JUNE 3 - JUNE 14

 Nana and Pap’s Big Adventure 2025

 

Tuesday  June 3^rd - We left around 11am on a beautiful Tuesday morning. We were very excited to finally be leaving for another fun filled vacation together but so sad to be leaving our precious family. We drove 347 miles to our first stop at Geneva State Park in Geneva, OH. It was a pretty park that served us well for an overnight stay.

 

Wednesday  June 4^th - We left early for another day of driving 334 miles to Chenango Valley State Park in Port Crane, NY. We stopped in Jamestown, NY on the way to see sites in Lucille Balls’ hometown but everything was closed on Wednesdays. We were disappointed but thankful we will be passing through again on our way back home. We set up camp in the beautiful park and made plans for our next day of hiking.

 

Thursday June 5^th - We arose to another beautiful sunny day perfect for hiking. Our first stop was at Watkins Glen State Park in Ithaca, NY where you passed 19 waterfalls in just 1 1/2 miles. One of the falls you passed under which was a fun photo op! The next waterfall was a roadside viewing, Aunt Sarah’s Falls, and it was small. Shequaga Falls was big, beautiful and interesting because it was in the middle of a small town and behind a private residence. I would like a backyard like that! Taughannock Falls was the next hike on our agenda. It plunges 215 ft., taller than Niagra Falls but with a narrow stream. Last was Buttermilk Falls. We surmised it was named Buttermilk Falls because it flowed over the rocks “smooth like buttermilk”! However, the hike beside and around it was anything but smooth. Lots of steps and rocky. YIKES! We returned to the campsite tired, hungry and happy after our first great day of hiking this year.

 

Friday June 6^th - The morning was rainy so instead of hiking we visited the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Unfortunately we couldn’t do any of the outdoor activities and bird watching but we enjoyed the fascinating indoor learning opportunities and exhibits. In honor of my friend Julie I pulled up a picture of her favorite bird, the Mot Mot on their electronic display and played it’s beautiful bird-song. We then ate panini’s at the Ithica Bakery near Cornell University before proceeding to Robert Treman State Park. We were so happy the rain had finally stopped! Our hike at that state park was wonderful!! In a little over 4 miles we saw 12 extra-spectacular waterfalls due to all the rain.  The one named Lucifer Falls was our very favorite; it was simply amazing. During the winding climb along beautiful stone work completed by the CCC the only hint you were approaching another spectacular section of the falls was the warning roar of the water. Hopefully it’s the closest to Lucifer was ever get:)  We returned to our campsite and ended the day with hotdogs over the campfire. Another great day. 

Saturday  June 7^th - We awoke to another rainy morning. We broke camp excited to see Michelle in Agawam, MA. When we arrived we parked Yogi and Boo-boo in a grocery store parking lot near Michelle’s and she picked us up there. We had a happy reunion and proceeded to do a little shopping for salad “fixins”to go with the pizza we ordered before driving to Michelle’s house. She remembered Micheal’s favorite cake was pineapple upside down cake. Being the great big sister she is…she spoiled her little brother with one to eat for dessert after lunch AND one to take with us when we left. Needless to say Michael felt very loved. We were so happy when Bryce arrived home before we left so we were able to visit not only with Michelle but also with Bryce and his girlfriend Jasmine. We had a wonderful visit at Michelle’s and were so sad to leave but hopeful they would have a chance to join us sometime during our trip before we head back to Indiana. When Michelle was driving us back to Yogi and Boo-boo a BIG BLACK BEAR crossed the road right in front of us. It was amazing! We continued our drive to our next stop 366 miles to Taunton, MA. Unfortunately, it did not go smoothly. We took several wrong turns and ended up needing to set up camp in the dark. It’s difficult maneuvering big Yogi into a narrow campsite backwards in the dark! Our campsite was beautiful at Massasoit State Park but we waited until morning to put out the slides and really take a look around.

 

Sunday June 8^th - Cloudy day with peeks of sun. We started the day with mass at gorgeous Annunciation of the Lord Church. We then stopped for breakfast pasteries at a Brazilian Bakery. Next we spent a large portion of the day exploring “Battleship Cove” that included the remains of JFK’s PT boat, the USS Massachusetts Battleship, the USS Lionfish Sub, and the USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Destroyer. It was awe inspiring to see the history and the power of our military but also loved seeing the juxtaposition of a beautiful swan and gull nesting on the structures. Lastly we took a tour of the home of Lizzie Borden learning so much about the cruelty of her father and the probability of her guilt. We ended the day completing chores, eating dinner and preparing for departure the next day.

