Binghamton, NY with Kane and Aunt Debbie

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I was on my way to Binghamton, NY to see my Aunt Debbie, my cousin Kane, and Kane's little girl Isabella. I arrived pretty late in the night, but Kane had stayed up to wait for me. Binghamton is a city in NY state supported mostly by industry. There is also a state university satellite campus there. On my drive in, I drove through downtown and had a tough time navigating the road closures from all the students out partying. When I arrived, I spent some time watching ESPN and catching up with Kane. I accidentally woke up Aunt Debbie, and we briefly chatted as well.

The next morning, I was awoken to the joyful shrieks of Isabella.  I happened to be there on her 2nd birthday so we celebrated her birthday at breakfast that morning.  I was amazed at how talkative she was.

After breakfast, I went to the park with Kane and Isabella. We had a good ol' time playing around and swinging.

After playing around for a while, it was time for Isabella to attempt the big slide.  She was a little hesitant at first.  Since it had just rained the previous day, there was still water on the playground.  Kane slid down the slide first to make sure that Isabella did not get her bottom wet. What a dad!

After the playground, we stopped by good ol Lowes to pick Aunt Debbie from work.  It was touching to see Aunt Debbie lead her grand-daughter around.  We went to a local diner and had some good eats.

 

After lunch, Kane and I had some solid hang out time.  We went to the store with his buddy to purchase cigars.  On the way, we passed the Choconut Inn, the place where Kane works as a cook when he is not fire fighting (and he is a pretty darn good cook).  The rest of the afternoon, we hung out and smoked cigars, worked on my car to replace some bulbs, grocery shopped for dinner, and Kane gave me a tour of the firenstation.  It was really cool to see all of the equipment at the fire station, and I even walked away with a Binghamton Fire fleece and coffee mug!  Thanks!

That night, Kane and I cooked a delicious pot of marinara sauce for our spaghetti dinner that night.  Apparently, Kane cooks pretty regularly with a bunch of real deal Italians at the local Italian club.  We shared great conversation over the steaming pot.  Aunt Debbie came home, and we all dined.  The next morning, Kane and I went to mass, ate some delicious ahi tuna steaks and I was on my way.

Kane and Aunt Debbie:  thanks so much for letting stay at your house and visit.  It was such a great time seeing you, especially since I dont make it out that way very often.  Kane, thanks for excellent hospitality.  I wish I had taken more pictures, but I was distracted only because I was having a great time. 

That Sunday, I started my trek to St. Meinrad, IN to see my buddy Jeff H.  My drive took me across the NY countryside.  As I passed through countless small towns on the interstate, I admired the rolling hills and expansive farmland.

At one point, I stopped for gas at Salamanca, NY.  While at the pump, this guy in his late 50's wearing a suit walks up and asks if he can fill my gas tank up.  Wha?!? I had just filled up so I told him so.  Pretty much, he just wanted a ride down the street; he had called a cab but he didnt want to wait for it.  He said he worked at the casino down the street, and it was just a half mile down the way, but it was hot and he didnt want to sweat it out on the walk.  He was overweight, and it was unseasonably hot, plus he showed me his casino badge that he was wearing around his neck.  I gave this guy an ocular pat down, and I cleared him as a threat. I gave him a ride.  On the very short, trip he told me he was head of security at the casino.  He said that he was mentioned in the book that Zach Galifinakas' character was  reading in 'The Hangover' (an odd reference), and that he had helped to bust the card counters from the movie '21' when he used to work in Atlantic City.  He also insisted I take $10.  It was a 3 min drive, and I got him to his destination.  Welp, I finally picked up a hitch hiker.  

Later on I stopped at truck stop for dinner (subway) and to decide whether I was going to brave the storm.  The Cowboys game was on, and I was amazed at the number of jersey wearing fans were at this truck stop in NY. Romo choked, and I decided to push on through the storm.  The storm just barely missed me, although I caught a bit of rain in the tip of the storm cell.  As I drove through the aftermath of the storm, tree branches and debris littered the highway.  I was glad to miss the bad stuff.  

At some point, I had to stop for an emergency bathroom break (subway) in the middle of nowhere.  I stopped at this gas station that had a lit sign, but no numbers in place where the gas prices should be.  From the highway, I couldnt tell if it was open or not, but I decided to try anyways.  As I pulled up, there were two women in a Honda that had just pulled into the parking lot.  It appeared that they were trying to decide if this place was open, and if they should go in.  At that moment, two old beat up pickups filled with rednecks pulled up and went inside. The women drove off, and I laughed.  For me, this was an emergency situation, so I didnt really have a choice.  This gas station was shady as hell.  It had a big banner out front that read "under new managment" but was old and falling apart.  They didnt sell gas, only beer and other random crap. As I bolted for the bathroom, I noticed that connecting restaurant/casino that was all shut down and covered in plastic.  Eerie as hell.  The bathroom looked like a scene from Desperado, and I was just waiting to get shanked.  I finished my business, and left without looking back.  I felt like I just lived a scene from "From Dusk till Dawn".

