Cycling Maine – Mt Desert Island Four summits in one day on one island

On the of the great aspects about working for Summer Feet Cycling as a leader is that the company gives its leaders great flexibility when it comes to plan B. Plan B is most frequently invoked due to weather.  Last fall I devised a plan B due to rain, fog and a thunderstorm on Mount Desert Island.

I was leading 4 souls around Mount Desert Island on the Park Loop Road during peak foliage and the day’s trip included a summit ride to the top of Cadillac Mountain as part of the Summer Feet Cycling Gold Coast tour (http://www.summerfeet.net/trips/maines-gold-coast/ ).  The first day’s ride along the Park Loop road was abbreviated due to the above adverse weather conditions.  Instead the group went back early to enjoy the hotel’s amenities, including the heated pool and hot tub.

The next day called for a ride on the carriage roads while enjoying fall foliage.  This leisurely trip includes a stop at Jordon Pond House to enjoy their world famous popovers. Deviation from the day’s plan was due to the enthusiasm of the guests as they wanted to “do Cadillac” or ride to the top and relish in their accomplishment and inhale the views of the island from the top.

At the morning route review session I asked the guests how they felt about doing the carriage roads plus Cadillac and the response was pretty positive!  The route is 38 plus miles with an elevation change of 5800 feet (http://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=81170l ) and took us up Paradise Hill plus Sargent, Day and Cadillac Mountains in one day!  It was spontaneous and great fun for all!

We started out in Bar Harbor and entered got the carriage roads at the Duck Brook Bridge entrance and proceeded to summit Paradise Hill with views of Hulls Cove, Whale Back and Schoodic Mountain the bald mountain looking to the northeast.

Next we went around Sargent Mountain on the Around the Mountain trail.  You don’t actually reach the top but you have wonderful views of Somesville, Somes Sound and Blue Hill in the distance to the west.

After a hearty lunch of Lobster stew and popovers at Jordan Pond house and with on full bellies we rode up Day Mountain. Wow what a great ride and the views of Northeast and Southwest harbors plus Swan’s Island are breath taking.  Few folks take the time to summit Day Mountain but those who do enjoy the solitude and tranquility of the view.

Next on the agenda was Cadillac.  I caution guests that if you have problems climbing the Loop Road from Bubble Pond to the entrance to Cadillac then the climb to Cadillac is probably not for you.  However, the four intrepid guests were willing and able to “do Cadillac”!  The ride up is full of great teasers of the views from the top.  While you climb the road to the summit your views around the several switchbacks are bordering on euphoric.  At the top of Cadillac your climb is rewarded with views not found anywhere else along the eastern seaboard.  On a clear day you can see Mount Washington, some 150 miles to the west Grand Manan Island some 70 miles to the east and some guests have actually reported seeing Spain but I think their exercise-induced release of brain altering chemicals may have influenced their thoughts!

All in all some weather induced plan Bs are worth the wait.  I hope to see you on one of the four summits in the future!

“No man is an iland” but is the Isle of Man an island?

With apologies to John Donne, what constitutes an iland or an island as spelled after the 15^th century? I pondered this question when I was asked to add some of my impressions of the coastal islands of Maine for this blog. My first thought was of this meditation by John Donne….

Olde English Version

No man is an Iland, intire of itselfe; every man

is a peece of the Continent, a part of the maine;

if a Clod bee washed away by the Sea, Europe

is the lesse, as well as if a Promontorie were, as

well as if a Manor of thy friends or of thine

owne were; any mans death diminishes me,

because I am involved in Mankinde;

And therefore never send to know for whom

the bell tolls; It tolls for thee.

MEDITATION XVII

Devotions upon Emergent Occasions

John Donne

According to the Free Dictionary Online an island is “A land mass, especially one smaller than a continent, entirely surrounded by water.” Wikipedia adds that “An island may still be described as such despite the presence of an artificial land bridge.”

