Our Wander Years

Five days with Marlene in Worcester MA

Posted on August 26, 2023 by Sparky

Marlene flew into Boston a week ago. It was a non-stop flight but she was in Coral Springs FL the night before, with her brother, and had to leave at 4am to get back to Ft Myers to catch her 11am flight. So she was tired. But she was all smiles when she came through the door into the baggage area. It was her first time in Boston and we hadn’t seen each other for 3 weeks, so she was pretty energized.

I barely made it to the terminal to meet her. One of the tunnels to the airport was closed for repair and traffic was both heavy and detoured. I missed a turn to get to the terminal and ended up in the swarm of cars heading back into Boston. It was about a 15-minute mistake. But I made it.

I gave her a driving tour of Boston and Cambridge, highlighting points of interest that I didn’t think we would see otherwise. We drove past MIT and Harvard and lesser points of interest in Cambridge before heading to Worcester. We stopped for some groceries, got her settled in and had a simple home-cooked spaghetti dinner. Then to bed.

Monday, after a late wakening and breakfast, I gave her a driving tour of Worcester and environs. We had a light lunch at Friendly’s, an old-fashioned New England restaurant chain, went to an early movie then drove to Foxwoods to play the slots. I won $31, she lost about $100. I hadn’t been to Foxwoods in over 20 years. It was sparsely attended and the energy that I remembered was missing. Maybe New England has reached its gambling saturation point?

We arrived back in Worcester around 3am on Tuesday, so, not surprisingly, we slept in Tuesday morning. The car had sprung a slow leak in the right rear tire so I spent some time Tuesday afternoon arranging to get it fixed. Then we went to see my old college roommate, Roger, and his wife, Nancy. We walked to Filho’s Cucina in Groton Center for a wonderful dinner. I had a fettucine/artichoke dish that was out of this world. Marlene had a salad with roasted chicken that she liked very much. Wonderful dinner! Highly recommended. The walk was very pleasant, too. Groton is a beautiful old colonial town.

Wednesday was a BIG tourism day. We drove to the Alewife Station on the MBTA Red Line and took the subway to Boston Common. We walked the Freedom Trail, taking pictures and generally enjoying a beautiful 75-degree sunny day. The kind of day we never get in the summer in Ft Myers.

We saw most of the historic sites on the trail, then took a lunch break at Quincy Market: chinese food and clam chowder. We walked to Old Ironsides (aka USS Constitution) and toured both it and the ARC Gloria, a Columbian Navy tall ship. By that point we had logged about 7 miles of walking. But Marlene wanted to see the nearby Bunker Hill Monument, so we walked up the hill to the monument, then climbed its 294 steps to the top. It would be fair to say that we were tired but we continued on, walking to the MBTA Orange Line. We took the subway to the South End to have dinner with Marlene’s friends, John and Steve. We dined at Five Horses Tavern. Good beer but mediocre food. Then John and Steve drove us to the Red Line and we made out way back to Worcester.

A VERY full day.

Total Wednesday steps: 15,383. About 8 miles!

Thursday was more sightseeing, but less walking. We traveled to Lexington to see the Buckman Tavern and Lexington Green. But the tavern was charging $12 to enter and I judged that it was not worth the price, so we just walked the grounds then headed to Concord. There we drove the entire length of Battle Road Trail, but our main destination wat the North Bridge which is generally regarded as where the American Revolution began as it was the first time the colonists fired on the British Army, killing 3.

We had dinner at Burton’s Grill in Westford, with my old friends Barb and Bob. Wonderful dinner, wonderful social evening.

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My beard at 4 weeks

Posted on August 25, 2023 by Sparky

The beard continues to grow, as beards are wont to do. The difference between 3 and 3 weeks is not dramatic (and the early-morning 4-weeks photo isn’t very flattering), but I can tell that it is getting thicker. I can’t say that I am liking it much, but my kind friends say it looks good.

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The ninth trip south (TS9) preview

Posted on August 24, 2023 by Sparky

My ninth trip south (designated TS9) will start in 6 days, on August 30. The plan is to arrive back in Fort Myers on September 8, then leave September 10 on the 30-night transpacific cruise. I won’t even unpack.

