Bar Harbor, Maine - First days of official tour - June 16 - June 17, 2015

Bar Harbor, Maine - First days of official tour - June 16 - 17, 2015

June 16, 2015

Today was the first day of our official tour.  We had our Welcome Meeting where we got all of the information regarding the trip.  Then we all introduced ourselves.  The meeting finished with us all getting our Bingo card signed by all of the other travelers.  We will play Bingo later in the trip.

At 5:30 was time to re-gather, with dinner following at 6:00.  The dinner was lobster, clams, corn, potato salad followed with blueberry pie.   Yummmm.

There were leftover clams, so Karen Anderson decided making Clam Chowder later in the trip would be good, so Karen, Donna, & I shucked the clams.  Fun

Duane, Marlene (Tail Gunners) & Jennie & John (Wagon Masters)

 

June 17, 2015

Stan & Bev at Acadia National Park

Today we get to go on a bus ride.  We will be going on the Acadia National Park tour.  We will also spend a couple of hours in Bar Harbor. 

Stan at Acadian National Park

Heather, the bus driver, was very informative.  She has lived in the Bar Harbor area for years, so had many stories to tell.



Lobster Salad in Bar Harbor

Our first stop was at Cadillac Mountain, then on to the Thunder Hole, Jordon Pond House, then a two hours stop at Bar Harbor for lunch.

Some of the interesting things that she explained about the area were

1)      The reason for the rough roads.  Because of the water under the roads, then they freeze and swell.  In the spring when they thaw, then the roads break up.  Being from Minnesota & North Dakota, we had heard that before, but it was a good reminder as we bounce over the terrible roads

2)      The cycle of the forests.  Fires are actually necessary in the cycle of the forest.  The fires give the forest a fresh start.  When the tall pine & fir trees get so tall the block out the sunlight and the lower growth dies.   After a fire, hard wood trees and other plants start to grow.  Finally, the pine and fir return and the cycle starts over again.

3)      There are many wealthy people that own property in the Bar Harbor area.  One of the most influential in the start and continuation of the Acadian National Park is the Rockefeller  Family.  They have bought and donated a huge number of acres. 

4)      Many other people own homes there i.e. Martha Stewart,   Some celebrities own some of the islands in the area.  There are many small private islands near Bar Harbor. John Travolta is one.

Diane, Connie & Bev at the BLOG tutorial