So an island is land mass smaller than a continent that is surrounded by water and may have a bridge connecting it to the continent.  This is great but my idea of a Maine Island is an island that is accessible ONLY by watercraft NOT by a bridge.  This includes islands off the coast of Maine which are accessible by bicycles and are part of the Maine Highway system which have ferry access like Islesboro, Swan’s Island, North Haven, Frenchboro and Vinalhaven (http://www.maine.gov/mdot/msfs/ ) and Swan Island (http://www.maine.gov/ifw/education/swanisland/index.htm ) and the Cranberry Islands (http://www.cranberryisles.com/ferries.html ).  Additionally the islands of the Maine Island Trail Association (http://www.mita.org/ ) qualify! Those with artificial land bridges including Verona and Mount Desert Islands and Deer Isle are not true islands in my mind.  True these are islands but there is nothing as exhilarating as taking a ferry or a personal watercraft and landing on an island. The landing on an island feeling is one of discovery and taking the “road” less travelled. SummerFeet Cycling (http://www.summerfeet.net/ ) includes guided bicycle tours visits to many islands including Islesboro, Portland Harbor Islands, Verona, Mount Desert Island and Deer Isle.

To answer the title question, yes, the Isle of Man is an island as is Greenland and Iceland but not Australia.  Iceland is a wonderful island to visit and bicycle. The Icelandic spelling is of Iceland is“Island” or land of ice not to be confused with Greenland, which up to last year was covered by ice and is greening up as the carbon dioxide builds up in the earth’s atmosphere.

The islands of the Maine Coast are much more than geographic features, they are living, breathing communities defined as much by their people as their natural features.   Each island has its own character  and personality.  There is something magical traveling across water to a new place. On an number of our tours we get to explore island communities and enjoy the unique sense of place that is an island.

I hope you enjoy your travels to the islands along the coast of Maine and look forward to seeing you on one of the ferries or on a SummerFeet Cycling adventure.

Celebrate the 50^th Anniversary of “Silent Spring” along the Maine Coast

The publication of “Silent Spring” by Rachel Carson is celebrating its 50^th Anniversary in 2012. “Silent Spring” is most renowned for bringing to the attention of the public of the mis-use of man-made –cides, be it herb or insect.  Most notably the use of DDT and its derivatives was dramatically reduced as a result of Rachael Carson’s book.  The first chapter of the book entitled “A Fable for Tomorrow” set the stage for a tranquil town which is ravaged by the toxic chemicals.

Rachel Carson lived near New Harbor in Maine and often visited a small beach near New Harbor.  Her visits lead to the publication of a book entitled “The Edge of the Sea” some 7 years before the publication of “Silent Spring.”  As a marine biologist Ms. Carson was intrigued by the sea and the “Edge of the Sea” brings us to her sea to observe its ecological diversity and its endless changing life driven by the tides and the seasons.  We can visit her cove near New Harbor, Maine on day two of the “Pedal the Coast” bicycle tour through Summer Feet Cycling.  On the way from Pemaquid Point to Clark Island bicyclists may stop by the Rachel Carson Salt Pond Preserve (http://nature.berkeley.edu/departments/espm/env-hist/espm160/assignments/carson/carson.htm) to see the cove that inspired Ms. Carson and to hike around the preserve.

Another opportunity to reflect on Rachel Carson’s contributions to preserving our habitat is to ride through the Rachael Carson National Wildlife  http://www.fws.gov/northeast/rachelcarson/ of which a part of the refuge is located near Cape Elizabeth on the Five Lighthouse Portland Bike Tour by Summer Feet Cycling. After seeing the five lighthouses you will bicycle south of Cape Elizabeth, Maine and travel through the refuge.  If you are fortunate enough, you may see a bald eagle or a blue heron or other waterfowl which are there today as a result of Rachel Carson’s thesis presented in ‘Silent Spring” that –cides are not the answer but understanding the ecology of the world is important in controlling our environment.

Once again enjoy the bicycle rides along the coast and reflect upon nature as we know it today as a result of eco-scientists like Rachel Carson.  Happy Anniversary “Silent Spring.”

For all the foodies out there, Maine is at it again. We just received 3 national James Beard nominations, one for Best New Restaurant -Petite Jaqueline in Portland one for Best Chef -Melissa Kelley of Primo in Rockland, one for Outstanding Restaurant – Fore Street as well as 5 regional nominations for Best Chef Northeast, Krista Kern Desjarlais of Bresca, Demos Regas of Emilitsa, and Nattasak Wongsaichua of Boda all in Portland and Brian Hill of Francine Bistro in Camden and Phoebe Chase and Ted LaFage of Chase’s Daily in Belfast.

Plan a trip to Maine for great food and book a Maine bicycle tour to burn off the calories.

