Blowin' in the Wind

Monday, May 31, 2010 Road Junkies 0 Comments

EAST COAST ROAD TRIP, Chapter 32:
IN WHICH OUR JOURNEY TOOK A TOLL 
  
Day 31:  Moncton, NB to Charlottetown, PE.  Leaving New Brunswick this morning, we finally spotted a female moose, the first moose we've seen on this trip, despite traveling in areas where the large beasts are said to be prolific.  Signs warned that moose were in the area.  Near Port Elgin, a female moose came loping up to the roadside and paused.
  
We slowed down to avoid hitting her should she continue across the highway, but the tractor-trailer driver behind us did not.  As we pulled over to the shoulder to try to get a photo of the moose, the truck driver blew past us, honking his horn, and the moose scampered back into the woods.

The Confederation Bridge joins New Brunswick and mainland Canada with Prince Edward Island across the Northumberland Strait.  The eight-mile curved bridge, the longest in the world crossing ice-covered water, was an object of much debate before its construction in the 1990s.
  
Confederation Bridge
Before the bridge was built, access to PEI was by ferry most of the year and iceboat in the winter.  Farmers, fishermen, tourism operators and residents of Prince Edward Island had sharply contrasting opinions about how year-round access to the mainland would affect their way of life and livelihood.  The question was eventually put to a vote by islanders, and 60 percent wanted the bridge.

At a cost of one billion dollars, Confederation Bridge was built to last for 100 years withstanding the driving winds and crushing ice of the strait and even impacts with passing ships.  Wind barriers were required in the bridge's design because the strait is often buffeted by high winds (including today), sometimes gusting so high that bridge traffic is disrupted.  The toll for the bridge is C$42.50, but you are not required to pay until you leave the island.
  
Blockhouse Point Lighthouse
On PEI, we had no difficulty tracking down a few lighthouses. One interesting example was Blockhouse Point near the village of Rocky Point.

Walking along the waterfront in Charlottetown this evening, we saw a baker's dozen sailboats engaged in what we can only describe as synchronized sailing.  No doubt, this is not what this activity is called.  However, they were all close together performing the same maneuvers at the same time.  It was fascinating to watch and we're hoping before we leave town we'll be able to find someone who can enlighten us about what was going on.
  
Sailboats maneuvering
DAILY STATS
  • Miles driven:  153
  • High temp:  54° F
  • Letterboxes:  0 (1 unsuccessful attempt)
  • Moose:  1
  • Foxes seen on a walk:  5
  • Sailboats:  13
MONDAY, 31 MAY 2010

The Loonies Gave Us Away

Sunday, May 30, 2010 Road Junkies 0 Comments

EAST COAST ROAD TRIP, Chapter 31:
IN WHICH WE FINALLY ENCOUNTER SOME LOCALS 
  
Day 30:  Moncton, NB.  We had a delicious lunch today at Moncton's Old Triangle Irish Alehouse on Main Street.  The creation of three Irishmen, the pub offers tasty food, including some traditional Irish fare, a variety of brews, and a friendly atmosphere for reasonable prices.  Our server was prompt, attentive, and educational.  At the end of the meal, when we paid in cash, she asked whether we needed change.  Ken handed her some cash including a C$5.00 bill and asked for four ones in change.
  
The server looked puzzled for a moment, then asked where we were from.  After we replied, she informed us that we gave ourselves away as foreigners when we asked for ones rather than Loonies.  Unlike our repeated failed efforts to make one dollar coins circulate in the U.S., the Canadians succeeded in their transition to dollar coins by simply ceasing production and circulation of one dollar banknotes in 1989. 
  
People accepted the coins so well they began affectionately calling the one dollar coins Loonies because the back side of the coin features an image of a loon.  When two dollar coins went into circulation later, it logically followed that they were Toonies.  Our server, in her early twenties, admitted that she had never heard the coin called a "one" before.

Because the whole of southeast New Brunswick is a letterboxing desert, void of a single box, we decided to make a contribution by planting two boxes in Moncton today.  An obvious location was the city's premier tourist attraction, Magnetic Hill. 
  
Magnetic Hill, where your vehicle can magically "roll uphill"
As one might suspect just from the name, Magnetic Hill is magnetic only in the figurative sense. The hill is an optical illusion, appearing to slope up when it's really going down. Gullible tourists get to pay C$5.00 to drive to the "bottom" of the hill, shift into neutral, and coast backward "up" the hill. A perfect place for a letterbox. We hid it in the woods beside the road where visitors start their "uphill" climb.

