Hiking in Maine with Kelley

1/31/12 Lagrange Rail Trail

2012-02-01T06:19:00.004-05:00

Cold ( about 10 degrees) , cloudy, and snow predicted but no wind. We did not get the snow but got some peeks of sun. We had not done this rail trail before ( still avoiding the icy slopes) and thought to start from the Lagrange end- closer to us - but couldn't spot the trail head so drove on to Medford and started from there.

A nice wide trail with well packed snow from the snowmobiles ( though we saw none) . Mostly woods

With a few marshy areas. A peaceful quiet walk - we also saw no people during our hike.

Before the trail crossed a regular road there would be warnings to stop and gates ( all simple affairs and open) . I found the corroded metal interesting.

And this milkweed

We walked to Rte. 155 and then turned and returned the way we had come. 4 hours

1/30/12 Walden

2012-01-30T16:44:00.002-05:00

Late start because of an eye appointment ( me- I'm OK ) so we just went to Walden to wander for two hours- and I do mean wander. I mostly let Kelley choose the trails, some of which weren't really trails, and we eventually found ourselves unable to find the trail and did a fair amount of bushwhacking until we found one. Kelley was, as usual, just glad to be out and didn't mind wandering among the brush. ( She was very disappointed this morning when I got my coat on to go out to the doctors and didn't take her) . Not much photography going on as my vision was still blurry from the eye exam. Still it was good to be out in the woods with the sun shining and Kelley enjoying herself.

1/29/12 Marsh Island

2012-01-30T06:43:00.003-05:00

Didn't feel like a long drive so we went to Marsh Island. These trails can be confusing for me but today we managed to go where I intended. When we got to the river we turned toward the south and were pleasantly surprised when we got to the difficult part ( where we usually turn back) to find the marsh completely frozen which allowed us to skirt the bad part and go to to near the start on Penobscot St. Someone had preceded us and we followed his track hoping he was at least as heavy as me. We then turned back and walked to the Old Town end of the river trail before returning the way we had come.

I was taking a picture of this concrete post when Kelley decided she added to the composition.

A pleasant 2 1/2 hour outing.

1/28/12 Breakneck and Carriage Roads

2012-01-29T08:00:00.003-05:00

Mix of sun and clouds but little wind and temps around 30. The Breakneck and carriage roads loop seemed like a good idea. There was still a bit of ice on the trails but easily walked around.

Clear water

This is a small stream that spreads out over the rocks and I hesitate to cal it a 'waterfall' but it looks dramatic in winter.

When we got to the stream crossing the water was higher than I had seen it before and the stepping stones were under water. We searched both up and downstream for a suitable crossing but all seemed to promise wet feet at best and possibly worse. We opted to return to our car to make the short drive to the visitor center and continue from there. On the way out we met a Border Collie pup and his owners and that was fun for Kelley.

From the visitor center parking we walked down and did the Witch Hole Pond Loop. The footing was good as it was mostly packed and pocked snow with small icy patches.

Witch Hole Pond from the start of the hike

and near the end

We met several other people - some with dogs - out enjoying the day. Not a bad hike 3 hours.

1/27/12 The Hood

2012-01-27T19:11:00.004-05:00

We woke up to snow with a forecast of more snow, sleet, freezing rain, and regular rain. We went for a walk around the neighborhood because Kelley so loves the snow. We had to go by Sarge's house but he wasn't home. On the way back Kelley's old friend Gracie was outside and there was a joyous reunion- they had not seen each other in a long time. After I cleared the drives - with Kelley watching and waiting patiently, I had to go to the library and so we also had a short walk downtown ( no pictures).

1/26/12 Buzzy Brook Trails - Sunkhaze

2012-01-27T14:21:00.003-05:00

Still looking to avoid icy sloping trails and we got a late start because the city needed to change my water meter. Sunkhaze is flat and only a little over 20 miles from home. Cold but sunny and little wind. Last time we were here we had tried to find the South Buzzy Brook trail from the McLaughlin Road and did not succeed so today we went at it from the north trail to the South Buzzy Brook Trail.

Last summer we had also tried from this trail and were stopped by this very wet marshy area. Today it was frozen and we continued across and the trail did continue and took us out to the road. We now know where to access the trail from the road.

We backtracked to the fork and turned south hoping we were on the other branch which would take us to Little Buzzy Brook. Again, we were wrong and the trail ( indicated by black dots) took us back to the North Buzzy Brook Trail near the brook.

The brook was completely frozen as well as the marshy area around it.

After exhaustive investigation, Kelley accepted this fact also.

We took the North Buzzy Brook back to where we had started. Next time we will try starting from where we came out by the brook and see if we can find that other trail. Still a pretty good hike. No wet feet and no spills. 2 3/4 hours

1/25/12 South of Kebo Street

2012-01-27T07:16:00.004-05:00

Mix of sun and clouds with temps in the 20's . Still lots of ice on the trails so we went to an area we use in winter. The road that leads into the park is gated in winter but you can park next to the golf course and walk in. We started west on the loop road which was mostly clear

but with a few areas of snow or ice where shade prevailed.

I thought we would walk up to Kebo or the Gorge to check their condition but Kelley wanted to take the Stratheden which is relatively flat ( she is smarter than I am sometimes) .

We walked to the Jesup Path near the nature center and took that to the Tarn. There is an interesting but sometimes difficult rocky trail through a field of boulders I thought we might be able to get around if the Tarn was frozen. It was but not along the edge so we gave that up.

From the Tarn we took the new trail back to the Jesup and the followed the new boardwalk. In the past this trail was often impassable because it was under water. Kelley thinks this might be a good spot for lunch.

From there to the Hemlock, up the loop road east and back, explored a trail not on the map that just went to the highway, then took the Great Meadow loop that brought us back to our car. Lots of variety and not much ice. 3 hours

1/24/12 Gorham Mtn. and Ocean Path

2012-01-25T15:57:00.009-05:00

Foggy morning but supposed to clear later ( lessened some but didn't really clear). In light of all the ice we have had to deal with we went to the Sand Beach area which offers some alternatives.

And , of course, started with the beach for Kelley. The barrier is to keep people off the fragile dunes. The upper part of the Beehive is shrouded in fog.

Kelley doesn't like large waves but likes the fresh water stream that flows into the ocean here.

We crossed the road from the parking area and started up the Bowl Trail , thinking if conditions were good we might try Champlain. Turned out to be very icy in spite of the warmer temps and we had to do a lot of off trail to get around the ice. So, Champlain was out but we would go to the Bowl before turning back.

We did so much bushwhacking that we inadvertently ended up on the Gorham Mountain Trail and decided to just continue to Gorham rather than go to the Bowl.

Not much of a view from the summit but the trail had been easier than the Bowl Trail.

We continued on the Gorham Trail down to the Ocean Path. This seemed mostly ice free so we continued south to Otter Point before turning back and following the trail back to Sand Beach. There was some surf and that combined with the clouds and fog made for a scenic walk.

This is Thunder Hole, a narrow cleft that under the right conditions produces huge noisy wave action. I have never actually seen it in it's spectacular phase, though I've checked many times. There is a gate at the top ( open today) with the sign "closed- dangerous conditions" - I'm waiting for them.

In spite of the dangerous ice it was a nice hike with lots of natural beauty to observe. 3 1/4 hours

1/23/12 Walden

2012-01-24T06:52:00.003-05:00

Gray day. Forecast was for freezing rain, sleet, snow, freezing drizzle, and then rain so we decided to stay close to home and visit Walden. We ended up with only rain late in the day.

Kelly was happy to be out of the house and in the woods, apparently unconcerned about the weather. I let her pick the trails and we met no one but someone had been on one of the trails on a bike ( only a couple of inches of snow left) which always amazes me.

We walked for an hour and a half and these are some things we saw.

