Hiking Vermont in August

12 Aug:  After the easy ride yesterday, we again arose early and were exercised, fed and on the road by 9:30 AM.  We were told of an interesting restaurant, Eat'n Park, by Cynthia's newest trip advisor, ChatGPT.  As always, Ron thought we could ride that 240 miles easily, and that turned out to be true.  The GPS directed us to Eat'n Park, and their salad bar was excellent.  Thier ad for a cinnamon roll al la mode looked just too good, especially when coupled with the advertising on the back of the menu claiming excellence, so we bought one, and it was indeed delicious, but afterwards, even though we did enjoy it tremendously, Ron would rather have kept to his diet.  ChatGPT had also suggested the Comfort Inn in Akron, South as being a good cheap choice for the night, and that is true too.  The difficult part was the storm that crashed into us head-on on I-80 westbound.  Having gone through a couple of brief showers on our way to Erie, we recognized the mist hovering over the road in advance and stopped under an overpass for an hour and a half to let the storm pass over us.  Thank goodness it was fast moving.  We've just discovered that this Comfort Inn serves hot oatmeal in the morning.  Too bad we don't have our usual additions: blueberries, raspberries and bananas.  Goodnight.  Today's route: I-86 W towards Erie and I-90 S for ten miles to Eat'n Park.  Then I-79 S for 55 miles to R on I-80 W to I-76 W into Akron and S for 15 miles on I-77 to the Comfort Inn.  Good grief, that was 394 miles today.

11 Aug:  We got up early in order to get to Max BMW by 8;30 (and were early).  They started the 42,000 mile maintenance while we sat in their comfortable chairs and used our computers until Cynthia received a call from Dr. Dorougherty's office, asking to speak to Ron.  We had to have them call back since Ron cannot hear through Cynthis’s hearing aids while she is wearing them.  Ron's pacemakeer battery reports that it has less than two months of life left, so it is imperative that we see the doctor ASAP.  We told the nurse that we are in Troy, New York on a motorcycle waiting for it to be serviced.  After receiving that news, Ron is reminded of his favorite joke,"If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans."  We walked next door to the Country View Diner to find something to eat and to discuss our respective ideas about what to do.  We agreed to immediately forego all previous plans and to head straight back to Houston despite the heat.  After the bike was finished, Ron selected the route that seemed most likely to be cool (according to the forecasts) and off we went to and beyond Binghamton, New York.  Route NY 7 W (including S on I-87 briefly and S on I-890 briefly) to I-88 W to I-81 S briefly to I-86 West to a Comfort Inn on NY 434 in Apalachia.  As a bonus, there is a good restaurant next door, the Blue Dolfin.  170 miles on the road today out of 1700+ for the trip.  Cynthia continues to do an excellent dismount, landing softly without hurting her hip & leg.2.23 miles

10 Aug:  We are being kicked out of the Inn today because Murray and Page are going on a honeymoon to British Columbia, Lake Louise, etc.  That means that we had to pack up, recycle, and discard EVERYTHING.  We decided to go to Johnny Boys one laswt time before leaving the area and enjoyed it tremendously, as usual.  We rode south on US highway 7 to Bennington, Vermont, then took VT 279 west to get on New York highway 7 the rest of the way to Troy and the downtown Best Western.  We ate dinner ?? and walked along the Riverfront Park.  It seems so sad that nice parks like that fall into disuse and neglect after the druggies take possession. 2.51 miles

9 Aug, Sunday We hiked the Kent Pond Trail and returned to eat lunch at the pub and packed out bsgs. 4.18 Miles. 

8 Aug:  We awoke to dense fog and a light mist. Our hike at Kent Pond was shorter. 3.58 Miles. 

7 Aug:  MEDICAL: PACEMAKER TEST.  Cynthia had a girlicure appointment after our Kent Pond Hike.  Ron is sleepy.  He is editing Vol. IV.  We watched an hour of the live Irish music.  Cynthia enjoyed the Irish Catholic jokes but she had to have Ron tell her the punch lines.   4.00 Miles

6 Aug:  Ron is editing the last volume of the Lea Book from early AM and sporadically in between.  We did shop for oatmeal and we walked the run up to the Sherburne Pass Trail for 45 minutes.  Cynthia is working on the tax return.  3.09 Miles
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5 Aug:  We didn't get out of the hotel room until late today.  No hike.  Cynthia didn't sleep well last night.  Ron has been correcting footnotes in James Lea. 0.95 miles