I spent the night at a motel in Chilicothe, OH because I could get a cheap rate in the middle of the country side.  In the morning, I took a nice country detour across the Ohio countryside.  I wouldnt have minded stopping to see the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame, but I didnt have time.  The country drive was beautiful, and I briefly drove through Louisville, KY.

Of course their arena is named after KFC.

After Louisville, I was cruising through farm land in Indiana on my way to St. Meinrad.  St. Meinrad is the name of the town, but the only thing in the town is St. Meinrad's Archabbey, which houses a Benedictine monastery and a seminary for Catholic priests.  My buddy Jeff H. is currently studying to become a priest there, and I had been meaning to visit him for a while. 

The next nearest town is called Santa Claus.  Not kidding.  Apparently they have a giant Christmas-themed theme park there.

Check back next time to read about my visit with Jeff and St. Meinrad's Seminary.  It was one of my most interesting stops. 

Massachusetts (and NH) in Fall

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After visiting my family in Camden, ME, I had planned on spending a day sightseeing in Massachusetts.  Now I had already seen Boston on the trip (and several times before), so I wanted to check out the more "rural" areas.  But before getting to Massachusetts, I decided to take the long way, with a detour into New Hampshire to check out Dartmoth College.

The road that led me out of Camden was a small country highway with no road markings at all.  The leaves were colorful, and this route made for a very relaxing morning drive.

I told you that Mainers were a zany bunch!

It was a last minute decision to stop by Dartmouth because honestly, I had no idea where the school was located.  I randomly thought of it while trying to plan my route that day, and it happened to be on the way.  My grad school advisor, Deb, did her post doc work at Dartmouth.  While at Dartmouth, Deb had worked in the Dunlap/Loros lab, and over my years in grad school, I had shared intellectual conversations with Jay and Jennifer (the bosses) many times.  It was a pretty last minute decision to drop by Dartmouth, but I sent Jay an email in the off-chance that he or someone else would be in the lab that evening.  Turns out he was out of town, but I figured I could stop by and see the lab and campus anyways.  Deb had always spoke fondly of Dartmouth, so I wanted to check it out.

My route took me down I-89 towards Hanover, NH, the home of Dartmouth.  I have to say that this is without question, the absolute prettiest road I have every traversed.  The fall leaves were in full force, and the setting sun provided the perfect palette to set these colors on fire.  The road was smooth, the speed limit was high, and there was almost no one on the road.  Perfect driving conditions. As I drove down the road, I caught my first glimpse of the mountains in the distance.

I promise you, taking pictures of red and orange trees is surprisingly difficult.  The camera has a hard time balancing the light and color to replicate what it actually looks like to the eye.  I swear, its like taking a picture of a damn ghost.  Very frustrating.  Here are the results of my feeble attempts.  I also took a video.

Once on campus, I went to check out the Dunlap/Loros lab.  I didnt know at the time, but the lab had been at a different location when Deb was working there.  I guess my scientific pilgrimage wouldnt be completely fulfilled, but I was still excited to see what I could see.

The building housing all the labs was open, and I walked around to check out the facilities.  It was a little too late to chat with anyone, but it was cool to look around. 

There is a small lounge area right outside the lab with a decent view (by scientific lab standards).

After paying homage to a site of academic excellence, I strolled around campus.  I dont really know what any of the buildings are, but they look great.  Darmouth has an incredibly beautiful campus, and I happened to be here at the peak of leaf changing season.

This building was my favorite!  A vine had grown all over the facade, and its leaves had turned vibrant colors.  It looks like flames spreading all over the front.  What a cool visual!

After enjoying the delightful ambiance of Darmouth University, I hopped back in my minivan and headed towards Massachusetts.  My next stop was Andover, MA.  My Aunt Maureen, who grew up in New England, advised me that I had a cousin-in-law who worked as a cook at a very nice restaurant in Andover (this would be the brother of Sarah V whom I saw in Philadelphia).  I drove to Palmer's Restaurant and asked around to see if this guy was working.  No one had even heard of him.  Either I went to the wrong Palmers, or he didn't work there anymore.  It was dinner time anyways, so I sat down to enjoy an nice meal, which wasn't a common occurrence on this road trip.

My plan was to visit the city of Gloucester, MA the next day.  I plotted a course for an Cape Anne RV park; it allowed tent camping.  I setup my tent in the dark.  Interestingly, this RV park was surrounded by houses.  It was weird to setup my tent right next to a backyard with a bunch of people chatting on the porch.  In the morning, I awoke and took advantage of the showers that the RV park offered.  Trust me, it is a huge bonus to have the availability of showers when you are tent camping.

Gloucester is a fishing town on a peninsula that jets out into the Atlantic.  It is the backdrop for the movie "The Perfect Storm" and is also home to the fishermen's memorial.  I parked along a seafront road so that I could spend some time walking along the boardwalk and visit the memorial.

The memorial is a giant statue of a fisherman at the helm of a boat.  Several plaques surround the statue list the names and years of all the fishermen from this industrious town that have died at sea.  The fishing industry has taken so many lives from this little town.

