Maine: New Plans

Unbelievably, the calendar now says September. That means a few things (in addition to the obvious, "Holy smokes, where did the summer go?!?") It means back-to-school for Younger Daughter (11th grade, today), and off to college for Elder Daughter (two more weeks to go.) And it means that Maine '13 is 8 days away.

The general outline of the trip hasn't changed from our initial plans:

• Wednesday: fly to Bangor, Maine, pick up the rental car, shop for supplies, spend the night at a motel (daughters consider this last point outrageous - how can you call it a "hiking/camping" trip if you spend a night in a motel?!? I've given up arguing the point.)
• Thursday: drive an hour and a half to Acadia National Park, set up camp at the site we've reserved at Blackwoods Campground, have all afternoon and evening to hike/explore Acadia.
• Friday: hike and sight-see at Acadia. Cadillac Mountain?
• Saturday: 3.5 hour drive to Baxter State Park, reprovisioning in Millinocket on the way. We still have to decide to how to divide the day. Spend some time in Acadia, then break camp and travel to Baxter? Or get up, pack, and go? We don't have to decide until that moment. We just have to be reprovisioned and have camp set up in Baxter by nightfall. We have a lean-to reserved at Roaring Brook Campground.
• Sunday: hiking in Baxter. More on this below.
• Monday: hiking in Baxter. Break camp late in the day, drive one hour to Millinocket, where we have a motel room. Prepare for the next day's flight home.
• Tuesday: home.

This is a good plan. We'll see and hike in both "rocky coastline Maine" and "woods and mountains Maine." But here's how plans have changed.

First, Ted is not coming. He broke the news last week that busyness at his job simply won't permit him to take the time off. Of course we understand, but we're very sad. We know he wouldn't bail if he had any choice. Since these annual boys' trips started in '07, he's been on every one. Logistically, the only thing this changes is the car we'll rent. Where we had a minivan reserved for 4 people, we can now go to a much-cheaper 4-door sedan. We will miss him a lot - but not, I suspect, as much as he'll miss being along with us.

The second change is the hiking I'll be doing, which can now be summarized as "strictly non-strenuous." There was a very serious possibility over the weekend that I'd also have to bail, but I'm tentatively still on board - with the restriction that my hiking will be non-strenuous. Doctor's orders. So the placeholder I have in the itinerary for Sunday labeled "Hiking in Baxter"? That was planned to be a hike to the summit of Katahdin - 10+ miles, 3,500 feet elevation gain, part of it along a stretch called The Knife's Edge. I can't find any way to spin that hike as non-strenuous. :-)

I have ladies from 16-81 who think I shouldn't go, and I've solemnly promised that I will be smart and careful. And I will. I *will* hike, but there are plenty of mostly flat hikes along streams and to mountain lakes. If John and Eric want to give Katahdin a whirl, they have my blessing to go and give it their best. I'll happily occupy myself in and around the campground - maybe finding out whether harmonica playing attracts or repels wood nymphs....

The other possibility is that I still won't be able to go - in which case you'll find a post entitled "Arrrrrggggghhhhhh!!!!!" So, fingers crossed that I don't need to post that!

Mt. Katahdin, Baxter State Park, Maine