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VillageSoup - Sports & Outdoors News - VillageSoup
MAINE (July 21): Trash fish! Green fish! Those damn bass! Still despised by some, the largemouth bass has become one of the most popular and sought-after fish in the state . And that often bugs the daylights out of trout and salmon anglers.
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DAY 1 Mile 0: West Gouldsboro Head south on Route 186 to Schoodic Point, a 2,000-acre section of Acadia National Park. Take a hike: The park's one-way shore drive winds past quiet beaches and thundering surf. Park and speed walk for an hour. * Calorie burn (CB): 415 Cooler filler-upper: Pick up the fixings for a picnic lunch at Darthia Farm's store, open from June through September (207-963-2770, ).
Mile 38: Jonesport Take . Route 1/1A north to Route 187 and Jonesport and enjoy a half-hour stroll around this hilly seaside town of weather-beaten clapboard houses. * CB: 99
Mile 43: Great Wass Island Preserve Take the bridge to Beals Island, then continue on the Great Wass causeway, which leads to the preserve. Fitness op/lunch break: Park and hike the two-mile trail to Little Cape Point, which winds through Maine's largest stand of Jack pines to spectacular beaches, ocean vistas and sea birds including blue herons, bald eagles and osprey. * CB: 164
Follow signs back to . 1 and go north to Mile : East Machias. Snooze control: Stay at the Riverside Inn & Restaurant, a Cape-style captain's house built in the early 1800s overlooking the East Machias River and featuring a Victorian dining room, vegetable and flower gardens, a pond and a waterfall (from $95, including a full breakfast; 207-255-4134, ). The inn's dining room serves pasta, steaks, salads and fresh seafood ($14-$22). Night moves: Count falling stars on an (unguided) hour-long stroll around the inn's parklike grounds. * CB: 197
* Fitness bonus burn for the day: 875 calories
DAY 2 Best breakfast in town: Fuel up on the inn's bountiful breakfast before a morning of kayaking.
Mile 76: Machiasport From the inn, drive east about half a mile. Cross the bridge over the East Machias River, then turn right on Route 191 South. About four miles down the road, on the right side, you'll see the sign for Machias Bay Boat Tours and Sea Kayaking. Gottado guided tour: Paddle past seals, rugged cliffs and petroglyphs ($48 for a three-to-four-hour kayaking tour; 207-259-3338, ). * CB: 592
Cooler filler-upper: Pick up picnic goodies at Coastal General Store (207-255-0505). From Machiasport, backtrack up Route 191 to . 1 in East Machias. Turn left to cross the bridge over the East Machias River. Continue four miles and cross the Machias River Bridge.
Mile 90: Roque Bluffs State Park ($2 per car; 207-941-4014) Turn left on Roque Bluffs Road. Continue for six miles to the end of the peninsula and find pristine beaches where you can park and roam for a half-hour and wade in the 60-acre freshwater pond. * CB: 99
Mile 100: East Machias Head back to the inn: Take Roque Bluffs Road up to . 1. Turn right and follow . 1 to about three blocks north of the inn, where you'll hop on Route 191 South for Maine's most stunning coastal views. Wind south past fishing shanties, wooded hillsides and historic towns to the quaint fishing village of Cutler. Take a hike: About 11 miles south you'll see Western Head Trail. This easy two-mile loop emerges from dense woods to a spectacular view of the Atlantic Ocean, highlighting rocky ledges pummeled by the crashing surf. * CB: 164 Brake for fuel: Find a pretty spot to enjoy the foodstuff you picked up earlier.
Mile 113: Cutler Gotta-do guided tour: See the largest puffin colony on the coast of Maine as well as seal and whale species on a scenic sail to Machias Seal Island (Bold Coast Charter Co., five-hour tours, $60; 207-259-4484, ).
Mile 131: Cobscook Bay State Park ($3 per adult; 207-941-4104) Take a hike: From Cutler, take State Route 191 north to West Lubec; go west on State Route 189 to Route 1, then north about three miles to reach the 888-acre park. An easy two-mile nature trail leads to dramatic views of Whiting Bay's 24-foot tides. Then, take the pleasant half-mile Shore Trail past secluded coves. * CB: 170
Mile 137: Reversing Falls Park Continue north on . 1, then take State Route 214 west. Continue miles, turn left at the intersection and follow the road to the park. Plan to arrive a few hours before high tide to watch it switch almost instantaneously (the water rushing backward over the rocks gives the impression of a reverse waterfall tumbling furiously over the ledge). Backtrack to . Route 1, going south to State Route 189 and then east to Lubec.
Mile 149: Lubec Welcome to the easternmost point in the United States. Take a hike: Trek along the winding four-mile (round-trip) trail through Quoddy Head State Park ($2 per adult, 207-941-4014), from Carrying Place Cove to the red-and-white-striped 1858 West Quoddy Head Light. * CB: 283 Snooze control: Stay at The Home Port Inn (from $85; 800-457-2077, ), a 19th-century country inn overlooking Johnson's Bay. Brake for fuel: The menu at the inn's nine-table restaurant includes freshly cooked unshelled Maine lobster en casserole, sauteed vegetables (over pasta or rice) or Chicken Cordon Bleu (from $13-$23).
End of the road Breakfast on the inn's homemade blueberry muffins and granola with fresh fruit (complimentary) before heading south from Lubec on State Route 189 to . 1 and then continue south to Bangor (about 110 miles).
