SUMMER VACATION, Day 3: More nature, naturally

This was our day to ride bikes through Acadia National Park. But we started the foggy morning with a closer look at the shore outside our hotel, below the path.

Mom found this little critter.

Mom also found a neat triangle rock, and now it's at home with us along with several others large and small.

Mom likes the pretty stuff growing after low tide.

Here it is close up.

There's the fog.

There's that Balance Rock behind us.

And next to us.

They say it will fall down some day. Let's hope nobody is standing there when it does.

After the beachcombing, we checked out of that hotel and left our car at the Primrose Inn, a bed-and-breakfast in the middle of town. From there, we walked to a bike rental place (most of Bar Harbor is within an easy walk so we were right at home). It was there that we learned we'd be riding for 20 miles!

We wanted to stop for lunch at Jordan Pond House, the only restaurant in the park. So a 20-mile loop, with the restaurant at the halfway point, was recommended. At the time, it sounded like a lot of biking for a few popovers (for which Jordan Pond House is famous). But we did just fine.

That's the outdoor dining area at Jordan Pond House.

And that's Jordan Pond, beyond the restaurant.

A beaver dam!

For dinner, we made our only spontaneous restaurant choice of the trip, eating at Blaze in Bar Harbor. Dad ate a whole bucket of mussels himself and halibut tacos, too.