After our chaotic life choices, we made a more pleasant one. We took a few days to settle into our new apartment (special thanks to Steve who helped us unload and the Holland's who treated us to dinner) and start work, we took a week and did what normal newlyweds do the day after getting married. We honeymooned it. I don't understand the term but as with most cultural references, I am a fish just trying to make sure I'm swimming in the same direction as everyone else.
We were heading to Mount Dessert Island, Maine for a week so we traveled by way of LLBean Land. Freeport, ME was an adorable town and we made the necessary pit stop for the sake of boots. Priorities.
While we were driving all that way, we thanked every patron saint of travel that we could make up that we were not driving a Uhaul with a trailer attached as we made our way through a gifted mix CD (thanks to Donny MacDonell, king of a mix CDs). And by made our way through I really mean we just listened to this song on repeat until we found this one in which case we rotated between two songs for 2.5 hours. For the other 2.5 we listened to an audiobook about the Vatican which is much more to my husbands liking. Now that I drive the car to work everyday, I am back to listening to the same two songs without interruption.
We were so happy to be in Maine once we got there and so lucky to have stayed where we did. I mean I am not one to brag, other than the fact that I am bragging right now, but this was the back porch to the cottage. The mountains are white washed in the background but they are there. Is this real life? It was.
After mass we went into town for the first time to find that everything I believed to be stereotypically Maine was more than accounted for. Now this was my first time in Maine so I am not a credible source on what is stereotypical about Maine. Took the book completely by its cover. We went into shops that sold wooden things to profit the forests, ate lots of ice cream, and drank local brews with blue berries in them. Well really only I completed that last one. Tim doesn't like any fruit that's not an apple, let alone in his beer. A week later, we affirm, the town of Bar Harbor was super adorable and stereotypically Maine.
When we weren't enjoying the views from the cottage or strolling through the cute downtown, we were spending our time working through Acadia National Park climbing, hiking, driving, etc. I know what you're thinking, 'Rylee you went hiking? You chose to go hiking on your honeymoon?!?!' Annnnnnnd we sort of. I had envisioned a New England beach with a beach chair and a book. And this island was more geared toward the active/ crunchy/been to every National Park in America style. So we went for a bit of both.
We were graciously given a hiking guide book from the Hiestands so we plotted our week based on which we thought I would complain least about and which sounded most enjoyable (with help of a few annotations). We took a day to travel across the harbor via the sand bar to reach an island. We were able to hike the trail on that island and see the town and enjoy the sun before the bar turned back into a harbor.
The one thing you should know about National Parks with my husband: watch out for those plaques.
Now I love Lake Michigan, and our Light Houses are killer but these Maine views had me drooling.
I planned to go to Maine and veg out before realizing that the real world was going to start. What did I pack? Baggy sweatshirts, gym shorts, t-shirts and one pair of jeans. Mr. J.Crew over here brought all things preppy and even started rolling his pants. Now, I'm not going to complain that he started to embrace his New England but at the same time he could have told me to dress a little better? 'Ah yes, this is my wife, the bum.' In the end though, I had the final laugh because someone forgot to pack tennis shoes.
We had picnics in the National Park.
Found natural grotto's in the National Park.
Climbed rocks in the National Park.
This is Tim's dream for every vacation.
Here is my success story. Tim busied himself with skipping/throwing rocks and I took this picture after waking up from my nap in my beach chair.
We reached the top of Cadillac Mountain in time to be the first people in North America to see the sunset.
And again the next morning to be the first to see the sunrise.
I nearly killed Tim when the alarm went off that morning at an hour that no sane person should be awake and I was foolish enough to think that he was really crazy and we would be some of the few crazies up there. Turns out, either a lot of people got dragged up there by vows along the lines of for better or worse or there are a whole bunch of crazies that vacation in Vacationland. There were at least 300 people on top of that mountain before 5:30 fighting for parking. Could've fooled ya with this picture though right?!? We know.
Naturally I had to try one of these suckers. When in Rome. Tim tried a bite and said the texture was too much for him. I'll happily eat the rest, don't sweat it hun.
On our last day we super hiked. The National Parks said these trails were moderate but I beg to differ. Seriously, what part of rock climbing seems moderate to you?
We got to the top of the first mountain and had the view and the choice, do we climb the second or do we turn and go back? Well I was feeling a turn around brighteyes. But I knew Tim lived for these things. And if he could do it in a backpack and flip flops then gosh darn it I could do it too. And I lived to tell the tale of how this man will always and forever more be call 'FlipFlops.'
He gets what he deserves.
It was more than the best honeymoon we could have asked for. A beautiful home and a beautiful island and a beautiful park with a beautiful man.
Whatever makes you happy sets you free.
No comments:
Post a Comment