Vacation at the Acadia National Park, Maine (Part 1)

From going away to a new location and exploring the unexplored, throwing away daily timetables and waking up to none, experimenting new cuisines, engaging in retail therapy, to partying with friends and newly found friends till 4 am in the morning, we all have our interpretations/definitions/ versions of a “Vacation”. And there is nothing wrong with any of these definitions/interpretations/versions as long its rejenuvates our mind and body. 

I have done vacations by the sea in Asia and South East Asia enjoying saltiness in the breeze and abundant sunshine, ascending the mountains of Himalayas and spending time at Buddhist monasteries in peace, solitude and contemplation, wandering through the wonders of Cambodia trying understanding their culture, appreciating their think-big attitude and expanding my horizons of knowledge and understanding of the world that was. But this trip has redefined my idea of a vacation.

Vacation redefined!

My friends Paul and Stephanie came up with something that none of us have ever tried before, a cycling vacation along the coastline of Maine at the Acadia National Park.  The idea sounded interesting, but my mind back tracked pondering over our physical fitness and endurance required to complete 75+ miles of cycling, kayaking in the ocean and hike up the Concorde Mountain all in 5 days. But as soon as we signed up for our vacation, the three of us got on a fitness regimen that will help us complete the challenge.  But seldom did we realize that the actual terrain can never be simulated in an air-conditioned gym atmosphere and weather, people and our own body can throw last minute surprises.

Finally “Team India” arrives….

Paul, Stephanie and I were the last to arrive at the vacation venue (Mira Monte Inn, Bar Harbor Maine), we arrived at quarter to five in the evening (45mins late) and we were aptly given the name “Team India” (I am sure they knew our India Standard Time secret). After the traditional “Wine and Cheese” welcome (similar to our garland and tikka welcome) that evening we went over to Gaylyn Restaurant by the Ocean front. Since we had not met our fellow cyclist before, we didn’t think twice about choosing who to sit with.  Did I say I was missing the mamis of Mylapore? No!

The NY Jewish couple trait…

Since Maine Lobsters were a delicacy, almost everyone on the table that night ordered went on a Lobster diet and wrestled with the dead crustacean. The Jewish couple from New York on the table was wrestling with something more than just the lobster. They first wanted to know how Paul, Stephanie and I knew each other and then the conversation

quickly headed towards marital status and their marriageable daughter. I was appalled such personal questions being thrown at a stranger they met an hour ago, but then Paul and Stephanie comforted me that it was the typical “NY Jewish Couple trait” and I must back home with such personal questions on the dinner table.

I almost got out of a date

The Jewish couple was impressed with my multiple masters degree from the US and were all the more excited when they found out I was single, but soon their face was dripping with disappointment when they learnt that I was a traveler in the US and not living there. If I had lied that I was settled in the US, the couple would have set me up on a date with their 31 year old daughter. Doesn’t matter where I live, travel, and who I sit with for dinner, once a vegetarian, always a vegetarian!

The morning after

Looking at age group of the fellow cyclist, and the three course meal they had the night before, I offered them a free 30 minute stretching class by the lawn at Mira Monte Inn in the morning. One of them in the group asked me if I could do a short meditation session at the end of the stretching class. I didn’t want to play the Indian yoga master cliché here, but then I didn’t want to douse her enthusiasm to learn meditation. I tried persuading her to understand that meditation can never be taught, but then “meditation was a part of her learning menu” that I could never erase.

The journey with “Hill Billy” begins…

We packed our backpacks with fruits, sunscreen and filled our sipper bottles with water and endurance for the trip. Except for Paul, the rest of us wore our gel cycling shorts so that we don’t feel like a “sore whore” at the end of the day. May be Paul had something biologically inbuilt? He would never share that information!

Billy, the guide who came with us on the trip, briefed us about the terrain and handed over a printed sheet that gave us the directions for the day. Finally our geared bicycles arrived we all shoved our belongings in the zipped basked behind, put on our helmets, adjusted the seats and were ready to coast along Acadia.

Come back next week to find out about our “Hill Billy”, “Florida Girls”, “The Sisters” and more interestingly what the group thought of “Team India”. I will also show some fresh popovers with just a 7 minute shelf-life and delicious blueberries trails at Acadia. Also come back for more pictures from the trip.