Season 2 Episode 2 (9/9): Acadia NP & Bar Harbor to Stockton Springs

Season 2 Episode 2 (9/9): Acadia NP & Bar Harbor to Stockton Springs –

Optional Acadia National Park (ANP) sunrise ride: Mark departed 5:04 a.m. for 15.6 miles and 1,014’ climb. 

Ride through ANP and from Bar Harbor to Stockton Springs: we both rode 80 miles with 5,518’ of climb. 

My alarm went off at 4:30 a.m. For the last 3 weeks I’ve been looking forward to riding up Cadillac Mountain. It wasn’t in my original plan, but on a ride with my friend Ted, he said you have to do it. I’d read up on it and it’s supposed to be the most incredible sunrise from the highest mountain on the eastern seaboard. For half the year, it’s America’s first sun coming over the Atlantic. It is so special that cars need reservations to drive up Summit Road to the peak. 

I do not like waking up early. By nature, I’m nocturnal and can stay up very late. Heather is a rooster, I’m an owl. So I figured it would be easy to convince her to come see this magnificent sunrise. She wasn’t biting. Darn!

So I left the room by myself quietly at 4:50 a.m. and started riding at 5:04. That is a huge effort for me. From our hotel, it’s 1.7 miles to the entrance and then 4.4 miles of continuous climbing. Sunrise was 6:05 and I’d be back by 7:30 for Heather and I to leave at 8 for our day ride. I had an extra rear light and wore a head lamp along with my front light to be well seen and to light up the road. 

After 15 minutes, it was clear I was going the wrong way. I had ignored my research and trusted the directions of the hotel clerk. I blame myself for that because I could sense he didn’t know what he was talking about. Shame on me! 

I got lost in pitch black roads and in a spot where my navigation wasn’t working. I ended up on the famous Loop Road where you can only go in one direction. It was clear I was not going to be atop Cadillac Mountain for sunrise. I was pretty upset, but at the same time enjoyed riding in near darkness by myself. But then a moose walked across the road 40 yards ahead of me. Pretty scary thinking of me flying down a mountain in the dark and hitting a moose!

I then came to this great vantage point overlooking the water and was rewarded with a majestic view of the dawn’s early light. 

By the dawn's early light. Acadia National Park.

On the one hand, I failed miserably. I did not see sunrise from atop Cadillac Mountain. On the other hand, I have no regrets. The sunrise I did see was not too shabby, pretty outstanding in its own right. It was a moment that seemed to perfectly fit the saying: “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars.” And that’s my goal for this trip (maybe life itself?): better to fail trying than fail to try. 

After returning to the hotel, Heather and I then enjoyed a spectacular ride through ANP on the Loop Road. We took in the rocky coastline, tall trees, and sun shining off the water. The weather was perfect. Sunny and cool. Maine crisp air. 

Acadia National Park

Acadia NP Loop Road

It brought back wonderful memories of our last visit to ANP in August 1995 when we camped, biked, hiked and kayaked. (Did any of you do the math? Heather was about 3 months pregnant with Sydney.) In looking at a photo from that trip, I can’t help but think how Acadia is like bookends in our lives. Then we were preparing to start our family, to fill our Segal nest; now we are just starting this journey and our adventure into empty nest. Much has changed even more than my hairline. 😉

Acadia August ‘95, pre-nest

\We did get to ride up Cadillac Mountain on our loop. The view was incredible, but the ride was much hotter climbing in the mid-morning sun. I felt drops of water falling on my knee that puzzled me as it could not be rain, it was a cloudless sky. I then realized it was a first for me. The drops were my own sweat falling from my face and landing on my leg. 

We made it to the top.

When we left ANP, we had cycled 30 miles and had 50 to go. I had one destination researched on route that was a must visit in the town of Ellsworth. Hopefully this would not be a second planning failure of the day. Off we rode to Morton’s Moo Homemade Ice Cream. 

Well, right off the bat I was impressed that they had a signature shake menu. 

Gotta respect this!

After a serious consultation with our server Molly, we ordered a Magilla Vanilla and me being me when it comes to ordering*, I made a change to chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. 

(* Dining out this past year with another couple, my friend Kevin offered me $10 if I’d just order without a single question, let alone several, of our food server. A near impossibility for me! But I did it. Heather has since wished I’d do it again and has even offered to pay me, but to no avail. My questions persist.)

Molly, Morton’s Moo milkshake maestro

“A 5-straw review”

Morton’s Moo gave me the fuel to strongly complete a 95 mile day! Heather, on the other hand, was depleted with 20 miles to go. She should have had a shake too!

© Copyright Mark Segal 2022