Return To Maine Chapter 17
A/N: Actually, The Improv Acadia is located on the second floor of the diner, but to change things up a bit, it is located in the building next door for this story.
Nkeagle, I think it was you who emailed me with your questions about Jake and Reece. I am so honored that you reached out for my opinion. Thank you for that. I'm so sorry. I tried to PM you and email you back with my response. Not sure if it was something on the site or just me, but I was unable to do either. So I'm going with the me part of that, so I'm going to try and answer your question here. I hope it answers your question and brings you some clarification.
As to Kate's "wild child" phase, watch seasons 2 and 3 for that, particularly "Food To Die For." Kate's friend Maddie reveals that Kate was the biggest scofflaw at Stuy High, her response to Castle's statement he bet Maddie knew where all her bodies were buried, his question about what a good time was. Now I don't believe it was anything serious, just typical teen aged stuff, but I think this episode gave us more insight to her "wild child" phase and there are more references of that scattered through the series. She did get married in her college years that she couldn't believe was real and legal, per season 7's "Hollanders Woods" Anyway, I hope, if you're still with us, that I have answered your questions.
"Ugh! I don't think I've ever seen that much food served in a diner." Kate grumbled after they left the diner and was heading back to their rental car.
"I know. You'd have to be a bottomless pit to eat that much food at one time, but it was so good… I bet there are no starving dogs in Bar Harbor."
"Probably not. And those pancakes just melted in your mouth. I was stuffed, but couldn't stop eating those pancakes."
"No offense, but I noticed." he grinned. "That's why I bought every flavor pancake mix they sell."
Hmmm. That was true. He'd been delighted to find a small gift shop tucked into a corner of the diner that sold their own brand of made by hand coffee mugs, pancake mixes, muffin mixes as well as homemade spreads for the pancakes and other goodies and he'd bought at least one of EVERY item they sold.
"You can't be serious! Babe, there's enough pancake and muffin mix in those bags to last us through a zombie apocalypse! We'll never…"
"Mock all you want. There may come a day when you'll thank me for this."
They had arrived at the trunk of the car and Rick fished the keys out of his pants pocket to unlock the trunk and stow 2 large bags of his loot i n there.
Knowing she wasn't going to win this one, she uttered, "Okay. Fine. If you say so. For now, I'm going to need to work some of this off so I'm glad we're heading into the park now."
She was already at the car door waiting on him when he slammed the trunk door down and replied, "Exactly! Let's go."
But instead of opening the door for her, he appeared at her side and laced his fingers with hers tugging her hand hard enough to make her stagger a little.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"Come on. The stores are beginning to open and I need to buy a backpack."
"What? Why do you need a backpack?"
"Come on, honey. You don't expect me to go into the park and not buy souvenirs, do you?"
"Of course not." she snarked, but then felt guilty. She had been fortunate enough to be raised by two loving, very successful parents that had seen to her every need and then some. She was far from being spoiled, but she had been lucky enough to get what she asked for for birthdays and Christmas, but when she entered high school and wanted her 1994 Harley Soft tail she had had to work to pay it off, thus learning responsibility. Considering Rick's fatherless background and Martha having been their sole supporter, money had been scarce she idly wondered if Rick's excessive spending was his way of compensating for his lean upbringing.
"Sorry. Okay as long as you promise me that we'll head for the park immediately afterwards."
"I promise."
"Lead the way." she replied, smiling up at him.
Hand in hand, they strolled Cottage Street where there was an Improv Club next door to the diner, Route 66 restaurant, a few pubs, a bakery, but no store that sold backpacks until they reached found a Sporting Goods Store on Main Street.
Explaining what Rick was looking for, the clerk went to a shelf in the middle of the store and brought back an olive green survival backpack that had straps for his shoulders and a wide belt around the waist that would keep the backpack secure no matter what activity they decided to undertake in the park.
The walk back up to Cottage Street from Main Street only took a couple of minutes and the trip up Cottage Street would have taken the same amount of time if they had not noticed a convenience store and stopped in to buy some bottled water and energy bars before heading back to the Great Maine Breakfast diner where they were parked. At the car, they stopped to load the water and energy bars into the survival pack and Rick noticed The Improv Club again. Curious, Rick pulled Kate along with him to check it out.
"Improv Acadia. Creating spontaneous comedy inspired by audience suggestions, our professional improvisers are sure to make you laugh! We have a full bar, snacks, and desserts." Rick read from the sign in the window. "This sounds like a lot of fun."
"Yeah, it does, but it also requires reservations, which we don't have, babe. It opens tonight, but that's when our dinner reservations are. There's a later show, but you still need reservations."
