A C A D I A   N A T I O N A L   P A R K   -   D A Y   # 3

Thursday, October 7, 2004

Tired from yesterday's bike trip around Mount Desert Island, I sleep in and give no competition to the early bird. It's a good thing I don't like to eat worms. Consciousness arrives mid-morning and I break free of my van cocoon to sunny skies and mild temperatures. Today should prove to be yet another great day for sightseeing.

Today I'll be riding my mountain bike on Acadia's famous Carriage Road System. Designed, financed, and constructed by philanthropist John D. Rockefeller Jr. between 1913 and 1940, 45 miles of carriage roads twist and turn in and around the heart of Acadia. No motorized vehicles are allowed on the roads, so I expect to encounter only hikers, bikers, and horse drawn carriages during my travels.

A short drive from the campgrounds, the starting point of my ride will be at Jordon Pond House, located at the southern tip of Jordan Pond.

Jordan Pond House. At the back of the complex you'll find a large collection of tables and chairs where you can dine with a view of Jordan Pond just down the way.

Looking at all the old photographs adorning the walls within the entryway, it appears Jordan Pond House has been around for a long, long time. However, in 1979 the original house was destroyed by fire. Bummer, so the only thing original about it is the new building occupies the same space as the old one. I guess that counts for something, right?!?

This reminds me of a juggling skit I saw as a kid. There was this juggler who was juggling an apple, a hammer, and a hatchet. As he's jugging, he talks about each of the three objects. When he gets around to describing the hatchet, he says it's the original hatchet used by George Washington to chop down the famous cherry tree, as professed in American lore. Problem is, over time both the handle and the blade have been replace. The juggler admits to this but proclaims, with a smile, that the hatchet occupies the same space as the original. The stupid things I remember as a kid.