1/22/12 Park Loop Road and Hunters Brook

2012-01-23T14:20:00.005-05:00

Sunny but a cold start. It was -7 when we got up and we waited to leave for Acadia until it reached -1. There was little wind and during our hike it did approach 20 so it turned into a beautiful day. We didn't know what kind of conditions we would encounter so drove to the end of Otter Cliff Road, there being several options for a hike from that point. First choice was the Park Loop Road ( closed in winter except for a section from Sand Beach area to this point). We headed down the closed section and found good footing with only about 3 inches of fluffy snow. A few people had walked before us but we did not see them.

We have seen these ice formations in past years.

Much of the time the road is close to the shore and you get some views of the ocean.

After about 20 minutes the foot prints disappeared and we had snow unbroken except by occasional deer or small critters. It was also very quiet with just the crunch of snow underfoot and the water against the shore when we were close to the shore. Kelley was very happy with the nice fluffy snow and lots of new things to explore. This is something we do only in winter so it's been about a year since she's been here.

As we neared the trail head for Hunters Brook ( a favorite trail in summer) we decided to see what conditions were like and give it a try. Again, no one had preceded us. It's nice if someone has gone before which helps to see where to step -or not step but Kelley is very good at following trails and doesn't like walking on ice. She was glad to be on a trail - I think she gets bored with the roads uniformity.

The stream was mostly frozen. The footing was surprisingly good, especially considering much of it is very close to the stream. It was also quiet and quite beautiful with a lot of snow still on the trees. The trail crosses and recrosses the stream several times and can be tricky even in summer with wet rocks to balance on. Today they were easy because of the ice.

We hiked to the point that the trail turns west toward the Triad and turned back the way we had come. As we neared the loop road we met our first person ( and dog) of the day.

Back on the loop road we found that a snowmobiler had passed while we were in the woods but we did not see him. We continued on the road back toward our start point and were then passed by two men on snowmobiles but this did not mar our near perfect day as they wee rapidly gone from sight and sound.

Almost back

A very beautiful and peaceful day. 3 3/4 hours

1/21/12 Another Section of Rail Trail

2012-01-22T08:29:00.004-05:00

Cold and gray with lots of ice still around so we decided to do another section of rail trail. This time we started from Dexter - parking area behind the auto parts store. There were ice fihermen out on the lake we passed right at the start.

They had received more snow than we had in Bangor and Kelley was happy to get off the trail and frolic in it.

After you get out of the town the trail is mostly woods.

The problem with our choice today was snowmobiles. Though we appreciate the trails they pack down we are not thrilled by the sleds themselves. We have hiked many snowmobile trails in the past few years and only encountered a handful of them in all that time. Today there were very many and though most were courteous and slowed down when they passed us they pretty much destroyed any sense of tranquility. Kelley didn't care for them either - I would kneel and hold her collar when they passed but she learned the drill and when she heard them would, on her own, lie down on the side of the trail.

We made the best of it and I got a couple of pictures and we got our exercise. Kelley is really doing well right now, showing no evidence of discomfort and, as a friend said, looking very healthy.

3 1/4 hours

1/20/12 Walden

2012-01-20T20:15:00.006-05:00

Snow this morning- came down hard for awhile but then stopped suddenly and the sun came out. We only got 3 or 4 inches but it was enough that I had driveways to clear. Kelley was excited by the snow but waited patiently for me to do my work. I then took her for a walk around the neighborhood and we came inside. I thought we would have a day off and just relax. Kelley usually settles down and sleeps if nothing else is happening but today she kept coming up to me as if she wanted something. I had a pretty good idea what that might be so we got in the car and went to Walden for an hour.

This made the girl very happy. Though not a lot of snow it was light and fluffy and she romped about and did lots of exploring.

The sun was in and out and we had some interesting skies.

Even though I was not enthusiastic about going I was glad I did. It was nice to see Kelley enjoying herself so much.

1/19/12 Another Section of Newport-Dover Foxcroft Trail

2012-01-20T07:00:00.003-05:00

Cold ( about 12 degrees) but sunny with little wind. Still lots of ice to contend with so we opted for a safer walk and decided to do another section of the rail trail. This time we started in the town of Corinna , just past the 7 mile marker and walked to the 12 mile marker where we turned and retraced our steps.

This part of the trail starts from town and passes a river reservoir before becoming mostly a woods walk.

These deer were quite far down the trail from us and just watched us approach for awhile before turning and bounding away. Kelley just watched until they started running and then she got excited, barked, and took off. Fortunately she only went a short distance before coming back. She has learned not to bother chasing animals she can't catch.

The walking was excellent as snowmobiles had packed the snow while leaving a non-smooth surface that provided excellent footing. We passed a farm near the start and there was some logging at the point we turned around but other than that it was very quiet, the only sound the crunch of snow under my boots, and peaceful.

Near the end ( beginning) there was a very modest white board church and this was a back window .
No dramatic scenery but a very peaceful and enjoyable walk. 3 1/2 hours.

1/18/12 City Forest and Veazie Rail Bed

2012-01-18T18:27:00.003-05:00

Bright sun but cold, windy, and icy ( it rained after the snow yesterday- again) . My morning for a dr. appointment ( just a routine physical) so a little late starting and wanted to avoid the ice. Decided on City Forest and we parked at the end of Kittredge Rd. and walked down the hill to the pond. All frozen to Kelley's disappointment.

We followed the West Trail to it's end at an entrance to the forest and the Veazie Rail Bed. Usually we go north a short distance along a marshy area and are stopped by the trail being under water. Today it was frozen and we decided to follow it. Parts of it looked to contain younger trees and we wondered if there had been harvesting in the past. We followed it to Forest Ave. where it turns into Taylor Rd which goes into the Orono Land Trust properties.

We then turned back the way we had come. Once back on the west Trail we first met a pair of black labs for a brief play and then a Husky that Kelley has met before. This made her quite happy. Not a bad outing considering the conditions. 2 1/4 hours

1/17/12 Newport-Dover-Foxcroft Rail-Trail

2012-01-17T18:27:00.008-05:00

Gray day, upper 20's, light snow forecast. Kelley had an early appointment at the vet in Newport ( a little over 30 miles from home) for her rabies vaccination. Kelley actually likes going to the vet and doesn't even flinch when she gets a shot. We decided on the rail trail which has it's start from the same road as the vet and which we had not been on in awhile.

There was a little packed snow on the trail, which made for very easy walking, and then as we started the snow began. There was no wind and it made for a pretty walk.

The fresh snow made a good background for lots of interesting weeds

Most of the section we walked passes through woods but as you pass a section of Sebasticook Lake there are a few houses and camps. I don't know what this mailbox was doing there as there is no traffic on the trail.

Dead Letter Box

The trail also passed close to the highway at one point before returning to the woods. After an hour and a quarter we turned back and returned to our car. A very pleasant walk and Kelley was really happy with the snow.

1/16/12 Little Long Pond and Area

2012-01-17T06:52:00.004-05:00

Warmer ( upper 20's ) today with beautiful sunshine. Still lots of ice around so we picked this area for it's alternative routes. It was a mixed bag. The Friends Path over to the pond had some icy patches but easily got around. The trail along the west side of the pond was mixed - the wooded areas had very good footing with less snow and little ice, the open areas next to the water had a crust that supported us but had been glazed by the sun and was quite slippery. We started up the Jordan Stream Trail but it was too icy for the narrow trail and we left it for the carriage road. The carriage road also had a crust that mostly supported us and we took that to the Asticou Trail - good footing for the most part and a very pleasant walk. Back on the carriage road to take us to our car. Again, mostly pretty good footing. Kelley is as leery as I am of the slippery ice and finds ways around it but was happy be back out on the trails. Near the end we met two women with two dogs and this put the icing on the cake for Kelley. 3 hours

The theme for today was ice. Kelley was surprised to find the pond frozen over but it gave a nice reflection.