4 Aug:  MEDICAL Cynthia has a 2:00 appointment with Dr. Gammons to check out her tendons.  He says everything is fine as long as she increases her activities gradually.  Again we hiked a warm up on the Sherborne Pass Trail and a shortened version of the Kent Pond hike.  A lovely lady with her young fisherman son took our photos as we walked across the Kent Pond dam on Thundering Brook Road.  4.83 miles

3 Aug:  Happy Birthday Jon!  It is raining today.  Ron is answering Christmas letters.  He hopes to complete Vol IV of the Lea book this week.  Yay oh yay. 1.83 miles

2 Aug:  We REALLY HIKED!  After fifteen minutes on the Sherburne Pass Trail, we hiked Kent Pond, arriving back at the Inn before the rain came down.  We enjoyed a great lunch in the Pub.  And napped.  4.08  miles

1 Aug:  Medical. This is a good day, despite sore throat.  Breakfast at the ILT was great as usual; we loved vsiting again with Miss Janet in her Trail Angel Mobile.  We walked for thirty minutes on the Sherburne Pass Trail and rode into Rutland for groceries.  And we stopped at URGENT CARE to check out the sore throat.  During this time Cynthia successfully got on and off the motorcycle without pain.  JOY JOY JOY.  3.60 miles

Miss Janet, a Trail Angel

THE BIRTHDAY MONTH HIKING VERMONT

31 Jul: Here ends a fabulous birthday month with my Adonis, celebrating with wine, sweet potato casserole, and carrot cake.  We spent a great afternoon with Margie and Richard in Sharon, New Hampshire that included a very lovely ride through the NH mountains, arriving back in Killington after eight PM. We were quite delighted to see Miss Janet, the Trail Angel of Legend who travels alongside the AT helping hikers.  Her van says, "Miss Janet goes All the Way."  0.95 Miles

30 Jul: We extended our stay in Waltham due to rain, but the rain gave us a break in the afternoon which allowed us to walk the parking lots and to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse for a salmon dinner. Ron is interested in a Jensen Huang workshop tonight while he is routing our route to Sharon, NH tomorrow. He will walk to the top of Prospect Hill Park, and get the recycling done so we can be asleep by ten thirty. Jensen Huang is very long-winded. 4.07 Miles 

29 Jul:  Ron raced to the Market Basket before the rain, one of the few times he has left the bed before doing his morning exercises.  Rain arrived about 10 AM, so he could have done his exercises first after all.  This means we will spend tomorrow night in Waltham, too.  We spent most of today indoors although the rain held off for a couple of hours, and we went for a walk around the vicinity about 4:15 PM. Miles 2.14. 

28 Jul:  We had a marvelous lunch with Dave and Kris E., and Bob W.  at Roots and Rise.  Bob took us to visit Rachel in her assisted living home; we treated Bob to dinner at Ruths Chris Steakhouse.  What a fabulous day.   Their ice cream wasn't worth the dietary digression. 1.30 miles despite rain 

27 Jul:  Plan is to see Bob and Dave & Kris at 11 AM tomorrow for lunch at Roots to Rise.  Cynthia and I finally did get out for our 3-mile daily walk shortly after noon.  Afterwards we stopped at Roots To Rise  although we didn't find anything perfect for our diet there.  We will try again tomorrow with a little better preparation.  Ron walked to the top of Prospect Hill again tonight, up the same steep rock steps as yesterday, embarrassingly slower than a much younger girl was walking. 3.77 miles. 

26 Jul, Sunday:  At two PM we were finally up, exercised, fed and ready to walk in nearby Prospect Hill Park (click here).  Walk successfully completed, Ron rode to Market Basket again for raspberries, blueberries, bananas and frozen mango.  As the day wore on, Ron's energy grew, so he went for a second walk to the tops of Prospect Hill Park and saw Waltham's water storage tanks, an old cold war radar tower and a great view of the Boston skyline.  There are a lot of ups in that park. 4.08 miles 

25 Jul:  Today we hope the GPS will guide Ron over the hills and through the woods through Weston, Wayland, and Sudbury to Hudson to see Jan and Dorothy on Deer Path.  We did good, and Jan and Dorothy took us to lunch and for a walk along the Assabet Rail Trail for a mile out and a mile back, a delightful trail with shade and woods and poison ivy everywhere.  Fortunately the poison ivy stayed where it belonged alongside the trail and we stayed where we belonged, far away.  We then enjoyed a long afternoon of conversation (Jan has lots of fun stories) before we headed "home" at diner time.  Cynthia's leg or sacroiliac joint is again a problem, so we will take it easy and walk more gently for a few days.  3.05 miles 

