Breakfast at the Inn was quiet because I was still the only guest there. There was more rain in the forecast and the day started out pretty gloomy. Fortunately, it stayed dry all day until later in the afternoon. Right before the border crossing back into the USA, the lead-grey sky opened up and dumped a good amount of water on the roads. The entire day was pretty uneventful but I was able to put many miles behind me. The day ended at the Bluebird Motel in the town of Machias. It was time to do a little bit of maintenance and put some fresh grease on the chain. There had been no mechanical problems or other issues so it was going very well so far.
Day 11 – Bar Harbor, Maine - 159 miles / 256 km
When approaching Acadia National Park, traffic got pretty busy but that was a nice change from the many quiet Canadian roads I had been on the days before. I found a room for the night at The Colony motel a few miles out of town. Most of the rooms are in separate cottages which was a nice change from the regular motel lodgings. It was nice to leave the two sidecases behind in the room so it would be a bit easier to navigate the curvy park roads. I had been up Cadillac Mountain before by car but it is an entire different experience on a motorcycle. Without having “the cage” around you, it is truly an amazing experience winding your way to the top. They say it is lonely at the top but this is not true for Cadillac Mountain.
There are always many camera-toting tourists but it is a large area and the view is spectacular. Interesting fact is that in this location you are the first to see the sun rise in the USA because of its Northeastern location and high altitude. Dinner and an evening stroll in Bar Harbor completed another great day of riding and exploring.
Day 12 – Bretton Woods, New Hampshire 290 miles / 467 km
The morning ride took me to SE Harbor. The town was already getting busy but I was able to secure a table at a French-style café on the main street. The blueberry pancakes, sausage and strong coffee were all delicious so it was another lucky find. After riding through the park for a while, I headed for the main land again. It was not far to cross the next state line and it was a beautiful ride through the White Mountains in New Hampshire.
Near the end of another wonderful day of riding, I came across signs for Bretton Woods. For some reason that I couldn’t figure out, this name sounded strangely familiar. Then I passed the Mount Washington Hotel and the sign on the side of the road explained many famous guests stayed here over the years. It is also known for the 44-nation Bretton Woods monetary conference where the World Bank and International Monetary Fund was born. That’s it! One of my Economics classes 20 years ago (damn, I am getting old..) covered this event and that’s where I remembered the name from. I was tempted to walk into the majestic hotel and see if they would have any last-minute, motorbiker specials under $50 but I figured my chances would be pretty slim.
Next page
