After Wednesday's tandem run through a cold rain, Thursday dawned bright and warm. The plan was I'd drop my sweetie off at the Cadillac South Ridge Trail and I'd ride the Park Loop Road, climb Cadillac and meet her at the top, then do another circuit and finally meet her again at the trailhead.

Carl Sandberg wrote that fog comes on little cat's feet. I'm not sure whether he meant the feet of little cats or little feet of a cat. In this case the arrival of warm air over a cold sea meant lots of feet, some not so little. Somewhere under that lump lies an island.



The fog crept inland in spots until finally dissipating over the warmer land.



More of the Maine coast, a Bianchi and a lobster boat.



Now for the climb up Cadillac. A photo op above the town of Bar Harbor:



And a food break near the top:



Acadia's Park Loop Road is almost a cyclist's Paradise. The loop proper is 16.2 miles, with 1200ft of climbing. The pavement is perfect because as a parkway it carries no heavy vehicle traffic and (presumably) is not plowed during winter. The speed limit is 35mph except for a few places where it is only 25mph. All but a few miles is one-way, two lanes, with parking allowed in the right lane so drivers expect right lane obstructions. In fact the only drawbacks are that it is so short, and it has so danged many steep hill sections, some with 10% grade, or even higher for short stretches. On the other hand, if you like going fast this is one place to do it. No one ever passes a bike coming down Cadillac. Or on the descent from the Eagle Lake overlook down to the Bubble Pond parking area. Picture a green tunnel over smooth flowing blacktop, and a thin canopy of sky overhead, warm air and pockets of cold sea breeze in deep shade. Then do it all a second time.