I took a walk across town and through Main St. to take in the scenery.  Most of the waterfront area is devoted to fishing while Main St. has a lot of pretty upscale shops.

I noticed that the fishing boats reflect the colorful character of the people who live and work in this town.  One bore the name of a saint, the "Padre Pio."  Another had a skull strapped to a mast.  I also saw the creepiest tow truck I have ever seen in my life.  "Playtime with the Magic Man" isnt something people want to see on the side of a tow truck when they are stranded in the middle of nowhere.

Eventually, my walk took me to the towering historic City Hall.

 

Many of the residents of Gloucester have bumper stickers to show their pride for their city.  Honestly, I had no idea how to pronounce  "Gloucester" until I saw this:

Mystery revealed.

My next stop was to Lexington, MA to see the historic site of the "shot heard around the world"...one of the very first battles of the American Revolutionary War. 

The historic site consists of a large open green area with several statues.  Historically preserved houses surround the green area, and some of these houses are museums.  In the main visitors center, a diorama depicts the Battle of Lexington.  Interestingly, this battle was not necessarily a pitched battle.  Essentially, the British army and the colonial militia, neither of whom thought that the other side would actually attack, marched up to each other and postured.  Apparently, a few of militiamen and the British regulars engaged in a small scuffle which resulted in a shots being fired.  The colonists instantly retreated because they were vastly outnumbered.

It had been cloudy all day, and it was raining while I stopped at the Lexington historic site.  After battling a very difficult parking situation, I put my rain jacket on and walked around the monument.

On the outskirts of Lexington, I passed a St. Brigid's Catholic Church. I like popping into random churches to take a peak, and since St. Brigid was Kayley's confirmation saint (and the patroness of Ireland) I figured it was worth a look.  I could tell that it was an old parish, and it had a very beautiful painting of St. Brigid.  Also, it had some very unique stained glass windows representing different scenes from Catholicism in the United States.  Normally, stain glass windows are devoted to saints or scenes from the Bible. This made sense since this church was located near the birthplace of our country.

The church also had a cemetery out back.  From reading this blog, you probably know by now that cemeteries are a common stopping point on my trip.  To my surprise many of the headstones were VERY old.  The oldest I saw was from the 1690's, which is as old as some of the headstones in the famous Granary Burial Ground in Boston, and this one was in much better shape!  It was still raining, and my walk through this cemetery was a gloomy yet interesting look at the history of this church and the people of this region.

After walking around for an hour or so, I made the drive over to Walden Pond, famous for being the wooded escape of Henry David Thoreau when wrote his book "Walden," which was his reflection on simplistic living. The clouds were just clearing.

I figured I would take the trail around the lake and contemplate man's connection to nature...this is probably what most people do.  To my dismay, there were these damn people swimming in the lake!  They were training for their damn triathlon.  Now, I have run triathlons, but come on!  This is Walden pond.  I mentioned this to my sister who used to live in Boston, and apparently she too had swam in Walden Pond.  She brought up the excellent point that there are very few locations to practice an open water swim.  Fair enough, but these people were loud.  They were talking about their crappy gear, and I could hear them across the pond because they were talking so loud.  Anyways, I tried to ignore these people flopping around in the water as I silently walked the perimeter.

As I walked to around the pond, the sun started to come out, and it quickly turned into a very beautiful day.  Eventually, I reached the site of Thoreau's cabin in the woods.  I learned many interesting things about his cabin. Firstly, it was somewhat of a mystery where his cabin was originally located.  Thoreau-devotee's would pay homage to a pile of rocks that was thought to be the original site of the cabin.  They would leave their own rocks, and the practice continues even today.  Some people decorate their rocks or write quotes on them.  It wasnt until the 1940's that an archeological dig by enthusiasts discovered the original foundation of the cabin several feet away from the pile of rocks.  Secondly, this pond was not nearly as beautiful when Thoreau actually lived here.  The pond was still out in the wilderness, but most of the trees had been harvested by the logging industry.  Additionally, the railroad ran at the far end of the pond. 

Before I left the cabin site, I retraced the path that Thoreau would follow to the small cove below the hill where he stayed.  I took a picture of this view.  I imagined that this would be the view that Thoreau saw when he woke up in the morning.  I took the trail back to the parking lot and enjoyed the sunny day, golden leaves, and serene water (minus the jerk swimming in the lake).

I hit the road towards Plymouth Rock.  I saw these "school buses" everywhere.  What a janky school bus.

I eventually made it to Plymouth, MA to see the famous Plymouth rock, which is the supposed landing site of the Mayflower.

The actual rock is housed in a small Roman-looking structure.  The panel in the structure states at the very beginning that the rock is not the actual landing site of the pilgrims.  Interestingly, it was not thought to be the pilgrim landing site until 120 years after they landed by the suggestion of one of the pilgrims descendants.  It had been moved a from its original location several times, and during one of its moves, it split in two.  It has since been rejoined and placed near the waterfront.  After reading this dismal description, I didnt spend too much time there.

After Plymouth, I made a long night-time drive to Binghamton, NY to see my Aunt Debbie and cousin Kane.  Good times in Binghamton were in my forecast!