24 Jul:  Ron discovered that Prospect Hill Park is practically adjacent to the hotel, and we found Dinosaur Rock Trail entrance from a nearby parking lot and walked 3.15 miles on forest trails.  Cynthia's leg isn't happy with faster pace or uphill, so we have to rein in our ambitions for another few days.  This evening we decided to walk a couple of blocks downhill to Ruths Chris Steak House, and it was well worth the effort, especially after the server said that Yes, they do have carrot cake, homemade.  Cynthia got  a huge piece as another birthday treat.  She has been a very good girl. 4.5 miles 

23 Jul:  HAPPY BIRTHDAY CAROL!  Our route to Waltham was the reverse of getting here from Waltham: US 4 E 5 mi to R on VT 100 S 14 mi -> VT 103 S 23 mi to R on I-91 S 6 mi to L on US 5 S 2 mi to L on VT 123 E crossing bridge into New Hampshire, R on NH 12 S 18 mi through Keene and into Massachusetts -> MA 140 S 10 mi to L on MA 2 E 39 mi to R on I-95/ 128 S 2.4 mi to exit 43A for Totten Pond Rd, crossing over interstate to immediate R on 3rd Ave two blocks to L on 4th Ave past first Extended Stay America hotel around corner to second Extended Stay America hotel at 52 4th Ave.  Then we got antsy for a walk to get groceries without surveying the hills and discovered that Waltham can be very hilly.  We exhausted ourselves, but we did get a few groceries.  3.80 miles.

22 Jul:  We had another great night of sleep.  This is our last night at the Inn for now.  We will be back after a week in Waltham visiting Ron's friends Jan & Dorothy, Bob & Rachel, Dave & Kris.  Which means we need to pack, but instead we went for our usual hike around Kent Pond although we opted to return early since the rocks were damp, then we rode into town to Johnny Boys for omelettes, and then to the beauty salon for Cynthia's pedicure.  Then to Staples to return an Amazon purchase and to mail a box of new shoes back to Texas (so that that birthday gift will stay free from dirt for another few months).  Finally we returned to the Inn and went for another short walk on the level part of the trail across the street before Ron finally started packing and organizing.  But now he needs to determine a route plan to take us to the Extended Stay America hotel in Waltham. 4.06 miles.

21 Jul:  Thank God we both got a long, good night of sleep.  Several episodes of rain are forecast today, starting before we could get out the door for a walk across the road.  We did get out the door late afternoon when the rain stopped for a walk on the level trail and a little of the uphill to the Boardwalk area. 3.14 miles

20 Jul:  We were able to go for our usual walk around Kent Pond and up the hill to the BIG rock plus a bonus additional distance downhill.  Both of our sets of legs get tired doing that, but we are still staying upright most of the time.  We came across another couple of thru-hikers including one girl who looked exceptionally young.  We rode into town to see about Cynthia's nasal inhaler prescription at Walgreens, but it cannot be refilled before the end of August.  Fortunately we arrived in time to eat omelettes at Johnny Boys.  Ron ate pumpkin pancakes also and is very full, but not very, very full. 4.0 miles.

19 Jul, Sunday:  Late again after good night of sleep.  No rain today, so our usual hike went fine.  The stream crossing was no more difficult than usual despite the recent rains.  We did see several through hikers and are convinced that the "bubble" has arrived.  We decided to err on the side of caution and took Cynthia to Urgent Care to assess her cough for pneumonia - negative, but the nurse practitioner prescribed azithromycin to prevent it from developing. 3.31 miles

18 Jul:  As usual, we arose late, exercised, ate and decided to walk only from the Inn to the start of the Sherborne Pass uphill several times in order to gradually exercise Cynthia's torn tendons.  Hopefully they will respond by getting much stronger each time we go out and DON'T OVERDO IT.  The rain did indeed start immediately after our last iteration, and we are very content to work on our computers while we wait for the pub to open.  The rain continued all day, light at times and heavy occasionally.  2.53 miles

17 Jul:  Cynthia is feeling a little better, so we took our usual hike around Kent Pond, across the stream and up the hill to the big rock.  We are happy that the Inn is back open so that Wanni and Greg could serve us breakfast and we can order food this evening.  Today was bonus; we met four very pleasant through-hikers within two hundred yards of each other.  And now we can go to the Inn and order spinach salad.  An even nicer bonus was the five young ladies we met after eating our "lunches."  They are a delightful group that met each other while hiking and now get together for hikes.  One of them has finished 1800 miles of the AT.  Unfortunately I didn't get names or trail names, but they did find our blog and took a photo of us all which I would love to post here on the blog.  HINT, hint. 4.09 miles.

