Lebanon, Vermont, that is!
The search engines we checked told us to drive to the Acadia national park, on the northern Maine coast, on interstate freeways, via Boston. We took the slow route, or routes as we on US routes 1, 2, 3 and 4…
We headed north from Saratoga Springs on interstate 87, which leads to Montreal. On reaching Fort Ann we joined route 4, which winds eastward across Vermont.
A brief stop at Woodstock (Vermont, not of NY rock concert fame) persuaded Sophia that it would be the perfect place for retirement! By this time we had been past the ski fields of Pico and Killington, which were still thick with snow, following rivers in spate from the thaw. Woodstock has its own ski resort with the charming name of “Suicide Six”!
Soon after Woodstock we hit Lebanon, where we turned north on interstate 5, which leads to Quebec. At St Johnsbury we again turned right, this time on route 2, which we followed all the way to route 3, which enters Acadia. The place names are amusing … on route 2 we also visited Hanover and Mexico, to mention but two…
We spent the whole of Tuesday 24 April on the road. It would probably have been quicker following the google maps approved route, but far less interesting. Crossing the mountains and redneck territory was fascinating. Most of the towns were of interest, always notable for their churches painted in brilliant white and their old weatherboard and shingle properties.
Acadia is magical. Much of it is too accessible by car, which apparently means that it is heaving in the summer months. When we arrived, in the wake of a spring storm, it was almost deserted. Fantastic!
As we arrived relatively late, we found a hotel in Bar Harbour and headed to a recommended restaurant. Both very ordinary, but the meal was enlivened by the company of the crews of two French air force mirage jets. They had been flying with the USAF in Alaska on exercises and their return had been delayed by a day. So they jumped into a car at the airbase, near Bangor, and headed for Acadia. Of the food they said that after a month in Alaska it was bliss, adding that it was not of course up to French standards!
On Wednesday we toured Acadia pretty extensively, climbing Mount Cadillac.
We climbed it, as you would expect, by foot. It is the highest mountain on the eastern seaboard of the US, which is remarkable as it is only 500 meters or so high.
The mountain is however aptly named as you can drive to the summit!
That night we stayed at South West Harbour, a much more rewarding experience. The old three floor weatherboard Drydock Inn was very welcoming and a pleasant change from the previous evening and our meal at “Sips” was both good and interesting as it was a live music evening; we were entertained by a “master fiddler”, which was curious as he strummed lots, plucked a fair bit, puffed a little and also sang. The fiddle did not get much of an outing.
On Thursday, we headed south on route 1. The road hugs the coast and visits yet more charming Maine towns. We stopped at Camden for coffee and to look at the windjammers that were being readied for the season. Booking a few days on one of those boats and sailing along the Maine coast is on the pending list…
We spent the evening at Portland. We stayed in the Portland Regency Hotel, which is memorable only because it was built in the former armory – just another modern hotel…
Wandering around the old town of Portland is rewarding. It has been regenerated with shops, bars, galleries, restaurants etc. One of the bars brews its own beer, which we regarded as our duty to try. Not bad!
We headed out of the old town, on a recommendation from a wine bar…to 555 Congress, undoubtedly one of the best restaurants that we have been to on this trip (and there have been a few…).
Friday dawned grey and rainy. We headed for Boston…
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