Day 3 and 4 - Harvard/Cooperstown/ West Point

LOVE this quote!

After a good night’s rest, we packed up and left Boston and headed over to Harvard campus. It is THE OLDEST University in our nation – 1636!!! We walked around the campus feeling VERY smart and headed over to the store to buy our shirts! We ate a snack at the little cafe on the corner and watched the people on the streets and the kids playing music on the corners with guitar and flute.

Next stop? Cooperstown! It is a LONG drive out to Cooperstown – 4 hours from Harvard but since we were soooooo close and tomorrow IS Father’s Day……why not? Dick had never been!! The drive was sooooo pretty! Were we really in NEW YORK? Everything was GREEN!! By now I’ve learned to understand the GPS on my iPhone a little better and I’ve made sure that Dick and I have a better understanding that I needed him to review the course PRIOR to departure, in case he wanted to change anything…we were starting to get the hang of this lifestyle of travel.

We arrived at the Baseball Hall of Fame just in time to purchase our tickets for the next day and take advantage of the last 2 hours of business – when NO ONE was around! It was great! We were all impressed with the amount of memorabilia – the OLDEST baseball, and equipment and we watched the movie.

The oldest baseball.

Willie Mays stuff.

At most of our city stops, we had previous reservations but we did not here. As I tried to locate one on the phone, Dick went into the Chamber of Commerce and asked for assistance. We headed over, checked in…. Talk about stepping back in time!! We’ve been spoiled this far, staying at the Marriott…. But actually, all we needed was a place to shower and sleep and this would be fine. It was situated by the lake and was very peaceful and pretty!! We had dinner at the DoubleDay Diner along Main Street. They had televisions so Dick could catch up on the US Golf Tournament and Taylor could watch baseball!! During the night it rained but was clear the following morning.

Our hotel room. Check out that TV!! hahaha

But the view was beautiful!!

Day 4 - HAPPY FATHER’S DAY morning!!! We gave our cards to this awesome DADDY and headed back to the Hall of Fame where Dick really was like “a kid in a candy store”!! We really enjoyed spending a few hours at the Hall, taking pictures and remembering these baseball heroes. Barry Bonds 756 ball was here too.

Barry's stuff. Ball 756 is in the lower left.

I learned more about Babe Ruth. What a guy!!

This is what the plaques look like in the Hall of Fame.

Checking them out.

The actual HALL OF FAME!

There were more people now and the town was getting ready for a big parade – honoring some of the Hall of Famers – Ozzie Smith, Gary Carter, and Bob Feller – and getting ready for a baseball game on the field. Only Dick Nash can be 3000 miles from home and run into someone he knows.....from Visalia!!! Charlie Clause was also in Cooperstown and came over and chatted awhile! Too funny!

I supported my team! And, I like this photo of us in front of the ball park.

We left Cooperstown after we ate a hotdog on the street and made our way to West Point. Dick went to his Godson’s graduation here a few years ago and wanted Taylor and I to see this impressive Academy. We wanted to just drive through the campus but we were told we had to take the official ‘tour’ beginning at the Visitor’s Center, but they were already closed for the day. The guard then added, “if we come back later for the FREE concert in the park, we would be able to enter at that time.” Alllllrighty then! Hahaha!! Did not make sense to us, but we’ll return at 7:00. We went to dinner at a great little BBQ place next to our hotel and Taylor had the BEST ribs, cornbread and beans! Dick enjoyed a nice steak for his Father’s Day meal and I had yummy BBQ chicken.

Taylor enjoying his ribs! This is the first of many ribs dinner for this guy!

With our tummies satisfied, we returned to West Point, drove around, listened to the concert along the Hudson River and pinched ourselves that life was so good.

The drive around the campus. Amazing architecture.

As the sun was setting, enjoying the concert.

Getting back to our hotel, Dick finished watching the US Golf Open while Taylor and I enjoyed a nice swim in the salt water swimming pool.

FENWAY!!! Still Day 1

So, yes, we LOVE baseball......being so close to Fenway, really was a MUST DO - to be added to this trip.....Dick has been a BIG fan as some of you know, he was also a pretty good pitcher in his day - up until he was 12 - 13, before Golf took over his life. I LOVE the sport, even though I've never played a game of it in my life and would be HORRIBLE at it if I did.....Taylor is a HUGE baseball fan. He especially loves to play it for his school. He truly loves the sport, keeps tab on his players and teams, and especially loves the GIANTS! In fact, he loves them so much, he isn't interested in visiting ANY OTHER ball park than AT & T Park!!

But, we convinced him that FENWAY was a MUST! We took our first SUBWAY trip. We used my iPhone to tell us where to go. We arrived, pretty unfamiliar with how to do this.....a nice man that worked the window helped us out and we were on our way.

Dick looking a little apprehensive about this sort of transportation....

Taylor, digging it!

The subway was a pretty popular place, with many others heading over to the game! I swear we were riding next to Youkilis!! hahah!! Seriously, the guy looked JUST LIKE HIM!!! Upon arriving, you can FEEL the baseball in the air. After Dick and Taylor purchased their Boston Baseball caps, we joined the many others in the streets of this town and enjoyed an Italian sausage! Walking up to this ballpark was, I gotta tell you, was PRETTY COOL!

We had GREAT seats!!!

At one point, it was very misty, but then it cleared away

and it was a beautiful night!

Two HAPPY Dudes!!

While the fans were finding their way to their seats, the VENDORS were delivering their goods. We are talking popcorn, hotdogs, pretzels.....everything that can be sold at the stands!! Not just in our area either! ALL OVER THE PARK - even in the upper decks and bleachers! Impressive!

