Waking up to pouring rain is like scratching nails on a chalkboard. As I sat inside the Motel Room in Millinocket, I knew my day was going to be wet. But Blue came to the rescue. Why don’t you take a Zero and drive to the coast with me? Hmm, hike in the rain again or go to Acadia NP, hard choice. I’m a giver, someone needs to keep Blue company, so I guess we’ll head to the beach! And that’s exactly what we did.

Spontaneity is one of my strong points. I love doing things on the fly, making plans on a whim and this was no exception. I have worked hard these past four days and I was ahead of schedule so why not?!?! We packed up our gear and off we went. Blue has been eyeing a couple of places so she already knew the route.

She gave me a quick tour of Millinocket, Bangor and now we are headed west. Maine has some cool beach towns that are frequented by the French Canadians. We arrived at Bar Harbor and parked the car. Yes, she turned in her backpack for a Ford Edge. Great trade-in value! The town is bustling with tourists and locals alike. We found a cute restaurant named 2 Cats and put our name on the waitlist. 30 minutes and we’ll call you. So we walked down the street to a coffee shop, ordered Breve Lattes and as we were headed back, our table was ready.

I’ve been craving lobster and Maine is known for it so…when in Maine, eat lobster. I ordered Eggs Benedict with Lobster and Blue had a Lobster Omelet with Smoked Gouda. Oh my word, we were speechless. And that doesn’t happen very often. The atmosphere was as delightful as the food. Flowers of all colors were planted in front of the deck, lining the walkway. This place is something that came out of a Hallmark Movie. It was one of the best meals I’ve had on trail, even though I was miles away from the AT. I think it still counts.

After Brunch, we walked to the Grocery Store so I could stock up on some good fresh food for the last leg of the northern part of this trek of mine. Then Blue drove us to the Marina and we walked the Boardwalk. It was more like a gravel path but had no rocks, roots, mud or muck! It was perfectly groomed like a trail should be.

There is something mystical abound the sound and smell of the ocean. It was a very low tide which made for a beautiful walk. The smell of the ocean air, the squawking of the seagulls and the colorful flowers that lined the yards of these exquisite cottages and homes were all I didn’t know I needed.

As I was sitting on a Adirondack Chair, I so quickly realized how important this day of rest really was for me. I have been pushing myself so hard, and I was at a point of exhaustion. My mind, my body and my soul was at its limits. I didn’t even notice how grateful I was to just take a day off from work, I mean hiking. Some days it does feel like work, but most of the time I enjoy the rhythm of walking through this endless forest. It has its moments when I’m ready to throw in the towel, but then something miraculous happens. I have clarity as to why I am still here and understand why I have to keep doing what God intended for me to do. It’s a beautiful dance that keeps unfolding, one step at a time. I’m not much of a dancer but my sweet Lord, oh He can dance!

Blue and I hit a few Marinas and happened to be at a dock when a couple came sailing in. They had a 38’ Sailboat that reminded me so much of Mom and Dad. I talked with the young couple who had been sailing from The Keys in Florida and planned to hang out for a few weeks in Maine. Afterwards they want to sail to the Caribbean, south of where Mom and Dad sailed. It was such a great reminder of the adventurous spirit that they both placed on my heart. Thank you both for being such great examples to this daughter of yours.

We headed back to Millinocket, had some dinner and ran into some hiking friends. They already finished the Hundred Mile Wilderness and plan to summit Katahdin tomorrow. It’s so exciting to be this close. I still have another 40 plus miles so I won’t be there for a few more days. But I’ll be thinking of the Boys as they climb those big boulders tomorrow. I’ll be praying that they have sunshine and clear skies.

After my Burger with Fried Pickles and Blues first try at Sloppy Joes, we drove back to the trail. It is a series of unmarked dirt and gravel roads that are as good as the trail I walk on. That should give you an idea of what Blue had to navigate. She is a darn good map reader and I’m a darn good driver, so after an hour and a half of dirt roads, we made it back to the trailhead. Blue is sleeping in her car and I pitched my tent in the dark. Not the first time I’ve done that, but the first time on this trail. Tomorrow I will carryon and Blue will find another place to scope out in Maine. We will hook back up on Wednesday when I walk into Baxter State Park. Until then, I will be walking in the woods, me, Norman and our Lord.