One of the amazing things about taking kids to Maine is the change that you will notice with your children.  My oldest daughter, Olivia, was as excited about going to Maine as a trip to the dentist office after Halloween.  Early on in the whine-fest I asked her not to complain until we actually arrived.  Our flight into Bangor was uneventful until we stepped off the plane.  Immediately you could smell something was different, the stale air of the plane was replaced with something called “fresh air”.  If you’ve never gone to the Bangor Airport it is like stepping back in time 20 years.  All the retro looking stuff is original stuff, it’s truly incredible.  We rented a car, loaded it up and set off to find some food.  Breaking our normal rule of “no chain restaurants” we had Burger King near the airport.  After an hour and half drive we made our way to Mount Desert Island and our house by the sea.  It was foggy, damp and we were tired but with the excitement of a new adventure we set off for the Bar Harbor Light.  It wasn’t overly impressive because of its small size but it was situated on a beautiful piece of ocean front land.  Orange rocky outcroppings, dark green pines, the salty wet air and the sounds of waves and birds all improved the appeal of the Bar Harbor Light.

The next day several deer were roaming around outside our adopted home.  For kids who were firmly suburbanized this was a rare treat.  Later, my oldest daughter and I decided to take a hike up North Bubble Mountain in Acadia National Park.  To say that “we” decided to go is a bit overstated, more accurately I told my reluctant 10 year old that she was going whether she liked it or not. 

“I’m not a nature girl.  I don’t even like walking.” She pleaded

“You’re going and you’ll love it.” I stated with a smile.

“Why do I have to go anyway?” she continued.

“Because it will be fun, now get in the car.”

Knowing that I would win this argument she got in the car with a heavy breath and a roll of the eyes.  The hiking path up North Bubble Mountain was easy and well marked.  Thinking back, if Mallory, my 5 year old, hadn’t been taking a nap she could have easily made the hike.  Casually walking up the mountain we were greeted by other hikers (all friendly) and a variety of woodland creatures. Small little animals scurrying here and there on a mission for food or housing were abundant.  The gorgeous white trunks of the aspen embraced us on every side.

Upon reaching the top, the view was spectacular.  We could see South Bubble Mountain, Jordan Pond, Penobscot Mountain, Balancing Rock and Seal Harbor in the distance.  Beyond the wonderful view was the look on my daughter’s face.  She had changed on the way up.  She had proven to herself that she was capable of hiking and she had made it to the top in triumph.  She had a newfound love for nature and hiking that she still talks about two years later.

On the way down Olivia and I talked about some of the animals we saw, the views we enjoyed and her newfound title, nature girl.  It was a great experience for a father and daughter to enjoy.  As we made it to our car the rain began to fall.  Our timing had been perfect on multiple levels