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Day 26: A break in the clouds
Location: Bar Harbor, ME
Miles Driven: ~110
Total Miles: 4,929
So before I went to bed at the Peacock House, Sue told me breakfast is served at 8:30AM. Late that night I realized I wasn’t sure what time zone I was in. My phone was on Atlantic Time, but the alarm clock in the room was on Eastern Time. Most people, I think, would side with the alarm clock that’s a part of the bed and breakfast, but I got a bit nervous and, at the risk of missing breakfast, I set my alarm for 7am Atlantic Time. Sure enough I saw Sue at 6am EST time, and she confirmed EST was the right time zone. Caught a few more zzzs, then got ready to eat.
Delicious breakfast made by Dennis. Not sure what you call it - French toast bowl?
Over breakfast I got to meet Dennis, Sue’s husband and co-proprietor/chef of the b&b. I also got to know the other guests staying in the house, and learned about some of the local attractions from them and Sue. This is exactly one of the best parts of being out on the road – getting to meet new people and learn about the places they visited.
Dennis and Sue (and the Captain), the nice owners of The Peacock House Bed & Breakfast
If you are ever on the east coast of Maine and need a nice place to stay, I can’t recommend this place more. Check out their site here.
Hannah and Marsha. These two told me about some places to visit across the border. Good luck to Hannah as soon she'll head to Paris Island to become a Marine
Chris and Jennifer. This well-traveled duo consists of two very skilled photographers. I'm anxious for when Chris gets the photo website up
Thanks to all of these kind folks for recommendations on things to do that day. My initial plan was just to head south to Acadia National Park that morning, but after talking with everyone, I lined up good amount of activities through the afternoon before I would make a drive of any big length.
First stop – the West Quoddy Head lighthouse on the easternmost part of the U.S.
Another foggy day, but a nice day
So I found the origin of that fog horn I was hearing the last night before I went to sleep. There’s a small building right next to this lighthouse that houses the horn. It’s loud, but it’s a strangely soothing sound.
Did some walking around the inside of the lighthouse which is a mini-museum with some art exhibits, and came across this sign:
So now I've been to the Easternmost point of the US, The Southernmost (two previous trips), and I'll try to catch the Westernmost and Northernmost later on this trip
Ran into Chris and Jennifer at the lighthouse, and ended up taking a stroll along the water.
The next item on the agenda was to visit Franklin Roosevelt’s summer home on Campobello Island in New Brunswick, Canada. It wasn’t a far drive at all, and I made it through Customs without incident.
Border crossing
I didn’t even know FDR had a summer home, let alone one in Canada, so I checked out the visitor’s center to learn more. Thanks to my friends at the b&b for recommending the free film – it was well done and explained why the Roosevelts had a place here. The visitor center was also great at explaining American/Canadian relations from early colonial days to modern times. Fun fact: US trades more with Canada than all of the countries of the EU combined.
The visitor center was right next to the summer home, so I spent some time wandering the grounds and exploring the inside of the home (gorgeous, by the way).
Plaque outside the visitor center
FDR's summer home
FDR's Presidential chair from the Oval Office
After some sightseeing, I left the grounds and made my way North towards the East Quoddy Head lighthouse. I was informed earlier that, when the tide is out, I can walk across the ocean floor and make my way to the island of rocks that the lighthouse sits on, and around 3:30PM would be the time the path would be clear. I got there around 2:45, took a nap, and then started the mini-trek towards the lighthouse.
The lighthouse in the distance
You had to make your way across one small island first, then cross the seabed one more time to get to the lighthouse.
Tide's out, but those ladders still are slippery
A little closer
Wonder what it looks like when the tide is in?
Finally made it over! It was a fun time – not often you can walk across the ocean floor.
Hiked my way back to the car, grabbed some fried shrimp at a local restaurant (happened to catch Chris and Jennifer again as they were headed out), and then headed back towards the US. Not sure if I was randomly selected, or if it was all the junk in my car, but I had my car searched at Customs. Fortunately no problems, and then got onto Hwy1 to head Southwest towards Acadia National Park. Arrived at the Schoodic Peninsula potion of Acadia a few hours later.
For years I had wanted to visit Acadia, and now I was finally here. And what timing – finally, the clouds of the past several days were breaking, and I could actually tell where the Sun was. How lucky I was to arrive here just as the sky was clearing up.
