Road Trip 2009 - Part Two

Our time in Old Orchard Beach was short. After all, it was just a stop along the route to our final destination, Mount Desert Island. We awoke Sunday morning, and followed a leisurely pace. We only had another 3 hrs (according to normal rules) ahead of us to reach MDI, but with the 10 hr experience from Saturday still hanging with us, we were in no hurry to jump back into our seats and head out. After breakfast, a walk, and a trip to the playground, we finally loaded up, and pulled back out onto the road. Destination, Mount Desert Island.

Mount Desert Island, IS Maine. Sure, most people make it to Portland, and think they have been to Maine. And my family is born and bred Northern Maine Potato Farmers from Aroostook County. But, if you ask Donna and Me, the true Maine, the one that we know and love, is contained within Mount Desert Island. Now you may not have heard of MDI before, but I am pretty sure you have heard of some of it's better known features Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. Oh Yeah....that MDI.

Our destination this Sunday, and home base for most of the week, was Mount Desert Narrows Camping Resort. Right in the heart of MDI. Well, true to form, our 3 hr drive up from Old Orchard Beach took us 4.5 hrs. We had plans to meet my parents (they were also in state) at the campground for a visit and dinner, and arrived to find they had already been to the campground looking for us. We received our site assignment, and promptly set about making home for the week. The campground is, what we have come to learn, a pretty standard RV Park, with open sites, and wide roads equipped to support the large RVs and Fifth-Wheels. What the Desert Narrows lacked in layout and amenities, it more than made up for with it's view with the entire area set on a hill sloping down to the ocean. We enjoyed a view of the water from our site, and loved being so close to all the things that are "the ocean".

With perfect timing, Bob and Jackie arrived just as the set-up was nearing completion so we could all sit, relax, and enjoy arriving in such a spectacular location with so much still lying ahead. And, it did not take long for Donna to determine that the immediate need was fresh lobsters from the local lobster shack for dinner. Good thing about Maine, if you want lobster, you don't have to travel very far. In no time at all, we were all sitting around the picnic table enjoying lobster, steak, german potato salad, and potato chips. Now that's camping! Dad even demonstrated the "art" of lobster preparing when the civilized tools (crackers and picks) are not available. Years of practice made him an expert with a cooking knife and Craftsman hammer.
After dinner, we all enjoyed a walk down to the water to play on the rocks (no sandy beach up this far in Maine), walk in the frigid ocean water, and let the kids explore the tide pools. We filled our lungs with beautiful sea air and watched a perfect sunset. Everyone was happy to be there, and excited at all the adventures and memories that lie ahead over the next several days. Tomorrow, we explore Acadia.

Gavin and Isabelle hit the beach at low tide
And you thought the water in Marblehead was cold...WOW!!

Hey Mommy, look over here. No, Mommy, look over here. Mommy...Mommy...
Someone missed her buddy Grampa

Breathe in...Breathe out...perfect.