1/15/11 Old Town

2012-01-15T12:41:00.004-05:00

Very cold . Stalled until 10:00 when it it got up to 1 degree even though Kelley was restless and wondering why were still in the house. We went to Old Town where we have never walked around and Kelley was happy, both to be out and to be somewhere new with lots of unfamiliar scents to check out. Even though I had my mittens with hand warmers in them and a hat it was just too uncomfortable so we ( I ) only lasted 30 minutes.

1/14/12 Giant Slide Loop Carriage Road

2012-01-15T07:57:00.003-05:00

Snow Friday night and then rain again, followed by colder temperatures and more ice. Wanted to get in a good hike because temperatures are supposed to be in the single digits tomorrow but didn't know what we would find at Acadia. They seemed to have got a little more snow than we did along with the the rain and ice and we decide a nice long carriage road hike was in order( less chance of me falling on my butt) . The Giant Slide Loop is a little over 8 miles. We started from the Parkman Mountain parking lot.

The snow had a hard crust but not enough to support my weight so it was a bit of a slog and a good workout. Kelley was supported sometimes and sometimes broke through. She didn't seem bothered and did a lot of running back and forth in the snow.

This stream was almost completely frozen which disappointed Kelley

Which way boss? One of the intersections.

At the higher points we got nice views. It had started out cloudy but we did finally get some sun.

The snow had blown about a bit and been glazed by the sun exposure and was slippery in spots.

A pretty good outing and though my legs were sore from fighting the crusty snow Kelley was ready to keep right on going. 3 1/4 hours.

1/13/12 The Neighborhood

2012-01-14T06:44:00.002-05:00

Woke to about 3 inches of snow with snow, sleet, and freezing rain forecast for this afternoon. I have an older neighbor who's drive I do along with mine, with his snow blower. It was still dark and I was sitting at the computer thinking about shovel or blower and not wanting to do either when I heard a machine in my drive. Another neighbor had come by and was doing my drive and had already done the other I do - a really nice surprise- especially for a Friday the thirteenth.

Kelley was hot to get out into the fresh snow so we just walked around the neighborhood for an hour and a quarter. In addition to snow to romp in there were lots of folks out (clearing their drives) for Kelley to greet. This also makes her happy as well as bring smiles to the people as she approaches with her full body wag. Many people who were more interested in the task at hand stopped what they were doing when they saw her straining at her leash to get to them.

Altogether a very pleasant morning.

1/12/12 Walden

2012-01-13T16:41:00.004-05:00

Winter weather advisory- snow, sleet, freezing rain for this afternoon and tonight so we just went to Walden for an hour and a half. Kelley's pick of trails. It was gray, cold and dreary and I was not in the mood for it but Kelley was , as usual , just happy to be out there. We managed to get our hike in before the bad weather moved in ( they were right this time). These are some things we saw.

The old rail bed looking very wintery.

1/11/12 Day Mountain and the Triad

2012-01-13T06:39:00.005-05:00

Cold but nice and sunny. We started from Day Mtn. parking on Rte. 3 . Only small patches of ice on this trail , easily got around.

Only Day Mountain has a carriage road that goes to the summit so it's fairly busy in summer with hikers, bikers, and horse drawn carriages. No one here today.

After coming down the other side of Day we hiked up to the Triad on the Triad Trail

We decide to take the Triad Pass Trail down ( one we had not done in awhile) but it became a bit confusing. These signs are posted at some trail heads but more helpful signs would say something like " XYZ Trail formerly ABC Trail". We started down and found the Pass Trail but it seemed to be going in the wrong direction and it was. We ended up at the Pond Trail with the option of Jordan or Bubble Pond as a destination. We retraced our steps and got back on the Hunters Brook Trail and followed that down. This trail had some steep icy sections we had to bushwhack around but nothing too bad.

It offered some nice views

When we reached the carriage road we found the sign indicating the Triad Pass Trail was now the Triad-Hunters Brook Trail.

We continued on the carriage roads back to near the start of the Day Mtn. Trail and then to our car. The carriage roads in this area are quite nice.

Beautiful day and a nice hike even with the trail sign problem. 3 hours

1/10/12 Back to Sunkhaze

2012-01-12T08:05:00.004-05:00

The regular map does not show the detail for the loop to the observation platform but I found a map on the old cabin

Forecast of snow and/or freezing rain so we were not up for a long drive and returned to hike another part of Sunkhaze. Cold and gray but the Carter Meadow road is pretty anyway with it's nice stand of large conifers.

Once past the old cabin it becomes a regular trail. Icy instead of wet this time but nothing not easily got around.

This is the Sunkhaze Meadows Bog from the observation platform. Kelley was a little puzzled by the ice as she usually gets a swim here.

After the Carter Meadows Road hike we got in the car and moved up the road to the Johnson Brook Trail. At the beaver pond the ice was strong enough to support me but again disappointing for Kelley.

We took the spur trail for a short distance but as you proceed it suffers from neglect, with lots of trees fallen across the trail and after awhile we got tired of fighting our way through the brush and turned back.

There are several bridges, some quite long, but most have been twisted by the weather. Kelley crossed this one but some she preferred to walk around.

It started to snow just as we were finishing the hike but didn't amount to much. A nice easy hike 2 1/2 hours

1/9/12 Sunkhaze

2012-01-10T16:43:00.005-05:00

Cold gray day. A good day to see if we could find the trail head for South Buzzy Brook. We parked on stud Mill Road and walked up the McLaughlin Rd. This is a description "The Buzzy Brook Trails are located in the northwest corner of the refuge and can only be reached by walking down McLaughlin Road from the Stud Mill Road. These trails are a network of old logging roads and are rarely maintained. The distance is 2.3 miles to Buzzy Brook via the North Buzzy Brook Trail. A topographic map and compass is recommended if you choose to visit this area of the refuge." We had done the North trail and found it not too hard to follow but when we tried to reach the south trail from that trail it got confusing so we thought this time to try from the McLaughlin Rd. We walked the length of the road without finding the trail.

Kelley was excited as usual

These tracks were 3 1/2 inches long and there were a lot of them. I guessed turkey and we later saw three of them on the road ahead.

We explored some of the side roads that were not on our map

A pretty good outing in spite of not finding the trail we were looking for. That just means another try-maybe with a different approach. 2 1/2 hours

1/8/12 Petit Manan

2012-01-09T18:57:00.006-05:00

Sunny, 30's, and no wind- a pretty nice day for a hike. We did the Hollingsworth Trail first which took us to the shore.

Usually we then just follow the shore south for awhile and then return the way we had come. As we neared the shore I changed plans and we just completed the loop back to our car and then back to the parking area for the Birch Point Trail.

Much of this trail is a pleasant old woods road with easy walking. I think Kelley has only done this once before so she was happy to be on an unfamiliar trail and did lots of exploring.

Near the end the trial forks and the right fork goes to Lobster point. We had hoped to explore the shore but there was little available for walking.

We then went back to the fork and on to Birch Point

There was a little more shore access but still much of it was not walkable.

There was frost on this seaweed

After a little exploring at the point we headed back the way we had come. This twig was lying on a piece of bog bridge - an interesting collection .

Leaves and ice- perhaps the first gray leaves I have seen.

Almost back to the car.

A pretty nice outing. Quiet , peaceful, and easy. 3 hours

1/7/12 Caribou Mountain

2012-01-08T16:07:00.004-05:00

Gray , lower 30's, but no wind so not bad hiking weather. The last two times we hiked here we turned right (west) when we reached the Caribou Mtn. Trail so this time we turned east. You immediately start descending, at times rather steeply, and though there was little ice the dusting of snow on the wet leaves made it quite slippery in spots. We consoled ourselves that the climb back up , though more strenuous, would be easier walking.

