Wednesday

Wednesday was my first day of adventure. It was cold and damp and foggy so we decided to climb a mountain. Barnabas was particularly excited about the 'Ladder' trails which are scattered over Acadia. They are the hardest level of trail, right after 'Strenuous'. They get their rating from the iron rungs fused into the rock face where no other foothold exists. The family decided to use the Jordan House as our rendezvous point. The parents and youngest three biked around Penobscot Mt. on a carriage road while we started up the mountain.

The mist kept us cool, which is nicer than the hot sun, but also a little damp, which kept the trails fun. Since we had very limited visibility we were not able to comprehend the extent of the drop off of the cliff faces. The fact that we couldn't see anything beneath us gave us enough of an idea. It was only toward the end of the trail when we started into the ladder section that I felt safe enough to stop and pull out my camera. 

In some places we found a sloping ledge with a waterfall where you could either lean away from the water and toward an abyss or lean into the water and get wet. There was usually an iron rung for added support.  

We paused on a flat spot just before a steep clamber up the jutting rock to catch our breath and take stock. Ben took some pictures and you can see the way the cliff face disappears into nothing.  We could faintly see Jordan Pond beneath us.

Behind Barnabas you can see the path we took. On the rock behind him is one of the rungs that form the ladder portion of the trail. 

The path is supported and marked here by a log pinned into the side of the mountain. Nice secure footing!

We stopped for lunch after we passed the most difficult portion of the trail. A cool bottle of red wine, cooled Hemingway-style in a stream would have completed the meal perfectly but we drank water instead.

We finally reached the top! The only way we knew we were on top of a mountain was the post telling us we were there. We played around on the top for a bit,

including skipping rocks on the puddles that formed all over the rocks.

Eventually the fog lifted enough to let us see a micro ecosystem growing on top of the mountain.

A pre-historic looking swampy area had formed on top of the mountain.

On our way down the fog lifted enough for us to see the incredible view before us.

Here begins the first of the 10 second dash group photos I took.

Note the crisp line of fog over blue water. By the time we reached the bottom the clouds had more or less lifted. As we descended the last leg of the journey who would you believe came up the road just as we dropped into sight?

Mom and the rest of the group! We paused to confer and then walked back a quarter of a mile to see one of the bridges found across the park.

After the days work we drove back to the campsite, ready for food.

Barnabas and Ben made an excellent stir-fry over the fire.

After dinner, Barnabas and I slipped quietly away to go find the ocean, which I hadn't really seen since our arrival.

Barnabas took the time to rappel down the rocks.

I took photographs of the water, wrote in my journal, and water-colored.

When we got back we decided to travel up Cadillac to enjoy the sunset, such as it was. It was the first clear night that we had and we were worried that we would not get another!

Ben created a high-power zoom camera by holding some binoculars up to his phone's camera.

Monday and Tuesday

Our first family camping trip. Two cars, two kayaks, two parents, and six kids walk into Acadia. Will they all make it out alive? 

We packed all of our stuff into the Mary Poppin's Carpet-Bag like cars, strapped everything down and began the drive to Maine. It's about 6 hours with no stops and I think it took us about 12. Dad and I took the truck, everyone else jumbled into the van.

Being the unofficial family photographer has its perks and some downsides. I never have to worry about being photographed but if I don't take a few shameless 'selfies' no evidence of my existence would exist. Spoiler: I ended up taking over 600 pictures. 

Toby managed to get doped up on catnip just before we left.

We made it to Maine! The dark clouds threatened rain but we pressed on.

Just around the bend was the first sight of an open horizon since travelling through VT and NH.

We stopped at the Kittery Trading Post for provisions where I found this little piece of Maine humor at the bottom of a bookshelf.

Barnabas practiced his mountain goat skills before attempting to climb Acadia's mountains.

Finally, we got there, just as it was getting dark and a bit wet. We set up the tents in the last bit of fading light and tracked a lot of dirt (and mud) into the tents in the process.

Tuesday ended up being mostly a provisions trip back into Ellsworth. I finally got hiking shoes (my procrastonary habits also extend to shoe shopping, apparently).

We stopped for a group family photo on one of the Carriage road bridges before continuing around the Loop Road, a mostly one way road which meanders around the park.

 Barnabas stopped to rappel off the side of the road.

After we got back Barnabas and Dad went off to kayak and fish while we went into Ellsworth.

 After Ellsworth Sylvia and I made chili and cornbread.

The only accidents suffered on the trip both happened on Tuesday, when John tried to cut his thumb off,

and Ben burned himself. Neither required hospital care.

And then there were none

Well, not exactly, but I seem to have lost a significant portion of my college friends to the ravages of graduation.

Here is a collection of my group of awesomely weird people. We call ourselves TUVI. We were able to keep it normal for a group shot for two.

 And then this happened.

 Afterwards we traveled down to Genghis Grill where we all answered to our TUVI names. The waiters were very good about using them with a straight face. I am, apparently, Lady Sherlock.

 A quick stop for ice cream rounded things out before we walked over the bridge to Coolidge Park.

 The lighting was particularly nice as we meandered across.

There was some fighting on the bridge. 

 

 A wild Lizzie appears! Her family and friends were coming over the park so we joined them for a bit.

 But not before we posed dramatically on the stone fountains.

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There was more fighting in the park.
 
We gathered to go our separate ways.

 Finally, I got back to a house, helped my friend pack, got my luggage under 50 pounds, and slept.