Schooner Cruise

Under sail.

Conference ended after lunch today.  We hooked up with a group of ten plus Delaware people from the conference and jumped on a schooner for a cruise around Frenchman's Bay.  A National Park ranger was along for the ride and gave us all the low-down on the islands and their stories.  Including tiny Rum Island, completely shielded from view of town and for which you can guess its role during prohibition.  Not many animal sightings, a bald eagle several hundred yards away, a pod of harbor porpoises, and assorted seabirds, but the cruise was nice and it was good to see one of these tall ships being preserved and manned.

Our group heading out to sea

Wandering the ocean bottom

I'm so bad at selfies!

Our conference is at the Bar Harbor Club.  Immediately behind the club is Bar Island, which at every low tide becomes attached to the mainland when the water uncovers a large section of seafloor.  I've never actually made it out there at low tide, so today when I noticed during a break that it was low tide I couldn't resist, so I slipped away and walked along the bottom of Frenchman's Bay in my conference clothes (very appropriate).  I envision a Rockefeller probably doing this same activity in a tuxedo at some point, today even in a polo shirt I'm definitely the most over-dressed person out today.  Mussels, barnacles and beautifully encrusted rocks are everywhere and despite my expectation, relatively little smell.  A nice escape for a few minutes.

Scooting Acadia

This morning Bruce and I got up early and were sitting outside a local outfitter when they opened.  We were picking up our motor scooters for a half day of cruising the park.  After a safety video and a brief checkout ride, we tore off at our governor-limited speed of 35 mph and headed for the Acadia loop road.  Since the park speed limit is 25, scooters may actually be an optimal way to see Acadia.  We drove the loop all the way around to Jordan Pond, stopping occasionally to soak in the views.  Jordan Pond restaurant was crowded as usual, so we grabbed some quick snacks in the gift shop and got back on the road.  We were warned at the rental place that Cadillac Mountain was not recommended, but up to us, so of course we took our scooters to the top of the highest mountain on the east coast of North America.  The ride was not bad at all, so not sure what they were worried about.  We enjoyed the views from the false summit (see 2011 post) and headed back down.  Realizing we still had plenty of time left, we backtracked and left the park visiting the towns of Seal Harbor and Northeast Harbor.  Before completing the loop and rolling back into town exactly on time and fortunately just before my gas gauge reached "E" (*wipes sweat from brow*).  Conference starts in a couple of hours, so lunch and a brief break and then off to work.

My noble stead.
I named him "Dunkey"

Cruising the loop.

Trodding the Beehive

Met up with my friend Bruce from work and jumped on a plane to Bangor, Maine this morning.  We're headed to Bar Harbor for a conference, but the Maine attraction is nearby Acadia National Park.  It is my third visit to Acadia and its one of those places I can never get enough of.  We made it into town just after noon and immediately made our way to the waterfront for a lobster lunch.  It would seem extravagant anywhere else, but we were far from the only ones doing it today.  Bruce got extra points for managing a lobster tail squirt that was so spectacular as to attract comments from nearby tables.  He was of course bib-less and got soaked.

Acadia has an excellent bus system which is absolutely free (sponsored by LL Bean).   Not only does it make it easy to see the park without a car, but it also reduces traffic and makes hiking easier as you don't need to do a round trip, but can do point to point hikes.  I think its a great model for all national parks, even if a corporate sponsor can't make it free.  Our waitress at lunch had recommended we do the Beehive hike, so we headed to Sand Beach and set out.  Beehive is a combination between a hike and a climb and several areas are traversed clinging to iron rungs mounted in the stone face.  The hike is fairly short but strenuous, and the views are definitely worthwhile.  Looking up from the ground it seems impossible to find a hikeable route up this face that wouldn't be a technical climb, but its there.  We took a brief rest on top and then took off on a hike around the Bowl and then to the summit of nearby Gorham Mountain before making our way back down to the coast and hiking back through Thunderhole and finally back to Sandy Beach; where we caught the last bus to Bar Harbor as the sun set.

