We said good bye to Maine this morning and started our return trip to Hardy. Acadia National Park was beautiful. The photos do not show the true beauty of the area but will always remind us of the time we spent there.
Our first stop of the day was the Penobscot Narrows Observatory located in Prospect, ME. The Observatory is in the top of one of the bridge supports. It is the only bridge observatory in the western hemisphere and one of four in the world. The others are in China, Slovakia and Thailand. It is also the tallest in the world. It is 420 feet tall with an elevator will take you to the 400 foot mark in 50 seconds. This floor is referred to as “the second floor”. When the door opens you are looking through floor to ceiling glass four feet from the door. If you are afraid of heights, it takes a few seconds before you can step out the door. After you exit the elevator, you climb an additional two floors to get to the 420 feet level. In this room, you have a 360 degree view of the surrounding area. The elevator is equipped with a seismic alarm. If an earthquake occurs, the elevator will immediately stop, if ascending, and return to the bottom floor where it locks itself out and shuts down. The down side of that is if you are on the top floor when it happens, you get to walk down the steps, all 420 feet. Note the windows at the top of the tower. Cheryl decided the safest place to be in the tower room was in the center away from the windows!!
These are the two bridges across the river. The old bridge, on the left, opened in 1931. During a bridge inspection by DOT in 2003, they discovered severe corrosion in the support cables. The weight limit was immediately reduced from 100,000 pounds to 24,000 pounds and plans were started on a new bridge. Just 42 months later, in June, 2007, the new bridge opened.
The view is stunning. (Prospect, ME)
You are looking down on the bridge. There is only one lane in each direction.
This is what the support cables look like from the top.
Our next stop, which is right beside the bridge, was Fort Knox. This photo was taken from the observatory.
The fort was constructed between 1844 and 1864. It was never occupied, although 500 troops from Connecticut were stationed there during the Spanish-American War. They lived outside the fort in large tents.
It takes 2-3 hours to go through all the tunnels, rooms and passageways of the fort. Most of the cannons are gone and the furnishings are minimal but you can feel the fort talking to you. Each room has a story to tell.
This is the powder magazine. It has just received a new floor and walls.
Each step of the spiral staircases (two of them) is cut from one piece of granite. Even the piece that makes up the support column is part of the step.
The drill field in the center of the fort has rooms under it that were designed for food storage. Note the air vents on the right side of the field.
Tomorrow we will be going to Hartford, CT to ride the carousel in Bushnell Park, and then to the New England Carousel Museum in Bristol, CT.
The boat excursion with Captain Ed Rice was the most relaxing thing we did. The scenery was beautiful and three hours sped by before we realized it was time to head back to the marina. 
Acadia is a must see if you ever go to Maine. Mother Nature went above and beyond when Acadia was born.
The Trolley Museum in Scranton, PA is a wonderful experience. If you listen closely when you ride up the river and through the tunnel, you can hear passengers’ voices from times gone by; a definite step back in time.
In Hartford CT there is Bushnell Carousel Park. It is one of a very few comprised of all wooden horses. We love the carousels; finding one so well maintained is a real treat.
Last, but not least, was the good food. We say “thank you” to the people who guided us to the best eateries in their towns!
Until the next time, "Safe Travels"!
Number 80 is a light weight trolley and can run 80 mph. It has doors in the front and rear, seats are smaller, and the interior is not as elaborate as Number 76. The motorman is seated in view of the riders. In addition to the motorman, this trolley required a conductor. 
Inside the tunnel riding on the number 80.
Number 76 is a heavier trolley with cherry and mahogany wood trim throughout the interior with brass accents. The seats are cane woven and the operator is hidden behind a wooden divider. The doors are in the middle of the car. With the middle door placement, the need for a conductor was eliminated.
On Number 76 there is a seat that folds down between the center doors so the motorman can sit and collect tickets. 
There are several cars and numerous displays inside the museum. 
Inside the number 120.
The farm team for the NY Yankees has a stadium next to the repair shop. When the team has a home game on Sunday, fans can park at the museum and ride the trolley to and from the game. Not only is this a treat for everyone, it is a true step back in time.
This is a museum within a working train yard. Visitors are able to take train rides, see video presentations, and in general, walk through and climb on more types of rail equipment than one can imagine. Picture a park ranger in a “Smokey the Bear” hat giving a talk regarding the inner workings of a round house operation!
Equipment is moved up and down the tracks several times a day, and visitors are allowed to roam the yards while moves are being made. This is highly unlikely to occur in any other rail yard.
Both of these museums are well worth the visit.
Built in 1914 by Simon Stein and Harry Goldstein, owners of the Artistic Carousel Company, the ride has 48 horses, 2 chariots and a Wurlitzer 153 band organ.
The outer row of horses has more detail than the inner rows. 
Some have their tongues sticking out. 
This chariot has a dragon on the side. 
Two veterans were there for rides, and a bit of nostalgia. 
We also visited the New England Carousel Museum in Bristol, managers of the Bushnell Park Carousel. We wish we could share some photos; sadly, they do not allow photos to be taken in their museum. Their collection of carousel figures is very extensive and includes about 200 examples of horses and menageries. Menageries are figures which are not horses (pigs, cows, rabbits, etc.). Wood was always the preferred material until the last 20 years. Now most are made from fiberglass. Other materials used have included aluminum, steel and plastic. 
Sand Beach is one of a very few places on the island suitable for getting into the water. You can see the sand on the right side of the photo. The rest of the area is covered by giant slabs of pink granite.
Along the coast, the rock has collapsed in several places and formed small caves. 
Thunder Hole was formed in the same manner as the caves. During high tide and rough seas, the water flows into the “hole” and a thunderous boom results from the water striking the back of the hole. Spray from the hole can, and does, blow skyward. 
Otter Cliff, 110 feet high, is one of the highest Atlantic coastal headlands north of Rio de Janeiro. 
Some parts of the coast look like a stone mason stacked the granite. 
During high tide, Otter Cove backs up through three culverts and forms this pond. We came by during low tide two days ago and the pond was empty. 
During high tide, the culverts are used to travel between the cove and the pond. 
Tomorrow we will be leaving Ellsworth with a stop by Penobscot Narrows Observatory on our way to Haverhill, MA.