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July 28, 2006

My Summer Vacation by Sarah Jayn McNally

One week in Maine + Sarah + hiking boots = Heart

This was one incredible vacation. First, my littlest sis Caitlin came up from Florida a week early just to hang out. She played with the kitten all day while I was at work and became familiar with the genius that is/was Arrested Development. We took her to a Scissor Squad meeting... it was great fun. Then on Saturday she and I drove up to Maine with Kyra in the backseat, and met up with the entire fam who had assembled. The whole gang was there for a change! Mom, Dad, Uncle Andy, Aunt Missy, Heather and Bra/endo/an, Caitlin, Mary and Scott! There was drinking, there was jumping in the lake, there was eating, there was more drinking....

Then on Monday, 7 of us (me, MH, Scott, Heather, Cait, Dad and Andy) got up at 5am and packed up for our trek North. We drove to Baxter State Park, which was to be our home for the next 3 days. :) It is without question my favorite place I've lived thus far... beating out various houses, apartments, and even my beloved VW bus.

It was a 7.6 mile hike into the Russell Pond campground where we had a bunkhouse reserved. It was 90 degrees and pretty darned humid! With a 30-something pound pack on my back, there were a couple miles in there that seemed endless, but it was such a great hike that none of us dared complain! We saw a mama and baby moose at a pond! Yeeee! We got there, unwound, explored a bit and just soaked it all in. And spotted moose #3! A young buck I quickly dubbed Morris. SIGH. Here we were in the incredible place. And really......compared to most places I've been to - or even hiked to - not that many people on this planet have ever been to this place! I felt that the whole time I was there.

We woke up on Day 2 and some of us just hadn't had enough hiking. Despite reports of a 70% chance of thunderstorms which would include giant HAIL, we figured what the hell and grabbed our daypacks and headed back out. (MH and Cait said hell no. No hail for us! They stayed close to camp and went on their own little adventure that day). Scott, Heather, Andy, my Dad and I headed out on another 6 mile hike. :) This time to Grand Falls...... almost at the center of BSP and pretty much the furthest in you can hike in the park. Along the way, we stopped at Ledge Falls, where the water was flowing over these giant rock ledges. After leaving LF, the skies turned daaaaaaaaark and we prepared for the worst. We got to Grand Falls and climbed down to the base to go for a dip before the rains came. The water was moving so fast it knocked me right over! Talk about a current! We all swam around as best we could (for Heather this meant hanging on to her favorite rock the entire time) and my Dad even brought his fins, snorkel and a tiny scuba tank to explore the pool!

We hung out there for some fluffernutters and started back. And guess what? The sky cleared up. The sun came out. No thunder. No rain. No giant HAIL. Just 5 happy hikers and what turned out to be a beautiful day! On our way back, we spotted 2 pheasants (and by spotted, I mean one flew into Heather's head). It was just a lovely day. We came back to camp and I went out on the canoe with my Uncle for some moose hunting (with my camera - no worries) and some fishing. Andy caught 4 trout! I think I might try fishing next time I go up... It's nice to remind yourself where your food really comes from... you know?

The next day, we packed up again and started our trek back out to civilization. (BOOOO!) I could have stayed a week there. Maybe next time I will..... We took a longer, but easier trail back - so it was an 8 mile hike. Hot, but the humidity wasn't near that first day. There were lots of blueberry breaks and head dunking stops at cold rushing streams. (Ummm... I wish that I got blueberry breaks and head dunking stops at cold rushing streams at work every day.......) We saw our last moose at the same pond where we saw mama and baby on the way in! This one was SWIMMING! Ack. Just about the coolest thing to see.

Mary started losing it toward the end, claiming that she was the Queen of the Forest and that Morris the moose was to be her king/loyal steed/national moose. There was a fair amount of giggling and shenannigans that last half mile. It made me realize how lucky I was that all 3 of my sisters wanted to do this. I couldn't have asked for better company than my 6 travelling companions. I felt like an adventurer again. :)

We headed back to the Lake for BEER and a jump in the lake. I loved the woods, but missed my dog! The rest of the week was spent mostly throwing her floaty dog toy off the end of the dock for her to jump off and retrieve. There was lobster devoured and, yes, more drinking. Hey - I hiked over 20 miles..... I could drink and eat as much as I wanted to!

Overall, it was just an incredible week. I've documented everything in my giganto photo album to be found here. And this is after deleting the shots I didn't like. I looooooooooooove my camera. I hope you looooooooooooove the pictures. :) I wish I could say I was glad to be back, but I cried while driving away from my favorite place in the world. It was an amazing week, which has led to yet another introspective week.... Another reason why it was the right vacation to take.

XOXO

Posted by Sarah at July 28, 2006 2:04 PM
Posted to getting trippy

Comments

Posted by: Gina at July 28, 2006 3:47 PM

Posted by: Heather at July 28, 2006 11:01 PM

Posted by: Lisa at July 29, 2006 12:28 PM

Posted by: Jennie at July 30, 2006 2:29 PM

Posted by: Jenn at August 1, 2006 3:21 AM

Posted by: Marie at August 7, 2006 4:16 PM

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