Denali National Park: Alaska

Mt. McKinley from Denali Road

The summer sure does keep us busy. From BBQ's to weddings, and hiking and camping locally to road trips across the country. We have been very blessed to be able to do some traveling this year and one of these great lands we were able to visit was Alaska.

Alaska is an untouched land full of wonder and awe. It is a place where the beauty is surreal. No matter how much reading and research is done, you cannot fully be prepared for the experience that awaits you. Although this will be the first of a few posts on Alaska, there will still be a break in the amount that can be gathered from a simple blog on what the experience itself is like.

Caribou

As we flew in Alaska, the time read one in the morning, but the outside told us it was six o'clock pm. As we landed we made our way to our luggage, found our rental car, made our way to the hotel and slept as best we could with excitement running wild in our minds of what the next few weeks would hold. As we woke the next morning we hurried about as we knew our first destination was awaiting us: Denali National Park.

looking west in Denali

As we entered Denali National Park, we went straight to the Visitor's Center to settle the feeling of being overwhelmed by the amount of things to do, how to go about doing them and where you need to be in order to experience them! Our first day in the park we spent getting acquainted with the area and our surroundings. We went for a fifteen mile drive into the park (that is as far as you are allowed to take your personal vehicle in order to keep the park preserved). On the drive we saw our first caribou and the beginning of all the mountain ranges in the park. We also did some hiking around on some of the shorter trails! As we left we knew we needed a tentative plan for the next few day, so that night we made that plan.

approaching McKinley in the plane

The next morning we got to experience the park in a way that many visitors do not. We had the privilege of doing a flight tour of Mount McKinley and its mountain range. This is one of my most favorite things we did while in Alaska if not my most favorite. We boarded a eight passenger plane as our pilot told us about the safety precautions. As we left the runway you could already see how secluded and surrounded by nature you were. We flew over rivers, brush, trees, glacier runoff and one highway. In fact I remember as we flew over the highway the pilot said "Its interesting to think the next highway west of this one is in Russia."

As we approached the McKinley range you could see the glaciers carving away at the rock, creating these beautiful white valleys surrounded by these magnificent, rugged mountains. As we got closer to McKinley we started to get a better idea of just how big the mountain is. Mount McKinley sits at twenty thousand three hundred and twenty two feet high. As we flew up to and around McKinley the plane went silent in awe of the mountain that sat in front of us. So prominent, so extreme, so massive, and so incredible. We happened to be there during its one hundredth anniversary of the first summit and as we watched some of the climbers at base camp I imagined what it was like to be down there with them. Needless to say, its almost impossible to imagine.

laying on the glacier

As we started to make our way away from McKinley we were landed on a glacier, Ruth Glacier, that was flowing off of McKinley. This experience took my breathe away. Our pilot dropped the plane down onto the glacier, had us put on some glacier shoes and exit the plane. As we stepped onto the glacier we knew how lucky we were to be walking around ON the McKinley range. The ice was slick, the air was crisp and the sun was shining brighter than ever. We got to play around on the glacier for about thirty minutes and then we were told to re-board. As we flew away from the mountain, McKinley stood strong and defined behind us. We would never see McKinley the same.

A view from the Mt. Healy Trail

Over the next few days we hiked different trails, road the bus into the park, met the parks sled dogs, and just sat and took everything in. We saw mountain goats, a lynx, grizzly bears, caribou, moose, a wolf, and plenty of birds! Truly incredible! A place we will never forget and will surely return to!

Grizzly Bear in Denali

Lastly, one of the coolest things about Denali was that we got to see it
at the beginning of our trip when there was still snow and a few weeks later at the end of our trip when summer was in full bloom, which allowed us to get a view of "two seasons" in Denali, both of which left us speechless!

Blue Water Bakery Cafe

Blue Water Bakery Cafe

Blue Water Bakery Cafe is local to Grand Lake, Colorado. It is right next to Western Riviera Lakeside Lodge! It is located on the Grand Lake boardwalk about 100 feet from the lake. The cafe is decorated in a mountain theme which is appropriate for its location and it has lots of windows for natural lighting.

A View from one side of the cafe

Although it is a cafe that serves food and baked goods, I have only had their coffee and juice, but both I can attest to being good. They weren't too busy when we were there but I am guessing it was because it was Grand Lake's "Mud Season."


The cafe also offers ice skates for use during the winter season for free! I recommend it for your early morning coffee and a walk down by the lake or if you are with friends, a place to meet and have coffee!