Info Maine Office of Tourism (888-624-6345, )
* Fitness bonus burn for the day: 1,308 calories
road trip 2 Skyline Drive, Virginia
View from the rearview mirror Winding 105 miles along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains, this graceful two-lane highway (no billboards allowed) cuts through Shenandoah National Park. You'll pass 75 scenic overlooks with vistas of lush valleys, rounded peaks, rolling pastures and waterfalls. The park has over 500 miles of marked trails with great hiking around every bend.
Closest major airport Washington Dulles International Airport (Dulles, Va., 30 minutes from downtown Washington, .), about an hour's drive west of starting point Front Royal via 1-66
Map check From Front Royal, take Skyline Drive south to Rockfish Gap/Waynesboro.
Mileage 210 miles round-trip, two overnight stops
DAY 1 Milepost 0: Front Royal Follow signs to the north entrance of Skyline Drive/Shenandoah National Park ($10 per car, $5 for cyclists and hikers, valid for one week; 540-999-3500, /shen). Cooler filler-upper: Hit local supermarket Martins for healthful lunch options and plenty of snacks.
Milepost : Dickey Ridge Visitor Center Brake here for maps and trail guides, including "Short Hikes in Shenandoah National Park" and "Hikes to Peaks and Vistas in Shenandoah National Park" (both booklets by Joanne Amberson, Shenandoah National Park Association; $2 each). Right across the road from the center you'll find the Fox Hollow Trail, a loop to remnants of an old farm and cemetery. * CB: 87
Mile Take a hike: Pass through forests to small cascades on the moderate Lands Run Trail. * CB: 94
Mile : Marys Rock Tunnel The highway continues through this over-600-foot-long corridor carved through a granite ridge.
Mile Take a hike: Take the steep, rocky (roundtrip) Meadow Springs Trail to the summit for a panorama of surrounding Appalachian peaks. * CB: 184
Mile : Skyland Snooze control: Book a quaint cabin (accommodates up to six guests) at Skyland Resort (from $52 per cabin; 800-999-4714). Take a hike: Climb the (round-trip) easy Stony Man Nature Trail, which follows portions of the Appalachian Trail and ascends the park's second-highest peak, 4,011-foot Stony Man Mountain. * CB: 184
Time for dinner: Skyland Resort's restaurant, overlooking the Shenandoah Valley, offers a small but nice selection of fare. Order the baked Virginia farm-raised trout stuffed with vegetables ($) or a roasted vegetable kabob served on a bed of rice ($); save room for the Blackberry Ice Cream Pie ($). Order a boxed lunch for the next day (from $).
Night moves: Tour the resort's wooded grounds on horseback (hour-long guided rides from $20; 540- 999-2210). * CB: 171
* Fitness bonus burn for the day: 720 calories
DAY 2 Best breakfast in town Order home-style oatmeal ($) or Blue Ridge hotcakes with berries ($) from Skyland's restaurant. Take a hike: Spend about three hours on the moderate five-mile (round-trip) Whiteoak Canyon Trail. It winds into a shady mountain glen that's been called "the scenic gem" of the Shenandoahs, with a meandering stream, towering oaks and hemlocks and an 86-foot waterfall. * CB: 358
Mile 43 Take a hike: Wander the (round-trip) Limberlost Trail into a grove of ancient hemlock. Calorie burn: 102
Mile : Dark Hollow Falls Take a hike: This (round-trip) trail descends to cascades that drop 70 feet into a wooded ravine, which makes for a steep return walk uphill. * CB: 131
Mile 51: Big Meadows area Snooze control: Check into a rustic room or cabin at beautiful Big Meadows Lodge, handcrafted in 1939 from native oak, chestnut and stone (from $67; 800-999-4714). Night moves: After supper in the lodge's dining room (entrees range from the Dickey Ridge Chicken, $14, to pasta, $12), head downstairs to the Tap Room to listen to live acoustic music.
* Fitness bonus burn for the day: 591 calories
DAY 3 Best breakfast in town: Before hitting the road again, you'll want to refuel--your vehicle and your body. One stop at Big Meadows Wayside eat-in diner, general store and gas station should suit all your needs; enjoy a country-style breakfast of eggs, Virginia ham and potatoes ($) with Java City shade-grown coffee ($). For your afternoon of hiking, ask them to pack you a box lunch from their menu of wrap and sub sandwiches ($$).
Mile : South River Falls Fitness op: A very steep (round-trip) trail winds below to the beautiful waterfall and back up again. * CB: 240
Mile : Blackrock Summit Take a hike: Climb the gentle, one-mile (round-trip) trail to the top for a sweeping survey of forested mountains and valleys. * CB: 96
Mile 105: Rockfish Gap/Waynesboro Skyline Drive ends here. Before turning back, make a pit stop at Weasie's Kitchen on East Broad Street, a local favorite for its simple yet tasty Southern home cooking ($$8; 540-943-0500).
End of the road From Waynesboro, take Route 29 north to Washington, . This ultrascenic shortcut back to the city (about 100 miles) makes its way through some of the beautiful valleys you viewed from high on Skyline Drive.
Info Shenandoah National Park (540-999-3500, /shen). For park books, go to .
* Fitness bonus burn for the day: 336 calories
Carole Jacobs is fitness editor of Travelgirl. When not road tripping, she lives in Kennedy Meadows, Calif.
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