This time Kelley is catching up.

The trail was mostly a woods walk but with a couple of ponds and a few streams to cross. This was one of them.

I thought we might make it to the east peak of Black Mountain but after two hours we had only started the ascent and I decided that was a long enough hike for today and we turned back the way we had come.

At one point the sun looked like it was trying to break through but it did not succeed and instead got foggy. This was our view from Caribou as we had our lunch.

A pretty nice 4 hour hike. I wanted about that length without a lot of difficulty for Kelley and she had no problems with any of the trials.

1/5/11 Tunk Mountain - Hidden Ponds

2012-01-06T07:47:00.006-05:00

Mix of sun and clouds ( mostly clouds) but warmer ( 20s) with little wind. We started from the new Hidden Ponds parking area and took the first left fork. There is a sign there indicating that the trail is no longer maintained ( it's not shown newer maps) but it remains in pretty good shape.

And is mostly easy to follow- there are various colored tapes on trees if you need them. The first part is flat with several marsh sections before it begins to climb. Some sections are very pretty.

There was some ice but none we couldn't get around.

Kelley was able to solve all her own problems until we reached a section near the ridge which we had problems with in the past. This time I did a fairly large bushwhack with her to get around the steep rocks.

The ridge is mostly open and offers very nice views.

We decide to complete the loop and continue on to the ponds. There was a crew working here this past summer and there is some minor rerouting ( the section with the ropes to help you up the granite is gone) and general improvement . Only problem was some rungs that have been added that were difficult for us ( I had to persuade Kelley to let me help her down while not falling off the rungs myself). There was not an obvious bushwhack around. She was very unhappy with this situation.

After that the trail turned out to be easier than the one we had gone up on. Still only small patches of ice but some was attractive.

Mud Pond - the ice on the ponds was making loud groaning sounds which I had not heard before and which startled Kelley

We decide to do the new Hidden Ponds Tail Loop ( also not on my map) and then had our lunch at Salmon Pond and headed back to where we had started.

I thought this fungus had a very nice array of colors

A good hike with a few challenges but we liked it. 3 3/4 hours

1/4/11 Walden

2012-01-05T06:45:00.002-05:00

Five degrees when we got up. I stalled until it got up to 10 degrees and wind chill -5 and then we went to Walden for an hour and a half ( Kelley had come up to me at the computer several times to remind me she was waiting) . Kelly thought it was just fine and it really wasn't that bad once I got moving. No pictures as I saw little that made me want to take my gloves off and those I did take were not successful. Still no snow.

1/3/12 Sargent Mountain - Gilmore Peak

2012-01-04T15:17:00.004-05:00

Cold ( about 20) and windy ( about 20 mph) - not the best day to be on a open ridge but most of the hike would be in sheltering woods. Kelley says , with her excitement, that it's good to be back on the trails and that I'm just a wimp . She never seems to be put off by any kind of weather.

We started from the parking area on Rte. 198 on the Hadlock Brook Trail. The first part of this trail is easy woods walking. Not long after you pass under the carriage road at the Waterfall Bridge it begins to climb.

As we neared the ridge and the Sargent S. Ridge Trail we encountered larger patches of ice that we had to bushwhack around but nothing too bad. Kelley had no problem with any of the trail up and easily found ways around things she didn't like.

Looking back down the trail we have just come up.

Once we were on the Sargent Mountain Trail we were exposed to the full brunt of the wind and it felt much colder but this trail offers views in all directions.

And only small patches of ice

These striking grasses grow around small pools near the summit

After sharing an apple at the summit ( we found shelter behind the large cairn) we headed back down the S. Ridge Trail to the Maple Spring Trail and took that down to the stream it eventually follows. There was more ice on this trail that required more bushwhacking and wider detours for Kelley.

The start is very pretty.

At the stream we took the very short trail up to Gilmore Peak which is very open with nice views.

We then returned to the Maple Spring Trail. This turned out to be more difficult for Kelley than I remembered or the trail has deteriorated . It is a pretty trail with precarious footing that follows the stream with several stream crossings and sometimes the trail is in the center of the stream.
Kelley managed it without my help but it was a struggle for her- a couple of times she moved up the ridge and then returned to the stream and once took several minutes to work out a solution. She is very brave and smart and did well in spite of me getting her into a difficult situation.

Once we crossed under the carriage road the trail again became easy and we had an easy finish. A good but challenging hike 3 3/4 hours

1/2/12 Downtown Bangor

2012-01-02T18:57:00.003-05:00

Raining this morning again. It started to clear and we went downtown for an hour before it clouded up again and gave us more rain. Kelley was just happy to be out as I think she was beginning to think we were in for the day. She had definite preferences so I let her choose the route and was patient with her sniffing and exploring. She showed no signs of discomfort following yesterdays spill. These are a few of the things we saw.

1/1/12 Acadia and St. Sauveur

2012-01-02T07:14:00.007-05:00

Beautiful day for a hike ( freezing rain and then plain rain kept us in yesterday) 30's , mix of sun and clouds, and little wind. We picked this area, even though there are some tricky parts for Kelley, because we didn't know if we would find icy trails and there are easy trails here too. We started from the Acadia Mtn. parking on Rte. 102 and the trail was wet but only a little ice that was easily got round.

The first tricky part for Kelley coming up but she was sharp today and easily found her own routes.

Lost Hat

At the top

We started down the other side of the mountain but knew there were more tough parts for Kelley coming up.

This is one of them which she ended up sliding down and I was afraid she had hurt herself. She was a little gimpy but carried on and this morning is fine.

We then took the Valley Peak Trail and the woods part was fine going up but when we reached the open areas there was treacherous ice. There were worse wide sections of ledge that we had to bushwhack around. Not a good place to be.

Kelley thought the view was nice anyway.

Because of all the ice we opted to get off this trail and took the trail to St. Sauveur which was easy. Sauveur's summit is wooded so no views from there. There was a sign stating that the trail between the two ends of the Ledge trail was closed but we ignored it and continued on down.

In a small puddle on the trail I found this 8 or 10 inch pool of brown objects that seemed to be moving. They seem to be some sort of larvae - how they were alive I do not know.

The rest of the way down was easy and I met a nice man in the parking area for a short chat. good hike in spite of Kelley's spill. 3 1/2 hours

12/30/11 Sears Island

2011-12-31T06:59:00.005-05:00

Still icy around here so we thought Sears Island might be a good choice and the timing was right tide-wise . This time we followed the shore to the jetty and then took the road with a short walk to the Homestead Trail to take us back to the shore for lunch.

There was a fair amount of ice about, especially where small streams run out of the interior and into the ocean, but most was easily got around.

I had been asked about the rock formations that were the source of some past pictures and had promised him pictures. This is one of them. I wanted Kelly for scale but she is not cooperative about posing so I had to throw treats to get her into the picture.

And more rocks from different locations.

Waiting for me to change a lens.

This was the reflection we viewed while having our lunch.

A nice hike. Kelley likes the difference from the woods and does a lot of exploring. She is wary of ice and goes slowly like me and is startled when thin ice breaks under her step. 3 1/4 hours

12/29/11 University Forest

2011-12-29T16:03:00.002-05:00

Rained all day yesterday and then turned cold so there was lots of ice, making most of the trails we use dicey. The wind chill was 12 so we wanted to also be out of the wind and headed for the university in Orono. Kelley was happy to be out after spending most of the past two days inside and did not appear to mind the cold or wind. We walked the trails for an hour and a quarter and I only took one picture as I had my gloved hands in my pockets trying to keep my fingers from being numb. On a positive note we had bright sunshine.

12/26/11 Sheepscot Headwaters

2011-12-28T08:16:00.003-05:00

Fresh snow so we headed for the trails near Montville. These are relatively flat with good footing and well marked. We started from the new parking lot on Halldale Road and first did the Northern Headwaters loop. Kelley was, of course, very excited about the fresh powdery snow and it was beautiful.

