The day after the long run the scenery had changed quite a bit through the night. Thomas politely declined my invitation to shake out the soreness with a quick hike. I drove over to Eagle Lake and took a 4.5 mile jaunt in about 3-4 inches of snow to Connor's Nubble. I climbed the front side trying to decipher the trail in the snow and then slid/climbed down the normal side to the Carriage Paths. I'll let the photos describe the trip in detail. The one set of tracks turned out to be Gary Allen.
With Kim in Chloe exploring Bermuda over Thanksgiving week, Thomas and I decided to take a little adventure time at Acadia National Park. We left the house at 6:10 and arrived at the Eagle Lake Parking Lot along 233 less than 3 hours later. We geared up for the gray and chilly run that threatened rain in or snow by the end.
Section 1 Post #9 to Post # 10 (2.1 miles)
So off we went at 9:10 am. We ran along the carriage path on the west side of Eagle Lake that starts out gently rolling and then rises steadily for a mile until you get to the intersection at Post #8 at 1.9 miles and again at Post #10 at 2.0 miles.
Eagle Lake and Cadillac Mt. in the background.
Section 2 Post #10 to Post #12 (2.1-6.3)
We turned right (west) and climbed for about 2.5 miles along the flank of Sargeant Mt. gradually curving along the western side with views of Somes Sound below.
Eagle Lake and Cadillac Mountain in the background.
Almost at 4 miles and uphill for the past 2 miles.
Action Selfie on side of Sargeant Mountain.
I like this uphill switchback because in October 2013 we were hiking on a cool and sunny day and I weighed 240 and I handn't started running yet. A whitebearded runner in his 60's or 70's with no shirt came running by us and I dreamed of someday running this carriage path. I did it in August and again on this day with Thomas.
The head of Somes Sound-5 weeks earlier we were running around that end halfway through the MDI half-marathon.
At about 4.5 miles we finally began to descend and the pace picked up for a while. Our goal was to run at a conservative 10:30 pace but we broke 9 minutes on the downhill section heading toward Hadlock Pond in Northeast Harbor.
Finally downhill and by the Giant Slide Trail.
Section 3 Post #12 to Post #19 (6.3-8.0)
Crossing Hemlock Bridge
Section 4 Post #19 to Post #14 (8.0-12.1)
View of Northeast Harbor and Cranberry Isles.
Crossing the best bridge on the Carriage Paths-Amphitheater Bridge!
A close second is the Cliffside Bridge.
And the understated curves of the West Branch Bridge.
My phone battery died here at 12.1 miles and we were trying to determine our final leg when a group of about 10 male runners flew by us on there long run-we were unable to catch them on the long uphill along Jordan Pond.
Section 5 Post #14 to Post # 8 (12.1-14.1)
View of Jordan Pond across to South Bubble.
Uphill 2.0 miles.
Looking towards North Bubble near Derek's Drop.
The rock slide area on the uphill side of Jordan Cliffs above.
Looking down Derek's Drop where a 6th grade student of mine in the early 2000's wiped out by applying the front break first and the rental bike ended up 30 feet below the Carriage Trail and was retrieved by visitors form France.
Pemetic Mountain across Jordan Pond.
Section 6 Divergent Paths Post #8 to Post #9
Thomas West side (14.1-16.1) Greg East Side via Post # 7 (14.1-18.2)
I am near the end of this run and I must admit the last two miles were a mental struggle.
There are no pictures from the finish due to fatigue and increasing chill. We headed back to the Atlantic Oceanside Hotel where we fell asleep and then took a quick hot tub. It was dark and snowing heavily when we drove into Bar Harbor for dinner at Geddy's. Pretty desolate on the eve before Thanksgiving with strong snow. Mission Accomplished and not quite 25 weeks until the Sugarloaf Marathon on May 17th.