16 Jul:  HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my beloved SmoochSmooch.. And she is blissfully happy to be so beloved.  😆  Unfortunately, she also came down with a sore throat that is a bother.  By the time we were up, exercised, fed, and finally ready to hike, it started raining.  Oh well, with Cynthia's cold and our several good days worth of hiking behind us, it is probably a good idea to enjoy a day of rest. 1.07 miles 

15 Jul:  It rained buckets last night, and we were delighted to see the larger waterfall that we cross on our daily hike, although our stream crossing rocks were all under water, i.e. slick and hazardous, so we didn't attempt the crossing.  Another hiker sitting outside our room has a nifty arrangement with his girlfriend that he met while both were through-hiking.  They bought a car, so one starts hiking and the other drives the car to a trailhead and parks; when they meet on the trail the car key is exchanged and at the end of the day the car is driven with all of their gear to the place where the one started hiking. They both get to slack pack.  We rode into town to shop for groceries and only forgot flax seed meal. 3.0 miles.

14 Jul:  Today the Inn has stayed closed with the door locked, so we are sitting outdoors in a lovely breeze as the light fades, doing our computer stuffs.  At noon we met a delightful through hiker, Double Check (maybe Czech - Natashia), who was amazed by our stories.  She is a 64-year old youngster, hiking the trail six days a week and getting a shuttle back to her car to work for a day as a Zoom psych therapist on her seventh day.  Too much fun that we recognized "Plans Too Much" when he arrived to provide her shuttle.  Cynthia's new birthday gift shoes from Julie and Roxanne arrived via UPS, pretty new shoes without any dirt on them yet.  We did our usual walking across the street to the start of the incline several times and our usual Kent Pond trek to the BIG boulder at the start of the unrelenting downhill.  The "unrelenting" part really refers to the return trip from Thundering Falls (click here).  There hasn't been much rain recently, so Thundering Falls probably isn't making much noise today. 4.27 miles.

13 Jul:  We had a slow and lazy start to our day, thinking that there was no breakfast at the Inn.  We eventually got out the door for a hike and got done in time to go to Sugar and Spice for a late breakfast before they close at 2 PM.  Then to ALDI for provisions and Walmart for Vitamin A, which they didn't arry here. 4.08 miles.

12 Jul, Sunday:  We met our first AT through hiker, named Equinox because he started his hike on March 21st.  So he is making REALLY good time to be this far north already, although he says he is meandering around to enjoy the sights as he goes.
Vermont 2026  Ron and I have hiked across the state of Vermont from its Mass border to Hanover, NH.  That's the best part; touring VT by motorcycle is the second best part.  Here are my favorites: first, we love the Inn at Long Trail at Killington, the ski capital, with blessed shade during the summer from the Green Mountains; we can walk out the door to hike the AT, the Long Trail, and the Sherburne Pass Trail; the breakfasts are fabulous at Vermont's famous Irish pub and hiker haven.  The Von Trappe Family Lodge is north of us.  Nearby, Woodstock, VT is a nifty community.  VT Highway 100 is the most colorful and scenic road to travel in the fall.  Ben and Jerry’s Creamery was a fun place to visit, but they have skimpy tastings, a far cry from the Blue Bell Creamery in Texas.  We enjoyed a great B&B Along the western river boundary,  one of many, but I can't recall the name.  Vermont is famous for harvesting Maple Syrup, like Sugar and Spice in Mendon, VT.  Vermont boasts many farm to market restaurants.  Of course, one can't miss New England’s iconic red barns and towering church steeples visible over hill and dale. 3.36 miles

11 Jul:  We were delighted to see Oke again after breakfast before we embarked on our hike today.  Ron is relieved to think that he may have slept well enough last night despite the pains from his fall yesterday.  Neither of us fell today! 3.37 miles 

