Saturday, September 20, 2014

AAPRCO Trip 2014 - Day 10: Sunday, September 28

Left Portland on Amtrak Downeaster. Got off at Boston North Station at Boston Gardens. When leaving there was a tall Black guy we found out later was NBA star Paul Pierce, who was being filmed trying to "break" into the Boston Gardens by shaking the "locked" doors at the entrance. He later walked by as we were waiting for a taxi and someone identified him. Got to South Station:


Rick by doors and entrance to T. 

Our Red Cap guy told us how to check our baggage and get into Acela Lounge for first class passengers. 
 
Inside the lounge. 

Looking from the lounge to the station lobby. 

Worcester, MA Depot. 

Eating lunch in the cafe car. 

Yummy cheese cake. 



AAPRCO Trip 2014 - Day 11: Monday, September 29

Up for breakfast of railroad French toast, veggie omelet and bacon. Rick said that this dining car was an experiment. They have the food carts like they have on airlines. 
We were supposed to get into Chicago at 11:30 am and depart at 2:50 pm but we were late by 2 hous and then stalled on the tracks due to freight trains for what was supposed to be 45 minutes but turned into 2 more hours. We were hoping to have lunch at an Italian pizza place but ended up downing Wolftrap wine and cheese and crackers while we were stalled. They held the California Zephyr until our train arrived so we are on board and sitting across from each other. 

Shortly before we departed I discovered I left my iPad in the luggage rack in our room. I had propped it up alongside my backpack last night before bed and this morning when I pulled my backpack down it fell flat. Luckily this guy had someone look for it, found it, and will be shipped to me. Whew!


Here are some pictures from Illinois before sunset - the bread basket of America- or maybe corn basket:








Our dinner reservations are at 8:15 and we should be getting into Omaha at around 2:00 am. Everyone is going to work tomorrow but me and I am SO glad to have a day of recovery from this fantastic vacation!

AAPRCO Trip 2014 - Day 9: Saturday, September 27


This morning we sang Happy Birthday to Debbie with a candle on her muffin at the Peacock Bed & Breakfast. They served us fruit and sausage and Dutch Baby with slices bananas that looked like this:


We went to the Roosevelt International Park visitors center to get tickets for the "Tea with Eleanor" event limited to 20.  Homemade ginger and lemon cookies with tea were served and we heard about the life of Eleanor in the Hubbard home. 





We then has a tour of the Hubbard home. She was a concert pianist and has this oval window imported for their dining room:


Here is the living room and foyer with a fireplace to help warm the upstairs:




We then left Campobello Island but stopped to get a picture looking at the FDR Memorial Bridge we would cross to Lebec, ME. You can see the bridge to the far left and Lebec across the bay. 

 
This picture looks back from Lebec, ME toward Campobello Island at the Mulholland Light House. 


Next to the West Quoddy Light House. This is one that Debbie doesn't have in her stained glass light house collection. 


Debbie:




There is a little museum inside the light house with information about the area. Lebec is the easternmost point in the continental US. 

We then left to find the US Bell Company on the Schoodic Peninsula. On the way we passed what we think were cranberry fields. 


US Bell is a foundry but the weren't pouring on Saturday but had their bell and pottery shop open. The owner explained the process of making molds using a sand and clay mixture:




The black squares are the pressed sand and clay mixture. The bars at the back are bronze. 

The crucible, tongs and pouring handles. 

Meanwhile, inside the bell shop, Debbie was placing a custom bell order for a 40th anniversary bell for their anniversary in October. It will have Wolff, est 1974. 


That will look like this. 


The owners recommend we eat linner (or lupper) at the Pickled Wrinkle in Goldsboro so off in search of that and saw this grand beauty. 


Had a clam BLT wrap at the cafe. The restaurant got its name from the Wrinkle or Whelk which is a carnivorous snail that gets into lobster traps. In tough times Maine families survived on them and they were preserved by pickling. They are a food rich in protein but were not on the menu. Here's my wrap. 

Next was to drive through the free part of the Acadian National Forest on the Schoodic Peninsula, but first a stop at Mc's Market. 






We discovered a Schoodic Education and Research Institute Center and this sculpture entitled 'Tribute to Life'. 


 Next over to the Acadian Peninsula and Bar Harbor. We went through the edge of hopping Bar Harbor but did not stop. If there had been parking it would have been nice to walk around. 

Saw our first white-cap waves. 

Back up the Peninsula we went by signs for 'Lobster Pounds" which are penned in lobsters so you can pick out your supper. Also a lot of weather vanes for sale.  


 
Stopped for Debbie's Birthday ice cream at JJ's Ice Cream Academy in Trenton. They served the local award-winning Gifford's Ice Cream. I had the blueberry and Mt Katahdin Crunch. 

  
One last stop at the L. L. Bean Outlet in Ellsworth. Debbie got a tote, Rick some shirts and socks and we ran into some people from AAPRCO from Ohio. 


Drove on the dark to Portland, Rick returned rental car with over 1000 miles from our 3 day Maine adventure.