Park Loop variations

..two wheels rolling

Morning rolled around, and so did another good breakfast accompanied by good conversation. Evin served eggs, stuffed French toast topped with wild Maine blueberries, and, on the side - watermelon topped with a little bit of spice. The French toast was so good that I had a second serving, as did everyone else.

Ah, it was time to ride under a blue sky with a a few wispy clouds as decoration. My bike started down the road towards Seal Harbor, but then turned around and headed for Park Loop Road. I made it to Seal Harbor too since I jumped off of Park Loop Road when it switched from a one-way to a two-way road just before Jordan Pond. Funny, I always wondered where the road came from that emptied out at the beach in Seal Harbor. I know the answer now - it's the road that jumped off of Park Loop road at the direction change.

There are a lot of people wandering around Bar Harbor, and there are a lot of people congregating in the more popular locations in the park. Yet, for the most part the roads were quiet. So quiet that I had an interesting deer encounter... I was riding, heading up a slight grade, when I saw a deer just ahead standing by the side of the road. He was just standing there, looking down the road, looking my way. I kept riding, assuming that the deer would see me at some point and would move. I was in the road, he wasn't. But somehow I didn't think he would wait for me to go by. I would have loved to snap a photo, but I knew there wasn't any point in reaching for a camera. After all my 4-legged companion is a lot faster than I am. I got a bit closer, and the deer moved into the road, still watching me watching him. I rolled a little closer, and the deer flew off into the woods. What a beautiful sight!

My variation of Park Loop Road was a good ride, a start to my day's adventures. I switched to walking shoes and clothes and headed back in to the park. Walking along the coast, stopping to wander over the rocks, to watch the water, small waves creating white decorations. I was sitting, watching waves, playing with my camera, when another photographer came over to compare equipment and to chat. We saw each other several more times, not too surprising since we were on a one-way loop road. (Yes, Park Loop Road a second time...). And somehow, even when we switched to our cars to get a lift further down the road, we must have been on the same 'stop' schedule.

Back at the B&B, I quickly washed off the sweat of my day, then donned long pants and layers in preparation for my evening out. Sunset time was 7:19, and I wanted to head up Cadillac mountain to watch the sun sink over the edge. I grabbed a quick bite to eat, and then i headed up the mountain. There were quite a few people there, waiting, watching the sun slowly sink lower, watching it turn from yellow to a deep glowing red. Sinking, painting the sky with color.

When the show seemed to be over, I headed back down the mountain. I had to stop a few times though because the show really wasn't over. I would stop, jump out of the car, and attempt to stand still. It was hard to believe the wind. I found that I couldn't stand without getting pushed around! At first I wondered why I didn't feel the wind when I was sitting near (but not at) the top of the mountain, watching the sun. Maybe, just maybe, the mountain was blocking the wind at my back.

One more day... a part of a day in the park, and then I'll need to head home. Tomorrow's activity? I think I'll decide in the morning.