Schoodic1: Sorrento, Me

Biked down US 1A from Bangor to Ellsworth then hung a left on US 1 Coastal Route for my first of three swoops in the area known as Downeast Acadia and Schoodic Peninsula.  My first destination goal was Sorrento which sits on the end of Waukeag Neck jutting into Frenchman Bay to the east of Mount Desert Island.  I had noticed on Google satellite maps, some sort of dam across a small bay to the east of the village center.  I couldn't figure out what it was.

A nice ride down from Sullivan, Maine with just moderate traffic on Route 1.  Rolled into Sorrento. It's not really a village (found out later it's part of Gouldsboro), more of a neighborhood.  I didn't find any stores, but a nice harbor with plenty of lobster boats and a number of big homes.  I also spotted the public library and a dentist's office right across from the public boat landing looking out over the harbor.  Wow, making the bucks of a dentist with such a view.  That's one lucky tooth puller!

Library        

Dental Office          

Here's a panoramic video from the Sorrento wharf...

Okay, so what's the deal with that dam-like thing?  Well, it's kinda like a crib dam across a small bay that allows the tide to flow in and out keeping the sea water circulating.  Why? Because the bay is filled with lobsters from lobstermen's catches.  It's called a Lobster Pound (short for impoundment)  It's about 70 years old and is still in use today.  While others have artificial indoor pounds, the Sorrento Lobster Co. still does it the old-fashioned way.

Other images of Sorrento...

Schoodic3: Corea, Me

Oh boy, talk about your out of the way places! Left Schoodic Point in Acadia National Park and traveled back up the west side of the peninsula. I blew by an inconspicuous road on the right with a little sign that read "Corea" It caught my attention as it read Korea but with a C. I turned back and swooped out on an outcropping of Schoodic Peninsula in Gouldsboro Bay.

I was on state route 195 but took a right to see a lighthouse indicated on my DeLorme's. I reached the cute little lighthouse and "keeper's house" but couldn't get very close. 

Photo from LightHouseFriends.com

It had a security fence (Guantanamo Bay style) with razor wire and a guard shack. A large blue camo uniformed guard politely but firmly told me I could not enter. An interior sign read "US Naval Operations Satellite Communications" Okay, I surmised this was once a lazy little post that got a big dose of post 9-11 paranoia testosterone.I left the military installation and continued to Corea. 
   

I rolled in to find a sleepy little fishing village at low tide.  It's a small harbor crowded with lobster and sail boats. It looks as though high tide adds 100 feet all around. I checked out the few narrow streets and found the only business in town.

It's not unusual to find a little grill on the coast of Maine serving lobster rolls with deck seating. There's dozens along the coast and all a pretty good. However, this one has a rather amazing collection of old, top quality photographs of the area. By "old", I mean from the 40's and 50's.  In classic black & white, they were taken by 1919 Corea-born photographer Louise Z. Young who took photos for the Bangor Daily News and herself. She passed in 2004 and her family shows the photos next to their grill in Corea. I met Robert who I believe is Louise's grandson. He runs the place along with his lobsterman dad, Joe. I also met a Colby student working there for the summer. She caught me playing hookey from work. Corea is now a highlight of my summer.

Schoodic2: Acadia Nat'l Park

Left Sorrento and got back on US 1 until I reached the Schoodic Peninsula. That portion of Route 1 and Route 186 down the peninsula is known as a National Scenic Byway. It is beautiful and didn't have the traffic found around the entrance of Acadia National Park on Mt. Desert Island.

Eventually traveled through Winter Harbor, Me. A very cute village, bustling with activity. There's plenty of shops plus an IGA Foodliner, but I didn't hang out long because I wanted to get into Acadia National Park.  

Confused?  Well, the Acadia National Park is not all contiguous.  There are actually a number of parts on Mt Desert, a few islands and a hunk of land on the mainland.  Yup, it's on the end of Schoodic Peninsula and extends to the very tip known as Schoodic Point.  From there, you see the rocky coastline and the open ocean but also Mt. Desert Island to the west with Cadillac Mountain standing tall.

A double lane one-way road meanders through the Park with plenty of twisties and not a single bump or pothole. The views of Frenchman Bay, then Schoodic Point and finally Gouldsboro Bay on the west side are incredible. I think it's now my favorite part of Acadia National Park.

Bath, Maine

From Augusta, swooped south through Hallowell and Farmingdale. Jumped over the Kennebec in Gardiner to Randolph and headed south on Route 27 also known as the Wiscasset Road. Sky started getting black very fast so stopped at Meeting House Market just as I crossed into Dresden.  Pulled up onto a covered patio and sat at a covered picnic table. (Okay, I went in and got a cookie and soda.)  

  

The sky didn't open up but a steady rain began so I hung out there for about a half hour. Put on full rain gear and took off looking for either Route 127 or 128.  I found 128 first and began following Merrymeeting Bay towards Bath.  It was a great ride on a relatively new road with good twisties and the occasional view of the Bay.  The rain was over and everything began drying off and the roadway steamed. (Took 127 on return trip which was also good but not quite as interesting or band-new smooth as 128.)

Eventually bumped into Route 127 then US Route 1 and took the big bridge over to Bath.  

US Route 1 North Sagadahoc Bridge - Bath

I caught a glimpse of the new Navy destroyer BIW is building in the Kennebec.  It's so stealthy and doesn't even look like a war ship.

US Navy's Bath-Built Zumwalt Class Destroyer

Made my destination on the New Meadows River in West Bath.

New Meadows River with fog coming in from Atlantic

Belfast, Maine

Quick swoop to Belfast for a lobster roll on the harbor. It was my second one of the day.

Belfast Maine Harbor from US Route 1 bridge

Watched from Weathervane Restaurant (outdoor seating) as a gull helped himself to buffalo chicken left at a table near us. He gulped it whole but soon hit the water in the harbor to clean his head and beak.  Yikes! That's hot!

  

Stonington, Maine

Traveled to coast through Belfast then across Penobscot Narrows Bridge.

Penobscot Narrows Bridge

Passed through Bucksport to Route 15 taking me down one of those long fingers that jut out into the Atlantic.  I was on the opposite side of Castine and traveled through Blue Hill which is a nice Maine town.

Finally got to the tip of land then crossed over to Little Deer Isle on a really cool suspension bridge. The sides are too high for cars to see over but it's a great view from a bike.

Deer Isle Bridge

The land bridge from Little Deer Isle to the main island was a meandering rock bordered pathway through the ocean.  It was twisties through the water: very cool!

Traveling to Stonington, my cell phone dropped off my handlebar holder and bounced along the pavement.  I got it back with broken screen and dings.  Augh!!!

My decent into Stonington gave a grand view of the harbor.  There are so many rocks jutting out of the harbor that boats need to navigate around.  Some were large enough that the locals stored their lobster traps on them. I went all along the harbor which has two small inlets filled mostly with lobster boats.  It's clear Stonington has the look (and smell) of a working harbor that hasn't gone touristy.  The people were all about their lives and still a bit curious of outsiders.

Stonington Harbor

I visited a couple stores including a gift shop.  The prices were well below what you would find in Camden or Boothbay.  The main street and walkways are narrow with building blocking good portions of the harbor. That's a trait of a town with working ideals rather than tourist ideals.  The little m/hotel along Main seems to have great harbor views.

I left Stonington very impressed at the beauty and preserved culture. I guess it's just too far off the beaten path (Route 1) so I'd call it a well kept secret of the Maine Coast.

Stonington Town Hall