Nothing a whole bunch to say. We had a lovely drive through New Hampshire and into Maine. There are no Interstates so it was all back road, scenic drives. Beautiful little hamlets and many mountains and lakes.
We arrived in Bar Harbor early this afternoon and checked into our little hotel. We are staying about 20 miles outside of Bar Harbor. After taking a trip into Bar Harbor I'm very glad that we made that decision. It is way too crowded for me.
It's a beautiful fishing village, with way too many tourists and tiny streets with lots of construction. I can't wait to get into the little shops and do some shopping and get out into the National Park and get some good pictures. But those tiny streets with cars parked on both sides and two way traffic didn't impress me too much.
We are all signed up for a 2 hour tour of the park and Bar Harbor. Then hopefully we will get to walk around the village or maybe do a whale watching cruise or something like that.
We did stop for dinner on a small island about 10 miles outside of Bar Harbor. It was a shack but the parking lot was full of cars and the fire was full blast under the pots they were cooking their specialty in....LOBSTER.
Denny was very apprehensive but the lady convinced him there was no way their lobster was going to taste like Red Lobster. So we walked over to the holding area picked out our lobster, had him weighted ($10.95 a lb) and they put him in a rope bag took him outside and plunged him in the cooker.
Extras included corn, potatoe salad (FYI it did NOT have pickle relish in it) and butter. Our lobster showed up on a roasting pan all ready for us to enjoy. The ladies gave Denny an instruction sheet on how to eat a lobster. We devoured it!!!!! So good, so fresh it was probably in Penobscot Bay this morning! Tomorrow we are going to try a place that was recommended by the hotel staff. I'll let you know how that is tomorrow.
Like I said today was a transition day and we are sitting here relaxing and enjoying the very cool weather. Hope it cools off for you guys in Illinois.
The only crop we inspected through Maine was potatoes!! Denny was disappointed. But rest assured we are both having a good time and enjoying every minute of it.
Talk with you tomorrow.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Thursday, July 28, 2011--Vermont/New Hampshire
I learned alot today about Vermont....want to guess what? No it wasn't that it has a great place in history-one of the 13 original colonies, the "Green Mountain" boys hailed from Vermont and played a huge part in our country winning it's freedom from England. No it wasn't that....covered bridges? No I don't think so....mountains and ski areas....no of course not I already knew that...hmmmm was it the slogan "Live Free or Die!" No, wait a minute that was New Hampshire. Cheese, cows, milk, maple syrup....? No none of those....I remember now, don't ever get lost in Vermont cause they don't have signs for attractions, restaurants, ski areas, parks or highways!!! I shared on FB how I asked the lady in a store we were in where this Gorge was we both wanted to see. She told me it was just 1/4 of a mile down the road and I thanked her. Then I asked her why Vermont doesn't have signs for attractions, I thought maybe it was an environmental thing, you know nothing to mar the beautiful scenery like unsightful "signs". Her response, "We live here and know where it is!" Okay, that shut my mouth. Again I just thanked her and moved on to something else.
We have found out that our new car turns around in some very small areas!! Streets in Vermont only go north and south, there are no thru streets that go east and west. Ask Denny he pulled into more driveways thinking he was going around the block BUT there were NO blocks!!! Only streets going one way off the main street. It really got comical after awhile. :)
Parking lots in Vermont are approximately 10% smaller than any normal size parking area and it is usually uphill or downhill!! And like most other places they try to fit way too many cars into a very small space.
The other thing we learned today was that there aren't a whole lot of places to eat breakfast. The restaurants that do serve breakfast are hidden somewhere, we never did find any. We stumbled upon a Bed and Breakfast that was offering breakfast and had a very enjoyable meal there, but tomorrow the search will continue. I asked the waitress at the "mom and pop" place we ate at tonight and they don't serve breakfast and it's the only restaurant in town!!! So we search for another place to eat breakfast tomorrow. It is beginning to look like the "quest" that we are on is not to see New England but to find a place to eat Breakfast. :))
Frustrating as it was we did get to see most of what we wanted to see today. Starting off at 9:40 this morning at the Ben and Jerry factory tour. As our day was going the only thing we got to see them do on the production floor was clean up the mess from their Tira Misu ice cream overflowing and spilling onto the floor as it was being packaged!!! It again was too funny. And it was quite a mess. They use the spilled ice cream mixture to feed cows...they mix it with their other food!!
