Last day in Maine

The last day in Maine was amazing. My favorite part was the save the summit hike this morning. I am not a morning person and waking up to carry dirt up a mountain didn't sound very appealing when my alarm went off this at 6:45. But its our last day so I sucked it up and got in the van.

I chose to carry 15 pounds of soil up to the summit, and once we got off the main road onto the trail, I was pretty shocked to see stairs going straight up for as far as I could see. I really had to put my hours of pain and suffering on the stairmaster to the test, but I have to admit that I passed with flying colors. Obviously, the steep uphill was extremely difficult and water breaks were much needed, but I was proud of myself for keeping a quick pace and feeling good throughout the whole hike. The views from the summit were absolutely stunning, and I especially loved hearing the success story about how the soil had recovered enough to support new vegetation. The way down was much quicker and easier without the extra weight, but steep downhills are not the most friendly to the front of my knees. The sight of the road back to the car brought me so much joy, and when we finally made it I felt so happy. It was good to move my body out here and when I checked my watch, I was already at 13,000 steps! Overall, I really enjoyed everything about this experience and am so grateful to the lovely Friends of Acadia for organizing this for us!

Our Last Day in Acadia:(

After an incredible and eye-opening trip, our last day was exactly what we needed to end it. This was my absolute favorite day. We woke up at our regular 7:00 to get our day going, and headed to our Save Our Summit event with Friends of Acadia. We got to know each other in a stretcing circle, and then we began our 4.5 mile trek. A little over 2/10 of a mile in, we made it to the soil where we grabbed a 15lb bag and strapped it in our backpacks. We climbed for what seemed like an eternity, but we got to the top and everything was worth it. There were 360 degree views of the coast and other mountains that truly took my breath away. We dropped off our soil bags and hung out at the summit for lunch before beginning to head back down. We walked 5 miles by the time 1:00 came around, but it was completely worth it. We piled back into the van and headed back to camp where we showered and freshened up to head into Bar Harbor. When we got there, Audrey, Helena and I popped in a souvenir shop for a quick second and then booked it to the blueberry lemonade shop. We had been hearing such good things about it from our friends so we decided we had to try it. Incredible blueberry lemonade in hand, we walked over to a small park like area that over looked the ocean. We laid here for close to two hours just taking in the view and relaxing. It was the perfect way to spend a beautiful afternoon.

Final day reflections : Acadia Day 5

Final day reflections : Acadia Day 5 For our final day in Bar Harbor, I attempted to soak in the quaint coastal town that welcomed us with open arms. From day one, so many kind souls greeted our group of 14 scraggly Texans with recommendations, must sees (or must not sees) and the most efficient way to spend our time here. Sitting out from our group activism activity due to a fear of an asthma attack, I was blessed with the opportunity to sleep in. For breakfast, it was a treat getting to enjoy a highly rated breakfast spot named 2 Cats. It wasn’t on the itinerary but was recommended by EVERY. LOCAL.,so it was basically written in the stars for Jess, Kira and I to go. We visited the Abbe museum and I was incredibly taken aback by the sheer talent and intelligence displayed in each aspect of their culture. From the woven baskets, artwork from indigenous school children and tools developed to hunt for food- it was overwhelmingly inspiring. The Wabanaki people are the first indigenous tribe I’ve researched, and through this experience at their own museum I feel a sense of responsibility to learn the history of America through their lens. With our time back at the cabin and in Bar Harbor, I reflected. Any expectation I had for this trip was exceeded ten fold. I was nervous, I’ll admit, to spend an extended period time away from what has been my safe space during my first breakup. I felt vulnerable being around new people when I was in a headspace where change was the last thing I needed. People who don’t know me, my personality, and my passions were the last thing I thought could make me feel better. I was so wrong. It was more than therapeutic to have a reason to get up, to laugh, to think - it was dire. The girlhood formed on this trip found me before I even knew I needed it, one of the many joys behind community I suppose. There are no words to describe how grateful and rejuvenated I feel. To Bar Harbor, you magical little island: Thank you. To Acadia, and the park of many wonders: See you next time!

Mallory was having issues and I love her for it

 Hello there everybody. My name is Kate and my dear dear friend Mallory was having a few issues today. We started our day off nice and dandy as we prepared to hike some dirt up a mountain. As she awoke from her slumber, she was able to annihilate the hike to the peak with great efficiency. However, it was the hike down that made us realize she was light as a feather. She was so hyped to complete this exhausting trek that she began to slip and slide all over her ankles. Snap. Crackle. Pop. Those ankles were gone. I love my sweet little Mallory, but I feel so bad for her ankles. After the hike, we all got to have a bit of play time in the park where we did some handstands and wicked good backflips (complete fact and no lies). After we got pizza (and she didn't quite get her water in a timely manner), she entered her stage of delirium. In this phase, she couldn't quite comprehend how to but a laundry bag on her shoulder normally. Everybody tell Mallory you love her. Goodnight :)

The Peak of Our Travels

We hiked from soil to the summit of Sargent Mountain today with friends of Acadia! Each member of our group grabbed a 10 lb. bag of dirt at the base of the mountain and prepared to bring it to the summit. The steep, two mile and 1,373 ft. elevation trail was very daunting as we started out. I was already huffing and puffing when our trail guide said, “catch your breath for the steepest section ahead.” I didn’t know if I could make it to the top. But seeing the water trickles, the delicate flowers and the sun streaming through the trees, kept me going though. 

