Lee and Elaine's RV Adventures: Maine

Before leaving California on July 30, 2013, we had been a little worried about the weather on the east coast and being this far north into October. But the weather has been spectacular. Cool nights, warm days and lots of sunshine. It just can't get better than this! The coast of Maine is absolutely beautiful if you like quaint little villages, spectacular fall colors, and not a lot of tourists (comparatively speaking) because it's after Labor Day. I don't think I would have the same opinion if I was here during the height of the summer season. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of resorts, B & B's, cottages and motels and they all seem to be surviving. Trying to drive through those quaint little villages with hordes of tourists could take forever!

Our first stop was on the southern coast of Maine, in the town of Wells which was founded in 1643, which is not unique because I think every town we drove through was founded in the 1600's or 1700's. From here we visited Kennebunkport, Orgunquit, and Freeport, the home of LL Bean and points in between. But we missed Lenny, the 1700 pound, life-size chocolate moose, in Scarborough. We passed him on our way to see something else and thought we'd be coming back the same way. Alas, our route changed and we didn't make it back.

Marginal Way Walk, Perkins Cove, Ogunquit, Maine

A make-believe lighthouse

Marginal Way Walk, Perkins Cove, Ogunquit, Maine

A beautiful sailing day, Orgunquit, Maine

Marginal Way Walk, Perkins Cove, Ogunquit, Maine

Cape Neddick Light aka Nubble Light, York, Maine, est. in 1879 - Southernmost of Maine's lighthouses

One of many old churches we've seen in the northeast

Portland Head Light, the oldest lighthouse in Maine went into operation on January 10, 1791. Fort Williams Park, Cape Elizabeth, Maine

Ram Island Ledge Light, est. 1905, Casco Bay, Maine, as seen from Portland Head Light

The flag flying over Fort Williams

Fort Williams was a military installation begun in1873 and guarded the entrance to Casco Bay. It was an active military base until 1964.

Cape Elizabeth Light aka Two Lights, est. 1828. Originally, there were two lights but the west light was discontinued in 1855.

Just a house in Kennebunkport

And more houses in Kennebunkport

Kennebunkport, Maine

Kennebunkport

St. Ann's Episcopal Church, building began in 1887 and the church was consecrated in August, 1892. It has been used as a summer chapel since that time. Kennebunkport, Maine

Lutheran Church, Kennebunkport

First Families Museum at White Columns, a Greek Revival home built in 1853. It has exhibitions covering two centuries of Kennebunkport history, mostly things donated by the Bush family. It is staffed mostly by volunteers and a paid historian who gave us an excellent tour. She told us a story about one of the volunteers that was quite humorous. It seems that one day a well-dressed lady came in wearing a summer hat and dark glasses, with a young child in tow, followed by a couple of men in business suits. Seeing the donation box, the lady dropped a $20 bill into it and then wanted to enter the museum. The volunteer told her it would be $7 to enter the museum. The lady said she just put $20 into the donation box but the volunteer was adamant that anyone wanting to enter "her museum" had to pay the $7 entry fee. So, out comes another $7, (children get in free) and the lady entered the museum. Now, the men in suits had not said a word up to this time but after the visitors had left the room, they asked the volunteer if she had any idea who the lady was. When she said "no", they told her it was Laura Bush. The poor volunteer about died!!!

Village Baptist Church, Kennebunkport

Bush compound on Walker's Point, Kennebunkport

The Bush compound was purchased by President George H. W. Bush's great-grandfather, David Davis Walker, and Walker's, son George H. Walker, in the late 19th century. Although it has remained in the family, it was not handed down from one generation to the next. You can't see the wind turbine, but #41 had it installed so he could be 'greener' than Al Gore!

Bush compound, Walker's Point, Kennebunkport

My first lobstah dinner at Mike's Clam Shack, Wells, Maine. I had never had a whole lobster before, let alone two! The only kind I had ever eaten was 'lazy man's' lobster, a tail that had been removed from the shell. So, how does one eat a whole lobster? Fortunately, the hostess was there to give me a lesson on how to eat it! Ooooh, it was soooo good!!! Can't wait for the next one.

Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, on the way to Moody Beach, Wells, Maine

The morning we left Wells, we encountered a little fog but it didn't last.

Our destination on Sunday, September 29, 2013, was Narrows Too RV Park in Bar Harbor, Maine. Acadia National Park is located in Bar Harbor and ever since I got my first LL Bean catalog, I had wanted to go there. LL Bean did a lot of their photo shoots at the park and the pictures were always beautiful. Usually when we arrive at an RV park, we get set up and then just 'hang out' for the rest of the day if we're staying more than a day. Sightseeing begins the next day. But, this particular day, our plans changed. As we were checking in, we were told that if we wanted to see Acadia, we should see it that day and/or Monday because the government was probably closing down on Tuesday, October 1, because Congress had not passed a budget and most likely wouldn't do it on Monday. I would have been very disappointed to have come this far and not been able to see it. By the way, Acadia National Park is on a somewhat small island, Mt. Desert Island, so we were able to drive all around it. I just can't describe how beautiful it was.