Day 8

left Farmington--heading across Maine in the center--I want to see the forest part as well as the coast. Mailboxes are interesting. They put an arm out from the post and hang the mailbox with chains at the front and back. ???? Maybe to let them swing when the snowblows throw the snow off the road?

Saw another haouse and barn all connected--Mom wonders how they keep certain little critters out.

10:45 on Route 1A. Turned over exactly 48,000 miles.

stopped in a parking lot on the north edge of Ellsworth to make reservations. Nothing available here--had to make a tentative reservation back in Bangor--40 miles away.

WEnt another mile and saw a Comfort Inn. Pulled in and they had a room--it didn't show on the Choice Priveleges computer. Took several minutes to book it through Coice so I could use our points. Guy on the phone at Choice tells me this Inn has no rooms. I tell him I'm standing in the lobby and they have a room. He finally calls the Inn and confirms there is a room--I'm still on the line listening to him on the Inn's phone. Ah, the joys of modern technology!!

The Inn let us check in at 12:10. we unloaded and went to Bar Harbor. Checked out the Whale Watch tour and booked the sunset tour at 4:30. Seemed a little pricey, but we decided to try it.

Got in line for the tour--thought it was early--but ended up being one of the first on and got great seats up in the bow. We went 25 miles or so out. Saw harbor seals on the way out. We thought we might see three or four whales. We saw something like 25-30 whales. Some of them were 30-40 yards from the boat. We were told we hit the season's first Grand Slam in Whale Watching. We saw humpbacks, fin whales, one called a "niki-whale" and about 50 dolphins. Several of the whales were close enough to throw a rock at. The tour guide counted at least 4 humpbacks, two juvenile humpbacks, several fin whales, a Niki, and all the dolphins. It was well worth the money and time. While we were all the way out there, my phone rang--Jenna was calling, and it came thru all the way out there. I called her back later and the reception was clear. The sunset on the way back was pretty cool, too.

Went back to Ellsworth to the Comfort Inn--glad we didn't have to drive to Bangor.

Stats: Odometer 48061; 1688 miles; 22.6 mpg; used 74.5 gal; 45 hr, 22 min; speed aver 37.2 mph.