Hiking is a new love for me, not something I’ve done all my life. (At least not “real” or serious hiking.) So I’m typically learning something with each new hike. Not only did I accidentally stumble on to some serious hiking in Bar Harbor (more on that in another post), I picked up several useful pointers. I’ll be an expert in no time!! 😉

A panoramic view from the summit of Beech Mountain; overlooking Echo Lake

Finding the trail

Finding the trail can be a bit of a challenge sometimes.

I do know about the painted markers. (As a little side note, it is my opinion that the person who paints those may be a wee bit cynical. You can be standing in a field of rock, no marker in sight, searching and searching for the trail that has seemingly disappeared. Later, you’ll see a big, clear, seemingly-freshly-painted marker right by a set of stairs. Seriously, now. Why would I need a marker right there, where the stairs are CLEARLY the way forward?)

In any case,  I’m definitely getting better at finding the trail.

To help improve my skills? A lovely, older couple I met on Beech Mountain shared the secret of the cairns with me, explaining how to “read” them for directions. Gee, that might have been nice to know before hand – I need to find a Hiking 101 class! Then again, I think it’s more fun learning as I go. Life’s a journey, not a destination after all! (Thank you AeroSmith, Ralph Waldo Emerson, one of those two.) So I’ve updated my arsenal of trail-finding tricks (or should I say basics) to include the cairns.

A “cool” tree to the right of the boardwalk on Jesup Trail

Bug Spray

That same nice couple, who had just arrived in Bar Harbor for a few months as volunteers at Acadia National Park (ANP), also provided a shot of bug spray.

Bug spray – an obvious hiking need, right? Duh! But I didn’t really think June was a major bug season; honestly, the thought of bugs never even crossed my mind.  But Maine, and June, means black flies. The hiking guides all talk about them, if only I’d read them before I arrived. 🙂

The flies are super bite-y and very annoying. When I noted how “buggy” it was at the summit of Beech Mountain, the couple kindly shared their bug spray with me. (They were a wonderful help, and perfectly suited for staffing the Information desk at the ANP Visitor Center.) I bought my own supply that night (for more than I would have paid back home), and duly noted yet another lesson. I was so proud to have remembered sunscreen and aloe vera. Next time I’ll also remember the bug spray.

Walking Poles

As I’ve mentioned before, hiking up is less of a problem for me than hiking down. Up utilizes my big, strong muscles while down just aggravates my beat-up knees. But I have an option to try on my next hike that may help with the knees.

I saw several people using walking poles while hiking. Finally I had a chance to ask about them. It was confirmed that the poles help not only going up, but definitely relieve a lot of pressure on the knees while going down. Well, what do you know? I probably should have known this too, but again the thought didn’t cross my mind, lol. The bonus here is that I already have a set of walking poles that came with my snowshoes. Walking poles which are largely unused due to the severe lack of snow the last few winters, ugh. These, too, shall be added to my list of “hiking equipment” for the next hike.

My nearly brand new walking poles will be put to good use on my next hike

Water Bottle Supreme

But one thing I brought to the proverbial table on my own initiative…an excellent addition to any hiking routine… is the battery-powered, squirt-bottle fan. It was an impulse purchase on a previous trip to Eddie Bauer, and I have to say it was the BEST PURCHASE EVER! Okay, that may be a slight exaggeration, but it was truly a worthy one and not too expensive, either.  Given how hot it was the first few days in Maine, I put that new fan to good use. Lovely! It’s a keeper!