I’m Here, Now What Do I Do???

by DowneastME

Good question!! Easy answer. How much time do you have?

I am going to list but a few of the activities one can enjoy in the Downeast and Acadia National Park (ANP) area of Maine………

* sit on a rock or lawn chair and watch the tide come in and/or go out
* bike a carriage trail in ANP
* hike a mountain trail
* browse through antique shops (there are thousands in Maine)
* explore art galleries (there are thousands in Maine)
* take photographs at almost every turn of the road
* explore tag/yard/lawn/garage sales - they sprout like wild flowers
* enjoy a theater show
* enjoy Bar Harbor night life - quality entertainment is easy to find
* kayak lakes, ponds and/or ocean coves
* visit beautiful public gardens
* dine at world class restaurants
* eat lobster on a dock at a lobster pound
* sail the coast of Maine in a tall ship
* fish in the ocean or a stream, pond or lake
* fly a kite on a beach
* attend a country agricultural fair
* go birdwatching
* go water skiing
* go wakeboarding
* rent a sail boat
* visit one or more of the off shore islands
* go whalewatching
* visit a museum (there are many very interesting museums in Maine)
* browse juried art shows (there are many such shows throughout the Summer)

To mention a few ………….

Camping At Acadia National Park

by Steve Remington

So you want to camp within Acadia National Park - yup, it can be done but there is no “back country” camping and there are no hook-ups. The two most popular ANP campgrounds are Blackwoods Campground and the Seawall Campground. All sites are wooded and are about a 10-minute walk of the ocean; there are no water front sites. Most sites are for tents, small and large, but other sites accommodate pop-ups, vehicle campers, and RVs up to 35 feet. There are no hook-ups. Campground facilities include comfort stations, cold running water, dump station, picnic tables, fire rings, and water faucets (facilities at Blackwoods differ in the winter). Seasonal showers and camping supply stores are located within 1/2 mile of the campground.

A third campground, Wildwood Stables Campground, is open only to visitors with stock animals and primitive camping is available at Duck Harbor Campground, located on Isle au Haut (an island that is accessible by Ferry from Stonington Maine.

Try Smuggler’s Den Campground

by DowneastME

So, like me you “camp” in an RV. This is a recent “campers” evaluation of one of my recommended Mount Desert Island campgrounds for RVers - I think it captures the campground as well as I could …………..

Smuggler’s Den is located on the right side of Mt. Desert Island — the “quiet side” which is away from hectic, tourist-crammed Bar Harbor. It is also one of the only campgrounds that offers 50 amp service and has room for 40 foot RV’s. However, it does not have cable service, and most of the sites cannot pick up satellite. (Bring movies.) Though the island is one of the most scenic places we have ever visited, the campground is not particularly attractive, except in the tent camping areas, which are wooded. However, the swimming pool area is very nice and well kept. Many families with children were camping, and the kids seemed happily occupied. The big rig sites — mostly back in — are deep enough, but are too narrow, and we had two neighbors’ camp fires that were way too close to our motor home (3 to 4 feet away). During our 10-day stay, we visited other campgrounds on the island to check out options and decided that Smuggler’s Den is still the best choice for a big motor home. Only 5 minutes away by car, Southwest Harbor is a delightful small town with nice shops and several good restaurants. The hiking is amazing — views of mountains and the ocean and so many options. July and August are the “heavy” tourist months when the weather is great. But staying on the quiet side of the island made a big difference. We camped here in a Motorhome.

Are The Crowds A Problem

by Steve Remington

I get this question often - after all, when Acadia National Park is visited by close to 3 million people every year it is a legitimate concern - until you see it and realize that there are so many places for people to go it is not a problem. Sure, during July and August downtown Bar Harbor can be a little tense and parking can be a bit of a challenge, but, it is not anything like New York or Boston and the rest of the island (MDI) is pretty easy to get around and park.

So, if you are hesitant about visiting Acadia National Park because of concerns about over crowding don’t be worried. Come on up, you will be very happy you did.

Finally, U.S. Supreme Court Says 2nd Amendment Constitutional And Individual

by Tom

In a 5-4 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, the Second Amendment was declared constitutional and guarantees an individual the right to keep and bear arms. In what some are calling the greatest decision by the Court in a decade or maybe even 70 years, I believe this is perhaps the grandest moment in American history, defining once and for all the Second Amendment.

First let me apologize for not getting something out on this sooner, as most of you know Heller vs. District of Columbia is something I have followed for a long time and has been a bit of a passion for me. Read more

Acadia National Park and the Price of Gas

by Steve Remington

One of the great features about Acadia National Park (ANP) is that it is located within easy driving distance from many population centers in the North East. This makes it relatively inexpensive (with regard to the cost of fuel) to get here.

And, because Mount Desert Island and ANP are small areas it is easy to get around on the convenient free transportation provided on the island and inside the park.

