(I uploaded some larger pics here; just click on the thumbnails.)
A trip to Maine has been in the cards for a while now, and we've been listening to Richard Shindell's excellent cover of Acadian Driftwood nearly daily since we picked up South of Delia earlier this summer. Acadia National Park is not exactly the Boundary Waters of the Northeast, sad to say, but it was well worth a visit. We packed up for the five hour drive and hit the road on Thursday (the tent stakes were all there, though I wasn't sure until we pitched the tent).
That's how much Fake Isle Hat I can knit in five hours (or more, since I cast on en route to hockey on Wednesday night). Worsted weight feels pretty bulky compared to the stuff I've been knitting with this year.
I forgot to take pictures of the campsite (within Blackwoods), which usually helps with future trip planning -- just picture a level, gravelled spot, three feet off a paved road, thinly surrounded by pines and thickly surrounded by identical campsites. This was the offseason and it still felt extremely crowded by state park standards (and cost twice as much). Just in case you were thinking of going. That said, the rangers do their best to space people out; the RVs are kept to one section of the park; the bathrooms are clean and the water tastes good. Best of all, there are free buses with bike racks to help you get around the park. This is especially helpful because the Park Loop Road is one-way for a while. There are also carriage roads all over the park, which make for very nice riding.
We were up in time to see the sun rise on Friday, and then spent the day biking around. For some insane reason we tried to climb the west face of Cadillac Mountain in bike shoes (it was there, so were we). A little steep for that. Had to stop and enjoy the view and knit for a while.
The sheer stupidity of our attempt is demonstrated by Tim's stocking feet:
Still can't get over how fast that colorwork went.
I mostly scooted down the mountain on my butt, like a crab, and I'm not ashamed to say so.
Saturday it turned grey and rather wet. We took advantage of the bus into town and tried to stay dry (and failed). By suppertime the storm blew out to sea, and we had a yummy dinner in Bar Harbor before taking the bus back to Blackwoods... where the number of stars up above knocked everything else out of my mind. Amazing, amazing sky. So many stars it was hard to pick out constellations, and a few shooting stars, too.
Sunday was sunny, windy, heavy with rose hips, just like a beach should be in the fall.
Go to Maine. They have SKY up there.
We *do* have SKY here... that's one of the reasons I like it so much. :)
We're over an hour west of Mt Desert, but I tend to think of the whole mid-coast/downeast area as accessible. Although, we often forget to take advantage of being so close. I spent that rainy Saturday in Portland, and like you, failed to keep dry.
Love the colors of your Fake Isle... it's a great pattern, too.
Posted by: Liz | September 18, 2007 at 09:05 AM