Unlike the TN9, I will not be alone on the TS9 – Marlene will accompany me. She is with me now in Worcester, having arrived August 20. I will report next on our first 5 days together in Worcester.

The TS9 route is being driven by the following requirements:

Spend at least two days in New York City (Marlene has never been there).
Spend at least two nights in northern Virginia with Jett’s sons and grandson.
Spend at least two nights in Acworth GA with Marlene’s son.
Arrive in Fort Myers by September 8 (we need a full day to adjust our luggage for the cruise).

Those requirements leave just two days free and we will spend them in Charlotte NC – a city I have visited before but haven’t fully explored. To get from northern Virginia to Charlotte we will route ourselves into western Virginia and will traverse a section of the Blue Ridge Parkway – another place Marlene has never been.

The plan, then, is 9 nights in 5 hops covering almost 1,800 miles.

Categories: Preparation/Planning, Routes, TS9 | Leave a comment

Four days with family in Worcester MA

Posted on August 20, 2023 by Sparky

My son Tony joined me in Worcester for 4 days this week, to see the daughter (my granddaughter) that he hadn’t seen for 2 years and the brother that he hadn’t seen for a year and a half. The weather didn’t cooperate – it was cloudy and cool when it wasn’t raining – but it was a successful reunion despite the weather.

He flew in Tuesday afternoon. He was very tired as he hadn’t slept the night before – too worried about getting up at 3:30am to catch a 6:00am flight. We fetched Lili (daughter/granddaughter, almost 18) and went to a late lunch at O’Connor’s Restaurant in West Boylston MA, adjacent to Worcester and very close to where Lili lives. I had a reuben sandwich which was very good, but the appetizer was the best potato skin dish I have ever had.

Then Tony napped.

Wednesday featured a visit to the New England Aquarium. I didn’t join Tony and Lili for that one as I think it is one of the lesser attractions of Boston. Apparently, they thought so too as they stayed just 2 hours while I wandered around downtown, noticing the changes that had accrued in the past year. We then picked up brother/son Frank and had a lunch/dinner at Redbones in Somerville. I have fond memories of Rebones – great BBQ ribs and 30 beers on tap. Well, it has changed. The ribs were still good, but not spectacular, and the draft beers were gone. I can no longer recommend it. Sad. The Redbones in Ft Myers (no relation) is now better than the namesake in Somerville.

Thursday was an afternoon of shopping (back-to-school time for Lili) as Tony bought some clothes for his daughter at the Natick Mall. I then cooked dinner (spaghetti and Italian sausage) for them before we all went to the WooSox game (the Worcester Red Sox, the AAA farm team for the Boston Red Sox) at Polar Park in Worcester. Not the most exciting game – the WooSox lost, 2-1 – but it didn’t rain.

Friday featured a trip to the Museum of Science in Boston. I have been there many times, but my last visit was probably more than 8 years ago. It is a nice museum. Not huge, but there are many exhibits that are interesting for both children and adults. We particularly enjoyed the electricity show. The Van de Graff generator (the huge metal balls) were out of order but the show featured Tesla coils which were pretty impressive in their own way.

One complaint about the MOS – the options to get tickets online and at the self-service kiosks were both wastes of my time. I couldn’t figure out how to complete the sale online and the kiosks seemed to offer only add-on tickets (IMAX movie and planetarium options). I can’t understand how a technology-oriented museum can have such useless software. Annoying.

We had a farewell breakfast with Lili Saturday morning, then Tony and I drove to Frank’s home and picked him up. I dropped them off near Fenway Park with clear instructions to Tony on how to get to the airport (a 15-minute walk and a $3 bus ride). With less than 3 hours to kill, what could go wrong? Well, I don’t know the details (or, more accurately, I received different accounts of the details from Tony and Frank) but the bottom line is that Tony missed his flight. Fortunately, American Airlines rebooked him at no extra cost, so he made it home just a few hours later than planned.

Despite that last-minute glitch, it was a successful and full four days.

Categories: Adventures, Family, MA, Places, Sports | Leave a comment

A week in Worcester MA

Posted on August 17, 2023 by Sparky

My first week in residence at the home of Ray – Jett’s brother – and his wife, Kim, was mostly spent getting settled – shopping, washing clothes, etc – and enjoying not driving much (though I still had to get behind the wheel every day). Except for the first day when I spent the afternoon with Ray, I was mostly alone. The weather was unsettled. I got a sunny afternoon to play disc golf at Lake Tully but my trip to Kimball Farm to get a fried haddock bite dinner (superb!) was overcast. I was startled by a tornado warning one morning but no tornado materialized.