Acadia is absolutely beautiful. I made a few loops around the Schoodic peninsula portion of the park that night.
I decided I’d hang out by the Schoodic Point area for a while and just enjoy watching the waves hit the rocks. The sun was coming down, and I figured it would be a good way to end the day.
I think that bird was looking for some food from me
Sun begins to set
Great end to a great day
I drove to nearby Bar Harbor, Maine, to get some sleep for a few hours. My goal was to catch the sunrise from Cadillac Mountain, where it is said that some of the first light of the sun hits the U.S. Thanks to Nick for finding the sunrise time for me – 4:17AM. Early day, for sure, but it’ll be worth it.
joe
Days 24 and 25: Covering some ground
Greetings from Lubec, Maine – the easternmost town in the whole country. I had heard about this place from my friend Frances, and though I didn’t have intentions of visiting, it was right along the coast and I figured it would be worth a visit. And since I arrived after 9PM and over 300 miles of driving today, I decided to find some place to stay. Thanks to 3G on the phone, I found the Peacock House Bed & Breakfast, and the kind owner Sue checked me in after normal hours.
Where to begin? In my last post, I described the time I spent with Lynn and my other relatives. The following morning (Tuesday) I accidentally slept in, but it turned out to be OK. Lynn didn’t need to kick me out, and I didn’t necessarily have to be anywhere (story of this trip). So I got caught up on my website posts, tallied the latest expenses, and took care of some laundry (thanks, Lynn).
Lynn has some nice plants in front of her house
Around 4PM or so, we headed to the Barrington, RI area to visit my great aunt Vivian (Viv was the wife of my great uncle Omer, one of the three brothers previously mentioned). At 88 years old, she is the oldest remaining relative on this side, as far as I know, and still lives in a house that was owned by my great grandmother’s family (Pere’s). If I met Aunt Viv before, it was when I was little, so I had no memory of it – but she treated me like someone she’s known forever. We enjoyed some drinks and snacks outdoors, and I learned some more family history in the process. Another great visit with a relative. My only regret with this whole stay in Rhode Island is that I haven’t spent more time with these people in the past.
Great Aunt Vivian and me
I said my goodbyes to Lynn and Aunt Viv, and got in the car to start the journey north towards Maine. I had debated stopping in Boston (never been before) and checking out some of the historic sites, but wasn’t drawn to it enough to fight traffic in a big city.
- I continued north on I95
I had no major destination in mind for the day, but I just wanted to work my way towards northern Maine. There’s a state park – Baxter – that marks the northern end of the Appalachin Trail (goes from Georgia to Maine) with the tallest mountain in Maine – Mount Katahdin.
Grabbed this shot with my phone
I was pretty thrilled to be in Maine. As I texted some friends, here I was 4,000+ miles since starting the trip, in a state I’ve heard so much about but had never seen.In the visitor center parking lot, I saw a car propped up on a jack but nobody was around it. Since it looked like my old Neon (just red instead of green), I gave it a look over. Someone apparently got a flat and got towed to the stop and hadn’t been back yet. I emphasized a little bit with the owner, knowing some of the issues you could get with that kind of car (though I had wonderful luck on my last roadtrip).Wonder if this car owner was on a roadtrip of their own?
- tough break, little Neon
I drove my way to a rest stop not far from Millnocket, Maine. It was too bad the sky was overcast. I was thinking out in the Maine wilderness, with little city light interference, I bet the night viewing is spectacular. Oh well. Slept at the rest stop and got up around 5AM to start the trek to Baxter State Park. Unfortunately, the sky was overcast still, and rain was coming down periodically.
Cool painting on the way to the park
By the time I made it to the park, the rain was pretty steady and my chances of hiking near Mount Katahdin looked dim. I don’t mind a little rain, but it seemed by the time I would make it back to the car after a hike, I’d be soaked, and I have little room in the car for wet items. But I still got to enjoy the park via the “Tote Road”, the unpaved main road that winds through the park. On this road, the max speed limit at any point is 20 mph, and you have to watch for cars as the road is barely wide enough to fit two across.
