Here comes the sun
Sunday I woke at 5:30! Something bright was in my eyes. I hadn’t noticed the skylight when I came in last night! I’ll have to remember to close the bedroom door if I don’t want the early morning sun waking me up. I had some work to wrap up before I’d be truly free to enjoy the week and I wanted to spend some time revisiting what I’d passed on my way here yesterday. I wanted to figure out where I was and where I’d need to go if I was going to look for moose and other wildlife. Thankfully they gave me a map when I checked in.
Lets get our bearings, shall we?
By 10 am the clouds had given way and the overcast skies of the morning were a thing of the past. Sun was shining and it was bright and clear. I’d finished my work and felt the tension in my shoulders melt-away with that task done. Time to grab the camera and explore. I stopped at the overlook to take some pictures of the beautiful lake.
Now that the sun was behind me I was able to get better exposure.
Return to the Appalachian Trail
Then it was back to the Appalachian Trail head. When I was younger I wanted to hike the whole trail. I couldn’t afford to take the time off so it never happened. That will be regret for sure. Now with my bum hip it’s definitely out of the question. But I wandered a little way
down the trail and got some pictures of the brook that bubbled nearby. I was surprised that even that little bit gave me a thrill.
The Suds & Sizzle
I found the little laundry where I’d stopped the day before. In the bright daylight it lost some of its charm. This went on my list for an afternoon return for pictures.
Hunter Cove Wildlife Sanctuary
This is high on my to-do list so I wanted to be sure to locate it. Turns out it isn’t too far out on the other side of town. I pulled in briefly to check out the parking and the trails. They look manageable. There’s lots of trees so lots of bugs. Good thing I have extra strength bug spray along.
Afternoon plans get canceled
It was almost lunchtime so I returned to the cabin to make a sandwich and plan the afternoon. Suddenly I was very, very tired. A “power nap” seemed like a great idea. As I don’t usually sleep during the day I didn’t think I needed to set an alarm. Big Mistake! By the time I woke up it was 6:30 pm and the shadows were getting long. I really had no idea I was that tired. But that’s what vacations are for, right? Recharging.
Moose are active morning and late afternoon and according to the locals from noon to 2 pm as well. I set my camera ISO to 800, lowered my F stop and reduced my shutter speed to compensate for the low light. With a feeling of expectation I headed out to drive route 17, a so called Moose hot spot.
They seem to think it’s their own private way. I was surprised that the speed limit most of the way was 50 miles per hour. No wonder this is a “High Hit Area”. Who can stop fast at that speed? I trundled along at about 35-40 miles per hour pulling over to let the locals pass when I saw them barreling down on me. If you come for a visit do not expect the locals to obey the speed limits. They pass on double lines, drive 75-80 in a 50 mph zone and tail gate. Scary stuff.
I didn’t get to Rumford. When I reached 
