Last night we stayed in a quaint cabin that had Wifi – – but it was so slow I couldn’t finish this post, much less publish it. So this one’s a day late. I’m sure you’ve all been waiting with baited breath! We stayed at Moody’s which is an institution around these parts. The original cabins were built in the 20’s and more were built in the 40’s, when they also added running water and electricity. No air conditioning, though there is a lovely little screened porch on the back and you can sleep with the windows open, listening to the breeze in the trees if you don’t mind the mosquitoes too much.
Built in the 20’s.
Moody’s diner is down at the bottom of the hill and has been in the family for at least three generations. The food is down home good; I recommend the rhubarb strawberry pie. Highly.
Moody’s Diner, where the cooking is homemade.
Anyway, yesterday we headed inland, on our way to Fort Knox. You know, where all the gold is housed. As we got close we saw a beautiful bridge over the Penobscot River. It’s unlike anything I have ever seen before.
Bridge art.
What’s even more amazing is how narrow the cable system is. Here’s what it looks like from the end of the bridge:
Not being an engineer, I think this is something of a miracle!
And in the top of one of the towers, which look like a skinny version of the Washington Monument, is an observation room!
You can go up to the top!
How cool is that! And you just know that we went up there! How could we not! This is the way the bridge looks from the observatory:
Narrow bridge over ‘The Narrows.”
The towers are 447 feet tall (The Washington Monument is 555 feet tall). From the observation tower at the top you can see views like this:
Beautiful!
Amazing.
Fort Knox from the top of the bridge.
After we were back on the ground we went to visit the fort. It’s an engineering feat from another generation, and fascinating in a whole different way. Built from 1846 -1866 it’s a wonderful example of forts from that era. It’s all pretty much still there, the parade ground, the barracks, the officers quarters…
Parade ground in the center.
…and the tunnels below and behind the walls, filled with dark damp memories…
Underground tunnels.
…and maybe the ghosts of soldiers past.
Did you hear something?
We spent a long time at Fort Knox, exploring all the nooks and crannies, thinking about what life might have been like back then, the conditions soldiers lived and died under.
Windows watching.
It seemed strange to see the old fort with the new bridge in the background. An interesting contrast.
New and old together forever.
Then, because we could, we stopped by a lighthouse. Just for you, because we didn’t want you to have lighthouse withdrawal. After all, we are in Maine.
This is the Fort Point lighthouse.
Someone lives here, wouldn’t that be fun?
It’s part of a State Park, but we found it on a road along the coast without going into the park. It has beautiful flowers, and sits high above the sea on a bluff. Such a pretty spot.
Angles.
So that’s it for yesterday. Today we overdosed on lighthouses. I’ll post more on those tomorrow. Or later. Sometime anyway; it all depends on wifi. Most of you know how that goes.
I hope you enjoyed your tour of the Penobscot Bridge, Fort Knox and the lighthouse!
Sunshine and flowers.
