Acadia Day 3: Horses & Sand

Is there a more relaxed way to climb a mountain and view mountain scene in a horse carriage? Yes, that was what we did on the third day in Acadia. 

In the morning, we walked to Bar harbor and strolled along the streets. We ate our lunch in the biggest building on the street (see the picture below). Baba went back to get the car and picked us up at the restaurant  Then we drove to the stable to take the horse carriage tour. 

There are several choices for the carriage tours. Mama picked the Mr. Rockefeller's Bridge Tour since this tour will take us on a leisurely step back in history featuring some of the most remarkable bridge work in America [1]. 

The bridge in the following picture was the first bridge we saw in the tour. I conveniently forgot its name.  The tour guide told us that the carriage roads were designed and built by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Rockefeller wanted to travel on motor-free byways via horse and carriage into the heart of Mount Desert Island. From 1913 to 1940, his construction efforts resulted a forty-five miles rustic carriage roads with sweeping vistas and close-up views of the landscape, weave around the mountains and valleys of Acadia National park [2]. 

Stanley Brook Bridge was the second bridge we past. This bridge is one of a series of beautiful stone bridges hand made by Mr. Rockefeller's workmen along the carriage roads. Built in 1933, the bridge has triple arches with the main arch spanning the Stanley Brook road and the two smaller ones crossing Stanley Brook on one side and the Seaside Path on the other. The long deck carries a carriage road [3].

When we reached the Cobblestone Bridge, I got dismounted from the carriage by Baba. The Cobblestone Bridge was the first of Rockefeller bridges built in 1913. It is also the only bridge that has rounded boulders for the facing, which lend a more natural appearance to the bridge than cut stone work [3].

Our trip culminated with a visit to the historic Jordan Pond Gatehouse on the return ride to Wildwood Stables.

A landscape can only been seen in the carriage tour.

Sweet smiles can only been seen during a carriage tour.

After horse carriage tour, I ran to the Sand Beach to complete my day with sand playing!

References:
1. http://www.carriagesofacadia.com/tours.html
2. http://www.nps.gov/acad/historyculture/historiccarriageroads.htm
3. http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/2010/01/bridges-acadia-national-park-and-mount-desert-island5293