Baxter State Park is pretty amazing, in both size and history. Percival Baxter, a former governor of Maine, bought up large areas of land over a period of time, and then donated them to the state. He was a big fan of the outdoors, and wanted the area to be enjoyed by residents and guests alike, but recreation would be a secondary consideration behind keeping the land protected from industry (like paper). In the push to turn the land into a state park he once said:
Maine is famous for its twenty-five hundred miles of seacoast, with its countless islands; for its myriad lakes and ponds; and for its forests and rivers. But Mount Katahdin Park will be the state’s crowning glory, a worthy memorial to commemorate the end of the first and the beginning of the second century of Maine’s statehood. This park will prove a blessing to those who follow us, and they will see that we built for them more wisely than our forefathers did for us.
Indeed, all I had heard about Maine was it’s rich coastline. But after getting a chance to drive 42 miles through Baxter State Park, I really gained an appreciation for what Governor Baxter had said about this land. Here are some photos from my drive through:
Tote Road
Doubletop looms in the distance
Well I'd hope the fire danger is low here, Smoky. It's been raining all day
It took several hours to get through the park between driving at 20mph and stopping for naps/photos. By the time I made it out, it was still raining and the car was quite a mess.
A little bit dirty, but managed the unpaved road well
I continued on some state highways, with some stops in some old towns, and made my way towards the eastern portion of Maine along Highway 1. At one point I reached a junction where Highway 11 went North and South. I pulled over, and texted my friend Kelly. “Which way?” I asked. She said “left”. Left was South, and left I went.
A lake in Maine
View of St. Croix Island International Historic Site (along US/Canadian border). The island was a site of an early French settlement
Originally I had made plans to go visit Nova Scotia, but it would be quite a haul to get to Halifax, and it would limit my time at Acadia National Park, so I decided against it.
It certainly was chilly with the combination of driving near the water and the steady rain, and as I made my way towards Lubec I had to be careful as there was a little fog on the roads. But even with the cold, damp weather, I would consider this an outstanding day. I covered a lot of ground, saw some beautiful places in Maine, and wound up staying in a bed and breakfast that was once a home built before the start of the Civil War (built in 1860).
Sue says breakfast is at 8:30, and there she said I’ll learn more about some nearby attractions (and one in Canada). She said they are must-sees. Looking forward to it.
joe
Day 23: Remember me? I was about 8 years old when we last met
Location: Riverside, RI
Miles Driven: 168
Total Miles: 4,040
4000 miles. All right!
Left Ya-Wen’s place around 8AM as she headed off to work. Thanks again, Ya-Wen. I didn’t think I’d have any home to stay in while I was in Connecticut, and turns out I had a home to stay in along with a good friend to visit. Ya-Wen and I were in grad school together, and though we’ve seen each other here and there since graduation, it still had been a couple of years since we’ve met up.
The previous night in NYC, I had come across a Forbes article linked from MSN.com that highlighted some scenic drives across the country. I had recognized a couple – the Overseas Highway going along the Florida Keys, the Pacific Coast Highway, and others. One of the drives mentioned that I didn’t recognize was the Merritt Parkway in Connecticut. Luckily, that parkway was just north of me and ran parallel to I-95 for a stretch, so I figured I could drive the Merritt Parkway for at least a little while and then link up with I-95 towards Rhode Island. I’m glad I came across that article – the drive along that road was very enjoyable.
Driving along the Merritt Parkway
Around New Haven the Merritt Parkway turned North, so I got back onto I-95.
The destination was Riverside, Rhode Island, where my cousin (Mom’s side) Lynn lives. I hadn’t seen Lynn and my other cousins from Rhode Island since my grandma’s funeral back in the late 80s, so I was looking forward to meeting up with everybody and learning more about the family (the Sevigny’s) from here.
Lynn was very welcoming from the start, as she grabbed some snacks and had me come sit out by the pool. My gregarious cousin Eddie came by, as well, and I began to make the connections of how everybody was related. The common reference was my Grandma, Aldora, who was Eddie and Lynn’s aunt. Lynn kindly drew up a quick family tree for my reference:
Note the Curtin children near the bottom left
My grandma Aldora (we called her “Memere” when we were kids) was the one girl out of four children born to my great-grandparents (EJ and Olivine Sevigny), immigrants from Canada. I couldn’t recall seeing a visual representation of how the family was broken out, so this helped a lot in figuring out how everybody was related.
Enjoyed hearing a few stories about “Auntie Aldora” and her brothers (Paul, Albert “Minno’, and Omer) before Eddie had to head out, though we planned to meet up later in the day with more family members. Lynn had to attend a jewelry show in nearby Bristol, as she did a lot of artwork for the restaurant that was hosting the show. Here’s the cover of the invitation she designed:
Pretty cool, eh?