You’ve planned a visit and now you’re looking for things to do in Kennebunkport.  Yes there are delightful restaurants – great decks from which to enjoy an afternoon beverage – and shopping options galore.  How about getting out and going for a walk?  There are wonderful walking options close to Dock Square in Kennebunkport – all close enough to ride your bike to if you choose to make more of an adventure out of it.

St. Anthony’s Franciscan Monastery

The trails of this 66-acre estate are open to the public and afford incredible vantage points of the Kennebunk River as it flows towards the sea.  Enjoy the quiet beauty and solitude of the many paths – through manicured gardens, past outdoor shrines and grottos, through the woods, and along the river.  There are great benches to relax on and while watching life on the river pass by.  The grounds of the estate were designed by legendary Frederick Law Olmsted Bros who also designed New York City’s Central Park, and many of the sculptures adorning the grounds were crafted by world-renowned artists and sculptors.

Getting to the Monastery – 0.5 miles from Dock Square – cross over the bridge into Kennebunk.  At the light with Route 35, make a left onto Beach Avenue.  St. Anthony’s is on your left.  There is ample parking for bikes or cars.

Bridle Path of Kennebunk

From this starting point, the Bridle Path stretches both north towards Kennebunk and south towards the ocean.  If you choose the southerly portion, the distance you’ll cover will be quite short.  If you choose to go north, you can walk more than 2 miles before you will have to turn back around and retrace towards your vehicle.  Either direction, you will be exploring land, preserved as part of the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, that lies alongside the Mousam River as it meanders to the sea.

Getting to the Bridle Path – 2.1 miles from Dock Square – cross over the bridge into Kennebunk.  At the light, continue straight on Route 9 / Western Avenue.   Continue straight through the light with Sea Road.  Follow on another 0.6 miles and you will see a small pull off on the right hand side of the road.  If you cross the river you’ve gone too far!  Park off the road side, in the direction of traffic.  The path goes in both directions from this point.

Cape Porpoise Harbor Islands

Plan your visit to the islands with the tide.  If you want to get out and back, you can bank on having a solid hour and a half to two hours on either side of low tide during which you can explore.   Spend that time exploring the mud flats, bring a book and a water bottle and pull up a sunny rock on Trott Island, or wander the whole way over to Stage Harbor and go for a swim.  Please note – even during the lowest of low tides, you will still have to slog through ankle to knee deep water as you cross the various channels to the islands.  We recommend you wear shoes that will not come off in the mud.  These islands are all part of the Kennebunkport Conservation Trust.  Please visit their website for guidelines regarding island use – especially if you decide you’d like to make a night of it and set up camp.  Don’t forget to check the tide!

Getting to Cape Porpoise Harbor – 3.0 miles from Dock Square – there are many different routes that will take you to Cape Porpoise.  For the most direct route from Dock Square, head up Spring Street to the light and make a right onto Route 9.  Go one block and make a left, staying on Route 9 / School Street.  In town Cap Porpoise, where Route 9 will make a 90° turn to the left, stay straight onto Pier Road.  Follow Pier Road out to the end of the peninsula where you will find a parking lot and restaurant options if you choose to stay for a meal.

East Point Sanctuary – Biddeford

This entire trail is about 1.4 miles roundtrip and is very easy walking.  You’ll be a stone’s throw from Wood Island Lighthouse, and the rocky shore Maine is known for will be right at your feet.  Take time to smell the beach roses and the bayberry shrubs.  If the tide is out, explore the plentiful tide pools, keeping in mind that any black rock you put your foot on will be slippery!  This is a phenomenal location to watch the moon or sun rise.  If you have binoculars, bring them!  Please be mindful of the severely eroded embankments and choose options that will not contribute to this issue.

Getting to East Point – 10.4 miles from Dock Square – follow Route 9 out of Kennebunkport.  Pass Cape Porpoise and then Goose Rocks Beach.  Make a right onto Fortunes Rock Road.  Follow it as it makes a 90° turn to the left.  Pass Fortunes Rock Beach on your right and continue on.  At the stop with Route 208, continue straight on Mile Stretch Road.  Follow as the road turns into Lester B Orcutt Blvd which leads to the ocean.  Park along the right hand side of the road, facing the ocean and facing with traffic.  The trail head is across the street and is marked with a fence and a Maine Audubon sign.