Shrugging, Rick added, "Yeah. You're right. Well, maybe when we come back in July?"
"I think that would be lovely. I'd enjoy that."
"Good. We'll plan on it." He fished his moleskin from his pocket and jotted the contact info into it.
"Come on, babe. This is our last full day here and there's a lot of ground to cover."
"Yeah, you're right. What we don't get covered today will just have to wait. Kinda makes me sad, though."
"I know. Me too."
Their first destination on the outskirts of the park was Sieur de Monts Spring, which had upon driving up seemed not much to see, but looks were deceiving.
They had seen a charming, octogonal, tiled gazebo, built by a private citizen in the late 1800's and 1900's and was a major contributor to the park's conception and creation through his vision and passion to preserve and protect the natural beauty of Mount Desert Isle and his words, "The Sweet Waters of Acadia" that he inscribed on a nearby rock.
While strolling through the area, they happened upon the Abbe Museum, one of the first museums in Maine and was originally conceived as a trail side museum and remains to this day as one of only two remaining private trail side museums in the entire National Park System.
The museum's primary focus centered on the Native American culture and its history in Maine. Focusing on the Wabanaki, Penobscot, Micmac and other tribes that had originated and their tribes that were present in the area and their cultures, their heritages so rich and vibrant.
Any outsider that passed them as they strolled through the museum oohing and awing over the displays of the museum would have thought that they'd never had a history class in school, or visited a museum before when in fact, that was far from true. That's just how fascinating they found the experience.
Before they concluded the tour of the museum, Rick had added 4 books on Native American cultures, some wood carvings for his desk, two for her desk and a pair of handcrafted turquoise earrings for her, with a turquoise pendant and ring to match.
The Wild Gardens of Acadia at that same location was a plant lover's dream! A peaceful place to sit and relax, breathe in the tranquility and the surrounding beauty and provided him an opportunity to mischievously snap a picture of Kate sitting on a bench reveling in the beauty that surrounded them while he went in search of a men's room.
They explored everything from babbling brooks and 12 different flora habitats in less than an acre of categorized paths. The Native species were labeled: Mixed Woods, Roadside, Meadow Mountain, Bird Thicket, Heath, Seaside, Brookside/Damp Thicket, Coniferous Woods, Bog, Marsh, and Pond.
The area was maintained by local volunteers, the level gravel and pine needle paths crunching under their feet, easily walked and free of debris. It was surprising at how much beauty and splendor there was in this peaceful, serene, yet unassuming place. Here, there were no crowds, no long lines to wait in, totally free admission, only beauty and peace.
Just steps away from The Wild Gardens of Acadia was the Acadia Nature Center so they decided to check it out, also.
As they entered the building, they found a small group of visitors knotted around a uniformed Park Ranger who introduced himself as Ranger Bob from the National Park Service was about to lead the group on a guided tour of the Nature Center and described the things they would see in the park.
Ranger Bob was very informative on how the park managed the plants and animals they would see on their trip into the park, explaining each display in clear, concise detail. There were hands on, interactive, exhibits that children and adults enjoyed immensely.
He covered issues such as air quality, the roles that fires in the park play, the history of the fire of 1947 aka as The Year a State Burned. That fire wiped out 9 entire towns, leaving 90% of the state in rubble and ashes. destroyed in it's wake, and the wild life that had been seen in the park as well as the history of the park itself.
At the end of the tour, Kate and Rick as well as the visitors had come away with a deeper appreciation for the park and Mainers themselves.
"So, what did you think about Sieur de Monts Spring?" Rick asked as they walked back to their rental car.
"I really enjoyed it, Babe. This was a fantastic experience and a great way to begin our tour of the park. It's beautiful, in a magical kind of way."
"So you're admitting that you believe in magic now?" Rick teased.
She laughed, bumping her shoulder against his. "That's not the type of magic I'm referring to and you know it."
Rick chuckled, "Yeah. I do, but you can't blame me for trying."
"I can't?"
Chuckling at her response, Rick checked his watch and asked. "It's afternoon now. Are you ready for lunch?"
"After that big breakfast? No. Are you?"
"Not yet, but we'll need to eat to keep up our strength."
"Later. I'm still stuffed from breakfast. Let's move on to our next destination."
Nodding his agreement, he opened the car door for Kate before going around to the driver's seat to get behind the wheel. "Next destination it is." he said, buckling his seat belt in place.
TBC
A/N: Sorry this chapter seems lacking on the later part of this chapter, but my research on this area was limited. The next destination will be Sand Beach, and Thunder Hole. Hope you all have a blessed week. Happy Earth Day!