The other letterbox was planted in Moncton's Centennial Park. When we hiked in this 270-acre urban park today, we discovered lots of people playing in the trees. A company called Treego has built an elaborate aerial adventure course to allow any and all participants to discover their inner monkey.
  
We could only wish we were a bit younger (and in Dianne's case, a little less clumsy) so we could have been participants rather than just spectators, though that was entertaining in itself. We did plant our letterbox near the course so we can bring the activity to the attention of letterboxers in the clue.

Tomorrow we'll be moving on from Moncton and New Brunswick as we venture to Prince Edward Island.
  
At Centennial Park, the first Canada Geese we've seen since arriving in Canada 
What first appeared to be a lighthouse turned out to be something else when we got closer.

DAILY STATS
  • Miles driven: 28
  • Miles walked: 4.8
  • Letterboxes planted: 2
  • Human monkeys: 46
  • Loonies:  6
  • Toonies:  1
  • High temp:  65° F
SUNDAY, 30 MAY 2010

Got Butter?

Saturday, May 29, 2010 Road Junkies 0 Comments

EAST COAST ROAD TRIP, Chapter 30:
IN WHICH WE FEEL A BIT SHELLFISH
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Day 29:  Moncton, NB.  Where's that giant stick of butter when you need it?  Shediac, NB, is renown for its lobster. The Shediac Rotary Club decided that they should pay tribute to this crustacean, the mainstay of the town's economy for many years.  So they erected a monument to the town's mascot and logo and hoped it would also promote the local tourism industry.  According to the plaque, this is the world's largest lobster at 35 feet long and 16 feet in height.  That's going to require a very large pot!
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Locals claim that New Brunswick has the best lobster in the world, hands down. In fact, we were told that Maine imports lobster from NB and calls it "Maine lobster" because even they know it's the best.

After getting our fill of lobster, we drove down to Parlee Beach Provincial Park.  Locals were taking advantage of the mild weather to get out on the beach. 
  
Parlee Beach
The temperature reached 72° F today, torrid in an area where the average temperature in January is 17°.  The beach had been freshly graded for the opening of the summer season.

We have discovered that many attractions in this area and northward don't open until mid-June and remain open until September or October, so we're still traveling in the off-season for the most part.  Even though we may miss a few activities, it's well worth it to us to avoid the crowds that full-blown summer brings.
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SATURDAY, 29 MAY 2010

Now You See It...

Friday, May 28, 2010 Road Junkies 0 Comments

EAST COAST ROAD TRIP, Chapter 29:
IN WHICH WE HAVE A FUN DAY AROUND FUNDY
  
Day 28:  Saint John, NB to Moncton NB.  We took the scenic route today from Saint John, following the coast along the Bay of Fundy (pictured above) east toward Moncton.  Although the weather was sometimes overcast, the scenery was beautiful.
  (pictured above) 
Fundy National Park along our route features the unique landscapes of the Maritime Acadian Highlands.  Rising from the bay, this rolling plateau is covered with lush forest and cut by streams flowing through its valleys.
  
Fundy National Park
With many visitors to the park annually, some of Fundy's wildlife has become desensitized to humans.  This chipmunk entered the trail as we were approaching.  We stopped and watched as he calmly examined various items he found on the trail.  
  
I believe you're on my trail here, humans.
We took a few photos, thinking he would skitter away when we came toward him.  As we waited, another pair of hikers approached from the opposite direction.  The chipmunk remained until someone waved a hand toward him, at which time he strolled just a few feet off trail.

As much as we read in the travel literature about moose and seals and other wildlife in the area and in Maine, this chipmunk is all we have personally viewed, except for the thousands of mosquitoes, black flies, and gnats, of course.  We don't even need to search for them; they find us.

At Hopewell Cape, we visited another natural phenomenon caused by the extreme tides of the Bay of Fundy.  Hopewell Rocks are rock formations caused by tidal erosion.  Because of the large volume of water that flows in and out of the bay each day, some parts of the adjacent sandstone cliffs have been separated from the rest of the cliff face.
  
Hopewell Rocks at low tide
The waves that come in with the advancing and receding tides have eroded the base of these formations at a faster rate than the top, resulting in the unusual formations.  Just by chance, our visit to these "flower pot rocks" (as they are called locally) occurred at low tide, so that we were able to walk down to them-- "walking on the ocean floor," as the tourist brochures promote.  (Since we didn't spend six hours at the site, we borrowed an image from www.new7wonders.com to demonstrate how the rocks look at high tide.)
  
