9/28/2011

We drove all morning until we got to Mount Desert Island which has Acadia National Park on it. The city of Bar Harbor is also here. We got us a campsite in the Blackwoods campground inside Acadia National Park and then went to the visitor center to get some information on hiking. We decided to do half of the loop drive this afternoon and then returned to Bar Harbor. One of the side legs on the loop road was up Cadillac Mountain which is 1530 feet tall. From here you could see Frenchman Bay. When we got to the top a cloud was passing and it was really foggy. We went back down about ¼ mile and the view was clear.
There were 2 gatehouses in the park that are at the beginning of the carriage road. The carriage roads are for walking and biking only. They have a horse drawn carriage that will take you down them also. They were built around 1932. When we got to Bar Harbor we went to a brewpub and shared a beer. Then we went into the center of town and stopped at a tasting room for Bar Harbor Brewing. They had four beers on tap to try but they also let us taste four more in bottles that were stronger. We talked beer with the server and he was a young homebrewer, he was the one who let us taste the beers that were “under the bar.” These are beers in their Manly Men series and are limited release. They were all very good. We will be going to the brewery for a tour tomorrow and will purchase some to take home.

We came back to the Casita and Jim grilled a steak for us. The next door campsite people came to talk to us. They have a Scamp and are from Massachusetts. He told us of a really good place for lobster rolls in Bar Harbor, so we will try one tomorrow.