As we cleared that last ledge, the views took my breath away. We had a stunning view of mountain islands dotting the Atlantic Ocean, framed by pine trees on our own summit. While doing this hike, I realized how much I love being outdoors. I was just in Anaheim California last week, but seeing the views and feeling pride over completing a challenging hike was better than disney land. There’s just something about walking in God’s creation, feeling so small in this vast wilderness, knowing that I don’t need to do anything for anyone, I can simply just be. The peace I felt on that mountain is something I will chase for the rest of my life. 

After my epiphany, I talked to one of the trail guides, Lauren, on the way down the mountain about how she lives and works here. She informed me about the Friends of Acadia communications fellowship and internship which sound like incredible opportunities. I think that Maine is calling me and with the connections I’ve made here, I might just find myself back here next year.

Day Four in Acadia!

 Another much-needed break was how we spent our fourth day in Acadia. We got up bright and early to head to the Schoodic Peninsula, where we were able to see more incredible views of the coast of Maine. We hit a couple of spots before we headed back to Mount Desert Island to go into Bar Harbor. 

After days of waiting to find the perfect souvenir, I finally found one I couldn't resist. The cutest lavender sweatshirt with an embroidered lighthouse on it. After not a second thought, I bought it and we headed to Cool As A Moose for the 5th time. We browsed through the store one last time, and Helena finally bought the sweatshirt she had been eyeing since the first day. 

We wrapped up at Bar Harbor and headed back to the KOA for a few hours before we left to go on the ghost tour. I never expect much from things like that, but this tour genuinely scared me to death. Our guide was such an incredible storyteller that it had me feeling like these ghosts were actually going to pop out and haunt me. I jumped multiple times throughout the tour, and MAYBE shed a few tears. Overall, it was an amazing experience, despite my terror the entire time. Another great day in Acadia!

Lounging before the ghost tour

Schoodic Peninsula

"The World is Swirly"

Day 4 in Acadia was a success. We started at the sea wall to get content for our reels, and I’m feeling great about how mine are coming together. I had everything I needed for my “Day in the Life” and “Who Calls Acadia Home” reels, but I still needed some footage from the Art in the Park show. I was especially excited to revisit Peggy Lumpkin's tent to buy a print of the painting I wrote about in yesterday's travelogue.

Audrey, Juju, and I stuck together in Bar Harbor, and before visiting the art in the park, we decided to finally buy all of the clothes we had been eyeing all week. We may have gone a little overboard, as we ended up filling our backpacks to the brim and carrying huge bags in our hands. Audrey and Juju explored the art fest a little before tapping out and finding a bench to relieve their backs, while I stayed and filmed content. I got some great video, and my reel is done, and I think it looks really good. I got to talk to Peggy about her art, and she told me that she paints in layers and doesn't mix colors on a palette. This is what I think adds so much depth to her work. My favorite quote that she said was when I said I loved how swirly her art is, and she said, “The world is swirly.” I just love that so much. I bought 2 prints from her, and it was the favorite things that I got on this whole trip.

Our Last Day in Maine :(

Mallory and I at the sunset

I woke up a little earlier to be ready at the van today, since we had an event we had to be on time for. It was our final day in Maine so it was a little bittersweet, but we ended it with an immensely great opportunity with Friends of Acadia! They organized an early Save Our Summits for our group to participate in, where we hiked soil up to Sargent Mountain for plant restoration projects on the peak. It was a pretty intense walk to the top and I had to stop a few times to catch my breath, but the view at the end was totally worth it. The hike down was definitely a lot easier than going up. Mallory fell about three times and I did slip once, but I landed pretty calmly. Once we got to the parking lot, we left in the big white van and headed back to the KOA for a little break. I braided Mallory and Libby’s hair while we were there, and then we all left to Bar Harbor for some shopping and dinner. I got a t-shirt and a sweatshirt for around $59, which I’m so pumped about. We went to Pizza 131 for dinner before we all went back to the campgrounds. Mallory and I jumped out of the van once we got back to run to see the sunset because it was the prettiest one that we’d seen since we’ve been here. Now, I’m back outside the cabins eating a smore!

Goodbye Maine:'(

On June 16, 2025, we all piled into the big ole’ white van for our last full day here in Maine. At 8am, we took off to meet with Friends of Acadia to begin our 4 mile “Save Our Summit” hike. A ten pound bag of soil was actually much heavier than I expected, and I carried it up the summit in my right hand, with the GoPro in my left. I am super excited to edit together my reel footage. Kate gave the great idea to do a three-split screen kind of montage of clips that interchange throughout the video to get one MAINE point across, so I look forward to editing that. After all this, I was grateful for the chance to come back to the cabin to change into clothes that weren’t sweaty. Then we took off back to Bar Harbor where I was able to shop for all my friends and family. I bought way more than I should, but there are zero regrets. Our goodbye dinner was full of laughs and I am super sad tonight is our last night. When we got back to camp, Maci and I RAN to the sunset on shore. It was the most beautiful one we’ve seen this entire trip, and I am super grateful to have experienced such a pretty site with my new buddies.

