Winter Harbor Camping Part II: Blueberry Hill

We got to do a couple of outings during our trip downeast. Lynne and Mel watched Callum for a couple of hours one day so Jon, Amanda, and I could take an awesome bike ride around Schoodic Point. It was only a 15 miler, but it was stupendous! Amanda kicks butt on her bike, and I think she is going to be a "cat 2" in less than a year! She has a turbo light, and that makes all the difference....

On another afternoon, Lynne watched Callum for a bit so Amanda and I could do what is most definitely in my top three favorite hikes of all time: Blueberry Hill. I guess some call it Schoodic Head, but I am old school....haha. For its location, it is a VERY interesting hike with surprisingly technical terrain, steep ascents, beautiful alder meadows, and stunning views of the Atlantic. Also, the flora is impressive, as white birch and Jack pine compete for the sun's nutrients in an amazing test of plant endurance. Pretty neat, twisty growth to check out....Here is Amanda about halfway up....just enjoying the beautiful forests.... It is really hard to tell just how steep some of these sections are. We were going to bring Callum (carry him), and it is a good thing we didnt! I havent hiked Blueberry for like four years, and I guess I forget how steep it was! Check out nature's little staircase.....

"The pictures dont do it justice" sounds sickeningly cliche....but it is most definitely true. THe whole experience: Seabreeze, silence, and salt air all coalesce to bring together the whole "moment." Okay Michael Scott. Directly across Frenchmen's Bay is Cadillac Mountain. Off to the left and right are other Acadia Mountains like Dorr, etc. There are DOZENS of little islands out there, and all of them are places Amanda and I would like to live. Some are so tiny they can only fit one cottage on them. Sign me up.

One of our classic "self portraits" we havent taken in a long time.....

And when we got back to the campsite, Callum enjoyed every little boy/father coming of age experience: The driving of the car....haha! We drove from the Willard's campsite to ours, and Callum steered. I wish we had a more "responsive" camera so you could truly see the SMILE on this kids face as he steered the car and made "vroom vroooooom" sounds!