 

Monday June 9^th - Moving day. The weather was drizzly and cloudy in Taunton, MA and was also foggy once we arrived at our destination on Cape Cod, MA.  The trip there again was not an easy one with wrong turns and an accident that left us with detours and time stopped in traffic. We were so happy once we arrived at our campground “Sweetwater” 78 miles away. We quickly set up, packed our bags, then headed straight to our friend Deb’s cottage on the Cape in Dennis. We hadn’t seen Deb in probably 5 years and it was especially emotional to see her since her husband Ed just passed in February. We laughed, talked, and walked the beach by her house before going to the grocery to purchase supplies for the evening meal. Deb’s gourmet cooking skills were as wonderful as we had remembered and did not disappoint! The meal was a multi-sensory experience that included Deb’s demonstration of how to crack open and eat fresh lobsters. It was so much fun! We were so full we couldn’t eat dessert. We stayed up way too late talking after dinner clean-up which for these old folks was UNUSUAL!! 

Tuesday June 10^th - We looked out the windows of Deb’s Cape Cottage to see fog, clouds and rain. No beach walking today. Deb shared her interesting Cape Cod Family history during a yummy breakfast of spanish frittata, fruit and juice. Deb’s grandparents vacationed in a small rental cottage on their favorite beach in Dennis, Cape Cod. In 1940 they bought that small vacation cottage from the Sardoni family. Her grandparents eventually tore down the cottage and built the house. There have been renovations and updates through the years but it has been loved and enjoyed by generations starting with Deb’s grandparents the Tardanicos and will hopefully be loved for generations to come. It is cozy and beautiful with great views. Our first excursion of the day was to the Highland Lighthouse; the oldest and tallest on the cape. The visibility was poor but it was interesting to see. Next we went to Provincetown, the outermost point of the cape. The  seaside town was quaint and beautiful. We enjoyed the narrow streets with interesting shops and restaurants. We had a wonderful lunch with fresh seafood there before returning back to the town of Dennis via a scenic route to see all the beautiful homes. We stopped at the store to get a few groceries for dinner before returning to Deb’s beach cottage. We relaxed for a little while but before too long Deb was scurrying about creating her next gourmet meal for the evening. We served as helpers once again. Oh my, dinner was so yummy with pan seared scallops in sauce and herb potatoes. We even saved room for dessert.

 

Wednesday  June 11^th - We awoke to a gorgeous, sunny day. We had a breakfast of spanish frittata, fruit, cinnamon raisin toast and juice before going out for a short walk on the beach. Michael collected interesting shells and rocks for the boys. We then took a ride to Deb’s favorite pottery shop back in a woods where we browsed through all the creative, beautiful wares. We then returned to Deb’s to take a long walk on the beach and eat “cake by the ocean” while singing that song. We recorded it to send to  Jennifer and her family. Jacob thinks the song is so funny, eating cake by the ocean! We took Deb over to pick up her car from the repair shop before we sadly said our goodbyes. It was so great to see her!! After Michael and I left off Deb we stopped at the Chatham Lighthouse Beach where we enjoyed gorgeous views of the ocean and took pictures of the lighthouse. Next we stopped by Truro to see the Cape Cod National Seashore. The Visitor’s Center had 3 interesting short films about the area and great views. We were surprised to learn the Mayflower landed first at Cape Cod before finally stopping at Plymouth Rock where the pilgrims settled. Lastly we drove back to our campsite at Sweetwater in Brewster, MA for our last night in the area before moving. We grabbed our laundry and went back out to find a laundromat. We rewarded ourselves for laundry well done with some ice cream before returning back to Yogi for a dinner of leftovers.

Thursday  June 12^th - Beautiful, sunny day. We packed up camp and moved 83 miles onto Wompatuck State Park in Hingham, MA. On the way we stopped at the Heritage Museum and Gardens. We enjoyed paths meandering through water features, beautiful foliage, rode on the carousel, and saw large wooden insect statues but we missed most of the blooms with them being out of season. They also had a great vintage automobile museum where we had the pleasure of speaking with one of the gentlemen on the restoration team. It was so interesting. We noticed how most of the roads in New England are narrow and winding. It is fun when we are driving just Boo-boo (jeep) but very nerve-racking when we are driving Yogi (RV). We also noticed how many properties are lined with stone walls or white picket fences with beautiful landscaping. We had not passed a run-down section of any town but had seen many very old homes very well maintained. Many homes were shingled or covered with clapboard. Several sea-side towns had buildings that were nestled on strips of land barely wide enough to hold them between the sea and the roads. The area was simply beautiful.