A Difficult Hike That was so Worth it!

 On our last day in Acadia, we started it with a bang. Today, we hiked almost 4 and a half miles, carrying 15 pounds of soil, and reaching a 1,000 ft elevation gain. This hike was so hard-- it was steep, long, and of course, we were carrying 15 pounds, which made it even more difficult. Even though this sounds like a hike from your nightmares, I had an amazing time. If there's one thing I love to do on an outdoorsy trip, it's to do an exciting hike. Maybe that's seeing a massive waterfall, breezing through the woods, or even carrying 135 pounds to the top of a summit. I love any and all types of hikes! What made this hike so fun for me was the rough terrain, making it a trail where you really had to focus on exactly where you're stepping. It's hard, but getting into a rhythm makes it easier for me. The top of the hike was absolutely beautiful. That's a sight I won't forget. Doing this hike all for a good cause made it even better, too. Volunteer work is so rewarding, especially if you've enjoyed yourself during it. From this whole trip, I'd say this had to be my favorite thing I've done yet. This challenging hike really pushed all of us, but I had such a great time on the mountain!

Our view at the summit

Making memories on Schoodic`

On June 15th, we spent the day exploring the scenic areas along the roads on the Schoodic Peninsula. I absolutely loved this, and we were able to see more of the expansive ocean, just wide out into nothingness, with nothing else in view. It's so therapeutic, to me, to look out on the horizon of the ocean like that. I had a ton of fun taking pit stops and checking out the popular areas on the peninsula. I captured a ton of footage for an Instagram reel I'm working on, and all the clips turned out great! I've been working on creating that reel, and it's looking to be a good one. I love seeing nature and the environment around me and finding those special moments to capture for content. It almost opens up a new perspective when you're out exploring a place like Acadia. To top it all off, the weather here in Maine, while we've been here, has been absolutely perfect! I couldn't have asked for better weather-- I think I'm in for a rude awakening when we head back to Texas. This was such a great day for taking in the real beauty of a national park, and I loved spending our morning here. 

Boardwalk at Schoodic

A Crazy Hike That Was 100% Worth It

Emma and I on the top of the mountain

Today I woke up around 7 a.m. and got ready rather quickly. Libby made a glorious sandwich for me and then we all piled into the van to drive to our hike. Once we got there, we met the team and got a quick brief about what the experience would entail. We began by walking up the carriage roads and I was able to interview my last source for my feature writing story. Once we made it to a certain point, we grabbed our soil, we had the choice of 10 pounds, 15 pounds or 20 pounds. I grabbed a 10 pound bag and we began our journey up the crazy steep Sargent Mountain. This was extremely steep and tiring, especially with the extra weight of the soil, but the ending was so worth it. We stopped twice on our way up to catch our breaths and have a snack and water break. We made it to the top and the view was absolutely breathtaking. We took pictures with our soil and the Study in America flag and then put the soil into a pile for professional workers to lay in the restoration area at a different time. The way down was a lot easier but I did fall a few times. Luckily, it didn’t hurt too bad and I was able to laugh about it. I am so glad I was able to be apart of this amazing experience and play a role in helping restore vegetation on the mountain.

Holy MAC

This morning was forecasted to be a warm day, and so I woke up early—second in line to get my hair braided from one of my lovely classmates. I sat in the front passenger seat as we hit the road toward the Schoodic Peninsula, making several scenic stops along the way. At one of them, I enjoyed my sandwich with a view—honestly, it was great! Libby even caught a picture of me enjoying it. The best part of the morning? Journaling by the beach. It was chilly, but the breeze and the view made it the perfect spot for reflection (and some excellent content for my reels). After capturing photos and soaking in the sights, we split into two groups and hopped into separate cars. I chose to return to Bar Harbor for a little shopping trip. First stop: Coffee Hound, where I treated myself to an Acadian Turtle iced latte. 10/10, I will have this again.  Then came the highlight of my treasure hunt—a vintage store that felt like a time capsule from Maine in the early 1900s. I picked up postcards, a map, and even newspaper for Kira’s junk journal. Mission accomplished. 

But the real win? Lobster mac and cheese. Hands down, the best meal I’ve had on this trip so far. Rich, warm, cheesy, and totally worth the hype. After walking off the food coma, I headed back to the cabin for a quick reset—changed into cozy clothes, laid down for a bit, and got ready for the evening adventure. We returned to Bar Harbor after sunset for a ghost tour packed with tales and historic charm.  After a long day of exploring, we made our way back to the cabin—doors locked tight, of course. You can never be too careful after what we heard tonight.