We left the B&B at about 8:30 and stopped at the Visitor Center on our way out of the 
park so I could get a stamp for my National Park passport book. Just got it on a paper slip. As we neared the water to cross to the mainland, the fog made its presence known but it dissipated once we were over. We turned onto Highway 1 and headed South – took a picture of the Ellsworth City Hall – very decorative. We had been looking for the Big Chicken Barn that the B&B’s hostess had written about – a huge building filled with stuff on the first floor and books on the second. We almost drove by it but stopped in time. What a collection! But very neat and tidy. I was looking for a copy of To Kill A Mockingbird, but could not find it.
We took Rt 175 down the Penobscot peninsula to Castine – we had heard it was very Victorian. Well, it wasn't a go-to sort of place for old houses, but it was picturesque and the weather was beautiful. It was a quiet nice small water town. Had lunch there at a good little café and then went to the Dice Head Light nearby. On the way out, we stopped at F
t. George where earth works are left from Revolutionary era forts.
Next stop was the Observation tower on the Penobscot narrows bridge and Ft. Knox. Went first up the tower – largest in the Western Hemisphere and – the only one in the Western Hemisphere also. Other 2 in world are in Eastern Europe and the Middle East. The tower is one of the two vertical supports holding up the highway bridge that crosses the Penobscot. The view from the top gave us a good look at what Maine is – lots and lots of trees with a few places of habitation. We went through Ft. Knox pretty fast – it had never seen action and it was in very very good shape. Beautiful stonework on the walls and tunnels.
We drove on to Camden where we stopped to walk around. Saw the park designed by Olmstead (of Central Park and 1897 Chicago World's Fair fame) and walked down Chestnut St. to see the old homes.
We also saw a group of fixed up Sears Roebuck homes – the mail order houses. We drove next to Rockport, to see the Andre the Seal statue. Got a distant view of the Indian Head Light on an island at the entrance to the Harbor. Tried to see more but couldn’t drive to the water – private property.
We decided to head back to Camden to drive up Mt. Battie to get a view of Camden Harbor but … the fog rolled in just as we were turning into the State Park, so nix on that idea.
On to Rockland. We stopped in the downtown and walked around – Sue not impressed – she thought it was dumpy. The Farnsworth Art Museum (home of the Wyeth collection) was closed by then and would open tomorrow at 10am.
We headed for the Hampton in Thomaston and found that our reservation for the next night was going to cost us a lot more than we had been told on the phone. Imagine - $205 for this very ordinary Hampton stuck by Hwy 1 in the middle of nowhere! We canceled that second night. We thought we’d stay in the area more, but we will just head South when we get done with the boat ride tomorrow evening.
We went back into Rockland to the Snow Marine Park where we searched high and low for the Rockland Harbor Southwest Light. I finally spotted it way off in the distance (with the binoculars).
park so I could get a stamp for my National Park passport book. Just got it on a paper slip. As we neared the water to cross to the mainland, the fog made its presence known but it dissipated once we were over. We turned onto Highway 1 and headed South – took a picture of the Ellsworth City Hall – very decorative. We had been looking for the Big Chicken Barn that the B&B’s hostess had written about – a huge building filled with stuff on the first floor and books on the second. We almost drove by it but stopped in time. What a collection! But very neat and tidy. I was looking for a copy of To Kill A Mockingbird, but could not find it.We took Rt 175 down the Penobscot peninsula to Castine – we had heard it was very Victorian. Well, it wasn't a go-to sort of place for old houses, but it was picturesque and the weather was beautiful. It was a quiet nice small water town. Had lunch there at a good little café and then went to the Dice Head Light nearby. On the way out, we stopped at F
t. George where earth works are left from Revolutionary era forts.Next stop was the Observation tower on the Penobscot narrows bridge and Ft. Knox. Went first up the tower – largest in the Western Hemisphere and – the only one in the Western Hemisphere also. Other 2 in world are in Eastern Europe and the Middle East. The tower is one of the two vertical supports holding up the highway bridge that crosses the Penobscot. The view from the top gave us a good look at what Maine is – lots and lots of trees with a few places of habitation. We went through Ft. Knox pretty fast – it had never seen action and it was in very very good shape. Beautiful stonework on the walls and tunnels.
We drove on to Camden where we stopped to walk around. Saw the park designed by Olmstead (of Central Park and 1897 Chicago World's Fair fame) and walked down Chestnut St. to see the old homes.
We also saw a group of fixed up Sears Roebuck homes – the mail order houses. We drove next to Rockport, to see the Andre the Seal statue. Got a distant view of the Indian Head Light on an island at the entrance to the Harbor. Tried to see more but couldn’t drive to the water – private property.
We decided to head back to Camden to drive up Mt. Battie to get a view of Camden Harbor but … the fog rolled in just as we were turning into the State Park, so nix on that idea.
On to Rockland. We stopped in the downtown and walked around – Sue not impressed – she thought it was dumpy. The Farnsworth Art Museum (home of the Wyeth collection) was closed by then and would open tomorrow at 10am.
We headed for the Hampton in Thomaston and found that our reservation for the next night was going to cost us a lot more than we had been told on the phone. Imagine - $205 for this very ordinary Hampton stuck by Hwy 1 in the middle of nowhere! We canceled that second night. We thought we’d stay in the area more, but we will just head South when we get done with the boat ride tomorrow evening.
We went back into Rockland to the Snow Marine Park where we searched high and low for the Rockland Harbor Southwest Light. I finally spotted it way off in the distance (with the binoculars).
We had dinner at a restaurant (Amalfi) close by and after dinner walked to the edge 
of the harbor where I took a picture of the Rockland Breakwater Light.
Back to the hotel for the night after Sue got her chocolate fix at Rite-Aid.
of the harbor where I took a picture of the Rockland Breakwater Light.Back to the hotel for the night after Sue got her chocolate fix at Rite-Aid.
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