10 Jul:  We managed to get everything packed and out by 11 AM and scheduled our stay at the Inn for 13 days.  Immediately after unloading all of our baggage into the room and getting a recommendation from Greg, we left for town to eat lunch at Johnny Boy's (click here), which cooked our omelettes beautifully.  We then shopped for blueberries, raspberries and bananas at ALDI and returned to the room before riding off immediately for our daily hike around Kent Pond.  After successfully rock hopping across the small stream once, Ron mistakenly stepped on the wrong rock and fell HARD, thinking that he might have broken his nose or at least caused a nose bleed.  His knee and chest also took significant blows.  No broken nose; no nose bleed; no broken bones apparently, but as the day progressed, his affected rib gradually became more painful.  That continues.  2.94 miles

9 Jul:  Tomorrow we relocate again to the Inn at Long Trail for 13 days this time, God willing.  We thought the temperatures were going to cool today, but when we walked outside before noon, it was blazing hot in the direct sun.  We decided to repair indoors and await more cooler evening temperatures although Ron decided to suffer the heat to buy more frozen mango at ALDI.  YUM.  Hi Wynn, sorry that I'm late; I am now updating our routes and travel since we left Texas dating back to March 10th including several "click here's".  We hope you enjoy all this.  2.50 miles

8 Jul:  Another lovely day for a late start.  The temperature cooled into the 50s overnight.  Dr. Dougherty received the pacemaker transmission and clarified that she wants the test done every 31 days.  We spent the day indoors since the forecast high was 83 degrees and walked into town to Treviso (click here), an Italian place that served a great salad and even better Mediterranean sea bass.  Afterwards, we walked about town for several extra blocks to see the sights, a fun evening. 3.92 miles

7 Jul:  We forgot to update the blog because it rained this morning.  Ron walked to Aldi for frozen mango, then we both walked to Walmart to get Shoe Goo for Ron's shoes and Gorilla Glue for the grey bag, which is coming apart at the seams.  Cynthia had a zoom call from the spine surgeon in Florida, Dr. Cantor, who uses a sonic knife to remove excess bone from the spine, a less invasive procedure that heals more quickly.  He explained Cynthia's spondylolisthesis (click here) of L4 and L5 to us and advised against any surgery as long as she can minimize her pain.  We are delighted beyond words.  Then we walked by the Yellow Deli which is closed for renovations until 2033, and ate salads at the Hop'N Moose Pub (click here).  Just before dark Ron decided to walk again to Walmart for almonds now that his waist is a trifle smaller.  Since our latest visit to Pritikin, we both focus on our pelvic tilt (click here) while we walk to keep our spines in good alignment.  5.27 miles

6 Jul:  Ron had everything packed to change lodging, so we left the bags in our room while we hiked Kent Pond.  Our legs were tired, so we did not cross the stream.  We were delighted to discover Sugar and Spice is open for lunch.  Unfortunately, the chef did not follow instruction for no cheese in the egg white omelets.  Next time that happens there, we send it back.  We are in Rutland for four nights, planning to return to the Inn on Friday.  The new insurance at the Inn restricts stays to 13 days; otherwise it is considered long-term rental and the rates go up.  Every thirteen days through August we will spend a few days in Rutland.  We walked on city sidewalks to two different grocery stores for our supplies.  Pacemaker test today 9 pm.  5.99 miles.

Ron (Shakedown Cruise) and Barefoot Oke

5 Jul, Sunday:  Thank God for another good night of sleep.  We have been much too much short of sleep.  After another delicious breakfast, we hiked again around Kent Pond including rock hopping to cross a small stream and continuing uphill farther than yesterday, 3.0 miles.  Ron is nervous about overdoing it on Cynthia's newly healed torn tendons, but so far we have avoided that bullet.  Big news, Oke came to visit and delivered a whole new batch of sudokus for Ron.  It was great to see Oke and find his speech much more understandable.  The effects of his stroke are less frustrating to him.  Tonight we made several round trips on the entrance of the Sherburne Pass Trail, going up is steep.  Maybe by the end of August we can make the climb to the ski run again. Tomorrow we have to vacate the Inn for several days due to insurance limitations against long-term rentals, i.e. two weeks or more.  We should be able to return and stay 13 days at a time provided my pacemaker continues to function well enough to keep Dr. Dougherty happy. 5.47 Miles total

4 Jul:  Happy 4TH times 250!  Ron is reflecting with some sadness that his best friend, Don Stalcup, and his uncle Lawrence were both born on July 4th and passed away in the last few years.  Thanks be to God that they both lived good lives and influenced Ron positively.  Cynthia adds that Ron influences her positively.  Eighteen years ago on March 2, Ron started his Appalachian Trail Hike at Springer Mountain, GA.  In July, Cynthia picked him up in Rutland and brought him here, Killington, VT.  Today, we hiked on the AT!  Our feet felt weird and our legs felt weak.  We hiked 2.5 miles, crossing streams, and traversing boulders.  It was a very successful hike; we are still able to walk. At the end of this day of walking about, Cynthia has a total of 5.11 miles, closing all the rings on her Apple Watch.

