Rexy's Maine Adventure

Recently, Rexy set out on the adventure of his lifetime, a trek to the wilds of Maine!!!

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His adventure would take him through miles of woods, to exotic islands miles out in the Atlantic ocean, to pristine lakes, and past wonderful wildlife. Now sit back and enjoy as you travel along with Rexy on his Maine Adventure.

The adventure started with a grueling 14 hour drive from his home in Maryland, through the country side of Pennsylvania, across upstate New York, Vermont and New Hampshire, ending up in Freeport Maine, a town that gives a new meaning to the saying 'tourist trap'. The lodging accommodations were at the Freeport Inn. Freeport has many outlet stores, the most famous being the L.L. Bean Outlet. Rexy particularly liked shopping in the Pet Pantry and Mangy Moose stores.

Rexy was very happy to escape from that dreaded tourist trap to get to the meat of his adventure. As he traveled up the coast of Maine, the first stop was in the town of Booth Bay, a quaint fishing town. Next stop on the journey was the first of several beautiful lighthouses he would encounter. The Pemaquid point light house was in it's glory, lighting the way in the thick morning fog. After hiking along the rocky shore below the lighthouse, the journey continued up the coast to the second nights lodging, the picturesque Craignair Inn. This inn was once a boarding house for the workers of the local granite quarry, located on the adjacent Clark Island. Granite from this quarry was used in the construction of the Library of Congress, as well as other landmarks in D.C. After a great dinner and some interesting conversation with other guests of the inn (Rexy was the subject of much of it), it was time to retire for the evening. The next morning was greeted with a hearty breakfast followed by a brisk hike on Clark Island. The island can only be reached during low tide over a sandy road. After checking out of the Craignair it was on to his first boat trip out into the mighty Atlantic ocean.

Rexy boarded the Elizabeth Ann, the boat which would take him over the rough seas to his next destination, Monhegan Island. On the way out of the harbor of Port Clyde, Rexy spotted the Marshall Point Lighthouse. This lighthouse was made famous in the movie Forest Gump. You remember the one where he was running across the country, he came to a lighthouse on the east coast then turned around and headed back? Anyways, on the trip out, the seas were pretty rough and Rexy found comfort snuggled up with his mommy (he would need it, he got sea sick!). After the hour long maritime ordeal, Rexy arrived on dry land once again, Monhegan Island.

After Rexy arrived at the dock, his luggage was wisked away to the Trailing Yew, a rustic bed and breakfast overlooking the harbor. The luggage was the only thing wisked away, everyone had to walk to the inn since the 4 vehicles on the island are used solely for transporting supplies. Rexy decided that he wanted to firm up his sea legs by tackling some of the 17 miles of hiking trails on the island. Monhegan island is about 1.5 miles long and .7 miles wide, and is located 10 miles off the coast. Rexy stopped for a break at one of the many beautiful vistas on the island, overlooking Black Head . His hike continued around the entire length of the North Loop, then back to the inn for a hearty dinner.

The next morning was an early one for Rexy, rise and shine at 5:00 am and a hike across the island to view a spectacular sunrise. Rexy and his mommy watched in awe as the sunrise cast it's crimson glow against Burnt Head. As the sun poked it's head over the horizon, Rexy basked in the warmth of it's glow. Wow, what a sunrise. Next on his agenda was breakfast at the inn and then out for more hiking.

This time Rexy headed south around Lobster Cove, past the wreck of a barge and up the south east coast. When Rexy came to Gull Rock, his mommy got the urge to climb to the top! Initially, Rexy planned to accompany his mommy on the dangerous climb. However, good sense won out and Rexy returned to his shady observation post at the feet of his daddy. Once on top, she sat and contemplated the beautiful views in front of her. The hike ended at the pier in the center of town, where Rexy admired the marine life under his feet. A guest at the inn then recommended that Rexy take a cruise around the island. As the boat left the harbor, Rexy looked back and admired the boats and the historic Island Inn. By the way, the Island Inn also welcomes pets! Upon returning from his cruise, Rexy sat with his daddy and watched the activities around the dock. Following another belly busting dinner at the inn, Rexy decided to view that evening's sunset from the lighthouse that overlooks the town.

Rexy was so impressed with the previous morning's sunrise, that he decided to do it again. Rexy was not disappointed. Rexy made a beautiful silhouette against the morning sunrise. Later that morning, Rexy decided to relax with his daddy at the dock while his mommy set out with the camera to capture rustic beauty of the island, and the powerful surf at Lobster Cove. Upon his mommy's return it was time to load up and head back to the mainland. This boat ride was much smoother and Rexy enjoyed the company of two other canine explorers, Julio an Afghan from Vermont and a cute Golden from Maine.

