacks of suitcases, he almost passed out!!

The girls rode in the front seat with the driver, and they tied me over the hood!

We made it to the airport in record time, 45 minutes from start to finish and nary a car on the freeway! The other cars left the freeway when they saw the overloaded stretch limo whizzing by!

We were at the gate seated by 5:00 am, so we had two hours to drink coffee and plan the trip!

We travel First Class, which means two things: First, we arrive first; second, we get a drink first!!! The taxi ride to the runway takeoff point was fun. We could feel every bump! I called the pilot and gave him last-minute instructions.

As we taxied, we spotted one of the Boeing Buildings in El Segundo.

Then we heard the roar of the engines, and I shook; the plane stayed still. BLASTOFF!!! In seconds, we were flying over the clouds and yelling for a drink! Many rainbows were visible. I could not figure out why the rainbow surrounded the shadow of our plane???

Robin kept checking on us, telling us to behave…yeah, fat chance of that!

The flight was smooth and the food acceptable. I had four BMs during the flight (Bloody Marys)

We were in and out of Philadelphia quickly and caught a puddle jumper for the rest of the adventure. The last leg was only 70 minutes, kind of like LA to SF.

The view of the Maine forests was beautiful, with many lakes. It was almost full moon tonight.

We rolled into Bangor fully expecting to hop in a car and cruise toward Bar Harbor with at least a little daylight left—very optimistic of us. Then they announced the plane parked in front of us at the terminal was having “issues,” which is airline-speak for “get comfortable, you’re not going anywhere.”

So there we sat on the tarmac for 45 minutes, watching our scenic daylight drive slowly turn into a nighttime mystery tour.

Bye-bye, sunlight. It was nice almost knowing you.

By the time we finally got a car, the Moon was up, the Sun was down, and our optimism had officially left the building.

Then came the great luggage Tetris championship. Somehow, we crammed every bag into the car, leaving Robin about 14 inches of backseat real estate to fold herself into like a travel-size lawn chair. I would’ve taken photos, but I was laughing too hard to operate basic technology.

When we got to the hotel, we unpacked, parked the car, and then Robin—armed with her trusty GPS—treated us to an unexpected grand tour of the city. The GPS kept insisting, “Only 500 feet ahead!” which she said at least ten times, making me suspect we were either walking in circles or being led by a very incompetent navigator whose GPS was on the fritz.

On the bright side, we got our mile walk in before finally discovering “The Thirsty Whale,” which, at that point, felt less like a restaurant and more like a promised land.

The food and wine disappeared! The girls shared a salad, and I woofed down a jalapeño burger!

We took the first walk back to the hotel. We hid Robin’s GPS and followed our nose home.

We kinda unpacked, and I hit the bed with such a thud that 45 ducks, who were sound asleep on the adjacent water feature, took off screaming!

Good night, all!

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