So although the jewelry show (I had no idea necklaces could cost upwards of $3,000) wasn’t something I’d normally seek out on my own, I’m glad we went as the restaurant was right along the water. I spent some time walking up and down the main drag in Bristol, and near the water. There’s a lot of history in this town – you’ll see homes built in the late 1700s, and I learned from a police officer that Bristol hosts the longest-running parade in the U.S. on the Fourth of July (first mention of it goes back to 1777). In fact, the lane divider markers on the parade route are painted red/white/blue year-round, as opposed to the traditional solid yellow.
As the sun was coming down, Lynn and I headed out and she drove me by some of the buildings my great grandfather and great uncles had built. I had no idea how much the family had contributed to the development of places like Bristol and Warren, Rhode Island. Houses they all had built decades ago still stand and are being used to this day.
Nearby lived another cousin, Paul, who everybody says really has the gift the great uncles had for building. Got to visit with him for a little bit, and it was good to finally put a face to the name.
Lynn and Paul
We returned to Lynn’s where cousin Eddie, his wife Sandra, his son EJ, along with our cousin Mike came to meet up with this wandering relative of their’s from NY. This had to be one of the top experiences of the trip as I heard first-hand stories about my grandma and her family, and about the raw ability and drive of people who lacked little formal education (my great-grandfather EJ had a 6th grade education), and really made themselves into something. EJ became a Rhode Island representative for over 20 years and was very politically connected, evidenced by him managing to get Paul, Omer, and Albert a brief return home (all away serving during WWII) to attend their sister Aldora’s wedding. And although the brothers did not attend any kind of architectual school, they became experts at designing and building. And I would be remiss not to mention the funny stories showing their idiosyncracies, their tempers, and their humor (like when Uncle Omer knocked Eddie down with the rounded edge of a backhoe). Thanks to Mike, Eddie, and Lynn for sharing all of that with me – stories I had never heard, and may not have heard anytime soon without this gathering.
Eddie, Lynn, Mike, and EJ
All the cousins together
What a great visit.
joe
Day 22
Location: Norwalk, CT
Miles Driven: 119
Total Miles: 3,872
Woke up to a humid day in NYC, but it certainly beat waking up to a jarring cell phone alarm going off. Got to mosey around a bit in the morning, hung out with Mike for a bit, then made moves to get my stuff together. I wanted to arrive in Roselle, NJ between 11AM-noon, so around 10:30 I got in the car, said adios to Mike, and headed in a SW direction. Thanks again to Mike and Sarah for letting me crash at their place. I had a great time. (Also, an added note of thanks to Mike, for helping make the “Joe tracker” application on the right-hand side more accurate than it had been.)
Crossing the Verrazano Bridge
I was heading to Roselle to meet up with my great uncle, Bernard. Uncle Bernard is a retired Marist Brother (Catholic religious order), and served as a missionary in The Phillippines for 25 years. Today he lives with some other brothers, and just celebrated his 90th birthday last week.
We watched the remainder of the Italy/New Zealand soccer game (good job, NZ) while chatting and I got to hear some of Uncle Bernard’s great life stories – his independence as a kid, waiting outside Yankee stadium to see the stars of the 1920s exit (Babe Ruth included), and how his older brothers taught him not to take any crap from anybody.
Uncle Bernard kindly had got together a lot of photos of extended family throughout the country, and provided their contact info, as well. Look out, Curtin relatives – I may be seeking a place to crash. He also made sure I raided the brothers’ freezer for ice cream. What a great visit.
Oh speaking of photos, my parents, sister, brother, sister-in-law, and newborn newphew had just visited Uncle Bernard right before his birthday. Among all the photos taken, there was one that especially stood out to to me – four generations in one shot. Here’s the picture from my sister’s photo page:
My brother Jon, his son Nico, Uncle Bernard, and my Dad
So late last night, I was able to make contact with my friend Ya-Wen, whose number I had lost when my last cell phone went missing. All I knew was that she lived in Connecticut, and that was the path my journey was taking me. She said she was free to meet up, so she gave me her address and I got on the road from Roselle, NJ towards CT (you’ll note the map takes me on a circuitious route, but that was intended – trying to avoid Yankee game traffic near the city).
