Acadia, Fort Knox

Acadia, Bar Harbor, Desert Island. By any of these names, this place is amazing. It was originally called Eden and I think that still would be a perfect name. Oh my gosh, I wish Sharon and I could have at least a week to hike around here. The old carriage roads are glorious. We went into Bar Harbor and Cmor's  screw turned out to be only part way in and did no damage. We started our day as usual in the visitor's center with the required movie. Saw a large model of the island and set off on a tour of the Park Loop Road. We drove up Cadillac Mountain for a 360* view out over the ocean. I have to find my notes but I think it is about 1520 feet tall. It is the tallest point on the Atlantic Coast. Don and I were thinking of our little Mt. Diablo and laughing at the comparison. We went to Jordan Pond to see their high Tea and beautiful scenery. Saw and partially hiked some of The carriage roads and Took pictures of the gatehouse and some of the bridge/tunnels that Rockerfeller designed and had built. We spent so much time on the island that we couldn't go to the bridge or fort. We headed north and had a great all you can eat haddock dinner. Boy that is two nights in a row that we ate out. There goes the budget. This morning I expected to continue on our way towards Niagara Falls eventually and Canada but my wonderful driver surprised me and backtracked for 25 miles so we could see the bridge and Fort. What an experience going up to the observation deck. You go up in the elevator and step out to a floor to ceiling window 3 feet in front of you. Before you go up, they worn you about this window and tell you to take a moment before you look down. Then you climb up two more levels on stairs that run along the windows. We were the only ones on top until just before we started down. We could see Cmor way down in the parking lot and also the Fort. We passed near the other Fort Knox on our journey East but they would not let us near the place so at least we got to see this one. I forgot to add some details. The tower is 420 feet tall, 42 stories high. It is the tallest occupied structure in Maine. The obelisk design was to remind people that the granite was quarried about five miles away at Mt  Waldo, which was the quarry that was used for the Washington Monument. The bridge was made in sections and they had cable samples and a bridge section to see. We had a guide at the Fort and there was only one other couple with us. They were from Canada and we enjoyed talking to them. The Fort cost one million dollars to build from 1844-1864. It was never completed and never saw combat. During the Spanish American war troops lived outside the a fort in tents.  The blocks and bricks were very complex. I took a close up of one block to show the "dimple" in the stone. These dimples were used to pick up the blocks with a tool that looked like what I remember the iceman using to pick up blocks. Wow, I think I really  showed my age with that statement. I must have seen that in a museum somewhere. Anyway, for the big news. WE ARE HEADING WEST.
Well southwest right now. We are in New Hampshire for the evening camped along a lovely little river in Littleton and almost no one here but us and the Mosquitos. So good evening for now and sweet dreams to all of you from the travelers.