Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.

Henry David Thoreau

Hiking to Ocean Overlook

Thursday, July 4, 2013
Site 60, Camden Hills State Park
Camden Maine

 

WHEW it is HOT!

 

Have I mentioned that it is hotter in Maine since we’ve been here than it is in Virginia and in Florida?   Or that I need another plan for next summer.  Alaska you say?   Are you sure?

 

 

Hiking to Ocean Overlook

 

This is the temperature at 11 AM when we start out to hike the Tablelands trail to Ocean Overlook.   Are we crazy?   This is David’s idea let me be clear about that.  Or at least his choice of trails. 

 

 

 

 

 

The trail turns out to be nicely shaded. 
BIG PLUS!
  

It also turns out to be up hill and a rock climb. 
NOT SO MUCH!

 

 

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Here is where we turn off the easy walk to start the rock climb up.  At least they have stone steps here.

 

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The rocks get bigger

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The trail gets steeper.

I laugh out loud when I see this trail marker.
Up and up.

 

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Can you even see the trail??  Whose idea was this on a HOT 4th of July???

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I’m having to watch my footing carefully and the hardy climb up hill in 90 degrees even in the partial shade is resulting in a lot of sweating. 

 

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Guess the map didn’t really tell you it was going to be this rocky did it?

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Roots and rocks at this point.

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Finally we think we’ve arrived but not quite.  It’s just a teaser glimpse. 

The view is lovely although it’s a hazy day for pictures.   I zoom in on the sailboats which look lovely there on the water.  I wonder if the sails on one really are as pink as they look from here.

 

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The trail continues on and we begin to see cairns along our rocky way.  People pile these stones for a number of different reasons but I always enjoy seeing them though I seldom add to the pile. 

 

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The trail levels out in places but it is still rocky and I still have to watch my footing.

 

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It’s not long before we reach the actual Ocean Overlook and trade taking pictures with a fellow hiker.

 

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I wonder if this is Megunticook Lake where we paddled yesterday.  I don’t have an area map with me to check.

 

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After spending some time here to rest up a bit and take way too many pictures, we strike out to continue.

 

Heading now to Megunticook Summit, the trail passes more cairns and at points goes through sections that  are soft and wooded.  Less need to watch my feet here.  More time to look around.

 

 

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Pretty big hole.  I wonder who lives here?   Looks like something from the Hundred Acre Wood.

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We arrive at a summit, I assume THE summit. 

But it has apparently been some time since there was a view here.  There is a very nice cairn which actually has a seat in front of it I imagine for meditation.  I’d love to sit here a while but when you aren’t traveling with Meditation Man that’s hard to do.

 

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Next on David’s plan is Adam’s Lookout.  We are now wondering if we will in fact be able to look out.

On part of this section the trail uses roots for steps.  Watch your feet.

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All the trails in Camden Hills State Park are light blue blazed. 

 

I’ve never seen that before, every trail blazed in the same color.  You know you are on a trail but until you come to  a sign, you don’t know which one.

 

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We never do find anything that is labeled or looks like a look out. 

All the same,  it’s been a lovely walk in that direction anyway and we’re still on a blue blazed trail going who knows where when we decide just to return to Ocean Overlook.  

This time I decide to have a seat on the bench provided along the way.  Isn’t it cute.  Great for those with short legs.  Probably a nice squirrel dining table as well.

 

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We go back through Ocean Overlook and stop for some more pictures of this really beautiful view.

 

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Wish I’d thought of this before they did. 

It’s the only flat out of the way spot around.  Looks like a great memory to me.

 

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It’s been a beautiful walk through the woods and over the rocks and roots and along streams.  But be advised - this is what you could look like near the end of a 5 hour hike on an exceptionally  hot summer day in Maine.   (yes that’s my star spangled hiking hat)

 

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After a short recoup,  the day ends, of course, with the traditional 4th of July fireworks.

This will be a sit down activity!

Luckily we are not out west this year where it is so dry fireworks are not happening for fear of starting a fire.

 

 

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We want to see the Camden Harbor fireworks from atop Mount Battie but don’t want to walk back down in the dark.  So we drive up, stake out our spot and watch the folks who weren’t there before us arrive

 

There is no fog this time but what we can see is not as clear because of the haze caused by the heat of today.  There seem to be even more boats in and around the harbor.  Perhaps they have come for the fireworks.

 

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I learn that the fireworks will be set off by the little boat to the right of the island in the mouth of the harbor.

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It’s getting darker now.  The 9:00 start time comes and goes. 

We have been seeing other town’s fireworks way off in the distance for a while now.  We wonder if something is wrong.

 

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Finally about 9:20 the fireworks start.  I have never watched them from such a distance and I must say that I didn’t like it as well.  The noise was very muted.  I found it harder to get good pictures of them.  But here are a couple

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The display goes on for perhaps 20 minutes and then, unlike any other fireworks I’ve ever seen in my life, it has no finale.  It just ends. No one up here on the mountain is quite sure if it is over so we all just sit for a while but sure enough, a non ending.  I’m not sure what happened but it was a bit of a disappointment to end our Happy Birthday America celebration day.

