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“Purely Acadia” Bike Vacation |
Click pictures for larger views.
It was the VBT catalog that got us! (
heard there was a
family wedding in New England, we decided to go for it! After all, we’re healthy! Why put it off? Deciding which tour to
take was the next hurdle to overcome. Since Maine is Ann’s
home state and a piece of her heart still lives there, Acadia National Park was
the natural choice.
While in the decision-making phase, we met Bob & Vivian Losser, from Swainsboro, GA, on the Rattlesnake Roundup Ride. They were sporting VBT tee shirts and we struck up a conversation. They had been on the very same tour! That was the clincher! Hearing first hand what we might expect in addition to their unqualified endorsement left us no room for doubt. VBT would supply our bikes (hybrids), water bottles, helmets, and a tee shirt. They also provided detailed route maps and we would be allowed to cycle at our own pace and enjoy our surroundings. We had the option of bringing pedals and saddles (which Michael did) & whatever else we’d like, but opted for less baggage! All meals were included except for a few. There were optional activities recommended after the ride as well as many interesting things to see and history to learn along the trail each day.
We checked into the Bar Harbor Inn on Sunday and had a get-acquainted
meeting with our group before sitting down to a shore dinner (lobster feast)
together. 
There were 17 on our
tour besides the 2 leaders: 3 sisters on a reunion, 4 singles and 5 couples….average age mid 40’s. Beautiful weather
greeted us the next morning. On Monday, after a sumptuous breakfast in
the Inn dining room overlooking the harbor, we were fitted to our bikes, got
instructions for the day and headed out. Facing us was a long climb up
into Acadia National Park and the carriage roads built over a period of 27 years
by J.D. Rockefeller. These gravel paths weave through the woods, up and down
hills around pristine lakes. Ocean views peek through occasionally.
Sixteen hand-cut granite bridges connect these lovely carriage roads, which
were built as a refuge from autos. The only other people we saw
were on bikes, horses or foot. “The Maine woods resonated with my soul
and I knew I was home!”, says Ann. Lunch that
day was on our own at the Jordan Pond House, famous for their steaming
popovers. Yum! We ate on the lawn overlooking Jordan Pond with “The
Bubbles” (2 round mountains) beyond. There was a 15 or a 26 mile option
for riding that day. Supper together in the dining room of the Bar Harbor
Inn overlooking Frenchman’s Bay was sumptuous!
Very early (4:15 am)
Tuesday morning the three sisters, a tour guide, and the 2 of us met to watch
the sun rise. We drove the van from sea level up to Cadillac Mountain
(1530 ft elevation), where the sun’s rays first touch
the continental USA each day. Not only were we treated to a spectacular
sunrise, there was a full moon setting at the same time! On the way down,
we saw a cyclist heading for the top. Of course that gave Michael an idea
for the following morning! 
After breakfast, we
rode around the park on the Loop Road, with a lovely picnic prepared by our
tour guides. Some of the highlights were: seeing a peregrine falcon nest
(through binoculars!), Thunder Hole, Otter Cliffs and Sand Beach (where the water
rarely gets above 50 degrees). Ann hiked up beyond to take photos (see right)
while Michael opted for the nearly vertical climb up the Beehive, which is “not
for people afraid of heights”. Either a 15 or 22 mile route was available
that day. We opted to go whale watching later that afternoon, and it was well
worth the trip! We saw several types of whales as well as Puffins, seals
and many sea birds. Others in our group chose sea kayaking. A bowl
of Clam Chowder uptown made a perfect end to the day.
After his ride up
Cadillac Mountain, Michael joined the rest of us Wednesday for breakfast.
Our bags were then packed and stowed in the van as we cycled toward Southwest
Harbor, which is on the “quiet” side of the island. The weather was a
little rainy at first, but it didn’t last more than
an hour. We entered the Park and rode to the Hull’s
Cove Visitor’s Center where we saw a film on the
history of the area. In 1901, a group of wealthy Mount Desert Island summer
residents banded together to set aside the land that is now Acadia National
Park. How thankful we are for their vision! We rode on to the
Atlantic Brewing Company, home of the famous Bar Harbor Blueberry Ale. We
were treated to a tasting and they even served a wonderful root beer!
Lunch was enjoyed later at Pretty Marsh Picnic Area (with its healthy
mosquitoes), and then we rode on to visit the Wendell Gilley Museum. He was a
bird carver whose work is beautiful. There is a school in the building to
train folks interested in the art. The terrain was extremely rolling that
day and we were glad to roll into our new B & B, The Claremont, a wonderful
old wooden hotel built in 1884. It was a 27 mile day. The dining
room here was wonderful also. We took a walk up town after dinner looking
for ice cream and the power suddenly went out on the entire island!
Arriving back at the Inn, we found most of our group sitting in the living room
visiting by candlelight. It was actually one of the highlights of the
trip!
Thursday took us by the small fishing village of Bass Harbor
to the Swans Island Ferry Dock. On the trip over, we saw a 
tugboat pushing a
concrete mixer on a barge! Swan’s Island
is not a tourist area and we enjoyed quiet, serene riding. The first stop
was at Saturn Press (see Victoria magazine August 2000) where not only all of
the printing is done on antique pre-World War II presses, but layout and
record-keeping are both done the old way. Their beautiful products are
sold worldwide. Lunch was a picnic at Hockamock Head
Lighthouse. The view was spectacular. In fact, there were vistas at
every turn on this island! Returning by the last ferry (which Ann nearly
missed!), we stopped at the Ship Harbor Nature Trail and learned a lot about
the geology and fauna of the area. Supper was another lobster feast at a
restaurant on a pier in SW Harbor. The lobsters came off the boat that
afternoon! It was a 22 mile day.
Our last day began
by putting all of the bicycles (that’s 19!) atop the
van and shuttling to NE Harbor for a cruise around the Cranberry Islands.
On the way, we went up Somes Sound, the only fiord on
the eastern US coast; saw a lobsterman pulling in his catch; a lovely
lighthouse and a colony of seals. We had a short visit on Little
Cranberry Island where we found the Islesford
Historical Museum to be very interesting. We picked up an eighth grade
exam from 1887 that many of us would not be able to pass! The children
who live there today take the ferry to the mainland each day for school.
Our bicycles were waiting back at the harbor and we cycled back the 13 miles
over the top of Acadia National Park to the Bar
Harbor Inn where we showered, turned in our gear and said a regretful goodbye.
What would we change about this trip? Very Little! We had wonderful maps and route descriptions, but Michael would also like odometers on the bicycles. I wouldn’t change a thing except to make it last much longer! Our tour guides, Cindy & Cy were personable as well as efficient and caring. If you are interested in VBT, check out their web site at: http://www.vbt.com/. Acadia National Park’s site is: http://www.nps.gov/acad/home.htm
That's
Ann is just to the right and in front of
If you have comments or questions, please email Mike or Ann.