Monday events

Yesterday was an easy going day. The woman started out with a shopping trip to a yarn store to get mom a project to work. Goal = 1 project for Mary K. Of course I went to fondle yarn, dream, and stop at Target for a gingerbread kit. (Jes requested before I even approached the subject o the annual gingerbread project.) Brenda went because we knew if we went without her she would whine until she found time and a ride to go herself. Jes went because who knows what we might find. We were probably two blocks from the condo when I slammed on the breaks because I spotted landscapers trimming palm trees. B had bought a book on making crafts with palm fronds the day before. She traipsed across the road and came back with 3 huge leaves that she had to bend/break to fit in the trunk. Palm fronds = many projects for B. Since she found those she said she wouldn't be buying anything at the yarn/art supply store. Thus began the bet as to how many things she would buy. If someone guessed correct she had to pay for their purchase. If nobody did, she had to buy the closest one a coffee. J and mom guessed 5, I said 7, the actual number was 6, so drinks on her. Yarn shop = 1 project for mom, 1 for J, 1 for Brenda, handmade needles for Jan and at least 2 christmas presents. Trip to target scored gingerbread village kit, and many lei making kits. I think the women are set for projects.
The afternoon was filled by a trip up the mountain to an organic coffee plantation, Mountain Thunder Coffee. We had an interesting tour led by a knowledgeable guide who was very into the health aspects of coffee, antioxidants, you name it. We had a couple of samples, of course.

Turtle

Finally after a day of hiking lava beaches to look at tide pools, seeing plants and sacred grounds, playing bananagrams, Jes and I went over to see the turtles. Our condo is right on the beach, the turtle are a few condos down but they only come in during the late afternoon.

Wi'i

I'm blogging by memory so can't tell you the exact place or name if these guys. I think they're wi'i and they guard the sacred temple of king kamehameha.

Amy BH Greenwell Gardens

The first official sightseeing stop of the day was at this interesting botanical center. Every marker explained how the plant had been used historically, food or in its preparation, clothing, housing, etc.

First sunrise

They say it will take me a couple of days to get uses to island time. That's ok, it means I was up to see the sunrise yesterday and catch up on my blogging today.

Vacation Photos

This should be the link to my picture gallery. Beware, I was experimenting with exposure, angles, etc. and I haven't weeded through all the pictures yet so there's quite a few of them. I have grouped them though so you'll kinda know what you're looking at.

http://gallery.me.com/jangrif#100247

Ahhhh

My reading spot from yesterday. That's about all I did yesterday. Had
a last crab roll for lunch. Thought about taking a late day mail
boat / ferry ride but didn't leave myself enough time to find parking.
Guess I also wasn't terribly motivated since I've had plenty of water
time.
It's time to pack to go home. I'm exhausted, but happy. This has been
a great trip!

Priceline commercial

Just a quick note to show my $80 parlor suite. Thank you priceline.
It's the same type of room for the same price as I stayed in before
sailing. I love my king bed and it makes me giggle to think that it's
bigger than my whole ship cabin.

Long time no post

Please remember I'm typing with two fingers so while I'd love to tell
you all about my schooner trip now, it would take too long. Brief
version, one day beautiful weather one day overcast/rainy, both days
spent relaxing on deck, talking/ reading/ people watching/ knitting/
other played games... Both nights we got off the boat, first night
island state park and lobster bake, second night short walk to
lighthouse and general store. Food throughout was wonderful, people
great, deck hand lots of fun. Ok, my turn to order lunch, more later.

Sent from my iPhone

I love it when plans work better than expected

So, as expected I slept in.... to 7:15ish. Hey, for me that's late. I
can hear my mom chuckling and remembering when I had the ability to
sleep til noon (or later). Got up, packed up my wonderful room,
stopped my new favorite bakery, (although the bakery in Monterey that
taught me about coffee karma and pinapple coconut muffins will always
have a spot in my heart) and I hit the beach! I actually sat, read,
walked a little on the beach for 3 whole hours, amazing! Believe it or
not I never sit outside and soak up the sun anymore, but if you
thought I was dark before, just wait! Around noon I decided it was
time to move on so I stopped at the Two Lights Lobster Shack for a
crab roll and headed out of town. I did stop in Freeport at LL Bean, I
must not have been in a spending mood because I also went to
Patagonia, North Face and Horny Toad outlets and didn't spend a dime.
So the on to Rockland and the wonderful coastal highway which I had no
choice but to take. I got on after Boothbay so it wasn't as crazy this
time. I hit town with three last minute items to get... Sunscreen
(easy) a new book (not as easy because I wanted another by the same
author, but I did it) and a bottle of wine (harder than expected in a
touristy artsy town). I ended up at a grocery store outside of town
after walking the main street a few times. I only mention this because
I heard a comment that last years trip was all about wine and coffee.
The bottles I found were Toad Hollow Chardonnay, my fav wine from last
year, and Cupcake Chardonnay I winery I had planned to go to last year
but never quite made it to. I did have some wine last night as well,
imagine a cute bartender with a Russian accent, I couldn't leave after
just one glass....
So, purchases made I made it to the ship in time for the captains
welcome and now we have the rest of the evening for dinner and
exploring in town. We don't actually sail until tomorrow after
breakfast. I have my own cabin, yay! and I'm not the only adventurous
single woman on board.
Don't know when I'll post again, no wifi in the ocean. So I'll take
lots of pictures and write but they may not be up until Sunday.