Rexy decided that he wanted to walk on the same ground that Forest Gump ran on, so it was off to the Marshall Point Lighthouse. While heading to Acadia National Park, Rexy noticed some beautiful weathervanes at a roadside shop in Searsport. Of course the weathervane with the Black Labrador on top was immediately purchased and is now proudly mounted on the deck of his home. The next stop on his journey was the luxurious Ledgelawn Inn in Bar Harbor. The Ledgelawn welcomed Rexy with open arms, and even went so far as to make reservations for him at a nice seafood restaurant in Bar Harbor. Rexy enjoyed lobster and clams while dining on the veranda of the Parkside Inn.

The next morning Rexy had breakfast in the dining room of the Ledgelawn before setting out to explore Acadia National Park. Rexy made the most of the opportunity to catch up on some rest as he was chauffeured through the park on the Loop Road. His first stop was at Thunder Hole, a neat rock formation that booms like thunder when surf crashes into the entrance. Rexy sat on the rocks and also admired the view of this natural wonder from the rocks overlooking Thunder Hole. All this excitement made Rexy hungry, so a stop at the Jordan Pond House was a must! Rexy enjoyed sampling this restaurants renowned popovers, a light airy egg pastry, and the views of The Bubbles, two mountains bordering the lake. Rexy's adventured then continued with an assault on the summit of Cadillac Mountain. Along the way, Rexy stopped to view Eagle Lake, which filled the valley below. Once Rexy arrived at the top, he stopped to peer down on Bar Harbor from this exquisite perch.

The adventured continued with a return to Bar Harbor and another wonderful dinner at the Parkside Restaurant. Once again Rexy was the talk of the clientele, being summoned from table to table to share his loving with the guests. The next morning featured a hike out to Bar Island, a journey which could only be undertaken during low tide, otherwise the sand bar which joins the island to the mainland is under 12 feet of water!!! Along the way Rexy stopped to clear the surrounding sea of unwanted driftwood.

Rexy's journey continued with a stop at Schoodic Point, a rocky peninsula which is mercilessly pounded by the surf. Rexy convinced his mommy to come closer to the surf to appreciate the power of mother nature. Turning inland, the next obstacle to conquer was Schoodic Head, a rocky hill overlooking the sea. During this hike, Rexy suffered his first injury, a painful gash on the pad of his right back foot. A temporary camp was established to tend to his wounds. It was decided that mommy should continue on and conquer this mountain alone. Would this injury spell the end of his journey? Not Rexy!! Rexy ignored his pain and decided to accompany his mommy to the 440 foot summit. Once back at the base of the mountain, Rexy's mommy decided to test the frigid North Atlantic water. From there it was on to the eastern most point in the United States, the West Quoddy Lighthouse, near Lubec. Feeling a need for internationalism, Rexy decided to then head for Campobello Island, Canada and the East Quoddy Lighthouse. The hike to this lighthouse would prove to be too treacherous, and Rexy would have to observe from the comfort of his automobile. His mommy and daddy braved the rain slicked rocks and steel rung ladders to reach the lighthouse.

Now Rexy's journey would turn inland, away from the sea toward the vast expanses of wilderness around Moosehead Lake. He decided to settle in the town of Greenville, on the shore of Moosehead Lake. As dusk fell, Rexy caught his first glimpse of the largest member of the deer family, the bull moose!!! A cow and bull moose were feeding in a bog near the road into town. All this excitement made Rexy hungry, and a stop at the original Roadkill Café was next on his list. At the Roadkill Café, Rexy modeled for the evening's special dish (Just kidding). A copy of this photo will be displayed on the wall of fame in the restaurant.

The next morning found Rexy hiking into Big Squaw and Little Squaw ponds. Along the way he spotted moose tracks in the mud, although no moose were spotted. There were even moose tracks out on a sandy point in the pond. That afternoon as the weather turned nasty, Rexy decided to embark on a 120 mile trip around the entire perimeter of Moosehead Lake. On the way, Rexy made his second moose sighting, a lonely cow moose standing in the middle of the road. His adventure continued around the lake, turning onto the Golden Road, a private Great Northern Paper Company road. From this road many beautiful sights were seen, including a rushing waterfall which Rexy decided to explore closer. As darkness began to fall on Moosehead Lake, Rexy made his greatest moose sighting, a large bull and cow quietly munching on the vegetation in a nearby bog. Unfortunately, the lack of light precluded any good photos, but some great video of the beautiful creatures was captured. Continuing around the lake, Rexy spotted Mt. Kineo, a unique mountain made of a rare type of flint, which rises out of the middle of Moosehead Lake.

As Rexy's journey came to an end, he decided to make one last stop, a final adventure to Moxie Falls outside of the town of Forks. Rexy swam in a small pool only yards from the plummeting water. All that was left now was the journey back to Maryland. Rexy's great Maine adventure was complete!

 

Rexy would like to offer a couple of words to everyone who thinks they can't travel with their canine family members. A little homework beforehand to find pet friendly accommodations will pay off enormously in the end. A handy source of this information is the AAA Tour guide, which lists accomadations that welcome pets. If you would like more info on how we traveled and where to stay in Maine with your canine family members, drop us a line. This was the best vacation because Rexy could enjoy exploring the country with his family.
Back to Rexy!"