This morning began mostly cloudy and cold. We haven’t been this cold since sometime in early June! But we each added a layer of fleece and walked down to the Sunrise Café on the waterfront for breakfast. I’d been dreaming of their amazing wild blueberry crepes all year!

There were two other people eating breakfast in the café when we arrived, and a few others stopped by for coffee while we ordered. We chose a seat by the front window, observing the Haworthia on our table while Mama in the back was preparing our food. The crepes came out quickly and they were so awesome. I had the wild blueberry as expected, and Rich chose something unusual: a crepe filled with turkey and topped with arugula and avocado. It was light and very, very good. Rich was thrilled with it, as you can see!

The strong breeze made the morning air feel very chilly. A quick stop at a very busy Hannaford was necessary—we needed extra water for our hikes—but then we went directly back to our room to warm up and figure out our plan for the day: to explore the entire length of the new Richard Trail near Thuya Garden, and then follow another new trail south along the western shore of Little Long Pond.

We would take the bus to the base of Thuya Gardens on Route 3, climb the “fancy trail” up to the garden and then pass behind it, through the Hobbit Gate as Rich calls it, to enter the Eliot Mountain trail area. This is such a beautiful, lush deep wooded area right out of Tolkien! At the first intersection we were a little confused until we realized the trail coming from the right was the Richard Trail segment coming up from Thuya Drive. After that, we had no trouble at all following the trail for the entire distance.

And the trail was beautiful and very remote. Although it is supposedly a “new trail”, we couldn’t see how it could have been constructed recently (other than the final segment we hiked, between the carriage road and the pond) The steps were too old and worn into the landscape and the cairns had too much lichen on them. Our local friend Angie had the same impression. Was this a private trail built years ago that was just recently opened to the public when David Rockefeller opened up this section of land a few years ago? Rich and I both had the feeling of hiking on an abandoned trail nearly the entire way. Not only were we following cairns through the woods (on other trails they typically appear consistently only on open ledge areas) but we also had the entire trail to ourselves! We only saw a few people at the garden and at the pond, no one in between (other than a couple with an exceptionally loud dog passing behind us on Harbor Brook trail while we were opening Richards Door). :)

The hike was more rugged than expected in spots but easy and level in others, so a very good mix of challenge and relaxation. We enhanced the relaxation aspect by sitting on a nice wide bench near the end of the David & Neva trail for a good long while in the sunshine! The only part that was really tiring was climbing over all the roots on the D&N trail, but there were bogwalks interspersed so that helped to break it up a little.

We emerged on Route 3 at Bracy Cove and caught the bus returning to Jordan Pond (and eventually the village green) after a few minutes of waiting. On the way back to the visitors center (which is along the route) rich recalled a survey mark that he thinks we still haven’t found. We’ll have to investigate to see which one that might be. I pointed out the entrance to the Bracken Path as we passed by.

We were pretty tired by the end of our trek, and very hungry! Good thing we had made reservations early this morning at Mache Bistro, in anticipation of a decent hike and plenty of ensuing hunger.

Everything was ridiculously good! We’ve been to Mache Bistro before and really enjoyed it, but this meal far exceeded all expectations!

After our hiking adventures, we were both desperate for a cold beer. Beers: Strong Bale O Hay IPA 16oz Strong Localmotive Common Ale

Cheese board: Cambozola (creamy blue), Bucherondin aged goat, port gelée, toast Rillettes & pate’: country style pork pate’ & pork rillettes, cornichons, mustard, toast Herbes de Provence scallops: fregola sarda, caper relish Seared salmon: French lentils, fennel salad, lemon arugula pesto

Key Lime Tart, ginger pistachio crust, vanilla gelato