Blog of the Starship Doodlebug: Baw Hawbaw and Acadia National Park, Maine

August 13
Thursday

Heard on the radio that Star Trek's 50 year anniversary is today ... another serendipitous reason for the blog of the Starship Doodlebug.

Making my way down scenic Highway 1 on the East coast is much like Highway 1 in California, slow and windy but pretty scenery. And surprisingly, not many motorhomes. Haven't had trouble at all finding RV parks with vacancies.

Stopped for gas and the guy next to me filling up was wearing big rubber boots. Before he was finished pumping, three women came over to him and were making deals asking how much? His boots were a giveaway that he had been clamming and they wanted to buy. He opened his trunk and made deals on the spot. I wanted to take a picture of this little scene, but not knowing if what he was doing was legal I decided not to. Fresh clams must be pretty popular.

Came across this antique flea market beside the road so had to stop.

Found a 1940 book of Currier and Ives prints for only $10.

Getting close to Bar Harbor everything became antique shops and lobster pounds.

The lobsters are kept in tanks called pounds like dog pounds, to keep them fresh until someone picks them for dinner or until they are given shots and adopted.

They are cooked out in front of the shops in big kettles.

Saw this picture of a giant lobster, 26 lbs.

He was thought to be 107 years old. Age is figured by multiplying the weight by 4 and adding 3.

I hope he is stuffed somewhere instead of being eaten. If he escaped for 107 years he deserves a place in a museum.

Came into Bar Harbor on the shuttle from the campground and found a perfect little village surrounding a central park.

It's gorgeous with plenty of good eateries, boutiques and the harbor at the end of main street.

Sat watching the boats and people and being filled with joy at my circumstances of just being here on this beautiful day.

The only thing missing was sharing it with someone.

It's easy to get around if you are on foot, but cars were clogging traffic.

Got back on the shuttle for a tour of Acadia National Park which takes up a big chunk of Mount Desert Isle. The isle is the home of Bar Harbor as well as several other spiffy villages.

Many miles of hiking trails cover the park with many weary hikers getting on the shuttle after their trek.

One of the biggest attractions of the park is Sand Beach, the only place for several hundred miles in northern Maine where beach swimming is available.

Thought I was in Santa Cruz.

Took off my shoes to check the water temp, a brisk 70 degrees. I'm told the incoming tide is always warmer but it will all be getting colder over the next several weeks.

This view from the shuttle shows why I was very glad I hadn't driven

the Doodle into the park.

. Back at camp I had dinner at the campground outdoor cafe. Sat with a young couple and the older guy who was running the lobster place. Tried to get the answer to why Maine is called "Down East" when it is about as far Up East as you can get without bumping into Canada. Apparently it refers to sailing days when ships going to Main from the south sailed before the wind, or were sailing with the wind behind the ship, or going "Down East". It would make more sense if I knew something about sailing. Looked up in time to see a beautiful sunset and some kids finding small sea life.

A perfect day in Bar Harbor, but was disappointed not to hear one person talking with those aw sounds for r. No one said Baw Hawbaw.

Hope we are not losing our wonderful regional accents but am afraid that may be the case with the world growing smaller. Or maybe I just didn't talk to enough old people or enough locals.