Weddings are Beautiful Happenings

My husband & I recently attended our first weddings of the summer. We have a lot of weddings this summer, which I think everyone goes through that period of time when it seems weddings are every weekend of the summer, it still seems like a lot to us!!

As we watched each couple exchange vows I thought back to our own wedding. I thought back on how

Cake from one of the Weddings

much preparation goes into the day, how many decisions have to be made beforehand, how many people you want to be a part of your special day, how fast it seems to go, but most importantly I thought back on everything that had lead me to be sitting next to the man that I am today.

The man I am sitting next to was the man that I was called to be with for the rest of my life. When you are able to experience that kind of love, there is something that you can't explain about the amount of joy you receive. As I watched these couples I hope so deeply in my heart that they will be able to experience the joy that my husband and I have through marriage. If marriage is your calling, it is so beautiful to be able to have that kind of love with your best friend, your spouse. You share so deeply in everything, in spiritual, in physical, in current, in future, in ups, in downs....everything.

Table Centerpieces at one of the weddings

Although I have only been married for a year and a half, I recommend reminding yourself how lucky we are to be able to share everything with that one special person. Remembering to tell each other how much each of you means to the other, remembering to compliment the other in their accomplishments and support them in their talents, remembering to love at all times as you move further into the marriage and to tell them of the great love you have for them!

Prayers to all of the newlyweds we know and to those preparing to be newlyweds soon!!

The Broker Restaurant

Recently I had the unique experience of eating at a building and restaurant that is coveted as a Historical Landmark Designation in Denver, The Broker. This restaurant has been serving Denver for 35 years.

When I walked into the building I immediately understood why it was designated historical. The architecture exudes history, and with history always comes a story.  The building that hosts The Broker was built in 1903 and was the first concrete skyscraper west of the Mississippi. It is an eight story building and was originally built to house the Denver National Bank. A part of the building is still used as a bank today, but the basement has been made into the restaurant.

One of the restaurants most renowned features is its 23 ton vault. This vault safe has been made into a dining room. Within this room you will also find another vault room that used to be the original stall that people could look through their safety deposit boxes in. This is now used as a wine cellar for the restaurant, storing over 400 different types of wines.

Southwest Wellington

Once you leave that dining area you will enter the Main Dining area of the restaurant which is filled with the markings of Denver's history. The restaurant also offers private banquet rooms for those wishing to dine with a larger party. This is a video that a young woman did on the restaurant that they shared with me when I asked about featuring them, The Broker!

The Broker has received the "Award of Excellence" from Wine Spectator, Most Romantic Restaurant from AOL Online, America's Best Business Dining by The New York Times, and in 2012 the DiRona Award. In speaking with them I also found out that they work closely with Warren Village and CHP, just another way in which they serve the community. The owner is also known to be a private supporter of the Wounded Warrior Project.

Roll Back Menu

Some fun things I learned about the restaurant include that some of their employees are in the Guinness Book of World Records for a 78.4 hour volleyball game they played, and  The Broker does a week of Roll Back Prices for the menu. I am unsure if they do it every year, although I know they have done it the past couple at least, which is a fun gift to the customers. The Broker also has a great Happy Hour. Be sure to take advantage of this great restaurant, especially if its in your backyard! The food is delicious! I know I am sure to return! A special thanks to The Broker for their generous help! Be sure to check out their website.

The Four Most Beautiful Days in the Church

These past four days are the most beautiful days in the church. My husband I spent these past few days reflecting, praying and celebrating. What you may ask are we celebrating? If you are not religious or don't believe in God this may not be the blog article for you, but I don't discourage you from reading it. If you are, than you probably already know why I say this! Three of these days are a season in the church itself known as the Paschal Triduum and then Easter. We will get to that shortly. Anyone who knows me, knows that I absolutely love Christmas. Everything about it, the preparation through Advent, the goodwill, the scents, the scurrying, and of course the birth of our Lord. As much as I love celebrating the birth of our Lord, it does not compare to celebrating what we do during these four days. We prepare for 40 days with penance, prayer, reflection and almsgiving for these last four days.

