Park Loop Road: we road it!! (and Hurricane Earl approaches)

Baby Bear and Boo Boo are visiting for a short vacation this Labor Day weekend. Mama Bear and Baby Bear road the Park Loop Road this morning. We only did the loop, so the distance was just over 18 miles. We started early, and began with an uphill/rolling stretch that turned into a long uphill (up to the beginning of the road to the summit of Cadillac Mountain) and then a wonderful downhill followed by a killer hill just up from High Seas (a "summer cottage," i.e., many rooms, no heat - unless it has been renovated) and then the killer hill up to the Schooner Head road, and then an easy ride by Thunder Hole (it was booming today) and then back to our parking space. It was fantastic, and we celebrated with popovers at the Jordan Pond Tea House (and even remembered to bring popovers back to Papa Bear and Boo Boo.)



Hurricane Earl is approaching. Track continues to change but it looks like it might be a bit west of here, and we will have rain and wind during the overnight. We are likely to lose power and Internet and cable tv, but we now have a generator, and many games and puzzles, and food a plenty, so we should be fine (though it may be a couple days before I can post again.) The Park is taking precautions, too, closing some roads near the shore in an attempt to offer some viewing areas of the surf yet still afford safety for those doing the viewing.



The pictures today were taken with Mama Bear's Droid-X and show some of what Mama Bear and Baby Bear saw - a traffic jam on the Park Loop Road (some maintenance work had briefly closed both lanes), a view to Eagle Lake on the first long climb, surf at Thunder Hole, and our happy smiles upon completion of our ride.

Our Bicycles

We went to Southwest Cycle and purchased our bicycles. They are last year's models, which means we received a great deal. Mama Bear is thinking of naming her bicycle Molly. It is a name she has always liked and the women she has met with the name have been strong, funny, helpful and smart. I like those qualities and hope my bicycle will be all those to me. Well, maybe it will not be smart ... My Molly is quite lovely. Papa Bear has not yet named his bicycle. And may not do so. We have helmets, gloves, kickstands, and water bottles, too. We have had them out on the road a bit and love riding them. Molly and Nameless reside in the basement beneath the stairs.

The gate to the basement has arrived and been installed. The Cat, for reasons unknown to me, went downstairs just before its installation began. After installation, Mama Bear took some treats and went down the stairs. While The Cat was seated next to Mama Bear, Papa Bear placed a treat on the first floor side of the gate, and Mama Bear stuck her hand through the cat opening. Always motivated by treats, The Cat went through the opening, then returned to see if there were more treats to be had from Mama Bear. (Of course there were!)

The Cat has devleoped somewhat of a routine - she sleeps on the settee in our bedroom (the settee that is leaving after the new chest is delivered), arises, is fed, explores the screen porch, has a bit more to eat, takes a nap, goes upstairs to survey the birds in the trees from the second floor window sills, goes downstairs, plays with her toys a bit, takes a nap, explores the screen porch, makes certain the basement has not changed since her last visit, plays with her toys, takes a nap, and so it continues throughout the day. She seems very content.

Our mornings seem to be occupied with paperwork and telephone calls to straighten out paperwork. Mama Bear listed the trustee to receive the transfer of her work IRA as a person, and put the firm's name in the area for the address. She was told the firm was the trustee and that the person's name should have been put into the address area. Papa Bear has received his unused vacation pay and has been in touch with the bank at the House on the Creek to learn how it can be deposited there (there are no branches of the bank north of Connecticut). His first Social Security check will arrive in late June/early July. Mama Bear is awaiting her unused vacation/sick pay deposit. Her first retirement check should arrive in July. We have contacted the Census person who left a note on our door (person came while we were out) to explain that we had completed the Census forms at the House on the Creek. Mama Bear completed her thank-you to-do's and mailed them yesterday.

Today is a wash day - clothes and linens. And maybe a bike ride or a hike. It is gorgeous here: just a slight breeze, blue skies with rare clouds and much sun. Need to check the Maine election results. After seeing all the commercials, I want to know who won the primaries!!

A boutique of photos from this morning follows. They were taken by Mama Bear this morning, just after high tide. And no, we never tire of the views.

Molly the Bike	Bikes in Basement
The Cat	Flowers Near Southwest Cycle
View Across Cove	Gull Cafe Leavings
Cove's End Boat Yard	Mouth of Cove
Cove to House Stairs	House to Cove Stairs