There are many of these old rock walls in the area

At this point the trail passed through one of the walls.

After that loop we took the Whitten Hill Trail down and did the Bog Brook Loop. We met several people , and one dog, which was interesting as we have seldom met people on these trails in the past. A nice 3 1/2 hour hike

12/25/11 Boyd Path , Triad, Hunters Brook

2011-12-26T20:44:00.005-05:00

Cold and sunny but little wind. Kelley was excited by the snow and just being out in the woods. We started on the park service road from Rte. 3 . After the firing range the road ends and you have to look a bit to find the old trail which is on the far left of the small clearing hidden among the trees. Once you find it it is easy to follow.

When the Boyd reached the Pond tail we took that as it ran along side the carriage road and then across and began a gradual climb

To the trail leading to the Triad.

We then took the Hunters Brook trail down and again across the carriage road and down to the brook. The trail down to the carriage road had some very icy sections that we had to skirt around. Hunters Brook Trail crosses the stream several times and at one point the rocks used to cross were all covered in ice so instead of crossing we bushwhacked up to a ridge and walked along that for awhile and then back down to the trail that was now on our side of the stream.

An interesting hike. 3 hours

12/24/11 Sklar Park

2011-12-25T07:37:00.002-05:00

Cold- 12 degrees with a wind chill of 1 but mostly sunny. Wanted something somewhat sheltered so we went to Sklar Park which is primarily woods. The cold had saved the snow we got yesterday so it was still quite pretty. We parked at the Boy Scout office and walked the trail to Dirigo Pines. We then did some side trails but I can't say for sure which as the system is confusing to me. There are markers at some junctions but also trails not on the map ( some just lead to back yards) . After a bit we warmed up and spent a pleasant hour and a half.

I don't know the identity of these tiny plants.

I had ice in my beard too

12/23/11 Back to Walden

2011-12-24T06:07:00.004-05:00

Kelley loves the snow and yesterday we got a little. It was heavy wet snow and made the roads very slick so we stayed close to home. It continued to snow through the hike and it really was a 'winter wonderland' . Kelley got to pick the route so we wandered several trails, eventually winding up on the trail in City Forest where we met a dog Kelley has played with before and then some other friendly people. She always picks this trail because we usually meet people and dogs - we often meet no one on the Walden trails.

The City Forest Trail

A very pretty morning with moderate temperatures and no wind. 2 1/4 hours

12/22/11 Seawall to Wonderland

2011-12-23T06:38:00.003-05:00

The strange weather continues. Wednesday we had freezing rain -tried to walk downtown but the walks were like a skating rink and we gave it up. Yesterday was sunny and 40 degrees and this morning it is snowing. Kelley will be happy with the snow but it will mean three driveways for me to do- one neighbor in hospital and one out of town.

Yesterday we started at the Seawall picnic area and walked the shore to Wonderland. This is a bit challenging as it is rocky along with slippery seaweed. Kelley had to find ways around a few times but did fine. Near the start we met two men who were checking surf conditions ( not much) brrr. When we got to the Wonderland area Kelley wanted to do some of the trails that lead inland and around the area so we wandered those a bit and met a nice woman and her English Setter pup and the dogs got to play while we chatted. They played very well together and she, like me, wished for more interaction with other dogs.

From Wonderland we returned to Seawall and since we had only hiked a little over 2 hours went across the road and walked part of the Hio Rd. that starts at the end of the campground. The campground is closed and empty of people. It was a little strange to have it all to ourselves- everything was very neat and ready for real winter. The Hio is an old road ( no longer open to traffic any time of year) that is an easy and pleasant walk in the woods.
A nice day 3 1/4 hours

12/20/11 Walden

2011-12-21T06:13:00.004-05:00

An easy day. Cold and windy and I didn't feel like a long drive so we went to Walden and wandered around for an hour and a half. Kelley had been coming over to me at the computer ( which she rarely does) as if to say lets do something- anything. She was her usual happy self to just be out hiking- anywhere. This is the old rail bed and she is catching up after falling behind to do some exploring.

Ice kept her out of the pools along the way

Tomorrow the days start getting longer!

12/19/11 Sears Island

2011-12-20T06:19:00.006-05:00

Timing of the tides was right for a trip to Sears Island. It was an odd weather day. Cold ( teens), sunny, and almost no wind when we started but an hour into our hike the sky had clouded up and there were strong winds. Kelley likes this hike because there is lots to explore that is different, the ocean to swim in ( though she didn't go in today which was also odd) , and fresh water trickling out of the interior to drink.

The change in the wind had been predicted so we started on the shore while it was calm. We followed the shore to the Blue Trail and took that to the gravel road. I wanted to get over to the other road and we found an old woods road that dwindled to a trail that took us across. We walked down to the jetty and then back up to the Green Trail which we had not done before. The sign is new but much of the trail does not look new and some is also old woods road. This took us to the shore in sight of the jetty and we followed the shore back to our car. This is some of what we saw.

An interesting and varied hike. 2 3/4 hours

12/18/11 Carriage Roads Around Jordan Pond

2011-12-19T14:56:00.005-05:00

Cold ( 12 degrees when we started) and 20 mph winds but at least the sun was shining. Decided on the carriage roads to avoid exposed ridges or peaks. Kelley was not bothered and was , instead apparently excited, running ahead with her tail wagging madly . She raises her head and puts her face into the wind.

I did not tale many pictures because my fingers were numb with my gloves on and I was not anxious to remove them. The first part of the hike has Jordan Pond on our right and Penobscot Mtn. on our left and is, I think, one of the prettier sections of carriage road

Jordan Pond and The Bubbles in the background

Some sections retained a light dusting of snow.

When we got to Bubble Pond we found a picnic table in the sun and out of the wind and had our morning apple in relative comfort.

The last section has some nice rock walls with trees growing out of the rocks. Once again life takes whatever niche is open.

A cold hike-it never warmed to any noticeable degree but still somewhat exhilarating -especially once we reached the car. 2 3/4 hours

12/17/11 Georges Highland Path

2011-12-18T07:46:00.008-05:00

Cold and gray with snow flurries. Decided to do a section of the GHP that we had not done because there had been a sign by the road saying it was closed due to logging operations. We noticed the other day that the sign was gone. However, today the area around the trailhead was flooded, with planks that had been laid to get through floating in the water. We looked for a way around the water and found a snowmobile trail and started up that. It turned into a nice grassy track but did not take us back to the trail. We followed it anyway.

This eventually turned into a muddy road but I spotted a blue blaze and a sign off in the woods and we checked it out.

We were going to use it anyway but it was in such poor repair we couldn't distinguish it from the woods around it. Back to the road - which eventually took us to the Hogback Overlook loop which we entered. When we reached the ridge we explored several of the roads/ snowmobile trails up there before resuming the loop back down.

The view from the overlook

Back down we returned the way we had come . I don't know what animal this is but someone had stuck it on this tree.

A little snow on the fungus

Not as planned but an interesting hike anyway. 2 3/4 hours

12/16/11 Belfast

2011-12-16T18:44:00.004-05:00

It rained all day yesterday and most of last night so someplace reasonably dry sounded like a good idea ( at least to me) and we head to Belfast for an hour and a half walk about. It was very windy but sunny. This is only Kelley's second or third time here so she had lots to explore and did an inordinate amount of sniffing. We also met several friendly folks for Kelley to greet.

After walking around the town for awhile we walked along the shore of the harbor and found some nice rocks.

This window was in old factory looking building

12/14/11 Georges Highland Path -Frye Mtn.

