Ya-Yas Walk Against Lyme Disease

[shazdancer]

Hi, everyone!

Last Saturday was the last day of the month-long walk against Lyme disease. That weekend was also our state YMCA gymnastics competition, held this year in scenic Bar Harbor, Maine on Mount Desert Island. Since Acadia National Park is there, my son and I set aside time to finish the walk, choosing a flat walk around Eagle Lake.

Uh huh, a flat hike -- at least, until we changed our plans....

The Saturday afternoon gymnastics session started late and ended later (as these things so often do), so we didn't get to the park until almost 6:30. My feet were tired already from work (they have peripheral nerve issues from Lyme), but I figured that if we walked the carriage road I could wear my Airwalks and keep my feet cozy. I checked the map -- 5.8 miles. I knew I could walk it, but we'd have to hustle to be back by dark.

The lake is beautiful!

Then the sun sank behind the mountain. Strikingly beautiful. But I knew we ought to step up the pace.

At the half-way point, I consulted the map, and noticed a slightly shorter route, a trail at the water's edge reconnecting to the carriage road further on. I know it will be tougher than the carriage road, but we might save some time, and continue to enjoy the view. I ask my son, who seals it by turning down the trail.

Note to self: never, ever do this in Airwalks again!

What we couldn't see from the trailhead was that about 1/3 of the trail crosses a field of boulders, and the going was slower than ever! Especially so because I was trying to pick my way carefully and not turn an ankle, while Gazelle-Boy was leaping from rock to rock and waiting for me to catch up. Some of this walking was climbing with hands and feet, and we both broke out in a good sweat.

I still managed to turn my ankles several times on the uneven trail, but nothing serious. AND we heard our first loon! When we finally regained the carriage road, dusk was turning to night, and the moon was up. One fast mile to go, with one more treat. As we rounded a turn, we both caught sight of the silhouette of a large bird of prey in a tree, and as we got closer (within 30 feet), we could make out its white head: a full adult bald eagle! I've never seen one in the wild that close. He was staring back at us, probably thinking, "I've never seen people that close before. What the heck are THEY doing here at this hour?"

So we got back fine, my car wasn't ticketed or locked in (I was kinda wondering!), and we drove back to town for a nice Chinese restaurant celebratory dinner. This summer, we plan to continue hiking on the weekends, but I'm getting some decent hiking boots. AND we'll be spraying with DEET. There's ticks out there, ya know.

Regards,

Shaz

PS -- By Saturday, we're supposed to tally up all the miles, and find out which team "won." I walked a total of 36 miles, and my son walked 46!

[Galen]

Nice photos, I really liked the last photo.

watch out for those mosquitos and black fly.

:)

[coolchef1248 @adelphia.net]

thanks for the report

sounds like you had a nice time

[dmiller]

Good stuff!!

I didn't realized that the Acadia looked so much like the North Shore of Lake Supeior!!