Day Four: Burlington to Ellsworth ME July 9, 2013

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"Give me reasons to believe

That you would do the same for me"



We had to backtrack a couple of miles to get some blood pressure medication for Jan, then with bass drum thumping and Philip Phillips slashing his guitar we were Gone, Gone, Gone to Maine.

We deliberately took a slight detour to take the road through Smugglers Notch and Stowe which Men's Journal had just listed as one of the 20 most thrilling rides in America. It was beautiful, but totally devoid of thrills. I should re-write their article from my own experiences (driving over 17 miles coming down from King's Canyon without once touching the gas is one I might list, or the one lane road along the ridgeline in Grand Staircase-Escalante, or the road BEYOND Hana, or the West Maui Mountain road - but I digress). But it was a pretty ride through granite hills and mountains. On the way we passed through the Smugglers Notch and Stowe ski areas, both with what appeared to be robust summer occupancy.



In Stowe we took a very short side trip to visit the Trapp Family Lodge, eventual home of the real-life Sound of Music family. It is a beautiful resort and lodge now, with nearby skiing.



The rest of the day was spent in a slog across the northernmost US highway, US 2, as it traversed across northern Vermont and New Hampshire and then finally into Maine. Crossing into Maine left me with only two states I have not visited, North Dakota and Alaska.

The day was finished with more lobster in Bar Harbor.



Tomorrow: Acadia National Park, then on into Canada.

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Photos

Trapp Family Lodge
The hills are alive with...something