Maine Adventures (picture heavy)

[fortyhourdays]

I spent most of my summer up in Maine near Acadia National Park visiting my family and childhood friends and working on the side to pay for the trip.  I posted a ride report of my trip to get there, but never of my time up there.  Anyway, I thought I'd make all you lobster lovers a little jealous.    This report is spread out over several weeks so it might feel a little discombobulated, but since I'm posting it after the fact I thought it would be better to smash some highlights all into one report.  

I got to Maine and got my "Bike with a mother tag" (Thanks mom)


I took a ride up to Cadillac Mountain.  One of the best views in the state in my opinion.  It overlooks the town of Bar Harbor and a bunch of offshore islands.  Here's a few views from the top.  And did I mention it's a very twisty road to the top?




Some local lichen clinging to the granite of the mountain


Back home watching the sun set through the trees at my parents house


The next week I headed up to Jackman, ME which is more to the northwest of Maine right on the Canadian border.  I got in some kayaking and white water rafting up there



I worked during the week landscaping and hardscaping.  Here's a brick patio I built while there.


Towards the end of my trip, I took the ferry out to Swans Island which is a small fishing community where a bunch of my old friends fish.  There's no bridge to get there, only a ferry.


I hauled about 600 pounds of lobster first day with my friend Jason.  Here's the big catch of the day.  This lobster is oversized so it gets thrown back in to live another day.  


I got together with my family and friend Seth a few days later and hauled about a dozen traps for lunch.


Here's the lighthouse leaving the harbor


Also saw this beautiful schooner heading out


The local shore line


We moored the boat offshore of a small uninhabited island and rowed the dingy in for lunch with our catch.



We built a fire and started cooking



 


The carnage



My friend Jason has been helping with research on shark repelling hooks so he runs strings of about 2000 test hooks along with control hooks.  He caught this shark that evening and divided up the shark steaks among the locals.  It's a Porbeagle Shark which I believe is related to the Mako.  


That night we kayaked out to a small offshore island and camped out.  Everyone slept in tents except for my brother and I who slept out under the stars.


Cooking breakfast in the morning.  Eggs and bacon over an open fire on the beach.  



Anyway, I'll end it there.  It was an awesome summer.  I had an awesome time and made money at the same time.  It doesn't get much better than that.

[fishball]

Excellent adventure Jon.  That view of Bar Harbor is fantastic.  Also nice work on the brick patio, I helped a friend with theirs and never realized how much work is involved in prepping the area before any of the bricks are set.  Heading out to Maine myself before fall is over, only as far north as Portland but I can't wait.  Hope my journey is as nice as yours.

[Burgi]

Excellent report!   
I've gone to Maine almost every summer since I was a kid (to many years to admit to  ) and probably never been further north than Owl's Head. The view from Cadillac Mountain looks fantastic, definitely added to my "todo." Is Acadia as beautiful as I've heard?
What a great way to spend a summer, you're a fortunate man. 

[fortyhourdays]

Is Acadia as beautiful as I've heard?

It really is an absolutely beautiful place.  I've been to about 40 of the 50 states plus a bunch of Europe, and it's still one of my favorite places (then again, I grew up there and I love the outdoors so I'm somewhat biased).  I think it's definitely worth visiting at least once in your life.  I think it's in the top 10 most visited national parks in the U.S. with about 1.5 million visitors a year.

[NHPep]

Wonderful!!!!  Last time I visited Mount Desert Island was in 1977.  Think I need to put it on my bucket(s) list. 

[ailkel]

Now I want to go to Maine, great report 40hourdays.

[Bumblebee]

Water, islands, light houses, sails, beaches, trees, and paddle boats and thousands of places to explore... 

[drdubb]

I've mentioned before that my wife and I caged Maine two years ago in October. Man, it got cold. We stayed in Bar Harbor and we drove to various places each day. What a beautiful state. I'm still trying to figure out a way to ride the coast. Great pics and what a wonderful adventure.  I've got a daughter in the North Shore area Mass. and I'm currently making her a sea kayak.

[hppants]

Thanks for sharing your adventures.  I'd love to tour the Northeast.  I've always thought that the fall foilage would be the best time of year, but clearly, you photos make a great case for a summer vacation.

The dining room nighthawk is looking sharp, BTW!!!

[fortyhourdays]

@drdubb - That's a nice looking kayak.  I built an ultralight canoe years ago.  Now that I live in Tennessee, I miss being surrounded by water.

@hhpants - The fall foliage is absolutely beautiful.  It gets a little chilly on a motorcycle up there this time of year though. 

[jerjohn]

Fantastic. Thanks for sharing. 

[Bumblebee]

I'd love to tour the Northeast.  I've always thought that the fall foilage would be the best time of year, but clearly, you photos make a great case for a summer vacation.

New England in general is just one of those places you can't pick the wrong time of year or the wrong place to visit. Sometimes you just can't ride the motorcycle or go swimming in however you still can't go wrong.

[darian]

Man, what a great report.  The pics are great.  Makes me wish I had better outdoor skills.