The big event, though, was three days at Ray and Kim’s cabin in New Salem MA, on the edge of the Quabbin Reservoir watershed. It is a serene setting, with constant activity at the hummingbird feeders. We took a 4-mile was to/from the reservoir one afternoon – good exercise that I sorely needed. And Kim – a fantastic cook – kept me well-fed.

On the last day at the cabin we buried Rusty’s ashes next to Cha-Cha and Grace.

Ray and I also made a trek to the Tree House Brewery in Deerfield MA to sample some fine craft beers. We had 48 to choose from. I had a peanut butter chocolate stout that was fantastic.

Categories: Family, MA, Places, Sports | 1 Comment

TN9 wrapup

Posted on August 9, 2023 by Sparky

I finished my ninth trip north (TN9) on Sunday. This was my first trip with no travel companion of any kind – person or dog. Time for a wrapup.

By the numbers:

10 days, 9 nights, 6 hops, 1,724 route miles (287 miles per hop).
Only 33 extra miles – I didn’t use the car much once I got to my destination.
59.3 gallons of fuel consumed in 1,757 miles (29.6 mpg).
Total fuel cost: $211.37 ($3.56/gal).
I mostly stayed with friends and family. Only 3 nights were in hotels. Total hotel cost: $344.11 ($114.70 per night).

The mileage was a bit disappointing. This was almost all on highways (though I did spend more time on back roads than usual). I expected to get at least 32 mph.

Highlights:

Seeing Jett’s sons and grandson. I love these guys!
Seeing the Appomattox Courthouse. It was a quick trip and a bit disappointing but it did remove one item from my Civil War Bucket List.
Beating grandson Zachary at chess. I was rusty and probably should have checkmated him sooner, but I was very worried that I was going to be beaten by a 12-year-old. Didn’t happen.
The Toyota ran well.

Lowlights:

Rain in Charleston SC. I was hoping to get more sightseeing time, but not in a deluge.

Only one minor lowlight suggests that this was a pretty successful trip north overall.

Planned versus actual route:

The two diversions from the plan were the whimsical trip to the Appomattox Courthouse and the decision to approach CT via PA rather than up the NJ Turnpike (which I dislike).

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TN9 Hop 6: Rhinebeck NY to Worcester MA

Posted on August 6, 2023 by Sparky

150 miles via NY 308, NY 199, NY 22, US 44, CT 318, CT 219, CT 20, I-91, I-291, I-84, US 20, I-290 and MA 122. Miles since the end of Hop 5: 150. Cumulative route miles: 1,724. Total TN9 miles: 1,757.

This was a route that was more complicated than it needed to be, but I like back roads and I have never traveled through northern Connecticut, so why not? The day was sunny, the traffic was light and the scenery was pleasant. Not a bad trip.

My host for the evening was Harry, an old friend and fellow widower. We traded cancer stories over a couple of beers, then went out to dinner at The Tavern at Beekman Arms in Rhinebeck, an historic Colonial-era tavern. I had fish and chips. Very good.

The T-Mobile service at Harry’s place was terrible but was better in town. But it was also terrible all across northern Connecticut. I tried to chat with Marlene as I drove, but the call dropped a half dozen times. The edge of civilization, I guess.

This ends the TN9. Wrapup next.

Categories: CT, Food, Friends, MA, NY, Places, Routes, TN9 | Leave a comment

TN9 Hop 5: Greenwich CT to Rhinebeck NY

Posted on August 6, 2023 by Sparky

82 miles via I-95, I-287, the Sprain Brook Parkway, the Taconic State Parkway, US 9 and NY 308. Miles since the end of Hop 4: 82. Cumulative route miles: 1,574. Total TN9 miles: 1,607.

This was a short hop in good weather. It was scenic, following the Hudson River north. But the traffic was very heavy with a full stop for an accident near Poughkeepsie. Not a fun short trip.

