The Quietside

Day 47

Sun rays awaken us, and we are glad that we did not book two nights at this place. We head into downtown Ellsworth to the Maine Grind, a hipster coffee shop on the corner. They have wi-fi, fantastic dark roast, and a lox bagel that impressed even this salmon-avoiding Mermaid. We people watch, post blogs, and do some research on Acadia. I find a campground called “Quietside” that is on the southwestern tip on Mount Desert Island (MDI). Miraculously, they have a tent site available, so I jump on it.

Nemo's Awaits

The ride onto MDI is lovely, especially in this sun. We haven't really seen the sun while on land in Maine yet. It's the perfect temperature for riding, too. On route, we pass touristy lobster themed shops and signage using the word “Maine” in more puns than I ever thought possible. We head east first, and peek at Bar Harbor, then cross over to MDI proper. We ride through Southwest Harbor, which is bustling and cute, though predictably touristy. We pass marinas full of swanky yachts, maybe Martha Stewart is on one. So far, this place is gorgeous.

Our campground is, indeed, tucked in a quiet spot amidst all of this vacationing paradise. The whole campground is tucked with in a forest. The campsites all have platforms, so we're feeling fancy. The camping cabins all have the weathered wood siding which I adore. This place is beautiful, there is lots of privacy throughout, and except for the gaggle of Quebec-y kids next door, it is, truly, the quiet side.

Ketch me if you can

Once our camp is set up and we're settled in, we go for a ride. We stay on this southern tip and explore Southwest Harbor, the Swan Island Ferry dock, and a little bit of Acadia Park. We end up at The Ketch, a seafood place right on the west facing marina. We share a bottle of wine and feast on fried seafood. The air is so lovely, smelling of both conifer and ocean.

The Quietside of R-Girl

Our evening is spent in the beautiful, if not quite unpacked, commons room blogging and checking in with family. The dark walk back to our tent reveals a starry night sky. We go without the rain fly tonight so we can star gaze while we fall asleep. Instead of sheep, we count stars shooting through the brilliantly clear sky.