These four days are so wonderful to me because it is where we as Catholics get the Sacrament of the Eucharist from. The Eucharist is what are entire religion is formed around. Without the Eucharist there would be no Mass. Jesus shares supper with his disciples saying "Take and eat, this is my body" and "Drink from it all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins," "Do this in memory of me".....so we do again and again......in every Mass, but most especially on Holy Thursday we share in not only that, but the other parts of that same night Jesus shared with his disciples. During the Mass the priests wash the feet of the people exactly the same as Jesus washed his disciples feet. After Mass Jesus is exposed and we pray and wait, exactly how after the supper Jesus went to pray and wait until finally he was taken. These next two days are the only time in the year that Mass is not celebrated in the Catholic church. He is taken from us just as Jesus was taken and turned over by his own people.

As my husband and I sat in Mass watching people get there feet watched and then sat in the presence of the Lord afterwards tears came to my eyes as I thought about how Jesus must have felt to wait and plead that this not be the will of the Father, that there be some other way. You suddenly start to reflect on your last 40 days, and on what you thought was hard and realize how it doesn't even compare to that night and the days following. How much did he have to love us for that. How much would we do for someone we love?

Good Friday is not my favorite day of the year and yet I wouldn't ever want to give it up. This is the day we

 remember and reflect on the Crucifixion. After Jesus was handed over by his own people he was sentenced to death with Crucifixion. Growing up my church use to do living stations which was powerful to me as a youth. It brought me closer to what actually happened that day and what was sacrificed for every human to ever live. This Good Friday my husband and I walked and meditated on the Stations of the Cross at Mother Cabrini Shrine on Lookout Mountain. There are crosses with the Stations of the Cross along steps up the mountain and as we walked them I thought about Jesus walk through the crowd as he was carrying his cross up the mountain. Would I have been one to turn against him or been waiting to wipe his face to show him some sort of love in return? How often do I join the crowd today and how often am I that person that wipes his face? As we finished the Stations, we headed to attend the Good Friday Service at our parish. A beautiful day of prayer and reflection.

Holy Saturday I sometimes feel bad about. Of these three days I always seem to reflect and pray much less. It seems like the main stuff is done, whats left, right? The older I have gotten though the more I realize how it is still just a continuation of the Triduum. It is in fact something of great importance and deserves just as much attention as the previous days. My husband and I spent Holy Saturday reflecting most especially on the gospels in the bible on the burial of Jesus, where they described how they wrapped Jesus in white linens, how they sat outside the tomb after a stone was rolled in front of it, and how Pilate made sure it was guarded so that no one would steal the body. When evening rolled around I grew anxious of what was to come. We listened to a talk by Father Shea from Bismarck who talks in depth about the Way of the Cross, which was a great reflection before bed! Holy Saturday is a tough night to sleep though.

Alas! The Resurrection! Easter Sunday is a glorious celebration of the Resurrection! Without the Resurrection religion would cease to exist. There would be no salvation. Easter we spent celebrating and celebrating! We celebrated through the Eucharist at Mass! We celebrated with family! We celebrated with prayer and thanksgiving! The beautiful thing is we have 50 days of celebration in the Easter Season! As St. John Chrysostom says, Christ has destroyed death, and now is the feast of faith, (read more on that here) and feast is exactly what we did! Happy Easter Blessings and Love to All during this great Season!

The Art of Friendship

Yesterday afternoon I got to spend time having coffee at an art museum with one of my best friends. I really cherish that time. It  never seems long enough! I started thinking about the art of friendship afterwards and I think these days truly great friendships are hard to come by. So if you have a friendship like this, cherish the friend and the time you get with them.

Friendships are something that I think can be taken for granted. The truth is we need to put into a friendship as much as we want to get out of it plus some. I am definitely at fault to this as much as anyone else. The friend I met with yesterday is someone who I consider a truly great friend. We have known each other since we were in grade school. We have laughed together, cried together, adventured together and even fought with each other. Yet we have still come out on top. I think the hardest moments have strengthened our friendship the most because it is in these times we have to ask for forgiveness and forgive.

Art Museum

Those difficult times also deepen the friendship. If you can make it through a fight and still call each other friends, your friendship is worth more than ever. The hard moments also make the great moments that much more wonderful to share. I think great friendships also help prepare us for life, whether its our relationships with our co-workers, our roommates, our future spouse, or our daily exchanges with people, friendships "train" us for all sorts of situations we may find ourselves in.

I consider myself extremely blessed to have a friendship such as this! I am excited to share many more of life's moments and no matter what those moments are, I will always cherish them! Thank you to those who have shared these friendships with me.

