Amazing Acadia!

Acadia National Park--Beautiful!  We spent yesterday exploring a little on the way to Blackwoods Campground--hoping to get a campsite and we did.  We set up camp and drove to the Jordan Pond area and hiked around the "pond" which was really a lake.  It was about a 3.4 mile hike.  Then we headed to
Cadillac Mountain for sunset.  Very nice!  Back at camp we fixed some tacos, enjoyed the campfire and headed to bed.  We woke up early this morning ready to see more of the park.  Issac is sending rain our way so we have to get as much done as we can.

Until today the most difficult hike we had done was in Zion in Utah.  Today we headed up Precipice Trail which we later found out is the most difficult hike in the park.  It was a challenge--but it felt great to do it!

We drove around more of the Park and it started raining so we nixed any other hikes and just enjoyed the rain and the drive.  We came back to Bar Harbor very hungry!  I had a lobster roll--yummy and Don had the most delicious Reuben sandwich ever.  Then we enjoyed a scoop of delicious Bar Harbor ice cream.

Since it is raining, we are in a little hotel tonight.  It is supposed to rain all day tomorrow, too.  Although our time in Acadia was cut short, we did have a great time.  Maybe we'll come back some day!

On Jordan Pond

This boardwalk went on and on around Jordan Pond...Don estimates 7-10 football field lengths!

Our campsite at Acadia

I saw this web way up in the trees and the sun was hitting it just right!

This is at the first of the Precipice Trail.

Can you see me up among the boulders?  The climb took alot of climbing, stretching and careful steps.

We not only went over boulders...but under them!

And to think I stopped to take pictures!

This part was pretty intense...we did have a small rail along the edge for a kind of foot-stopper.

So here we are nearly at the top...

We understand a lady did die on this trail just a few weeks ago.

At the top of the mountain was a little pond...what a beautiful frog!!!

A BEAUTIFUL view from the top!

One of the many cairns marking the way of the trail.

This the beautiful and rugged Maine coast!

We're in Bar Harbor

We have seen and done so much since the last post...I want to get caught up!  After Bon Echo Park we passed through Toronto--too big--drove on to Quebec City--oh and on the way Don found Costco.  Of course, we had to stop!  We didn't know that everything would be in French once we got into Quebec--every sign, every book, every newspaper...everything!  The countryside is beautiful--every home is very neat and tidy.  In Quebec City we found a very nice little hotel inside the walls.  Quebec City is the only walled city in North America and it is a beautiful and interesting place. 
Next was New Brunswick...we drove to Fundy National Park and got a wonderful campsite.  Fundy Bay is very interesting because the tide is amazing.  At low tide it drops as much as 50 feet!  After a hike on Coppermine Trail, we went to Hopewell Rocks where you can kayak at high tide and walk on the ocean floor at low tide.  At dinner we fixed some sucre mais (sweet corn) that we had bought at a road side booth.  It was delicious--SO sweet and tender.  After a to Dickson Falls we broke camp and headed south.  We camped along the way and walked along a beach at low tide.  I found 5 sand dollars!
At this point we did something very unplanned...we took a ferry to Grand Manan Island.  It was a 90 minute ride.  I had read about it and wanted to go mainly to go on a whale watching trip.  We were very thankful that we could get a campsite at Hole in the Wall Campground.  Some of the campsites are literally right on the cliffside, but they were all taken.  I got on a boat at the last minute and off I went to look for whales.  We saw huge (40-60 feet long) Humpbacks and some fin whales blowing off  in the distance.  It was really fun.  We were out for 4 1/2 hours.  The next morning we hiked to the Hole in the Wall (formed along the cliffs by the water) and got back on the ferry to the mainland.
Now we are in Bar Harbor.  Yesterday we were blessed with a beautiful double rainbow.  We walked around the shops and had dinner.  After 5 nights of camping, a motel was nice!  Rain is expected this week which will, unfortunately, shorten our visit to Acadia Natl Park.  I am anxious to get into the park!
Here are a few pictures

Sure do miss these grandkids!

Camping with wine and wifi--not too rough!

Hopewell Rocks, New Brunswick

Hopewell Rocks Flower Pots formations

At high tide the water would be WAY over Don's head!

Our tent in Fundy National Park, New Brunswick

Are we PACKED IN or what?

Dickson Falls

Looking for shells and sand dollars

Humpback Whale Tail!