The best part of the tour was the taste lab where we got to try some ice cream at 9:40 in the morning. Not complaining ice cream is good any time of day and Ben and Jerry's is always so much better.
All and all we had a great day crossed the border between Vermont and NH several times on the scenic route we took north. Loved the little towns we have gone through. The white churches and village greens. So many beautiful old homes and Bed and Breakfasts. Lots of barn art on beautiful old red barns. We have ended up in Franconia near the base of Mt. Washington. It truly is a beautiful country but many of the small towns are crowded with people. Shopping, art festivals, etc. I know why they call the mountains here the "Green Mountains" they really are beautiful and so very green. It must be breathtaking here in the fall when all those leaves turn colors.
We are heading to Maine tomorrow. We figure about a 4 hour drive and we will be in or around Bar Harbor and I will have my first of many lobster dinners!!!
The weather has been great 70-80 during the day and much cooler at night. Nice compared to the 90-100 weather back home.
One other stop....we found Littleton Coin Company! Denny does business with them and we ended up in their showroom and made some purchases. He REALLY liked that stop and left with a huge smile on his face!!! :)
Hope everyone is fine and trying to stay cool!!! I'll try and post more tomorrow.
We have found out that our new car turns around in some very small areas!! Streets in Vermont only go north and south, there are no thru streets that go east and west. Ask Denny he pulled into more driveways thinking he was going around the block BUT there were NO blocks!!! Only streets going one way off the main street. It really got comical after awhile. :)
Parking lots in Vermont are approximately 10% smaller than any normal size parking area and it is usually uphill or downhill!! And like most other places they try to fit way too many cars into a very small space.
The other thing we learned today was that there aren't a whole lot of places to eat breakfast. The restaurants that do serve breakfast are hidden somewhere, we never did find any. We stumbled upon a Bed and Breakfast that was offering breakfast and had a very enjoyable meal there, but tomorrow the search will continue. I asked the waitress at the "mom and pop" place we ate at tonight and they don't serve breakfast and it's the only restaurant in town!!! So we search for another place to eat breakfast tomorrow. It is beginning to look like the "quest" that we are on is not to see New England but to find a place to eat Breakfast. :))
Frustrating as it was we did get to see most of what we wanted to see today. Starting off at 9:40 this morning at the Ben and Jerry factory tour. As our day was going the only thing we got to see them do on the production floor was clean up the mess from their Tira Misu ice cream overflowing and spilling onto the floor as it was being packaged!!! It again was too funny. And it was quite a mess. They use the spilled ice cream mixture to feed cows...they mix it with their other food!!
The best part of the tour was the taste lab where we got to try some ice cream at 9:40 in the morning. Not complaining ice cream is good any time of day and Ben and Jerry's is always so much better.
All and all we had a great day crossed the border between Vermont and NH several times on the scenic route we took north. Loved the little towns we have gone through. The white churches and village greens. So many beautiful old homes and Bed and Breakfasts. Lots of barn art on beautiful old red barns. We have ended up in Franconia near the base of Mt. Washington. It truly is a beautiful country but many of the small towns are crowded with people. Shopping, art festivals, etc. I know why they call the mountains here the "Green Mountains" they really are beautiful and so very green. It must be breathtaking here in the fall when all those leaves turn colors.
We are heading to Maine tomorrow. We figure about a 4 hour drive and we will be in or around Bar Harbor and I will have my first of many lobster dinners!!!
The weather has been great 70-80 during the day and much cooler at night. Nice compared to the 90-100 weather back home.