Some of my favorite friendship quotes:

"The better part of one's life consists of his friendships"-Abraham Lincoln

"Friends aren't jumper cables. You don't throw them into the trunk and pull them out for emergencies"-Charlie Krueger

"Friendship is always a sweet responsibility, never an opportunity"-Kahlil Gibran

"The greatest sweetener of human life is friendship. To raise this to the highest pitch of enjoyment, is a secret which but few discover"-Joseph Addison

"I would rather walk with a friend in the dark, than alone in the light"-Helen Keller

"There is nothing I would not do for those who are really my friends. I have no notion of loving people by halves, its not my nature"-Jane Austen

"A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you"-Elbert Hubbard

Gerken's Religious Supplies

Well this is my first business feature for Colorado. Gerken's is one of my favorite stores in Denver. They are located off Santa Fe and 12th. The employees are extremely friendly and always want to help you get exactly what you are looking for! Sometimes I am just browsing, not sure of exactly what I want and one of them will make a suggestion for the event that I am attending.

Gerken's has been serving Colorado since 1953. Thanks for serving us! Please visit them in store or online at http://www.gerkens.com/

Dating in Marriage

Italian Dinner Date

Last night my husband and I went out on a dinner date. This is nothing new to our relationship. We have been going on dates since we moved from the friendship stage to the relationship stage, but something got my mind going last night. Dates within marriage are important to me. We don't have any kids yet so that makes date night a lot easier and I am sure a lot more often for the time being. Knowing my husband, date night will not end once we have kids, but I am guessing it might slow down.

I fall in love with my husband more and more everyday. It is the small things like "date night" that move my heart. He is a man of faith and values. He puts our relationship at the forefront as do I in return. I always think of this verse:

"Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of the fleeting life that is granted to you under the sun. This is your lot in life, for the toil of your labors under the sun" -Ecclesiastes 9:9

What a beautiful way to be able to continue to celebrate our marriage covenant we entered on our wedding day. These dates also allow us to have really great conversations about everything going on which feeds the ever so important communication part of marriage. I look forward to the many dates we still have yet to share as our life long union continues.

A Snowy Day

Today is one of those days when you wake up and look outside and are thankful that you don't have to travel anywhere. You don't have anything planned or anything that you have to get done. It is a day that you can just enjoy the snowfall.

It is a day for reading, hot cocoa, a walk, maybe some sledding, probably a little bit of catching up with............well for my husband and I, March Madness! Relax! I hope that you get to enjoy the day like I do!

Colorado definitely needs this snow!! Hello Spring!

The NCAA Tournament

Well the time of the year has come again where people come together from all over the US to cheer on their favorite teams or maybe just their favorite underdogs that they have temporarily jumped on the bandwagon for. Either way for the next couple weeks, millions of people will tune into their local channels to watch "their" teams! I my friends am no exception to the rule. In fact this year I have done as much to organize my own all women's pool.

The tournament did get me thinking and searching. I knew and still know very little about the NCAA tournament but I did find out a little. The tournament got started officially in 1939 by The National Association of Basketball Coaches. More directly an idea that stemmed from Ohio States head coach Harold Olsen. The tournament we know as "March Madness" didn't start until 1984 though. This is the celebration most of us have become accustomed to.

UCLA holds the most titles in history for the NCAA tournament with 11, 10 of those during the coaching years of John Wooden. The University of Kentucky follows them with 8. This year there are 68 teams participating in the tournament. So to all those who have filled out a bracket, Happy March Madness! Best of Luck and Go Underdogs!

State Forest State Park, CO (Winter)

State Forest's Clark Peak and Surrounding Range

State Forest State Park, well let's start with the name, who thought that was a good idea? It's confusing, are you a state park, a state forest, something else? Besides the name, I have nothing bad to say about State Forest. A backpacking trip through this state park sealed the deal for us on that one. This state park offers both summer and winter recreation opportunities and we took it upon ourselves to have a winter excursion.

backpacking into the yurt

What could be more fun than backpacking with friends into the back country to spend a few nights in a yurt that's heated by a wood stove. Not Much! Our weekend was filled with laughter, snowshoeing, wood chopping, hiking, card playing, wildlife, no sleep and a bit of cold. I definitely can't speak for everyone but  its an experience I will, I am sure, relive. It snowed the entire first day we were there but then cleared into blue skies for the remainder of our trip!

the yurt

Our yurt was only a couple mile hike in and it accessed several nearby trails to mountains, rivers, and lakes. We were able to see a moose(cow) on our hike out and what a big creature it was. She was galloping down the trail we were hiking on because she had been spooked by some snowmobiles. It jumped off the trail before it reached us.