2011-12-15T06:51:00.005-05:00

Supposed to rain tomorrow so we wanted to get in a good one today. Last time we were on the GHP we did the section up to the Frye summit. Today we would do the bottom section of the loop, or at least part of it ( the loop is 4.6 miles plus the 2.8 miles to get to it and don't want to overtax Kelley).

The hike is fairly easy with a gradual climb and good footing. When we got to the ridge we had a hard time finding the continuation of the trail. We finally found a trail but weren't sure it was the correct one as it seemed to be going pretty much down. There were also tracks in the snow and no one had preceded us on the trail up to that point ( where had they come from?). We followed this trail for about 20 minutes and still had our doubts and we had probably covered enough distance for one day anyway.

View from the ridge looking west

The only obstacles for Kelley were trees fallen across the trail which she easily found ways around
All in all a pretty good hike. Kelley found lots to investigate, there was water for her to get into, and the only ice was on the jeep road on the ridge. 3 3/4 hours

12/13/11 Pothole Trail

2011-12-14T06:48:00.006-05:00

Trail indicated by dotted line is approximate

Mix of sun and clouds- cool but little wind. We were up for a challenge so decide to try to find the abandoned Potholes Trail from the south end. It is much easier to find starting near the Featherbed.

We started from the Canon Brook trailhead on Rte. 3 and followed that to the trail across from Doss S. Ridge ( some call it the Dorr extension) . Trail crews have done a lot of work to improve the Canon Brook Trail.

The extension is easy to follow to Otter Creek but once you cross the stream you have to hunt for a trail. Today we found it and followed it up the mountain. This is a view looking back after we came out of the woods.

And along the ridge

The trail ends near the Featherbed- a glacial pond where we shared an apple. I found lots of interesting lichen.

We then turned and retraced our steps, not wanting to risk the granite on the upper Canon Brook ( though it makes a nice loop) which is treacherous when only wet.

Pine needles in one of the potholes

When we got back to Otter Creek we had lunch and Kelley had a swim before we continued back to our start.

I don't generally care for water rendered in this manner but decided as an abstract it was OK

A nice hike- we were pleased to find the trail we had missed in the past and what ice there was we were able to get around. 4 hours

12/12/11 Walden and City Forest

2011-12-13T16:02:00.003-05:00

Easy day - 2 hours at Walden and City Forest letting Kelley pick the route. We met several friendly dogs on the City Forest Trail and Kelley got in some playtime. One woman even reversed direction to walk with us so the dogs could continue to play. Kelley was a little lame last night after rough housing with Bear yesterday but seemed fine this morning and rteady for more.

12/11/11 Little Long Pond and Eliot

2011-12-12T08:52:00.003-05:00

Cold but sunny. We parked at the Little Long Pond parking area and took the Friends Path down to the pond. Even though the temperatures were in the mid 20's Kelley was immediately into the water

We followed to West Side Little Long Pond Trail to where it met the Jordan Stream Trail and took that to the Asticou Trail

There was lots of interesting ice about but not on the trails ( except some icy granite near the top of Eliot)

There was a fair amount of water in the stream and it was very pleasant to listen to it burble and rush as we walked the trail

The plan was to take the Asticou to the Ridge Trail but when we reached the Harbor Brook Trail Kelley took off on it and did not respond to calls so I had to follow her. She had met a nice couple and their dog Bear. The dogs played ( with lots of energy) while we talked. We then went back to the Asticou and resumed our hike. After coming over Eliot and down to Harbor Brook we met Bear and his people again and we all walked out together, with more exuberant dog play, to the road and back to the parking area. A nice hike 4 hours

12/10/11 Bangor

2011-12-11T07:45:00.002-05:00

Cold gray morning. Decided after yesterday we should have an easy one so we just walked around town for an hour or so- Kelley's choice of route. She seems to not be gimpy from yesterday and was happy to be out and about. As usual, there were people about for her to greet and this always makes her happy. I mostly kept my gloves on and only took one picture.

12/9/11 Champlain Mountain

2011-12-10T18:25:00.007-05:00

Mix of clouds and hazy sun and on the cool side. We parked near the nature center and took the park loop road ( closed for the winter) to the Champlain N. Ridge Trail ( Bear Brook on the map).

I am continually amazed at the places life is able to take hold. This was a rock wall along the road.

This turned out to be a more challenging hike than anticipated. We came here to avoid the snow in our area but did not think about the ice. The N. Ridge has some steep rocky parts for Kelley to work around and sheets of granite that today had lots of icy patches that I was forced to work around.

But offers some nice views

And other things of interest

There is a small pond at the summit but today it was frozen and Kelley did not get her usual swim. This is a view from the summit.

We decide to take the Beachcroft Trail down even though it has a difficult rocky section in the middle, thinking it would be easier than the trail we had come up. . The first part is granite ledge and this turned out to be even icier than the trail up. Harder for me than for Kelley even though she also picked her way to avoid slipping.

That first part had me wishing I was not on that trail and fearing a fall but we made through and to the rocky section which was more difficult for Kelley . Her expression here pretty much says how she felt about that section - unusual for her.

Through that section we found a pond and Kelley had a swim and I got a picture and we knew the rest of the way would be easy.

Looking back at where we had come you can see the granite above and the rocky section below that.
The rest of the way down is a pleasure, though perhaps not for those nervous about heights. The trail is constructed of hundreds of stones placed almost like a walkway and there are views to the side and below.

When we reached the bottom we crossed the road so Kelley could have another swim in the Tarn and then wandered around the area until we found a nice spot for lunch.

Somewhat harrowing but exhilarating and , it turned out, a good hike. 3 hours

12/8/11 Bangor

2011-12-09T05:42:00.003-05:00

Cold, windy, and a couple of inches of new snow. We walked around the neighborhood early so Kelley could frolic in the fresh snow ( she gets very excited) and the later walked about downtown. It remained very windy which made it seem much colder than it was. Kelley does not mind any of it and lifts her head putting her face into the wind which was blowing her ears back.

12/7/11 Downtown Bangor

2011-12-07T15:25:00.004-05:00

Second day of almost continuous rain. We had to get out so went downtown when it was down to a drizzle but only got in 45 minutes before it started raining harder and we gave up.

This sign was on the railing of an elevated walkway above a parking area. I couldn't figure it out but someone enlightened me.

12/5/11 Redmans Beach

2011-12-06T16:12:00.005-05:00

Supposed to rain tomorrow so we decided to get in a good one today. We had tried to reach Redmans Beach from the Caribou Mtn. Trail from the north without success so today we would reach it from the south as we have done in the past. We started from the trailhead on Black Mountain Road. A mix of sun and clouds but mild temperatures.

The first part of this trail is not too difficult for Kelley and we soon had views

Once above the trees there is lots of granite and large cairns hikers have constructed.

The trail then dropped back down into the woods

The Caribou Mountain Trail starts out relatively flat and quite pretty

But then drops rather steeply for most of the way to the Redmans Beach Trail. I couldn't help thinking as we were going down that we would have a long hard climb back up.

The trail to Redmans Beach is mostly flat and easy. Part of the way it follows a small stream.

No one at the beach

We had our lunch at the beach and then headed back the way we had come. This turned out to be a longer hike than anticipated but Kelly mostly stayed in the lead.

Just the last short downhill section to get back to the car

A long , 4 and 1/2 hours, but satisfying hike. When we came out of the woods near our car Kelley was not ready to quit and started out across the road. I was ready to quit.

12/4/11 Walden

2011-12-06T06:43:00.004-05:00

Time for an easy day. An hour and a half at Walden wandering the trails and then to the pond at the end of City Forest for a good swim. We met Sophie again and then a new dog friend so all was good

12/3/11 Flying Mountain / Valley Peak

2011-12-04T19:42:00.007-05:00

Cold, windy, and sunny. We had not done these trails in some time but I remembered a spot near the summit of Flying Mountain where Kelley would need a boost, and she did. It was such a beautiful day that we hardly noticed the cold.

