A refuge from the masses of one the the East Coast’s most populated National Parks, especially with fall foliage at it’s peak, was my rented cottage, 30 minutes away in Lamoine. The cozy dwelling is what we would call a cabin on the west coast. And the “Up Back Cottage” certainly made me feel like one of the East Coast “rusticators”, albeit on a much smaller scale.

All of the lumber used to construct the cottage was milled from trees on site, leaving the exposed beams and paneling with a rugged roughness.

Downstairs was a framed in porch which was not used much considering the fall temps creeping into winter.  The living room was  furnished with a cozy couch, a reading light, and was stocked with books. A few favorites:  Peterson Field Guide to Eastern Birds, You Need Help, Charlie Brown by Charles M. Shultz, Abolition Democracy by Angela Davis (I am a Slug after all), and The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff. The kitchen was fully stocked and fitted with a four-burner, gas range which was perfect for cooking and staying healthy.

The bedroom was in a loft, accessible by a ladder. Under the A-framed roof, windows filled the space with light, setting nature’s alarm clock. Get up and get out and see the world! (And to find parking at any of Acadia’s most popular sights.)

If there is one thing that stood out in the “Up Back Cabin” it was it’s only source of heat. I was the last guest of the season. Beyond October, you have colder temperatures, snow, and then the long Maine winter. The wood burning stove was great companion to my stay.

A sketch of the Up Back Cottage in Lamoine. The is a true cottage, unlike the mansions of millionaires in Bar Harbor which where hyperbolically called “cottages”. This is the real thing.

Probably the most artistic entry I’ve ever made in an Airbnb guestbook. This dwelling really inspired me!