Hopewell Rocks at high tide
On the floor of the bay, near some of the underwater caves which had been revealed by the low tide were some unlikely stacks of rocks.
  
Short-lived cairns
We marvelled at the ingenuity and engineering prowess of whoever left these litle studies in balance for the rest of us to enjoy until the tide came back in and destroyed all their work.

Early in our journey this morning, we were lured by a sign indicating that a covered bridge was 4 km off the main road.  The next six or eight times we saw the sign, we kept driving.  New Brunswick, about the size of South Carolina,  has a total of 62 covered bridges, the newest of which was built in 1992  in Fundy National Park.
  
Irish River #2 covered bridge
Back in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when wooden bridges began to be built in the area, bridge builders had to find a way to deal with the extremes of climate, especially rot-causing rain and snow.  A wooden bridge left uncovered would last only about 10 years, while a covered wooden bridge could be expected to last 80 years or more. 
   
DAILY STATS
  • Miles driven:  203
  • Letterboxes:  0
  • Covered bridges:  10
FRIDAY, 28 MAY 2010


The Rise and Fall of Fundy

Thursday, May 27, 2010 Road Junkies 0 Comments

EAST COAST ROAD TRIP, Chapter 28:
IN WHICH THINGS BEGIN TO SWIRL
  
Day 27:  Saint John, NB.  With a population of almost 70,000 Saint John (not St. John, so it won't be confused with St. John's in Newfoundland) is the largest city in New Brunswick and the oldest incorporated city in Canada, dating back to 1604.
  
Situated on the coast of the Bay of Fundy, the city (pictured above) is split in half by the Saint John River, which flows into the bay...most of the time.  Twice each day, the strong tides from the bay reverse the river flow for several miles.
  
Whirlpools form where the river and bay push against each other
A series of underwater ledges combine with the action of the tide to create rapids.  When the big push is on, vortexes form as the river and bay engage in their struggle.  Ultimately the bay always wins, but only until the tide goes back out, leaving the river at peace once again.

The Bay of Fundy is known for its high tidal range.  In some places along the bay, the difference between high tide and low tide can be as much as 56 feet in depth.  
 
So this is what it looks like below the sea
At low tide, massive fields of seaweed become visible and one can walk on the floor of the bay.  Just be sure you're safely back on shore before the tide rises again.

An image for those who may think the U.S. has too much influence on Canadian culture.  The sign with the big yellow arches shows that's obviously a Canadian company.  See the maple leaf?
  
Named for Canada's first prime minister, maybe?

   
  
DAILY STATS
  • Miles driven:  35
  • Letterboxes:  2 (of 13 total in all of New Brunswick)
  • Tons of seawater flowing in and out of Bay of Fundy in one tide cycle:  100 billion
THURSDAY, 27 MAY 2010


Maine Streets

Wednesday, May 26, 2010 Road Junkies 0 Comments

EAST COAST ROAD TRIP, Chapter 26:
IN WHICH WE WALK ON WATER
  
Day 26: Ellsworth, ME to Calais, ME.  Before leaving Bar Harbor, we just had to decipher an intriguing letterbox clue:  "While in Bar Harbor, you should ask around for a magic trail that will allow you to 'walk on water.' Once there just follow the path and look for the tree in [a photo provided in the clue]. Box is about 4.5 ft from the ground. Be careful or your magic trail will disappear!"

We were mystified until we heard about Bar Island.  Part of Acadia National Park, Bar Island is off the coast of Bar Harbor in Frenchman Bay.  At low tide, the island is accessible by foot or by an all terrain type vehicle across a natural gravel land bridge.  So at low tide yesterday afternoon, we walked across Frenchman Bay to the island and, yes, we did find the letterbox.  [Above photo:  Route to Bar Island at low tide (L) and high tide (R)]
  
We watched the time carefully after the harbormaster told us he had to rescue 28 people from the island last year who walked over at low tide, let too much time pass (there's about a 3 hour window) and became stranded on the island because the tide had come back in. 

Driving from Ellsworth to Bangor today provided additional evidence that things are not always what they seem.  The towns are 28 miles apart and we were traveling on U.S. Highway 1A.  What we expected to be a 35 minute trip turned into almost 90 minutes because of road construction.
  