Sooooooo, once you get to ANP you can park your car and not use it for the entire time you are here. And, you can visit all the popular attractions, trails, campgrounds and villages on the island without getting in your car. And, the transportation is “green” electric buses running on a regular and convenient schedule. You can even bring your bike along on the bus and then enjoy riding the Carriage Trails, the Park Loop Road as well as most of the rest of the island on your bike.

ANP is a fantastic way to take an unforgettable vacation without spending a fortune (relative as that may be) on fuel. You can also fly to the area!

Go for it - I am sure you will be glad you did.

“From The Frontlines” Airs Today At 4:00

by Tom

As promised, you can watch “From the Frontlines” right here today at 4:00 p.m. This is a great fund raising event to raise money to buy care packages for U.S. troops. Read more

What We Often Take for Granted

by Steve Remington

The alarm goes off, we jump out of bed, grab our gear and we’re out the door to our favorite fishing locale or hunting honey hole.  For most of us, it doesn’t even require much thought - it just happens.

Not so for disabled hunters and anglers.  A couple months ago, the WILD Oklahoma crew headed to northeast Oklahoma to film a hunt with the Mid-America Chapter of the Paralyzed Veterans of America and we got to witness first-hand how difficult it is for disabled hunters and anglers.

The PVA is an incredible organization whose desire it is to see men and women who have served this great nation get back into the swing of “normal” life after experiencing dramatic trauma.  Not all PVA members or participants are paralyzed as the PVA reaches out to many with disabilities.

The turkey hunt was successful for many of the PVA hunters and we got some incredible film and testimonies from the participants and to be honest, it was a life-affirming and life changing event for us.  We often take for granted hunting, angling and the shooting sports.  These men and women do not - they savor every moment of it.

August 23rd, in Oklahoma City, WILD Oklahoma is hosting a fundraising event for the Mid-America Chapter of the PVA.  We are going to have food, live music from the band Eagle Eye Annie, and a whole lot more.  If you’re interested in getting involved, let me know.

Want to be blessed?  Take a veteran hunting or fishing.

Acadia National Park Things I Like

by Steve Remington

While I am planning on visiting more of our National Parks - being recently retired - I do have lots of experience with Acadia National Park. That is why my son Mark and I started our web site (Acadia Vacations) over 13 years ago. We found, when talking with visitors to the park that most thought the park consisted of the Park Loop Road and as a result they often planned only one day of their vacation to visit the park.

We felt very strongly that someone should spread the word, in an unbiased way, that there was much more to enjoy at Acadia than just Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, and Otter Cliffs.

So here are some of the reasons I like Acadia National Park - this does not mean that other National Parks don’t offer similar features that I like but I do believe ANPs geographic location does make it special in many ways.

Bass Harbor Head Light

I like:

* the way the park is intertwined with the various and unique villages that co-exist with the park on Mount Desert Island - Bass Harbor, Somesville, Bar Harbor, Southwest Harbor, Northeast Harbor, Seal Harbor, Town Hill and many more
* the variety of mountain trails that offer novice as well as experienced mountain climbers fun and exciting experiences
* the large number of ponds, lakes and saltwater inlets that offer great canoing and kayaking
* the variety of scenic beauty provided by the combination of rivers, ponds, lakes, ocean, mountains, brooks and hiking trails
* the ability of the park to absorb literally thousands of people on a daily basis and still offering seclusion and solitude to everyone who visits
* the variety of great places to stay for a day, a week, a month or the entire season - be it a B&B, Motel, Cottage, Condo, Home or Campground
* the variety of great restaurants that are for all practical purposes located within the park - Seafood, Mexican, Italian, Oriental, Sandwich, and many specialty eating establishment
* the fact that there are no fast food restaurants on Mount Desert Island - there is a SubWay sandwich shop in Bar Harbor
* the fact that most of the convenience stores can keep you happy for days at a time - good pizza, great coffee and very good muffins
* the large number of Antique and Curio shops - hours of exploring
* the large number of art galleries displaying work of local artists
* the never ending number of “Kodak Moments”
* the number of places to sit for hours and soak up the beauty of nature all around you
* the number of fun and invigorating activities that are either free or require a minimum investment for the payback in pure pleasure
* the fact it is in Maine - nuf said

I think you get the picture - bottom line it is a beautiful natural resource that is easy to get to, allows you to feel alone while visiting with thousands of others and is a place you will want to come back to again and again.

Come enjoy! An easy one or two day drive from most anywhere in the Northeast and no place on the island is more than 30 minutes from where you are at any point in time. Gas is not a big issue………….

Mark Martin To Leave DEI?

by Steve Remington

With silly season in high gear a rumor that has been making the rounds is Mark Martin leaving DEI for Hendrick Motorsports. According to various sources Mark Martin will give it one last try to win a championship as Casey Mears will not be retained at Hendrick Motorsports and Martin will take his spot.

Now these are just rumors, but this move would not surprise me one bit. Martin has always wanted to win a championship and Mears is struggling right now so maybe a change of scenery is best for him. It sure helped Kyle Busch. Martin would fit in well at Hendrick Motorsports, but we will have to wait to see if this really does happen or not.

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