3 Jul:  We "slept in" a little this morning, arising at 7 AM and getting onto the road before 9 AM when the temperature was already over 88 degrees.  Ugh.   After all the early morning and late nights, we are both dragging, not to mention the extreme heat.  Still, the ride was comfortable and quick.  2nd Ave W to R on Winter Street to R onto I-95 a couple of exits to MA 2 W for 37 miles to exit 90B and MA 140 N for 9 miles to MA 12 -> NH 12 for 40 miles through Keene.  New Hampshire tells you that a turn is coming up after you are in the wrong lane in heavy traffic.  Fortunately I knew to look for several turns in Keene.  At Walpole, NH we found NH 123 W to cross a bridge into Vermont and US 5 briefly, I-91 for 5 miles to US 5 again and VT 103 for 30 miles into Ludlow.  I was expecting to see a place to eat near a deep gorge, but that must be a different route.  (Route 4 Quechee Gorge Bridge.)  We turned onto VT 100 in Ludlow and rode past the several beautiful lakes along that road until turning West on US 4 for 10 miles to the Inn At Long Trail, where Murray and Page greeted us warmly and provided our room for three nights.  

2 Jul:  Ron awakened at the perfect time this morning and Cynthia awakened not long afterwards, 5:15.  It looks like we are on schedule to get an earlier start so that the sun light from the east will be blinding for a while.   We arrived at Linden Ponds to see Maggie at 10 AM and were very pleasantly surprised to discover that 99-year-old Maggie is still vital and active and has progressed with her ability to use her arms and hands immeasureably since we last saw her two years ago.  What an amazing testimonial to strength of will power.  We left at 2:30 so that she could go listen to scheduled music and rode through the usual heavy Boston traffic to the Hampton Inn in Waltham, surprisingly less expensive than everywhere else near Boston.  Once settled in there, Bob picked us up to visit his wife whose mind is dying because of all the radiation it took to kill her cancer.  Rachel was surprisingly more alert and conversational than I had understood.  Her problem is new memories and understanding, not old ones.  Another huge surprise, Bob introduced us again to his daughter Aletta and husband Richard.  Cynthia needs a new feduciary and Aletta is one so we talked about finances until I asked Richard about AI.  Then we talked about AI for a while until it was time for Bob to take us to dinner nearby at Zhu (click here), where I had Mandarin Curry dish that was fine and fun.  Consequently we didn't get to bed early enough although the day was wonderfully rewarding to see so many fine, fun people.  Route MA 3 N 6 mi to I-93 S 3 mi to I-95 N 16 mi to exit 43B Totten Pond Road, R on Wyman 0.6 mi, L and L onto Winter to R on 2nd Ave 0.3 mi to Hampton Inn.

1 Jul:  Ron awoke at 3:30 AM to pack up with a plan to leave very early, except we didn’t.  It was raining.  But, we were rolling out of the hotel parking lot before eight AM for the ride around New York City towards Boston.  We made it as far as Brooklyn.  Did you know there is a Brooklyn in Connecticut?  I didn't.  Todays ride was far less stressful than anticipated.  We rode from the hotel west on Forsgate W 0.8 mile to reach US 130 N for 9 miles then merged with US 1 N for 4 more miles and took a left lane exit onto NJ 18 N for 7 miles to pass Rutgers University, cross the Raritan River and turned L onto River Road for 4 miles, whereupon we joined I-287 N for 50 miles to turn R onto I-87 and continue on I-287 around NYC and across the Tappan Zee Bridge (now renamed for Mayor Andrew Como).  Then came confusion because my directions said to take exit 9A onto the Hutchinson River Parkway, but exit 9A in New York was for US route 9 and in Connecticut after I took a pass on that instruction there were a couple more 9 exits before the Hutchinson River appeared overhead.  It would have been a mess of confusion if I had fallen for one of those earlier 9 exits, but I picked the correct one and we proceeded onto a very rough road for a mile until we crossed into Connecticut and the road became very smooth and well maintained, the same Merritt Parkway I was hoping to find in such good shape, CT 15.  We continued thereon until reaching an exit under construction that took us onto I-91 N smoothly into Hartford and the early exit 29 to go over to I-84 E which segued into I-384 E 8 mi until we exited interstates onto old US 6 E 32 miles through the lovely Connecticut countryside and small towns.  We stopped when fatigue dictated, and that was Brooklyn, CT.  The hottest temperature shown on the bike temperature gauge was 101 and it read in the 90s most of the day.

