A nagging neck injury and a series of weekend obligations have kept me on a short leash this summer but thanks to some good chiropractic care and a break in other obligations, I found myself with an opportunity to hit the road.  Originally looking at heading down to Southport and doing some kayaking in the Cape Fear area, the weather forecast seemed a bit uncertain so I turned my attention to the north.  Having done all my paddling in Virginia and North Carolina, I didn’t have any particular destination in mind but Acadia National Park kept drawing my attention.  What the heck – I had plenty of time and nothing going on until the following weekend. By 10AM the 4Runner was loaded up, on the road, and crossing the Chesapeake Bay Bridge/Tunnel.

Not being in a big hurry, at about 9PM I called it a day, found a hotel and spent the night in Massachusetts.  Getting out a bit earlier the next morning, I set my sights on Bar Harbor and hit the road.  Crossing into Maine, I stopped at the Visitor Center, picked up some literature, and looked at my options for the rest of the drive.  Still early in the day, I chose the scenic route taking Route 1 from Brunswick over to Rockland, along the coast to Bucksport, east to Ellsworth, and finishing with short hop on Route 3 down to Bar Harbor.  The traffic was minimal and the drive was indeed very scenic.  I pulled into the Thompson Island Visitor Center at about 2:30PM, got some recommendations for lodging, bought a park pass, and headed into Bar Harbor.  Even with the upcoming holiday weekend, I had no trouble getting a room in Bar Harbor at the Villager.  I had originally planned on staying in a hotel for the first night or two and then camping over the weekend – assuming that the hotels would be booked up during the holiday.  But once in the hotel, it was simply easier and more convenient to just stay put.  The camping gear would have to wait for another trip.

Thursday afternoon was spent walking around Bar Harbor and checking out the sights.  I was looking for a kayak shop to get some recommendations for the next few days and fortunately found Aquaterra Adventures at the waterfront.  A nice, friendly shop, they were happy to recommend some destinations.  A nice dinner, a pleasant walk along the Shore Trail, and it’s time to call it a night and get ready for tomorrow.

Man, it’s great to finally be away from home!