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.

We Saw ...

Friday was a quiet day for us. We watched the Tour de France. I still haven't figured out the head butting that happened earlier this week: how bizarre!

Mr. Obama and his family arrived mid-day (according to the news) and then went for a bike ride (he had not changed his clothes from what he was wearing when he left Washington, D.C.!) and then went up Cadillac Mountain (you can drive up there) to see the views from the top (they are lovely). They also went to Bar Harbor, may have take a ride on a boat, had some ice cream, and went to a lobster pound for dinner (Stewman's, Mr. and Mrs. Obama had lobster, the girls had shrimp, the waiter reports he is a decent tipper). Today they played tennis (at the Bar Harbor Club), went swimming, came to Southwest Harbor to have lunch. They may have been able to see the Friendship Sloop Regatta that happened this afternoon just off-shore there. They then visited the Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse (they were allowed up on the lighthouse to see the views from there, something the normal public does not get to see.) And then they went for a hike at Ship's Harbor, or so the local press reports. On their way back to Bar Harbor, they passed through Southwest Harbor. We were there, purchasing some fruit, and saw the motorcade as they passed. So, we saw the Presidential Motorcade, if not actually laying eyes on the Presidential Family.

What did we do today? We watched the Tour de France, talked with Baby Bear (it is her birthday!), I did my walk/run, we went for a bike ride, had a fabulous dinner (pizza from Little Notch - I had broccoli, spinach and fresh and roast peppers on mine). We have now settled in for the evening. We have also been reading, taking care of the cat, doing wash, cleaning a bit, etc.

I was going to show you a picture of the fabulous red raspberries we purchased, but we ate them on the way home, so given the option of providing a picture of a green empty container or no picture, I am opting for no picture today.