Sunrise over Grand Manan Island

Hole in the Wall, Grand Manan

Rainbow over Acadia National Park

In Quebec!

Niagara-on-the-Lake

At Niaraga Falls, I visited the Butterfly Conservatory--over 2,000 butterflies flying around.  We visited several wineries on the way to Niagara-on-the-Lake which is one of the most beautiful little towns we have ever seen in North America!  We traveled on into Ontario and camped at Presquille Prov. Park and then on to Bon Echo Park.  Bon Echo has 500 campsites...so very big.  We didn't have reservations so we were WAY out in the boonies!  Our camp spot was very nice and private.  We rented a double kayak and paddled around the lake for a few hours along the rock cliff to see the pictographs.  After another night there we headed east.  We passed through Montreal and found a campsite in a private campground alongside a little lake.  We weren't prepared for Quebec having everything in French.  We feel like we traveled across the ocean to France!  The countryside driving from Montreal to Quebec is beautiful...farmlands, corn fields, apple orchards, very neat and tidy homes.  Oh...Don found Costco and of course we stopped to shop!
Now we are in Quebec City--Beautiful!!  We decided to spend the night here.  The visitors center helped us find a charming hotel inside the walls (Quebec is the only walled city in North America).  Pictures from here on the next post.

 Niagara Falls Butterfly Conservatory

 This is the Buskerfest in Toronto--an event that raises money for epilepsy research.  There were food vendors, vendors selling stuff and many street performers.

 Shopping for fruits and veggies at the St. Lawrence Market in Toronto.

 Kayaking on Lake Bon Echo, Ontario

 Pictographs painted on the cliffs 300-1000 years ago.

 Our campsite at Bon Echo Prov. Park, Ontario.  This is where a raccoon (we think) carried off our big container of almonds about 2:30 a.m.!!!

Hello from Canada!

We have been on the road for a week now and covered a lot of miles.  We spent the first night in Little Rock then on to Nashville. What a fun town!  We loved strolling down Broadway and popping in to listen to some great music.  We went to the Grand Old Opry!!  There were about 12 acts of various musicians from young to very old!  We had fun looking around the American Pickers store there, too.  Don actually drove to Quilting Squares on our visit to Franklin, TN and on the way we wandered upon a Confererate cemetary where 1,500 soldiers were buried after the Battle of Franklin (8,000 soldiers were killed there).

In Kentucky we visit Mammoth Cave National Park.  It is HUGE!  There are over 360 miles of caves that are documented.  We took one of the many tours and really enjoyed it.  Then on to Michigan to visit Pat and Carol Scherden and Rosemary.  We love spending time with them.  We met Murray their very smart and sweet dog!  Emily is blessed with wonderful in-laws who are also our friends!

Now we are in Niagara Falls.  Wonderful weather!  The Falls are truly beautiful and kind of mesmerizing.

Murray--great dog!

Pat, Carol and Us

(sorry they are sideways!)

The American Pickers store in Nashville

Confederate Cemetary, Franklin, TN

Niagara Falls....

The Falls at night

Hope you enjoy the pictures!

A New Adventure

It has been nearly two years since my last post!  Sorry I didn't post from our 2011 Fall Trip because it was amazing!  We went to Germany to visit the Scherden family and took a cruise out of Italy to Greece, Turkey, Israel, and the Amalfi Coast.  Maybe while I'm on the road this year, I'll post some pictures from some of those sights!

On to 2012....we will be traveling north and east with no specific timeline.  Right now we are taking care of details here at home and getting packed.  I'm getting really excited about this trip!  We plan to go to very few places where we have been (Washington, D.C., New Orleans), and MANY places we have never seen.   I'm trying to learn more about my camera, so I'll be taking a lot of pictures!  I hope you enjoy the ones I post over the next couple of months!  Blessings to you all.....Don and Kathy

Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta

Here we are in Albuquerque...visiting my brother and his family....met up with the Bettes at the Balloon Fiesta.  The Balloon Fiesta is amazing.  I think you can get a glimpse of how exciting it is to be in the midst of hundreds of these balloons as they are inflated and rise into the skies.

These next ones were taken this morning.  Don and I camped out in Tom and Judy's Airstream so that we could avoid all the traffic getting to and from and Fiesta.  We enjoyed visiting with many of their Airstream friends.

There were over 500 balloons!!