Maine roads take a beating
Maine's climate makes its roads subject to extreme wear and tear.  In the winter, water gets into small cracks and fissures where it freezes, expands, melts, refreezes, expands and so on. This causes potholes to appear more quickly and in some cases larger areas of the surface break up.  So when repair is needed, they sometimes just start over.  Large sections of U.S. 1A have been taken down to the gravel roadbed.
  
US Highway 1A gets a do-over
The cost of progress!  Maine struggles with highway maintenance due to its sparse population.  With federal highway aid based on population, Maine receives about the same funding as New Hampshire, even though Maine has more than twice the highways to maintain.

In driving extensively in Maine from Kittery in the south to Calais in the north, we observed only one example of road kill.  Thus, we saw no vultures in the state either.  Why?  Maine's highway roadsides are also almost litter-free.  Nice!  Very nice!
  
No litter—animal or otherwise
More than 90 percent of Maine's land area is forested. Driving across Highway 9 between Bangor and Calais today we had ample opportunity to observe this for ourselves. Most of this 100-mile stretch of Maine is forest, forest, and more forest, with a few tiny hamlets dotted along the way. On most of this span, the road and power poles are the only evidence of any human intervention.  Occasionally, there are expanses without even the power lines.  No small wonder that Maine's official nickname is the "Pine Tree State."

The state's other nickname, the "Land of Remembered Vacations," is also well deserved.  The rocky coast, the quaint villages, the fishing boats, and so much more leave one wanting to return to this beautiful state.  OK, maybe not to Bar Harbor.

WEDNESDAY, 26 MAY 2010

Oh! Canada?

Wednesday, May 26, 2010 Road Junkies 0 Comments

EAST COAST ROAD TRIP, Chapter 27:
IN WHICH WE CROSS INTO OUR NEIGHBOR'S YARD
  
Day 26:  Calais, ME to Saint John, NB.  When we last visited Canada, about 12 years ago, we had a bit of difficulty at customs because we had not thought to bring our passports.  We drove in from Detroit, thinking all we needed were our U.S. driver's licenses.  Today's entry was much easier, but still we were asked more questions than in some other countries we have visited.

Because Canada is such a close neighbor, we discovered that we had allowed ourselves to falsely assume it's just like the U.S.  English is our common language, right?  It wasn't long at all before we determined that we needed some translation!
This sight took a bit of mental adjustment.  Speed limit 110?  (It's equivalent to 68 miles per hour.)  Much to our surprise and dismay, we discovered after entering Canada today that the speedometer in our van has only miles, not kilometers. 

Every other vehicle we've owned had both, and we never noticed in the four and a half years we've owned our Honda that the speedometer displays only miles.  Thus the need for the conversion chart posted on the dashboard.
  
KM/Mile cheat sheet posted on the dash
At dinner tonight in a Saint John restaurant, Dianne asked the server if the chef would prepare a "vegetable plate" for her.  It wasn't on the menu, but this is something we've done many times and have never had any problem.  What usually happens is the server indicates what is available that might not be listed as side dishes on the menu, and a beautiful plate of cooked vegetables arrives at the table. 

When tonight's server asked whether she wanted some ranch dressing to dip the veggies in, Dianne realized that she and this nice gentleman had failed to communicate.  Apologizing for her erroneous assumption, she explained to the server that she is American.  "This is an entirely different country," he replied cheerfully. 

So Dianne ordered a vegetable tart from the menu.  The menu indicated that the tart came with a roquette salad.  Roquette?  Reluctant to further demonstrate her ignorance of all things Canadian, she bit her tongue and didn't even ask, hoping it would be something she could eat.  Was it ever!  Roquette is the French word for what we Yanks call arugula, Dianne's favorite salad green.

Back in the hotel room, we found one more need for translation.  The room was a bit chilly, so we checked the thermostat setting--20 degrees!  Our conversion chart told us that the setting was what we would call 68.  Tomorrow's forecast calls for a high of 17 and a low of 6.  Brrrrr!   And we didn't even bring our down coats!

Now, where did we put that Canadian-American dictionary??

WEDNESDAY, 26 MAY 2010

A Harbor that Sets the Bar for Tourism

Tuesday, May 25, 2010 Road Junkies 0 Comments

EAST COAST ROAD TRIP, Chapter 25:
IN WHICH WE SEE THE TRAP
  
Day 25: Bar Harbor, ME & Northeast Harbor, ME.  Along the shore in Bar Harbor, there's a rock that's just sitting there defying gravity (pictured above).  Called Balance Rock, of course, it has become a tourist attraction and the inspiration for the nearby the Balance Rock Inn.
  
