Day of Rest (Day 9: Bar Harbor to Ellsworth)

Posted by Jeff, 5/5/15

Miles: 12

Create Maps or search from 80 million at MapMyRide

Acadia National Park is a worthy side trip for East Coast Greenway travelers.

If you have time, there are enough sights and activities to fill several days. But you can also make it just one day if your time is limited. This day was our day of rest.

It was this.

Downtown Bar Harbor

And this.

Jordan Pond

Pemetic Mountain

Northeast Harbor

Two transportation nerd alerts

1. The bus system in Acadia is, in my opinion, excellent. First, it's free. Second, it covers all corners of the park, with a hub in Bar Harbor. Third, the route information was clear.

Eve and I used the buses to get to Bar Harbor from her friends' cabin, where we were staying, and to get around the park. Our bikes? Bless their hearts, love 'em to death, wouldn't trade 'em for the all the tea in China...but it was nice to get chauffeured around by the bus system and use our legs for hiking. So, a good tip for planning a tour of this length is to build in a day like this.

2. People love to bike in Acadia! Thanks to a somewhat unlikely source: John D. Rockefeller, Jr. From 1913-1940, the magnate sponsored the building of carriage roads throughout the island. It wasn't pure altruism, of course. Rockefeller wanted routes for recreational buggy rides. But now they form a 45-mile network of car-free roads perfect for horseback riding, jogging, walking, or cycling. Because of the lack of cars, people of any cycling ability can feel comfortable riding on them. To get to them, there are special shuttles with bike trailers on the back, and plenty of bike rental options in Bar Harbor and the park.

Queueing for a bike shuttle to the carriage roads

* * *

In the early evening, we got back to Eve's friends' cabin, packed our panniers, and got back in those familiar saddles. We rode a leisurely 14 miles back toward Ellsworth to Timberland Acres RV Park. There, we met another cyclist who was coming from Montana. He looked to be in his fifties. Talking to him made our own trip seem like a ride to the grocery store. We unloaded our bikes and went back out for pizza at Pat's Pizza with another one of Eve's friends. (They are scattered all around New England.)

It was a worthwhile day of rest. Tomorrow would be our longest trip.