29 July
We all slept well again - it's so good when the jetlag has worn off and you can feel you actually get a good rest.
There was breakfast in the hotel and to be honest, it was the worse one yet. It wasn't awful but it really wasn't good. Plus the TV in the dining room was blaring out kids TV which was great for the little kids (and their parents) but a bit too loud and colourful for us first thing in the morning!
After breakfast, we packed up and got on the road. We headed into the centre of North Conway to have a quick look and took a picture on the baseball pitch. Then we set off as we had a long drive ahead.
We were amused as we crossed from New Hampshire into Maine; there was no "Welcome to Maine" sign - just a warning about bringing in plants from other states and a reminder not to drink and drive. Guess they don't mess about in Maine and get straight to the point! A smiley lobster would have been nice though
We stopped off in Auburn for Iced Coffee at Dunkin Donuts and made the most of the chance for a restroom. Auburn looked as though it had seen better days so we didn't linger.
The journey was quite slow going, travelling on lots of small roads before finally hitting the interstate. Eventually we made it to Ellsworth, the nearest town to where we were staying for Acadia National Park.
We called to the local supermarket, Hannafords, and got our cabin supplies, including some sushi and cooked chicken for a quick lunch. The cashier was very friendly, asking if we lived near London - we explained we were from Oop North which wasn't very near London at all - but in USA terms, not all that far away!
We had all been looking forward to our stay in Porcupine Cabin, which we had booked through AirBnB. We stayed in a cabin in the Smokey Mountains and loved it, so we were hoping this place would be a nice chance to chill out and get away from it all.
The instructions from the cabin owner were really helpful and it wasn't a long drive out of Ellsworth. The cabin was on Porcupine Road and felt nice and secluded in the woods, although with neighbours not too far away, just in case. Porcupine Cabin was really well equipped with three bedrooms and plenty of space for the four of us. There was no TV but fast wifi and we had a great time staying there.
After settling in, we decided to head out and see Schoodic Point. Acadia National Park has two main sections and the Schoodic peninsula is much quieter than the larger main section of Mount Desert Island.
We drove to Schoodic Point, stopping off for some stone skimming on the way. We were surprised not to see a ranger station as we headed into the park but assumed that we would have to get our permit at Mount Desert Island tomorrow.
Being right on the Atlantic Ocean, the coastline is rocky and dramatic, with crashing waves. We spent a while there, breathing in the sea air and watching the spray as the water smashed onto the rocks.
And posing.
Or commanding the waters.
It was a really lovely spot and a nice time of day to be there as it wasn't too busy.
As we walked back to our car, however, we saw one of the Park Rangers giving us a ticket for not having a pass. We rushed over to him to explain that we hadn't seen a booth and asked if he could sell us a pass. He was really nice and explained that he couldn't sell the passes but that we needed to take the ticket to the campground ranger station and get the pass there.
It was a bit frustrating to have to drive all round the one way loop road and back round to the campground, which we had passed on our way into the park. We should have checked where to get the passes from before we went but assumed it would be obvious!
In the information office, there was an angry man complaining about being given a ticket when all he was doing was parking up and seeing the view. The rangers were very patient and explained that he needed a pass to get into the park and to park his car but it would entitle him to enjoy the park for seven days. He wasn't having any of it though, and kept moaning, even as he paid for his pass.
Rather than complaining, I was mortified that we'd been ticketed and explained that we had always intended to buy a pass but just hadn't seen anywhere to get one. The rangers were lovely, even as I kept apologising to them!
The angry man did turn to me and say "They got you too, huh?" to which the Ranger said, "Yes, but this lady isn't complaining and is paying for her pass." I agreed that I didn't have a problem and, in fact, I think the National Parks are incredibly good value for money. They are beautiful places and I'm happy to pay a relatively small amount to keep them open for everyone to enjoy.
We stayed a little while, chatting to the Rangers and getting maps and walk plans for the rest of our stay. Then we headed back to the cabin, picking up some firewood on the way from a roadside stall.
Back at base, we cooked steaks and baked potatoes. Paul struggled to work the oven at first, which was a fairly fancy range cooker. Then I googled how to turn this brand of oven on and managed it.
After our tea, the boys lit a fire in the firepit outside the cabin. We had already stocked up on graham crackers, marshmallows and chocolate as Evan was really looking forward to making S'mores. Paul had a lovely time getting the fire going and we all had a try at toasting marshmallows.
Then we sat for a while (covered in bug spray) and chatted, taking it in turns to use the designated fire stick to poke the fire. It was lovely to be somewhere more spacious than a hotel room with our own outdoor space as well. I don't particularly want to cook much on holiday, but it did make a nice change to do our own food while we were at the cabin and to not have to go out to eat.
Then we planned our next day's expeditions before heading for bed.