Part 2 of the Loop Tour! Are You Ready....

After an evening of up and down basketball, with both of my teams losing.  I went off to bed very late.  I read for awhile, until I finished the book and then fell promptly asleep.  The coolness was welcoming and the weather today had been an exquisite mirror for the last day of August.  You could feel in the day the wonders of summer and the coming of fall.  I think that August, September and October are my most favorite months.  And we are just getting into them. 

I woke early this a.m. checked in on the world and once again fell right back to sleep, and slept for another 2+ hours.  I could not believe what time it was when I woke up.  Now I have had a cup of my favorite tea some toast with almond butter and peach jam (from the Amish farm-stand) and am ready to resume me Tour de loop while sitting on the porch watching the clouds float by along with a few planes dropping people out for a little parachute jump. 

Ok,  the first pic is appropriately called:  First View - the mountain looks much closer when you park and get out, but I wanted to show the lush green that will soon start to change colors.   The shot along side (that includes my friend Betty) is from Lynx Pond.  It is a short walk to the pond that has downed trees,  board walks, and a little wobbly last log that gets you to a sweet little bench and a great vantage point to take in the pond.  The sun was dappling and the sounds were sweet, and a squirrel was eating an acorn and talking wildly to us making sure his acorn was safe. 

We had at this point seen two cars going out of the loop,  one car parked at Sandbank Stream, and as we were walking out of Lynx Pond we met Mom, Dad and a baby heading down for a look!

Here are a few more shots from the pond.

Next stop was the Overlook.  I had brought a picnic and we were both hungry!  But I knew there was no better place on this day to have a little lunch than at the overlook.  When Secretary Zinke came to visit the monument as a part of his "report" I made a lunch on that day, and after we hiked Barnard Mountain we went to the overlook for lunch.  It seemed fitting just days after our 2nd Anniversary Celebration that we should lunch at the overlook! 

Yesterday was so very clear.  At those times I am sorry that I don't have a camera where I can really zoom in.  You could see the contours of Katahdin,  you could see such an extensive part of the entire range and Katahdin Lake was sparkling.  We could not help ourselves, we just kept on saying out loud what a perfect day it was, and how happy we were to be there. 

In between all the picture taking and remarking I did my duties.  New maps put out, outhouses cleaned,  and garbage picked up.  Tidying up where needed.  I know that the staff and volunteers do a good job of "touring the loop" but I also know that people are very respectful when they are on the land.  They do carry out what they carry in.  They don't trash the campgrounds or latrines.  It means a lot to be able to come onto the land and have it be as undisturbed as possible.   I finished my duties and we headed off around the loop.

Here are a few shots as we made the "loop"  --- no signs of large animals but a few small critters scampered across the road, a few raptors flew in the sky and we were happy and contented.  Remarking about what trails we might walk together and when we would go atop Barnard Mountain.  There is so very much to do...any trail might lead to a entire afternoon or morning adventure. 

I was so happy to bring someone on the loop tour that had not been there before.  It seemed amazing to bring "a local" to the monument -- and she couldn't have been more pleased, appreciative and glad that the monument is here. 

What a gift we have here.  I am very happy to be a VIP for the National Park Service.  If you live near a park, monument or other unit within the park service, check it out.  Better yet, just go to the park - enjoy the gift that is ours that is for all the people. 

Now I am getting back to today.  Saturday of Labor Day weekend, a holiday that celebrated the "right" to have time when one is free from labor.  I linked to an article in the New York Times about Labor Day a history, today and the relevance.  Of course for many people this weekend is the unofficial end of summer.  For tennis fans they have the US Open in Flushing Meadows.  For the school age it is back to school, or more commonly know that first holiday of the school year.

For me, I don't have a plan today.  I am thinking I might put a few summer things away, think about having a few more things available for those chilly moments that will come more frequently.  It is also my unofficial end my six month summer!  I have never been in warm weather for this long a time,  I have to say I loved it,  I loved the feeling of not having it all seem so very fleeting! 

Some of today will be just luxuriating in the incredible light of the day,  the crispness of the breeze, the warmth of sun.  What a way to start the Labor Day Weekend.  Who knows what "tour" I will share with you next.