The Oneth of June - Rolling North Towards Vermont.

This fun photo was taken on 3 Jun 2022.

30 Jun:  We stayed two nights at the Doubletree for freedom to see Jerry and Cathy as long as possible at the Blue Swan Diner.  The Blue Swan is surprisingly similar to the Silver Diner we enjoyed in Frederick, Maryland.  Jerry and Cathy said that they had eaten at a Silver Diner in the DC area when they commuted to DC for their jobs.  It was very good to see Jerry again.  It has been far too long between visits.  There is no thirty oneth, so todays post concludes June.  Tomorrow, we ride towards Boston, then on to Vermont to hike.  How far will we get this year is in question because we await the call from Texas to return and replace the pacemaker.  We now test said pacemaker with a little remote gizmo the 6th of every month, so we keep traveling month by month, hoping that the battery will last longer than was estimated in January when the doctor said we needed to return in June.   We navigated back roads to get from the Doubletree to the Blue Swan: Forsgate (county 612) E 2.6 mi to R on Buckelew Ave briefly L on Pergola Ave 1.6 mi -> Matchaponix Ave (county 520) 1.9 mi -> Texas Rd 3 mi to R on Marlboro 1.0 mi to R on NJ 18 S 17 mi to exit 13B onto NJ 36 E for 2 mi to R on NJ 35 S 2 mi, Blue Swan Diner on R, 2 pm.

29 Jun:  Ride towards Boston.  Nope change of plans; Jerry S. says that he and Cathy will be pleased to see us tomorrow, so we are going towards to Wayside, New Jersey today.  The closest hotels are crazy expensive ($500+).  But we found a Doubletree twenty miles away for two nights.  Now, to endure the heat wave being forecast, with temperatures in excess of 100 degrees.  Route: N on I-83, exit on Market/ take Hill Road N 0.7 mi to R on US 30 E 22 mi to L on US 222 N 24 mi to exit for 222 Business/Lancaster Ave, R on PA 724 E 5 mi to I-176 N 0.3 mi to R on US 422 E 40 mi to L on US 202 E 1 mi to I-76 W to Turnpike I-276 E 25 mi to L on US 1 N into NJ immediate R on NJ 29 S 3 mi -> I-195 E 4 mi to Cracker Barrel, NJ 130 N to R on county 535 South River Road to Doubletree.  PA turnpike was smooth and pleasant although very busy.  I didn't get on the turnpike further west to save $15 in tolls.  It might have been worth it for the quicker and smooth ride.

28 Jun, Sunday:  Worship at Tidings of Peace.  The surprise was that worship service was held in the school instead of the old church downtown.  Mary Lois invited us to lunch with the family, and it was very, very good.  Ron ate more than enough.  We stayed talking with everyone all afternoon and enjoyed dinner before leaving to get back to the hotel before dark.  The highlight (besides companionship) was the video the boys compiled of their shenanigans on the trail.  Kevin says he recorded whenever it looked like there was a good possibility of injury.  It was amusing to be surrounded by this family of young men with wives and children and to remember the boys I knew so well in the video.  Thanks to one and all for such fine, fun memories.

Hannah, Mary Lois, Kevin, Ron, Austin, Trevor and Cynthia

27 Jun:  Kim and Ruth delighted us with a guided tour of the SCS Museum.  We were invited to hang a sign on Archives door, which we did (as pictured).  Then we enjoyed a wonderful luncheon with most of the Swedish Colonial Society councillors at Lehmans (click here), a wonderful restaurant and waitress that remembered us as much as we did her (i.e. questionable).  Our GPS may have been stolen at the hotel, a very significant loss. And, last but not least, we arrived dry in York, PA.  Route: hotel to Wannamaker, N to I-95 S 6 mi towards Chester/ Wilmington and exit 3R for US 322 W 7 mi to L on US 1 S 15 mi to R on PA 41 N Avendale/Chatham 16 mi to L on US 30 W 40 mi to L on N Hills Rd in York 0.6 mi to R on E Market .1 mi to L on I-83 S 4 mi to Hampton Inn on 2159 Queen St, near Giant & Subway for food.  This was another ideal day until we got onto US 30 with all that traffic.