One other stop....we found Littleton Coin Company! Denny does business with them and we ended up in their showroom and made some purchases. He REALLY liked that stop and left with a huge smile on his face!!! :)
Hope everyone is fine and trying to stay cool!!! I'll try and post more tomorrow.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Up early and out the door by 7 am. Timing was perfect, we hit no commuter traffic to Buffalo and although at times it was a little congested we moved along at a very good pace. Interstate driving to Utica, NY then we took two "scenic" routes through the Adirondack Mts. Lots of Lakes we saw signs for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. Got to actually SEE Lake 7 and 8. NY scenic routes leave much to be desired. Lots of trees and lots of cars on the side of the road for the hikers and bikers. But only two pictures were taken and if any of you have seen our previous vacation pictures you know two pictures just doesn't cut it :)
Because we had such a long trip we were hoping to see some stuff from the car in NY. That didn't happen. We did end up in Ticonderoga and got to see the Fort. We spent about an hour and a half walking around the fort, learning it's history and learning how to shoot a musket. We were able to take some really nice pictures of Lake Champlain, Fort Defiance and some other stronghold whose name escapes me at the moment. BUT our camera died....we were both supposed to remind each other to plug it in last night and we both forgot!!! So we have ONE picture of Lake Champlain taken from Fort Ticonderoga. BUMMER!!! I did take one on my phone of the militia taking down the flags and playing the fife and drum but that is it......
FYI--the battery is charging as I write this!!!!
We crossed Lake Champlain by ferry and headed north towards Burlington, VT. Beautiful country. Lots to see....the Green Mountains are beautiful and the little Norman Rockwell towns that we have seen so far are all that they are cracked up to be!!!
We both had some altercations with our GPS's. (We brought the old "b*&%$" with us cause the car one doesn't work while you are driving). Well better said, I don't speak the same language the car gps does, we have a classic "failure to communicate"
We wanted to go one way and the gps wanted us to go another and we WON....fighting with and inanimate object is not satisfying :(
Did some more crop inspecting but it was mostly stuff to feed the millions of dairy cows around the area. Lots of cows to give lots of milk to make all that Vermont Cheddar Cheese.
After almost 8 hours of driving we finally arrived in Burlington, VT (the way we wanted to go) and are all checked into the hotel and having pizza delivered to our room! That's right DELIVERED!!!! Love it!
Hopefully I'll have pictures tomorrow. We are planning on heading out to Waterbury to visit Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream Factory and some other "Vermont" classic sites. I'll keep you informed. We are having a great time and miss you all.
Because we had such a long trip we were hoping to see some stuff from the car in NY. That didn't happen. We did end up in Ticonderoga and got to see the Fort. We spent about an hour and a half walking around the fort, learning it's history and learning how to shoot a musket. We were able to take some really nice pictures of Lake Champlain, Fort Defiance and some other stronghold whose name escapes me at the moment. BUT our camera died....we were both supposed to remind each other to plug it in last night and we both forgot!!! So we have ONE picture of Lake Champlain taken from Fort Ticonderoga. BUMMER!!! I did take one on my phone of the militia taking down the flags and playing the fife and drum but that is it......
FYI--the battery is charging as I write this!!!!
We crossed Lake Champlain by ferry and headed north towards Burlington, VT. Beautiful country. Lots to see....the Green Mountains are beautiful and the little Norman Rockwell towns that we have seen so far are all that they are cracked up to be!!!
We both had some altercations with our GPS's. (We brought the old "b*&%$" with us cause the car one doesn't work while you are driving). Well better said, I don't speak the same language the car gps does, we have a classic "failure to communicate"
We wanted to go one way and the gps wanted us to go another and we WON....fighting with and inanimate object is not satisfying :(
Did some more crop inspecting but it was mostly stuff to feed the millions of dairy cows around the area. Lots of cows to give lots of milk to make all that Vermont Cheddar Cheese.
After almost 8 hours of driving we finally arrived in Burlington, VT (the way we wanted to go) and are all checked into the hotel and having pizza delivered to our room! That's right DELIVERED!!!! Love it!
Hopefully I'll have pictures tomorrow. We are planning on heading out to Waterbury to visit Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream Factory and some other "Vermont" classic sites. I'll keep you informed. We are having a great time and miss you all.
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