Met up with Ya-Wen at her place around 3PM, and she took me out for a tour of Norwalk – it’s a quaint area with a lot of charm. We ate a tasty lunch at a restaurant called ‘The Brewhouse”, she took me out to the beach area, and then we headed to the movie theatre to catch Toy Story 3 in 3D – amazing film, by the way. You would think quality of a franchise would decline by the third film – but no way. And this edition of the series was expecially touching. Pixar succeeds once again.
Here’s some photos from our time in Norwalk:
At the Brewhouse
View of the Long Island Sound
I initially wasn’t planning on it, but Ya-Wen kindly offered me a couch to crash on, and since she’s the only friend I have in Connecticut, I gladly took her up on that. I’ll be heading east on Monday, as I work my way towards nearby Rhode Island, where I will be meeting up with relatives I haven’t seen in who knows how long. Great start to the New England portion of the trip!
joe
Days 20 and 21: Homestay done, Roadtrip continues
Location: Forest Hills, NY (Queens)
Miles Driven: 208
Total Miles: 3,753
I had a lot to do on that last full day home (Friday), so I awoke early to get a head start. In addition to organizing all the items I wanted to take with me on the roadtrip, I wanted to get the car cleaned up a little bit, as well as stock up on some supplies. It was relatively easy packing the car in Georgia – everything I didn’t ship home I packed in the car. But now I had to be more selective, as the moving portion was over and I just needed to decide what was needed for the remainder of this trip. Afterwards, I took my car to get a car wash; 3500 miles or so will make a car look a rough, but after the wash it looked good as new.
Also, it was my hope to make the most of a last night back home, as it probably won’t be until September that I return. Had a great Thai dinner with my friend Giac and my sister Colleen, and then had a good night out in Binghamton. Thanks to Brian and Heather for showing us another fun time.
"Jagshemash!"
Having procrastinated for a large part of Friday, I spent Saturday morning getting the rest of my stuff together. Thanks to Colleen for helping me load up and double-check everything. I’m not returning home until this trip is over, so I was anxious not to forget anything I needed.
I went out to Endicott to visit with a friend (and big supporter of this adventure) Jen, and her daughter Lucy. I don’t think I’ve seen Lucy since she was a baby – what a cute kid.
Jen and Lucy
Said my goodbyes and since I was in Endicott, I took a quick detour over to Round Top Park. When I lived in the area, I used to always walk up to this park to get some exercise and get some good views of the area, like so:
A view of Endicott and Vestal
I returned home and finished loading the remainder of the items into the car. The car was fairly full, but not nearly as stuffed as it was when I started the trip from Georgia. Who knows, maybe now without the extra ballast my mpg can improve?
All loaded and ready to go. No looking back now.
For the first time on this trip, I was going to have a companion to share the ride. Since my planned destination for the day was NYC, Colleen came along so she could visit with her friends, and then eventually take a bus back home. I was somewhat spoiled having her in the car. Colleen helped open up snacks, took over some driving when I needed a nap, and took some great pictures of the scenic drive. I had opted to head towards NYC via route 17 (thanks to the recommendation of my friend Mike), and I’m glad we drove that way. Very beautiful drive.
On the road to NYC
Attack of the killer space bugs!
NYC skyline
After a bit of traffic before the Whitestone Bridge, we finally arrived at our destination – my buddy Mike’s place in Queens. Mike and I went to grad school together and have been friends now for almost five years. Fun fact: Mike’s from Hyde Park, NY, and the grammar school he attended was a part of the church where my parents were married – Regina Ceili. Small world.
Mike and his girlfriend Sarah
Colleen eventually headed towards Manhattan, as Mike and I were going to make our way to Astoria. Thanks for everything, Colleen! See you in September.
View of the RFK Bridge from the Astoria Blvd. subway station
In Astoria, we were planning to meet up with some friends from school at the Bohemia Beer Hall and Garden. Great venue. Unfortunately, a couple folks couldn’t make it (thanks for trying Milton and Anindita!), but I got to see my old friend Manisha, meet her boyfriend Barun, and my friend Georgie came, as well. Of course, we made sure to get plenty of pictures from the night out:
The Binghamton University crew
We eventually returned to Mike’s home in Forest Hills and I immediately passed out. On Sunday, the tentative plan is to visit a relative in New Jersey and grab a bite with a friend in Connecticut, as I work my way towards Rhode Island. I haven’t been to Rhode Island since I was a kid. Looking forward to it.
joe
Trip route – Summer 2010
Joe's Roadtrip 
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