The beehive from the base.  We climbed this face.

Still stinking of hiking and half-day old lobster (its a miracle we didn't get confronted by a seafood-loving Bear on the trail), we found a seat on the patio at Jalapeno's for excellent Maine-inspired (seafood) Mexican dishes.

My day as a Shockey

A's face painting after
the big race

This morning we woke up early, jumped in the car and headed to Stone Mountain Park to participate in the Children's Miracle Network walk sponsored by K's work.  The kids had fun and ran a significant portion of the "walk" and were also excited to get their faces painted during the after-festivities.  We then jumped back in the car and returned to Fayetteville for soccer matches.  Both kids had games and it was really special to have the opportunity to see them play and cheer them on.  I even got to watch L score a goal.  A also played well, although he was obviously a wee bit tired from his exuberant running of the 5k :-).  In any case Unc Shawn was very proud and hopes to get to see the play again in the future.  Afterward, we met Cyndal and Josh (who I haven't seen for several years) for excellent tacos downtown and then retired to the house to catch up.  A great visit, but far too short as tomorrow I make the drive back to DE.  I'll have to do it again soon.

L dribbling on the sideline

The beach of my youth

Back from Spain Saturday pm and Sunday morning I made the drive from Delaware to Edisto Beach, SC (yes I'm crazy) to join Mom and Aunt Joyce and Uncle Bill for some beach time.  Edisto is the beach we would go to every year when I was a kid, but I haven't been back in probably 10 years (since I lived in Charleston).  Everything seems so familiar, some names have changed but its still the same quiet family beach.  I've always liked the fact that Edisto has resisted the commercialization and hotels that characterize so many other beaches.  Almost everyone on Edisto is staying in a house which keeps the beaches from ever getting too crowded.  This time of year, its even quieter, and easy to find a near-vacant stretch of sand to call your own any time of the day.  Its been a good stay catching up with family, grabbing a meal at the Old Post Office, doing some fishing, and even a little super-muddy shrimping.

Yes, the flash was that bright . . . Thanks Joyce.  ;-)

Earlier today, I made the drive to my home town, Aiken, to see the rest of the family.  It was good to see everyone if even for a brief time this evening.  I even got time to grab a few rounds at the Aiken Brewing Company with Pat, and take a nice walk around downtown.  Aiken is definitely evolving and changing, but it still manages to keep the same character that makes it a great place.  I hope it can continue to hold on to its identity.

Tomorrow I will drive to Fayetteville, GA to visit Jes and family.  I can't wait!

Finding the Bear

It seemed like everyone I told that I went to Madrid, asked me if I saw the Bear and Tree statue . . . so apparently I missed the essence of Madrid during my random one day tour.  Today I am catching a late afternoon train back to Madrid in prep for my flight tomorrow morning, I'll get in about an hour before dark, so I decide I must locate this most quintessential Madrid experience.  I quickly check into my hotel and start walking.  Its a long walk, mostly up hill, but not too strenuous.  Eventually I hone in on the plaza that hosts the statue, I turn a corner and it is . . . filled with more than a thousand people, many protesting various things including pro and con Catalan independence (which is garnering a lot of attention at the moment).  I walk the length of the plaza and nothing: Where's the Bear?  I look at google maps and it places it very near where I entered the plaza, so I turn around and start looking.  Finally I spot this diminutive statue (4 feet tall?) perched on a small pedestal behind some protesters.  Don't get me wrong, its a nice statue, but I was expecting something bigger.  I am reminded of a previous experience: looking for the Mannekin-Pis statue/fountain in Brussels.  Again the symbol of the city and in that case a near life size statue of 3 or 4 year old child relieving himself into a tiny pool and tucked away in a back alley.  Perhaps centering your city's identity around an under-sized statue is a source of eccentric pride among European cities.  Copenhagen did have that hard-to-find mermaid statue.  I'll followup on future trips . . .

In any case, that's all for my Spain checklist.  Adios España.

The plaza hosting to the Bear.

Found it.  It looks bigger than it was.