Well....we did it! Seven couples plus one - the Taylors, McColgans, Trinos, Hoovers, Beissweingers, Greers, Ligabels and Kay Chapin (Charlie was under the weather....we really missed him) managed to eat, sleep, drink, climb hills, crest rocky bluffs, boat, eat, sail, hike, row, meditate, drink, eat, walk, play croquet, beach comb, cook, eat, clean, drink, read, discuss, eat, joke, nap, drink, hoot and holler, laugh, cry, sing....in the rain, fog, sun and wind and under dark skies....literally, live together, happily...for 5 days, sharing only two bathrooms. And, to a person, felt it was an absolutely FANTASTIC USEPPAN EXPERIENCE!
Carolynne Krusi and Paul Beissweinger were our incredible hosts in concert with the McColgans, who were our boating transportation.. The base of operation was Beissweinger's 100+ year-old home, The Colonel's House, 100 yards from the Little Cranberry docks, up an incline and in an ideal position to oversee Little Cranberry Harbor, which still serves the working lobster men of Little Cranberry Island, as well as summer residents and tourists that visit during the season. It was perfect for us....8 bedrooms on three floors with plenty of space to "be"...both inside and outside.
The Colonel's House
Little Cranberry Island Harbor
The yellow house you see on the left margin of the picture is
The Colonel's House aka Beissweinger's
The First Day was scattered arrivals. The Greers came the furthest....from Orcas Island, WA. They arrived Sunday night, before everything started and stayed with the McColgans at the their home in Bass Harbor...15 minutes, at most, from Little Cranberry Island and ended up talking and laughing until the wee hours of the morning. You know what happens when people come east, still operating on "west coast time".
Monday brought the rest of the gang in, sporadically. Easy travels....no problems, en route. Everyone got to choose their bedrooms, high bid/first choice. All rooms were cute, quaint and perfect. After a turkey dinner, sans cranberry (???) sauce, everyone settled in the living room....
with after dinner drinks and cookies..
The most impressive entrance was...
LOBSTAH MAN
AND
HIS LOVING WIFE
MRS. LOBSTAH
WITH HER GOOD FRIEND, "LOBSTAH SUE"
you will note, a double-fisted drinker
Up and out early on Tuesday, we went to Acadia National Park and began our hiking day at The Jordan Pond House. We split into two groups...."the walkers" and "the climbers." Both groups encompassed "the talkers."
The Plan....walk around Jordan Pond...3+ mile hike, with a detour up and over The Bubbles for those that wanted to do a little more than hike.
The climb added an additional 3+ miles of vertical trekking. We were then to meet back on the lawn in front of the restaurant to partake of The Jordan Pond House's famous
Popovers and Strawberry Jam.
The Jordan Pond House was built in the 1870s, starting as a small family business. The Rockefeller family later purchased the restaurant and surrounding property and gifted it to the park, to ensure it's ongoing operation. The Rockefeller family has donated much of the land within the park, engineered and built the carriage roads and bridges within the park and have allowed the park to use much of their personal land for the park's activities and attractions. We are very grateful!!
Stay Tuned for Day 3....