Hope you all had a Perfect 4th!!

Sorry I’m late! :-)

21 comments:

  1. I'm glad you didn't add to the cairns. Park rangers in Acadia and other national parks tell people not to build their own cairns or add to ones they might see. Guess malicious hikers deliberately mess with original ones, trying to confuse hikers on trails. Beautiful trail and good for you for hiking it despite the heat! Looks like most of the ones we did in Acadia. Loved seeing it.

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  2. I think it looks like a beautiful trail, even if you didn't get the overlook you thought was there. I think I will have to plan a trip that includes Maine next year.

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  3. Get used to the rocks and roots :-)! We did Gorham Mountain Trail yesterday and Ship Harbor today, inbetween the dewdrops. Hope to see you soon!

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  4. You're not sweating, you're glistening with accomplishment. What an impressive hike. Sorry the fireworks were duds, though.

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  5. What a fantastic hike. That is definitely our kind of hike. When we went through Maine and New Hampshire in July 2011 it was baking hot as well. We boondocked most of the time but when we wanted to hike up Mount Washington in New Hampshire it was so hot that we had to stay in an RV park/campground so that we could have electricity to run our AC for Whiskey. She couldn't come on the hike with us and we were going to be gone for almost 9 hours and she needed to stay cool. For us it was a great day because as we got higher the temperature got much, much cooler.

    I think your fireworks pictures turned out great, especially the last one it is beautiful.

    Ruth
    www.travelwithkevinandruth.com

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  6. Did Dad enjoy the hike since it was his plan? Looks like it from the picture, but, I don't think I would have been a big fan in that heat going up and up. Lots of exercise for you and definitely a pretty overlook view at the top! Too bad you missed out on a finale for the fireworks (odd), but you did get to see some and to see boats on the water - I enjoy watching boats on the water.

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  7. I envy your stamina. I'm not sure I could hold up for such a difficult hike in the heat. Looks like another great day!!

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  8. Beautiful hike, Sherry. Even though it was hot, at least it wasn't raining! I really get all discombobulated when there is no finale! That is the part we all wait for. Happened to us last year in Klamath and this year we decided to stay home! I guess the best fireworks I ever saw were at Epcot one year. sigh, and not even on the fourth of july.

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  9. Great pictures! My absolute3 limit for hiking is 85 degrees. After all, it is suppose to be fun.

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  10. You sure made the hike in hot weather look worth it. I am always impressed how your posts make me feel like I was tagging along right behind you. I, however, would not be hiking in 90 degree weather! I generally don't like any temps over 85 and even then the humidity has to be on the low side for outdoor activities.

    The "pink" sails were probably traditional tan bark (reddish-brown) sails that are used on classic gaff-rigged boats (the sails look square), hence the phrase "red sails in the sunset." Camden is known for its traditional sailing vessels. They used to shoot off a cannon everytime someone left the harbor on a cross-Atlantic journey.

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  11. Very ambitious hike. Seems like that high place would make for great fireworks views. But how strange not to have a grand finale. Maybe the budget is small.

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  12. You really put yourselves to the test on that hike with all the heat. But your pictures show it was all worth it! Isn't it great to have a digital camera so you can take too many pictures... :cD

    I wonder where they got all those stones for the steps and cairns? ;c)

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  13. Nice hike... looks like a warm-up for Acadia. Know what you mean about watching where you walk on those rocks and roots. Seems the only thing I see is my feet;o)) Just have to stop and look around once in a while!

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  14. Our 4th wasn't nearly as interesting as yours. Love the fireworks pictures.

    I don't understand the all blue blazes on the trails. Makes no sense to me. I like know where I'm going.

    I often use the navigation button my smart phone. There is a "map" button where you can see where you are by satellite. It's a great way to see what's around. You might have been able to id that lake.

    I'm so surprised it's so hot up there. I don't think I could have done that hike with it being over 90. It looks like a beautiful place to hike. I loved the ocean overlooks.

    It's been pretty hot here. We haven't gotten our afternoon rains for the past few days, so it's been getting up to 93. Of course some areas are getting rain and even a few waterspouts.

    Maybe you ought to go south to the Georgia mountains to cool off. :)

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  15. 90 is just too hot for me to hike, shaded or not. I'm impressed...5 hours! I'd be dripping. Beautiful, beautiful views! Those fireworks are pretty typical of small town America, I've found. They do what they can with what they've got :)

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  16. That looks like a great hike! Hope your weather has cooled off some.

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  17. Sounds like a great hike, even in the heat. What beautiful views. Hopefully you will get a break from the heat soon.

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  18. Does look like a lovely hike, even with the heat. I think the hole is a hobbit hole :)
    Hope it cools off soon!

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  19. thanks for bringing back memories of when we did that hike... glad to se you two enjoying Camden Hills...

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  20. Nice hike ... but the temp would have been a "no go" for us. This is now the second or third year in a row that the north has had temps higher than the south. Alaska, contrary to most expectations, can be quite warm in the summer ... we had gorgeous, comfortable summer temps in June 2001 ... nothing like the high-high temps they had this year, though.

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