We ended the day by setting up camp, working on the blog, completing miscellaneous office work, working on our electronic picture frame, making plans for tomorrow and eating dinner.

 

Friday  June 13^th - We awoke to another beautiful sunny day. We had a full day planned for exploration of Boston. There were so many things to see in 2 days we knew we would need to eliminate some sites and do some quick “drive byes” for some things. We started with exploration of the USS Constitution and USS Cassin Young, both located in the Boston National Historical Park. It was interesting to see a dry dock and to peruse the museum in addition to seeing the ships. The USS Constitution (Old Ironside) was still in commission manned by active service members since 1797. We could see the Bunker Hill Monument as we left the Boston Ntl. Hist. Park but did not stop. It opened in 1843 commemorating one of the first major battles between the colonists and the British during the American Revolution. Next we visited 2 burial grounds downtown Boston; King’s Chapel Burial Ground (est 1686) and Granary Burying Ground (est 1660). Notables buried at the Granary were Benjamin Franklin’s parents, John Hancock, Paul Revere, James Otis, Samuel Adams, and Robert Treat Paine. Next we stopped to see the Park Street Church established in 1809 one of many stops we made along the Freedom Trail, which leads to many of the historical sites, in Boston. After leaving the church we walked through the beautiful Boston Common, the oldest public park in the US (est 1634). It’s 50 acres is bordered by the Boston Gardens (est 1837) which had gorgeous ponds, bridges, plants, blooms, statuary, and fun boat rides. We really enjoyed our walk through both areas. Our next stop was at the Boston Public Library. It had a grand renaissance-style architecture and gorgeous murals by John Singer-Sargent. The building was so beautiful we forgot to look for the books! Next we went to the Massachusetts State House. The golden domed building was easily recognized and located downtown Boston on Beacon Street. Our walking tour of the inside revealed gorgeous murals, stained glass windows, silver and gold leafing, impressive statuary, and grand staircases. We liked the personal touch of the “Sacred Cod”, a carved wooden effigy of an Atlantic codfish, hanging from the ceiling of the House of Representatives chamber to commemorate the cod’s historical significance to the Commonwealth’s economy and identity. Next we walked through the site of the 1^st Public School, Old City Hall and saw a statue of Ben Franklin; all in the same area. Our last stop of the day was Faneuil Hall Marketplace. In 1742 Peter Faneuil was one of Boston’s wealthiest merchants and built the hall as a gift to the city. Through the years it served as a meeting hall, platform for famous orators, home to town government, public hall for concerts, banquets, ceremonies and a central marketplace. It’s current use is for performances and retail. We stopped at Shake Shack for dinner. YUM! Before back to Yogi we went tired but satisfied with our fun day.

Saturday  June 14^th - It was a cold, rainy day so we wore layers and raincoats. Our first stop was in Quincy, a suburb of Boston and nicknamed the “City of Presidents”. By coincidence they were having their celebration of 250 years since the American Revolution so all historical sites were free and they were having some extra events. Presidents John Adams and his son John Quincy Adams were born in Quincy as well as John Hancock. We saw both of the Adams homes as well as Christ Church where both John Adams and John Quincy Adams and their wives were entombed. John Adams had also been a deacon at that church but historians reported he was quite grumpy and opinionated. Our next stop was at the Boch Center-Wang Theatre but we were too late for the guided tour. We did get to see the beautifully ornate lobby. We walked to obtain our tickets for the combined guided tour of the Old Meeting House the Old State House. Our tour guide was so knowledgeable about the surprising slave trade in the area and about the history of the buildings. As usual we were in awe of the footsteps and experiences of the men and women we followed. So many people have sacrificed to make our lives better. We stood on the spot of the Boston Massacre before heading to the car to find Paul Revere’s House. When we ended up at the airport; we assumed British Airlines were not the British of Paul Revere’s reference! We felt hopelessly lost in the bumper to bumper traffic with motorcycles zipping in and out around us like they did in Paris. We felt nervous and grumpy so we gave up trying to find Paul Revere. Next we drove to beautiful Castle Island which was much more peaceful. It was a peninsula with people enjoying water sports, a cruise ship departing, a huge castle-like Independence Fort on the hill, and low flying jets landing at a near-by airport. It was an exciting spot! We had missed the last tour of the fort but enjoyed the walk around it before leaving to make a quick stop at the grocery and heading back to Yogi. Another great day.

JOHN ADAMS HOME

JOHN ADAMS' FATHER WAS A SHOEMAKER

JOHN QUINCY ADAMS HOME

OLD MEETING HOUSE

THE OLD STATE HOUSE

BOSTON MASSACRE SITE