The trail down to Valley Cove

From Valley Cove we took the truck road to the Valley Peak Trail. This was more difficult for Kelley than I remembered and she needed a boost a few times but did not let that dampen her spirits. The girl loves to hike.

We continued on to St. Sauveur and then turned back taking the St. Sauveur Trail back to Valley Peak and then the trail back to the road and the parking area.

Kelley didn't want to get into the car but wanted to check out nearby Fernald Cove and so we did. There was a huge old tree at the end of it and I got a couple more pictures.

12/2/11 Marsh Island

2011-12-03T07:16:00.002-05:00

We were going to go from Hillside Ave. to Peter's Field and then over to the river but I had a hard time getting oriented ( we have done this several times before) and ended up at various places not intended. So we just wandered and ended up by the river near the start of the trails we headed for the car.

12/1/11 Tanglewood

2011-12-02T18:20:00.003-05:00

Sunny but cold. Shortly after we started on the trail Kelley took off and caught up with four people who had a dog with them and hiked along with them for awhile so she could play with their dog. They waited for me to catch up at the intersection and we went along the river as they continued on their way.

We followed the river a little past a campfire area where the trail gets less use and becomes less distinct and the turned back but continued along the river to the camp area.

A calmer section of the Ducktrap River

It really was a pretty day and the trails here are easy and pretty, being mostly ' a walk in the woods'

At the camp area we picked up the Old Boundary Trail and took that to the loop trail and that back to the start.

A very pleasant 3 hour hike.

11/30/11 Along the Kenduskeag

2011-12-01T07:36:00.004-05:00

Started out as a rainy day. We went downtown during a break but it started raining again and we came back home. In the afternoon it cleared up and we went to a trail along the Kenduskeag Stream that we had only done in winter after the snowmobiles had packed the snow. It's only about a mile from home.

There were burrs everywhere- I had never seen so many.

Kelley was happy to be out. I think she had resigned herself to a boring day at home. We ( Kelley first) met a bow hunter along the way and had a brief chat. I had not seen a modern bow which no longer looks like a bow but some sort of Rube Goldberg device with lots of pulleys and cords. He said it cost $800! A very pleasant late afternoon outing 1 1/2 hours

11/29/11 Pemetic , S. Bubble, and Jordan Pond

2011-11-30T16:23:00.006-05:00

Mostly cloudy but mild temperatures and no rain (it's forecast for tomorrow) but some fog. Thought it was time for a sturdy hike so we decided on Pemetic. We started from parking at Jordan Pond

and took the Pond Trail to Pemetic SW Trail. This is a fairly challenging trail for Kelley as it becomes fairly steep and there are several rocky sections to negotiate. This was the first but she managed to find her own way around all of the hard spots.

And as you ascend you cross several large granite ledges- more tricky for me than for Kelley

It doesn't have to be a lot of water

After you reach the junction with the South Ridge Trail it's mostly open rock to the summit

This was our view from the summit

We took the Pemetic NW Trail down to the loop road, This is also a fairly difficult trail- steep and rocky. Again, Kelley managed this trail without help from me.

From the loop road ( closed for the winter) we took the trail to South bubble where we had this view of Eagle lake.

Bubble Rock is a glacial erratic carried here from many miles away and left when the glacier retreated.

We then took the Bubble Divide down to Jordan Pond. This is also a very rocky trail and fairly steep in places.

Kelley working out a way through large stones.

When we got to the north end of Jordan Pond she was glad to find water to get into.

Unfinished beaver work
After having our lunch we took the Jordan Pond Trail back to the south end where we were parked

and walked over by the pond house for some different views of the pond

A somewhat strenuous hike but an enjoyable one . 3 1/2 hours

11/28/11 Walden

2011-11-29T07:12:00.004-05:00

Another rainy day so back to Walden. We managed to get in an hour and a quarter with only light sprinkles.

The snow is almost all gone after our relatively warm days.

Today we spotted mostly lichens

And this graceful grass

11/27/11 Bangor

2011-11-28T07:16:00.004-05:00

Rain predicted on a gray dreary day. We wandered around downtown for an hour and a half with Kelley selecting the route until we ended up on a dead end street near the golf course and I had to take the lead. There were people about for her to greet and lots of scents to check out.

11/26/11 Walden

2011-11-26T18:20:00.004-05:00

Thought we needed an easier day so we went to Walden to see if conditions had improved. The start of the trail was in good condition with boot and snowshoe traffic packing it down so off we went. Kelley was once again very excited to be running in the snow. Conditions varied on the rest of the hike depending on who had preceded us -from what we started with to a single snowshoer to we were the first on that part of the trail. None of it has hard going as yesterday.

In spite of a couple of warm days there was still a good amount of snow.

Near the end of the hike we came upon Sophie, a dog Kelley had met in the past and she got to play awhile and Sophie was as excited as Kelley. A nice outing 1 1/2 hours

11/25/11 Breakneck Road

2011-11-25T19:23:00.005-05:00

A beautiful day in the 40's. One of the local stations gave snowfall totals for various places in the state and said Northwest Harbor (on MDI) only got a tenth of an inch. It is not unusual for the coast to get rain when we get snow. However, when we arrived at the Breakneck we found that they had much more than that.

The first part of the hike was easy as there had been several walkers before us and the snow was packed down. After we crossed the stream it became more difficult , mostly breaking our own trail. . Kelley was very happy anyway and would run ahead gleefully and then wait for me to catch up before taking off again.

When we got to the ponds we moved over to the carriage road to make a loop back. There had been a few walkers and skiers but as it is more open there was also more snow.

My legs became tired and sore and I was worried about Kelley's but she continued her running behavior to the very end. Even though it was a bit of a slog it was great to be out in the woods on such a beautiful day. 2 1/4 hours

11/24/11

2011-11-24T21:05:00.002-05:00

After cleaning the drive we went over to Walden to check out the trails. No one had preceded us so we had 8 or 9 inches of unbroken snow. I thought it was a bit of a slog and was worried it might be a strain on Kelley so we gave it up.

Back home we spent an hour and a quarter walking in the neighborhood. A pretty day and there were people out clearing their drives that Kelley could greet. And a yellow lab she played with briefly and then we ran into her favorite friend Sarge who she also got to play with while his owner and I talked. So, a pretty day, friendly people and, other dogs - not a bad outing.

11/23/11 Snow Day

2011-11-23T19:40:00.006-05:00

Snowed all day and the roads were very bad so we stayed home. Kelley loves the snow and gets very excited so we took a couple of walks around the neighborhood. I have never let her be off leash around here because I am afraid for her and cars but there was little traffic today and she so wanted to run in the snow.

11/22/11 Sears Island

2011-11-23T12:59:00.005-05:00

Cold but sunny with little wind. Wanted something less strenuous today so we headed for Sears Island. Because we knew the tide would still be fairly high we planned to do the interior before the shore and not be in the water. We took the main road ( interesting to Kelley because of all the prior dog traffic) to the jetty and then turned south to follow the shore around to where we started.

These were along the road

Still some frost on the plants in the shade.

The shore provided it's usual variety of interesting things to see.

11/21/11 Dorr Mountain

2011-11-22T18:20:00.006-05:00

Cold but sunny. Seemed like a good day for something a little more strenuous. We parked on the loop road at the Stratheden trailhead and walked the short distance back to the Kebo Mtn. Trail. We quickly reached the summit and then continued down the other side. This is an attractive and very pleasant trail.

We then took the Dorr N. Ridge Trail up to the summit. This was a more strenuous and rocky climb.

From the top of Dorr we descended first on the Schiff ( several of the trails in this area have been renamed).

The Schiff becomes the Emery and now skirts the side of the mountain giving nice views. There are several sections of stone steps

You can see Great Meadow from the path. Lush green in summer but now gone brown.