Washington DC for an Investiture

The National Basilica of the Immaculate Conception

We got to experience something so beautiful recently. We went to the Investiture of The Servants of the Lord and the Virgin Matara because we had a friend who was being named and would be entering the order. The ceremony happened to be at the National Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Washington DC. It was incredible to witness such an amazing woman entering a vocation that she has been called to by our Lord. The ceremony Mass included the naming (Sister Mary Star of Evangelization) and her receiving her veil. I cried through some of it and laughed with Sister afterwards. So excited for her and praying for her!

The Sisters Singing for Us

Since we were also in DC we had the privilege to catch up with some old friends that live south of DC. What a great weekend it turned out to be. God has endless, abundant blessings!

Grand Teton National Park, WY

The Grand Teton with a Buffalo Herd in front

The Grand Tetons just outside of Jackson Hole, Wyoming are truly one of my favorite mountain ranges in the US. No matter what direction you are coming into the area from they are awe inspiring. Although I know they are popular for rock climbing and backpacking among other forms of recreation we were only able to spend a few short days there and so opted for other options.

There is an unlimited amount of things that you can do in the Tetons but I will focus on the things we actually did. We were there during the fall months so we got to see some of the foliage change although at the end of the season so many of the trees had already lost their leaves. Still a beautiful time to go. Jackson Lake is the biggest lake in the park and it is vast and scenic. We were able to spend some time on the East side of the lake, there is a few nice stretches of beach. I am sure the lake is full of boats during the summer season. It was extremely windy the day we were there so we limited our time at the Jackson Lake beaches.

Jenny Lake

Teton Park Road allows you to access several points in the park. We used it to do most of our touring. A hike up Signal Mountain gave us a wonderful view of the valley to the East. I had my husband stop at a lodge near Signal Mountain to let me do a bit of shopping for souvenirs. We did some hiking around String Lake and Jenny Lake. Near String Lake we spotted bear scat! Both String and Jenny Lake have and amazing blue and green reflection. On the South side of Jenny Lake there are some nice walks that are easily accessible if you have very limited time. If you have more time, you can access longer hikes from this same area to a waterfall or other lakes.

The Black Bear we got to see

Grand Teton National Park is home to a variety of wildlife as well and we were really lucky in our sightings. We got to see a moose on our first day in the park. It was right around the dusk hour that we spotted her on a hill feeding on some grass in the park. On our last day in the park we got to see a bear. I've seen bears before but in this specific venture I experienced something that I never had before and that was that the Ranger had us stand fairly close to the bear. So close in fact, that at one point he removed his bear spray because the bear was walking within about 8 feet of the crowd we were in. The bear just went about its business of feeding on berries and we all eventually moved on.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, CO

Looking out over the Canyon

This past weekend we went backpacking in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. This park just put me in a state of awe. It is not like any canyon I have ever seen. The rock is really dark, the deepness and sharpness adds a lot of character. You look out over the canyon and you feel like you are trying to figure out an optical illusion! What an experience!

A view of part of the canyon on the hike down

Hiking Down

We happened to win the lottery for a permit into the canyon for a backpacking trip. Depending on where you access the canyon from you don't have to have a permit but we came in from the Red Rock Canyon trail. Its a good hike down into the canyon, but we knew that and were prepared. With lots of water in our packs and plenty of snacks we made our way down to the bottom of the canyon. The trail was filled with rocky edges, plenty of steep sections and lots of poison ivy! It is also filled with beautiful views of the canyon, a creek that is calm at points and rushing at others, lots of luscious trees and plenty of rocks to sit and take everything in.

The river and sun streaming through

What an experience! Lots of bonding to be had as you work your way to the bottom of the canyon. After a few hours of hiking we made it to the bottom. A gorgeous river and sunlight streaming through the canyon walls greeted us upon our arrival. We quickly set up camp, made some dinner and, and relaxed as we watched the sun set in the canyon. I don't think any of us had a problem sleeping! The morning greeted us with a crisp canyon air and lots of sunlight. We made our way down to the river and hiked a little around the area, although with the river rushing like it was, there was not too much space along the bank to walk. When it was finally time to make our way out of the canyon, we packed our gear and headed out. Even though we were hiking up, the time seemed to slip by as we made our way out of the canyon!