If you find the Balance Rock or one of the numerous other luxury inns lining the shore in Bar Harbor a bit too pricey, tourists can book a vacation cabin or cottage.  There are hundreds in and around Bar Harbor, with prices beginning below $35 per night.
  
Bar Harbor rental cottages  
Once you're settled in your lodging, you can book a spot on the Margaret Todd, a 150-foot schooner, cruises among the islands of Frenchman's Bay, taking tourists to view sights unseen by landlubbers.
  
The Margaret Todd
And, of course, there are the whale watching cruises for tourists.  For a mere $56, you can go for a ride with some other tourists and harrass any whales your captain and a dozen other whale watching boats may find and surround.
  
Get your tickets here
You may even get to glimpse a whale if you can elbow your way to a viewing spot through the other tourists plus the hundreds of other tourists on all the other boats.
  
Once you've unnerved the whales, you can go bother some puffins.
After your whale watching cruise, you can probably find a place in Bar Harbor to buy some souvenirs.  Ship replicas are very popular, as are lighthouses.  And you can find any item with an image of a lobster-- from pajamas to mugs.

Souvenirs don't come cheap in Bar Harbor.
Some of the souvenir shops have so much to offer tourists, they have to display some items on the ceiling.

Double your display area; never mind that some items are out of reach.
No tourist can leave Bah Hahbah without having some lobstah.  Dozens of lobster pounds are available, and of course most every other restaurant will be delighted to serve any tourist their own version of lobstah. 
  
Like a dog pound, except with lobsters waiting to be sold.
The wise tourist will also spend some time in nearby Acadia National Park.  Hunters Beach would be a scenic choice.

Hunters Beach, Acadia National Park
While there, one can check out the amazingly smooth rocks on the beach and wonder how they took on such shapes.  But be sure to put that rock back on the beach in the same spot where you found it.  This is a national park, after all, and rock hunting (or shifting) is not permitted.
  
Put that rock down!
And that's how you can maximize your time as a tourist in Bah Hahbah, Maine.

DAILY STATS
  • Miles driven:  63
  • Letterboxes:  8
  • High temp:  80° F
TUESDAY, 25 MAY 2010

For the record, Balance Rock is much smaller than you may think.  (a little dab of concrete?)


Pahked Ouh Cah in Bah Hahbah

Monday, May 24, 2010 Road Junkies 0 Comments

EAST COAST ROAD TRIP, Chapter 24:
IN WHICH WE GO BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE
  
Day 24:  Bar Harbor, ME & Acadia National Park.  Like so many before us, we were drawn to the natural beauty of Acadia National Park, on Mount Desert Island off the Maine coast.  Ranked the second most popular U.S. national park in annual visitors (behind Great Smoky Mountains NP), Acadia was the first national park east of the Mississippi River and remains the only national park in the Northeast.
  
Hearing so often about Acadia's rocky shores and granite mountains, we have long looked forward to a visit.  The park did not disappoint.  Driving around Park Loop Road brings one to one scenic vista after another. 
  
Acadia National Park
This loop road was built and financed by John D. Rockefeller, Jr., when he and other wealthy Easterners bought land on the island and built lavish summer "cottages."  Rockefeller also financed, designed, and directed the construction of a network of carriage roads throughout the park. 
   
A viaduct on the carriage roads
The network encompassed more than 50 miles of crushed granite roads, which were painstakingly located to present a series of scenic vistas displaying the island at its best.  Seventeen granite bridges and two gate lodges were included in the system, most of which is still maintained today.  Today visitors can traverse these scenic routes by foot, bicycle, snowshoe, or cross-country skis.
  
Letterboxing atop Cadillac Mountain
Not all of Mount Desert Island is in the park and not all of the park is on the island.  We had some opportunities to letterbox on the island, and Cadillac Mountain had to be one of the most scenic places where we've stamped in.  It certainly had one of the best views.
  
Can we interest you in a souvenir?
No trip to Mount Desert Island would be complete without a visit to Bah Hahbah.  Once an exclusive resort for wealthy industrialists, Bar Harbor now welcomes all tourists.  At first glance, the village bears an uncanny resemblance to Gatlinburg or any other town which has focused its economy around tourist trade.
  
