Yesterday, I departed from Arlington VA at 8AM and drove for 9 hours, passing through DC, MD, DE, NJ, NY, CT, MA and finally landed in Portsmouth, NH for the night. I enjoyed a free steak dinner and beer at Texas Roadhouse (mystery shop) and hit the sack.
This morning, the sun came up at 5:30, and I was out the door an hour later. I spent about $50 on tolls in the "blue states" the day before and decided to take the scenic, toll-free route through Maine to Bar Harbor. It took an hour longer but was worth it. I passed through the absolutely charming and quaint coastal town of Ogunquit, where I'm told my aunt and uncle used to vacation.
I got my first peak at the Atlantic Ocean then drove through Kennebunk, Freeport, Portland, Wells and a few other quaint villages. A sign said there was a photo pull-off ahead, so I stopped and saw the Penobscot Narrows to the right and the Bridge to the left, boasting the tallest bridge observation tower in the world.
I crossed the bridge and continued along US1 and Route 3 through through rolling hills and forests. Lumber and granite are still big exports for Maine. I didn't see any agriculture other than plant nurseries and no animal farms at all. I passed lakes with rustic little cottages on them and after 5 hours, finally got to the tiny Trenton Bridge that leads to Mount Desert Island. The bridge is so small it's easy to miss, and there's a popular lobster place right there.
I drove to the bustling downtown to grab my house key from my boss at the kayak shop. I met one of my housemates who will be working in Customer Service at the kayak rental counter. I then drove a mile to the small 4 bedroom house where I'll be living. I unpacked, relaxed and washed my car! ;) Two more housemates arrived from FL in the afternoon, a girl and her fiance, guide trainees like me...very nice! There is also a guy who lives in the house year round, including when we move out and students move in in September. They attend the nearby college.
I have a small bedroom in front with two windows and Wifi. Yippee. Feels like being back in college. ha. There is a well stocked kitchen too ;) I'm super sore and tired from driving etc, so I decided to wait until tomorrow to venture back into Bar Harbor and explore. We will meet the boss at the shop at 9AM for a casual orientation paddle out into Frenchmen's Bay and then get our gear and company policies spiel in the afternoon. Once again, I heard that the Maine Sea Kayak Guide License test has a high fail rate. Yikes! Well, that was day one. Stay tuned... training starts Friday, and my licensing exam is June 22nd!