Santa Fe and Albuquerque, NM

San Miguel Mission

We spent a long weekend down in New Mexico exploring Santa Fe and Albuquerque. It was a nice break from the cold weather in Colorado at the time. It wasn't summer down south but warm enough to get a break! Santa Fe was amazing. The architecture is incredible. They use a lot of the rust colored adobe in New Mexico and it was apparent all over Santa Fe. Santa Fe is so full of history and stories. We walked the streets for hours taking everything in. The downtown area is structured around churches. They have the oldest church in the US, The San Miguel Mission. It is a simple looking adobe church but beautiful. it was built in 1610.

Miraculous Staircase

Wind Art

As we continued to walk the streets we also checked out The St. Francis Cathedral which was beautiful and the Loretto Chapel which is most famously know for its spiral staircase that was built without nails. Quite a miraculous feat. Both of these churches were just as incredible as the San Miguel Mission. Once we were finished at the churches we continued walking the streets because besides being a religious city it is also a city known for its amazing art. I personally enjoyed all the wind art that was hung through the streets. Santa Fe was also full of fun little shops and restaurants. The fact that I love coffee also allows us to explore cafes here and there and Santa Fe did not fail me in this area!

Adobe

El Pinto

After we left Santa Fe, we made our way to Albuquerque. Albuquerque is also well known for its art, food and historic district. The famous Route 66 runs straight through their downtown. They also have several shops and galleries that you can walk but it has less of the adobe architecture than Santa Fe does. We went to a restaurant called El Pinto and it was a lot of fun. It had New Mexican food and the atmosphere was great. The service was good. We got seated in the patio area and they had lights strung overhead. We opted for the queso appetizer and I must say it was one of the best if not the best queso I've ever had.

One of the Petroglyphs

While in Albuquerque we also got to visit Petroglyph National Monument. This is not like your normal National Park. It was much more open and smaller as a whole. There was still plenty of hiking that left you with great views of the area. It was interesting to learn about the Petroglyphs and how long they had been there and what they were used for. This monument fits the area as Petroglyphs are a form of ancient art. This was a great trip!

Acadia National Park/Bar Harbor, ME

Cadillac Mountain Sunrise, Acadia National Park

Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor Maine go hand in hand. This area of the US is absolutely gorgeous. We had the privilege of spending a week there in the fall. The fall I would suggest is possibly the best or at least second best season to spend out there because the East coast gets amazing foliage. Acadia is no exception to that rule.

lobster dinner at a local restaurant

We stayed right on the ocean so we were blessed to see the tides change constantly, hear the busy harbor in the morning & night, hear the water crashing into the docks, see the sunrise first thing in the morning over the water and a short walk got us straight into the heart of Bar Harbor. Bar Harbor is a cute, quaint, little town full of life. There were so many local little shops, restaurants and tourists scurrying about. We found that lobster and blueberries could be found on almost every menu in town or put into most items like candles & soaps, or at least at the joints we visited. We found ourselves soaking    up every minute of this new life we found ourselves in.

Canoeing on one of the lakes

Acadia National Park has plenty of activities to keep anyone occupied. Cadillac Mountain is the first place to see the sunrise in the US in the later fall, although as warning the mornings on Cadillac Mountain or not for those looking for solitude. Sand Beach is nothing short of a soft sand, sunny beach with clear blue water from a look above. Thunder Hole is a perfect example of how quickly tides change in the ocean. It will go from a quiet and peace pool to crashing water several feet into the air when the water breaks on the rocks.

Although you won't necessarily find solitude on top of Cadillac Mountain, Acadia offers so many different places to walk, hike, bike, or ride a carriage, finding that place isn't too difficult. Several of the small ponds and lakes offer nature walks, canoeing, and even tea on the grass!

Carriage Ride

It doesn't end there, Bar Harbor located on Mount Desert Island in Maine also offers history is the form of things like lighthouses and carriage tours. The carriage roads are especially neat because you get to see a part of the park only accessible by a  non-motorized vehicle. They also take you over and under bridges that were built by hand long ago when they first made the roads. If you are ever out there, I highly suggest going on one of these rides.

Sunset on Cadillac Mountain

 Cadillac Mountain is not only for sunrise but beautiful by sunset as well. Looking out over the Atlantic it seems you can see forever. This made our last days extremely hard knowing we had to part this peaceful place. We will forever remember our time there and we will hopefully return someday but in the meantime we have new adventures awaiting us! Maybe we will just have to venture to a different part of Maine......

Parting Ways with the Atlantic

Onto our next adventure......Cheers for now!