Another oddity? We were eating our treats and up walked a guy with a Giants cap and an Olympia golf course shirt. We caught his eye and started talking. He was from SF, visiting with daughter and wife. We ended up sitting RIGHT BEHIND THEM! Of all things! Weird!

Many favorites from this night:

1. We would chant, "Beat LA. Beat LA. Beat LA" because LA was playing the Celtics that evening for the LAST playoff game for the NBA finals!! (LA Won - so they won the title) OR The fans just KNEW I was in the house! hahaha!!!

2. We did the WAVE, at least 3 times, all the way around the stadium!

3. EVERYONE was watching and cheering during the game.

4. The 5 young men 3 rows above were very lively and made the crowd CHEER and CHANT all of the time!

5. We sang, at the tops of our voices, "Sweet Caroline" at the middle of the 8th inning. It was soooooooooooo cool and something I was really looking forward to participating in! I called my sister in AZ because she also wanted to hear and sing along. Unfortunately, cell phones are not the best in a 'concert' setting and she could not hear. But, you want to hear what it was like? Click here for the YOUTUBE video! This is not OUR video - I wish I took one - NEXT TIME!! This was so much fun and something I will NEVER forget!!

6. It was a GREAT game and I was stoked to see David Ortiz - AND he hit a home run!!!

7. Learning some of these AMAZING players was fun and enjoyable for all.

8. At AT & T park, I enjoy the occasional wine, maybe even a Margarita.....NOPE - nothing like that here! Just your basic, hot dogs, fries, pretzel, soda and BEER!!
9. Taylor's favorite part was cheering "Beat LA" and doing the wave!

10. Dick's favorite part was just being there at the ball park.....The history of Fenway.

11. The Red Sox BEAT the Diamondbacks - 8 - 5. This was one happy crowd! The streets were FULL of excited fans, just waiting for the Lakers and Celtics to begin. There were BUSES full of police officer crowd control teams. It was CRAAAAAAAAAZZZYY!!!!

We got a little turned around - still miscommunicating - and unsure of our whereabouts. We finally were on our way, to the subway.....where it was sooooo CROWDED!!! Our first of MANY crowded subways to come!! Doesn't Dick look excited? hahaha!!!! Love it!!

Of course, on our way home, we had to stop in at the DUNKIN DONUTS on our way to our room!! These donut shops are EVERY WHERE!!!! We washed it all down with milk and were ready to sleep like BABIES!!! We FINALLY collapsed for the night around midnight! WHEW!! What a day!! Is this really the end of our FIRST day????? Feels like a few days!!!! But, we made it!! We ended up sleeping until 10 a.m.!! We were refreshed and ready for Day 2!!

East Coast - Colonial Days - Day 1 - June 17, 2010

Taylor just finished the 5th grade so he learned all about the start of America - up through the Revolutionary War and in to the Western Expansion. So, this trip was going to focus around SHOWING him what he's learned. It was also MY first time on the East Coast so I was seeing it for the first time along with Taylor! Dick's parents, along with his older brother, went on an East Coast trip in 1967! There were a few things he wanted to REDO with his son and he wanted to add a few things too.

So, we were off - "like a herd of Turtles" - was our saying! hahhaa

We thought it would be a good idea to take a RED EYE out of SF as to not use one of our precious days for a 'TRAVEL DAY". Well, it sounded like the right IDEA at the time. Our flight left at 10:50 p.m. from SF. I had comfortable, slip OFF shoes, a blanket, a travel pillow, sweat outfit, took 2 Tylenol PM's to KNOCK me out an hour before the flight, soft 'eye covers', and earplugs - everything that my big sister CJ told me to do in preparation for the nights sleep! Dick did not do ANY of the above and slept like a baby! How do I know this? Because I WATCHED him sleep ALL NIGHT LONG!!! Taylor? He slept off and on. He was lacking in height to get in a decent position, thus making his head flop around. At one point, his pillow fell and I gave him mine, Lord knew I wasn't needing it! My legs were restless, I was WIDE AWAKE and..... miserable. I MAY have drifted at one point for 20 minutes but that was all. I just watched others sleeping peacefully. Grrrrr....

We arrived in Boston at 7:20 a.m., got our rental car and OFF to Plymouth to see this ROCK and...

a replica of the Mayflower!

We took the tour of this ship, listening to the people dressed in period clothing, speaking as if they were REALLY in the time of 1620. There was a list of the 102 names of these FIRSTS to arrive. Fifty Two died within the first year. We knew ONE name on that list!!! COMMON!! Yup, Kurt, your family name made the list! It took 66 days to arrive - going 2 mph!!!

THEEEEE Rock! It was much larger in 1620 but with weather and water,

it shrunk. What a perfect start to our Colonial Days Vacay!

Where it ALL began!!

We walked all around the town of Plymouth, feeling the lay of this land. We went to the museum, watched the video and saw some of the original belongings from the ship. I especially enjoyed seeing the ACTUAL Bible. Taylor liked seeing the cradle and Dick enjoyed the video. Trying to imagine what it must have been like......

I was SHOCKED at how much parking time we were allowed!

We are not in Kansas anymore!! hahah

Yes, Taylor and I slept during most of the 45 minute car ride from Boston to this Rock AND from Plymouth BACK to Boston. We learned on this first car ride that Dick and I needed some help in the 'Navigation' department. Maybe it was the lack of sleep, the new situations, a new vehicle......but our communicating needed some attention. Our ears were still plugged from the flight, there were a lot of 'What?' and 'Excuse Me?" to where it was annoying.....just being honest here....hahahaha Definitely time for a NAP!!!

THANKFULLY, we checked into our room at The Courtyard Marriott, took an hour nap, and felt HUMAN once again!!

We took showers and got ready for a night that we were ALL looking forward to!!! GOING TO FENWAY, to cheer on the Red Sox while they played the Diamondbacks!