My host for two nights in Greenwich was an old friend, Marc. He was a congenial host who gave me a brief tour of the Greenwich/Cos Cob area. We had lunch at Fairfield Pizza in Greenwich where I had arguably the best slice of pizza that I have ever had. It had chicken and tomatoes and some kind of creamy topping. Delicious. Marc also treated me to a fine Italian dinner (roasted artichoke hearts and calamari for appetizers, lasagna for entree) at Villa Italia in Stamford. Excellent! I ate well on this hop.

The weather was cloudy and even a bit cool (haven’t said that in months) but I got some decent photos of the harbor in Greenwich. And the beard continues to grow.

Categories: CT, Food, Friends, NY, Places, Routes, TN9 | 2 Comments

TN9 Hop 4: Montclair VA to Greenwich CT

Posted on August 4, 2023 by Sparky

360 miles via VA 234, I-95, VA 123 to a lunch engagement with Carl, my old friend and travel companion from PCL2, then VA 123, I-66, I-495 (west of DC), I-270, US 15, PA 581, I-83, I-81, I-78 and US 22 to a refueling stop in Easton PA, then US 22, I-78, I-287 and NY 120 to my destination. Miles since the end of Hop 3: 370. Cumulative route miles: 1,492. Total TN9 miles: 1,525. The 10 extra miles during my stay in Montclair were due to a single trip to see family.

The 3 days in Montclair were basically family days, with Jett’s sons and grandchild. Wonderful people and always a pleasure to see them. Thank you, Devin and Mary, for the first-class accommodations. And thank you, Zachary, for letting me win the chess match.

Carl treated me to a sushi lunch before I got back on the road to endure heavy traffic all the way to Connecticut.

We went out to dinner one night but this was mostly “home” time. I did some genealogy research and drove the family to Dulles to catch a flight to Cancun. I also had dinner with Josh, Jett’s other son, and Cristina. A very nice dinner and a relaxing afternoon and evening. Thanks, guys!

The beard continues to grow.

Categories: CT, DC, Family, Friends, NJ, NY, PA, Places, Routes, TN9, VA | Leave a comment

TN9 Hop 3: Goldsboro NC to Montclair VA

Posted on August 1, 2023 by Sparky

360 miles via US 113, I-795 (in Goldsboro), I-95, US 58, some local roads to US 1, VA 40, VA 642, US 460 and VA 24 to the Appomattox Courthouse National Historical Park. Then VA 24, US 60, US 15, US 29, VA 28, VA 646 and VA 234, with a refueling stop in Zion Crossroads VA. Miles since the end of Hop 2: 364. Cumulative route miles: 1,132. Total TN9 miles: 1,155. The extra 4 miles on this hop were due to my trip to Chili’s for dinner.

This is one of the most complex hop routes I have ever experienced. I am pretty sure that I didn’t record it exactly right. This is the result of a whimsical decision to divert to see the Appomattox Courthouse. I made that decision after I stopped for coffee just over the VA border. When I look at where Appomattox is located, I realize that I could have saved about 50 miles if I had made that detour decision before I left my hotel in Goldsboro. I was also intending to stop at the Manassas battlefields, but decided, halfway there, that I had run out of time, so I rerouted to my Montclair destination. All of this whimsy cost me about 90 minutes in wasted travel. But at least it was (mostly) a nice sunny day and I got to see a lot of central VA where I have never been. I did get one heavy shower, but it didn’t last long.

The trip to the Appomattox Courthouse was not worth the effort. Because it was so much further from I-95 than I expected, I felt pressed for time and so spent only about 30 minutes there. I may not have fully appreciated what it had to offer because it was a battlefield as well at the site at which the Civil War officially ended. But at least I got to see it and get a feel for where this historical event occurred.

My home for one night in Goldsboro was the Days Inn. This one was a bit nicer than the one in Charleston, but still just mediocre. The keycard they gave me didn’t work initially and I had to return to the front desk – a fairly long walk, carrying my luggage – to get that rectified. Annoying.

I “dined” at the nearby Chili’s where I had, no surprise, chili.

Did I mention that Marlene wants me to grow a beard? I have not shaved since the start of TN9. I am definitely into my “homeless derelict” phase.

Categories: Adventures, Hotels, NC, Places, Routes, TN9, VA | Leave a comment