Yesterday and today

Warning :) next two posts are out of order

Words to go with busy day pic

I had a little iPhone charging issue most of the day so unfortunately I don't have any of my pics for the blog. It seems like all you vicarious travelers like pictures so I found this one, though it's not nearly as pretty as the real thing, or my pictures. This is Sand Beach at Acadia. I did a very little hiking up the trail on the far shore, but I must be old because my legs still hurt from yesterday, plus there's a blister, plus I'm rowing tomorrow so I wanted to recover.... I also stopped at the Precipice and saw a young peregrine falcon and went down to the tide pools by Thunder Hole. I recommend Googling for pics of all those.
I spent the rest of the day driving the coastal highway down to Portland. I've decided I'm glad I did it, but if I ever drive back and forth to Acadia again I'm taking the easy way. I was prepared for the "quaint" towns of Camden, Rockland, and Boothbay Harbor. Seems like everybody wants to visit quaint towns and they're all tourist traps with cute shops. Not that I'm opposed to cute shops, it just felt more like Fisherman's Wharf in Monterey or San Fran, with the awful traffic as well. I was thinking of spending my last two days in one of those towns, but I'm rethinking that.
I arrived in Portland safely and without getting lost. That's amazing since no iPhone also meant no gps. I ate at a very nice bar and had a Red Claw beer and my first lobster roll. I had been worried about the hot dog bun part of lobster rolls but this one was toasted and delicious. I don't think it will be my last roll.
More tomorrow, I have to get up early and meet a friend of Deb Chute's in Yarmouth. As Bob says, two years two oceans to row in.

Sent from my iPhone

Wednesday morning

I had a picture of the sunrise I took as I was waiting for Nancy from
the Yarmouth Rowing Club. I decided to show this one instead of the
Portland Head Lighthouse. It's supposed to rain today so I got a
little sight seeing in early.

Busy day

Tuesday plans

I woke up much earlier than expected today so that may change my plans
since I have more time, we'll see.
I'm sitting in a nice little cafe eating wonderful blueberry pancakes.
So far I've had blueberry ice cream, a blueberry muffin and now my
favorite pancakes. No lobster yet, I plan to change that today.
I think I'll spend the morning back at Acadia, walk some by Jordan
pond where I had lunch and a famous poppver yesterday and spend some
time on the coast. The rocks and the surf intrigue me.
After all that I'll make my way back to Portland. I think I'll take my
time an go the coastal route back down. The drive up was extremely
easy which was good when I just wanted to get to here, but this time I
want to see more.

Sent from my iPhone

Acadia park hiking

So.... It's now 2:45 and I got on the shuttle around Acadia at 9:45.
Is that 5 hours? I'm a little exhausted, make that entirely exhausted.
I got off the shuttle at the first stop because that was the start of
the trail up Cadillac Mountain, the highest point of Acadia. So I had
to hike it right? Beautiful views all the way up. The top was grand
except for all those cars and the people who took the easy way up. I
have to admit I was so looking forward to the shuttle down. Well,
there wasn't one. The easiest way down was right back down the north
ridge. I choose to take the south ridge and on to Jordan Pond for
lunch. I think I'm done hiking for the day.
One of the many things I thought about was blogging. I was planning on
not blogging as much this year, but after being in the park for 5
hours I decided it's probably a good idea to have people that know
where I should be every day. So for the rest of today I eating here,
then taking the shuttle that actually comes to the pond and sitting by
the ocean.

Drum roll please....

So it's been decided, Maine at the end of July. I just read my second post from last year's trip where approximately 2 days before the trip I finally decided where I would be. This year I'm a month and a half away from my trip and I have 3 days already booked. I will be spending July 22-25 aboard the J. & E. Riggin Schooner (yep, that's the actual boat in the picture) doing nothing but reading, eating, knitting, vegging.... you get the idea. I'm forcing myself to do almost nothing. Since I've spent the last 3 summer trips running around trying to see everything I decided to do things differently this year. I'm both excited and nervous about this. Ok, done planning for a month or so... yeah right.