Get your claws on some souvenirs here. 
The streets are lined with souvenir and novelty shops selling t-shirts, tote bags, hats, jewelry, toys, and other authentic Maine items made in China or Vietnam.  Unlike Gatlinburg (and like Jackson Hole), the trinket troves are interspersed with small art galleries and trendy boutiques.  Since we're not easily amused by shopping, we happily bypassed it all.

DAILY STATS
  • Miles driven:  98
  • Letterboxes:  9
  • Scenic vistas:  64
  • Rocks:  1, 452, 890
  • Lighthouses:  1
  • Souvenir shops:  382
  • High temp:  80° F
MONDAY, 24 MAY 2010

Bass Harbor Lighthouse




Fiddle-dee-dee! Isn't that Dandy?

Sunday, May 23, 2010 Road Junkies 0 Comments

EAST COAST ROAD TRIP, Chapter 23:
IN WHICH WE ENCOUNTER DELIGHTFUL SURPRISES
  
Day 23:  Portland, ME to Ellsworth, ME.  Since we arrived in Maine, we have seen an occasional sign advertising "Fiddleheads for Sale"-- sometimes outside a store, sometimes at a roadside stand.  Our initial reaction was, "Aren't fiddleheads some kind of fern?"  Of course, we dismissed that idea and thought maybe they were some kind of crab (yes, it's fiddler, not fiddlehead).
  
Today we finally encountered fiddleheads for sale in the produce department of a local supermarket and the mystery was solved. We had the opportunity to talk with the produce manager who informed us that fiddleheads are the unfurled fronds of a young fern harvested for as a vegetable for food consumption.

Fiddleheads are a traditional dish of northern New England (predominantly Maine) in the United States, and of Quebec and the Maritimes in Canada. Though available regionally in some supermarkets and restaurants, fiddleheads aren't cultivated and are available only seasonally. In rural areas, fiddleheads are harvested by individuals in early spring.  
(pictured above) 
Fiddleheads, considered a delicacy by their fans, have a very short season, from mid-April to early May, and can have a high price tag. When selecting fiddleheads, it's important to only use those from the ostrich fern, which is the variety available in North America, as other types are toxic.

We didn't buy any today.  Maybe another day.

Driving from Portland to the Acadia National Park region today, we came through the village of Searsport on Belfast Bay where we chanced upon a spectacular vision...a gorgeous field of dandelions at the Captain A.V. Nickels Inn. 
  
Captain A.V. Nickels Inn
This grand old house was built by Captain Albert V. Nickels in 1874 for his wife, Elizabeth McGilvary, and their five children, later increased by three more. Captain Nickels was commander of several ships during his career including his last ship the infamous ''Iroquois'' built for her speed by Captain Nickels' father-in-law, William McGilvary. 
  
Dandelion Ocean
The old home has been used as a bed and breakfast and inn, once popular for weddings since it has a waterfront location.  It has changed hands several times in the last decade and is now offered for sale again.

We were quite impressed with two series of letterboxes we found today planted by the same person. Both were in state parks built around 18th or 19th century forts. 
  
Stamping in
Both series commemorated features of the particular fort's history or construction.  The stamps were well done, the clues were just challenging enough, and we got walking tours of both parks.  Perfect!

Another unexpected find today was the Penobscot Narrows Bridge.  The original bridge was built in 1931 with a main span 800 feet long. Called the most beautiful steel bridge when it opened, it was found to have serious structural faults in 2003 when Maine's DOT was in the midst of a major overhaul of the bridge. Severe corrosion was discovered in the cables, which had been hidden by protective sheathing. Engineers determined that the bridge could not be saved and a replacement would be required. 
  
Penobscot Narrows Bridge (old failing bridge in background)
The Penobscot Bridge was built using new design technology which not only protects the cables but allows them to be inspected and even replaced individually. The cable goes down the center of the bridge with eastbound traffic on one side and westbound on the other.
  
Q.  Would we have seen this view if there hadn't been an elevator?  (Hint: not likely)
The Penobscot Bridge site also is home to the Penobscot Narrows Observatory in the top of the west tower, the first bridge observation tower in the United States and the tallest public bridge observatory in the world. The tower reaches 420 feet (42 stories) into the air and allows visitors to view the bridge and the Penobscot River and Bay.  

DAILY STATS
  • Miles Driven: 177
  • Letterboxes: 11
  • Lighthouses: 1
  • High Temp: 65° F
  • Gas: $2.79
  • Dandelions: 61,893
SUNDAY, 23 MAY 201

Mailbox of the Day
   
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