Day 183 – Plymouth
One of the things we’ve enjoyed most about the trip is exploring historical sites, so it was a real treat Sunday morning to visit Plymouth, MA, one of the first European settlements in the United States. First we had to visit Plymouth Rock, then we planned to check out the replica of the Mayflower ship, but unfortunately, it was in for repairs. Next we walked around the historic town center, and up to the top of Burial Hill, where some of the original Pilgrims were buried in the late 1600s.
Next, we wanted to visit at least a part of Cape Code so we drove to Hyannis, where we drove by the Kennedy compound before walking around Main Street and enjoying a nice lunch. We had to spend the rest of the afternoon finding a replacement for Michael’s dead phone, but we got to see a little more of Massachussetts along the way. Fairly we returned back to the campground for dinner.
Day 184 – Plymouth to Waterbury
Monday morning was Michael’s birthday and a also a big milestone for the trip: the six month mark! We packed up the van early and drove about an hour to Norwich, where we stopped so Michael could work and do his weekly conference calls. Then we continued on to our hotel in Waterbury, CT to finish the work day and relax.
Day 185 – Waterbury
Tuesday was a work day from the hotel, but we did squeeze in a workout in the hotel gym.
Day 186 – Waterbury to Delaware Gap
Another morning of work at the hotel, and then a long drive in the afternoon. We made a quick stop in Newburgh, NY for grocery shopping and a surprise drive by at Tracey’s sister’s office to say hello (again) and drop off the shawls Tracey crocheted for her nieces. Next we took a scenic drive into eastern Pennsylvania and through the Delaware Gap National Recreation Area to our campground.
Day 187 – Delaware Gap
Thursday was work/rest day at the campground. The highlight was a visit from one of the campground residents, a friendly black cat.
Day 188 – Delaware Gap to Huntingdon
Friday we had another longer-than-normal drive planned, so we spent the morning working from the campground and then hit the road. The drive through the heart of Pennsylvania was very scenic, and the fall colors made it even better. Our goal was State College, but since there was a big Penn State football game on Saturday, hotels were full so we stayed about 35 miles further down the road in Huntingdon.
Day 189 – State College to Mahanoy City
Saturday we got up extra early and drove back to State college to meet up with our friends from Portland, Zach (a Penn State alum) and Cassi, who were in town for the game. We had an amazing breakfast at The Original Waffle Shop (West…there’s also an East, as we found out the hard way). Afterwards, Zach took us for a tour around campus, where ESPN GameDay was setup for the game and thousands of fans were already gathering.
We said a reluctant goodbye around noon and then made the drive to Mahanoy City to meet up with Tracey’s parents and aunt before heading into Hometown for a nice big dinner with almost all of Tracey’s relatives. It was a great opportunity for everyone who wasn’t able to make it out to Portland for the wedding to meet Michael and for us to show off the Westy! We had a great time and a great dinner. Then it was back to Mahanoy City to stay the night with Tracey’s aunt.
We made the blog! I’m unsure what to do with all this fame. I think I’ll start a clothing line.
It was great to see the both of you in State College. You were obviously good luck before we beat Michigan. Good luck and safe travels on the rest of your trip. Can;t wait to see you for the Blazers playoff games!
Hey RC; Matt, Tats, and I watched that game on TV!
Roll on to a great Halloween!