We then took the Homans Path the rest of the way down. The large number of stone steps and other stonework are evidence of a great deal of effort in the construction of this trail

From Sieur de Monts we took the Jesup Path on which a boardwalk has been constructed as far as Hemlock Rd. In the past this trail was often under water. There is still lots of water in the area and Kelley got brave and jumped off the boardwalk to get into some.

After our lunch at a bench along the way we went to the Stratheden which took us back to our car. Kelley did well and it was a good hike. 3 hours

11-20-11 More Bangor

2011-11-20T19:22:00.002-05:00

Off and on rainy- also cold and gray. My inclination was to stay in and curl up with book . Kelley kept coming over to me and obviously was not into curling up. So we headed downtown again when the rain stopped. I took my smaller old camera which is easier to keep dry if it started to rain again. I set it to take pictures in black and white as a change from yesterday.

11/19/11 Bangor

2011-11-20T12:33:00.006-05:00

Time for an easy day so downtown for an hour and a half. There were lots of people about for Kelley to greet and lots of things to sniff. It was a bit cold and I wished I had brought gloves but it was an enjoyable outing anyway.

In spite of several nights of frost this rose was still hanging on.

11/18/11 Bowl, Behive, Goham. Ocean Path

2011-11-19T19:08:00.006-05:00

Cold ( 30's ) and windy, sun and clouds, little spits of snow when we left the house. Started from Sand Beach parking not sure which trails we would take - there are lots of alternatives from here. We took the trail to The Bowl so Kelley could have a swim and got this view of Champlain

but decided to go up the back of the Beehive instead, from where we could look back at The Bowl. There were a few flakes of snow flying about in the sunshine up there.

We came down the side of the Beehive to the Gorham Mtn. trail which we took to the top.

The beehive from Gorham

We continued on the Gorham Trail down toward the ocean

Sand Beach and Great Head in the distance

And then took The Ocean Path to Otter Point

Where we had our lunch and then headed back to the parking area. This time we went down to the beach

And one last swim for Kelley. She prefers the calmer fresh water in the background of the above picture.

All in all a nice day for both of us - 3 1/4 hours

11/16/11 Walden Parke

2011-11-17T07:18:00.004-05:00

Seemed time for an easy day and also no driving so over to Walden for an easy two hours. When we came to the entrance to City Forest on the old rail bed Kelley insisted we take that route. I think she gets a whiff of all the dogs that have been there. And we met several on the trail which made her happy.

11/15/11 Caribou Mountain Trail

2011-11-16T17:45:00.003-05:00

A cloudy day, threatening rain but we only got a sprinkle near the end of the hike. This was an attempt to follow the trail we apparently lost last time we tried it. We started from Dynamite Brook Road and took the connector to the Caribou Mountain Trail. The connector comes out of the woods at this point on the Caribou Mountain Trail.

We again turned right ( west) and hoped to get to the trail to Redmans Beach. After about an hour and a half we had not found it but also had not circled back as we had on our last attempt. I did not want to overtax Kelley so we turned back the way we had come.

When we got back to the junction we had lunch and enjoyed the view before taking the trail back down to our car.

An enjoyable, even though somewhat frustrating , outing. 3 hours

11/14/11 Ship Harbor / Wonderland Area

2011-11-16T08:21:00.006-05:00

Mix of sun and clouds with comfortable temperatures. We decided to repeat a hike we did this summer from Ship Harbor along the shore past Wonderland to near Seawall. We took the Ship Harbor Trail to the water.

The mouth of Ship Harbor which is fairly narrow.

The trail goes only a short distance along the water and then turns back inland. We continued along the rocky shore, sometimes moving into the woods when the footing became difficult for Kelley

An unusual color for this lichen

There were lots of interesting stones

I think near where we turned back

And plants

I already have pictures similar to these of this seaweed but could not resist a couple more.

Back at Wonderland there is a circular trail that takes you into the woods and is quite pleasant.

We took the trail from Wonderland back to the road and that back to where we had parked. Nice hike 2 3/4 hours

11/13/11 Little Moose

2011-11-14T19:46:00.008-05:00

Mix of sun and clouds and comfortable temperatures. Drove into the Moose Ponds traihead and headed toward the ponds. The first part of the hike is relatively flat but after Big Moose it starts to climb up to the ridge that overlooks the ponds.

When we reached the ridge we went a short distance toward the Notch Ponds before turning back and resuming the Loop Trail

An overlook offers this view of the ponds from above.

This small pond was along the trail

A few of the many interesting fungi we saw

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After running along the ridge the trail drops back down to Little Moose pond

Along Big Moose the trail crosses a narrow concrete structure ( some sort of obsolete water control device I think) that Kelley won't cross so she swims out into the pond around a lot of driftwood to avoid it.

These slate steps are near the end (or beginning) of the hike. There seems to be a lot of slate in this area - we passed several places on the drive over where it was piled up in yards.

Waiting once again.

A very pleasant hike without too much difficulty for Kelley. She seemed to enjoy it and was quite excited when we started - I think because we had not been here in quite some time it was like a new place. 3 hours

11/12/11 Little Long Pond Area

2011-11-13T06:39:00.004-05:00

Cold ( 30's) , gray, and windy but not raining. Woods seemed to be the way to go and their protection made the wind hardly noticeable. We started from Little long Pond parking and took the friends Path down to the pond - the West Side Trail > Jordan Stream Trail > Asticou Trail > Harbor Brook Trail > road back to parking.

Still some color to be found

The stream was moving rapidly and had these weeds spread beneath the surface.

Kelley does not care for rapidly moving water but found quieter spots

Jordan Stream Trail

Which passes under the Cobblestone Bridge

There is a ten minute walk along the road from the Harbor Brook trailhead to our parking area and someone had a hydrangea that still had a couple of blossoms on it.

A good hike - 3 1/4 hours

11/11/11 Bangor

2011-11-12T06:41:00.004-05:00

Rainy, cold, and windy so we went downtown for a hour walk about. I had forgot about the parade which was just cranking up. Kelley was put off by all the noise so we wandered neighborhoods away from the parade route. This was fine with Kelley as there were lots of new spots to explore and a few people to greet. She continues to do well.

11/10/11 Walden

2011-11-11T08:39:00.003-05:00

Rainy day but we managed to get in an hour and a half at Walden with only light sprinkles. Kelley was just happy we were out of the house. It now does look like we are headed for winter with most leaves brown and on the ground.

This fungus has almost circled a small sapling.

And now for some reflection

Kelley helped with the last two - she added the ripples but jumping into the pool

11/9/11 Northeast Harbor Trails and Norumbega

2011-11-10T16:40:00.006-05:00

Another beautiful day for hiking. Decided to explore the trails around the village of Northeast Harbor. I had only been on a couple of them and that was many years ago. We started near the Asticou Gardens and it was quite a pretty area.

Unfortunately my map does not have the names of many of the trails and we ended up having a hard time following it and did some circles. We then decide to do nearby Norumbega Mountain and took a trail that took us to Lower Hadlock Pond

It's a short way to the Norumbega Trail which is also very nice, though a bit more strenuous - Kelley needed help in only one spot.

When we reached the summit we found someone had taken the summit sign.

We shared an apple and headed back down, finding another snake. This one was not aggressive and quickly moved off into the brush

We cut off from the Norumbega and took the Golf Course Trail which goes by a local golf course before heading back toward the ponds.

Waiting for me again

We found the Quarry Trail and hoped to take that down to another trail that would take us back near where we had started. But we lost the trail and ended up bushwhacking our way back to the road nearer the village than we had started. Walking back we found access to the water and walked down to a nice lunch spot before continuing back to the car. A nice hike in spite of the confusing trails. 3 1/2 hours of reasonably strenuous hiking and Kelley had no problems with her legs last night or this morning.