26 Jun:  What happened to the 25th. Today we shipped a box back to Texas with just enough of Cynthia's clothing to make it possible for Ron to pack up everything onto the motorcycle easily.  Then we rode to the Archives and spent the remainder of the afternoon there finding not much despite Stacy's expert help.  Finally at 4 PM we left (were kicked out) and rode beautiful less traveled roads suggested by Stacy all the way to Essington and our Clarion hotel.  Westtown Road wound its way through very scenic areas and the town of West Town all the way past Street Road to a second intersection with Street Road.  Ron made the mistake of turning left and realized his mistake when crossing Westtown Road again.  (He shoulda turned left at the first intersection with Street Road.)  After a 180 we were back on track and eventually found PA highway 352 that took us through more natural beauty into downtown Chester (not so beautiful) and eventually into Eddytown and Essington to our hotel.  And to think that we did all this at rush hour without major traffic hassles.  Thanks and THANKS, Stacy.

25 Jun: Cynthia wasn’t feeling up to par with allergies and stayed in the hotel while Ron researched in the Chester County Archives.

24 Jun:  Cynthia's cough is sounding like Ron's did ten days ago.  Dean says that a cold lasts only ten days, which is about how long Ron has been coughing up chunks of phlegm.  We are about to leave for the Archives at 9:17, without much hope of finding anything significant.

23 Jun:  The oneth of June zoomed into the 23rd.  It is raining and the weefee is sick with a head cold or allergies.  Ron spent the day watching windshield wipers on cars and working on Rambo genealogy to help out Sistah Dear.  Surprise, surprise, the well-documented Ancestry tree that he has been appreciating and copying is owned by someone we've met before, Donna B. S.

22 Jun:  After a slow morning, we are happily fed and at the library doing research.  Well, we were until 4:30 when the alarms went off everywhere, including Cynthia's watch.  A tornado warning was issued urging everyone to take shelter.  Ron was disappointed because he had just started working on the 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle available to patrons.  We got on the bike and happily arrived at our hotel, dry.  Cynthia is very thankful to be pain free; she discovers movement is the key, thanks to synovial fluid.  It helps to pray and be grateful.  She thanks God believing!

21 Jun, Sunday:  Happy Father's Day!  Cynthia sent good wishes to the world.  We are thankful for this great day in every way.  The weather is so pleasant we enjoyed a morning walk through the neighborhood, Ron remembered a nearby trail and checked it out.  We walked the trail that led through a short woods together tonight for her total of 5.10 miles.  Ron is transcribing documents.  Cynthia is helping a Rambo researcher.

20 Jun:  We enjoyed our research at the Chester County Historical Museum (click here).  Ron took more than a hundred photos of their "vertical files about Rambos, including newspaper clippings dating back to 1823.  We enjoyed perfect salads for lunch at the Tomato Shack (click here).

19 Jun:  Us two Rolling Stones traveled less traveled roads from North East, Maryland through Chatham and Downington to Exeter, Pennsylvania.  Coatesville was interesting, showcasing closed factories, blocks of shanty row houses, and a few mega mansions along PA route 82.  We arrived after forty-one plus miles at the Suburban Studios, an experiment (for us) of a six-night stay at a budget hotel. The nearby Ron’s Original Bar and Grille (click here) had a book size menu.  The broccoli was delicious but very salty.  Unfortunately, Ron is unable to describe the route, other than going North on MD 272 into Pennsylvania and then following the GPS on bigger roads than he would have preferred to go through Chatham and Downington to end up on US 322 into Exton.

18 Jun We awakened eager to go to the Cecil County Historical Society (click here) in Elkton, but delayed too long, which allowed the rain to thwart our early arrival.  We are sitting, waiting, hoping that the rain will stop earlier than forecast.  It did, and we were quite pleased with our experience there.  Cynthia sent them a copy of her book, The Spirit in the South.

17 Jun:  We checked out of the hotel late and enjoyed an absolutely beautiful ride across the Maryland farm country landscapes through Hampstead and Pylesville to cross the Susquehanna on US 1 over the Conowingo Dam.
Route: MD 85 N to I-70 E to MD 27 N (21 mi) to R on MD 482 E (5.3 mi) to R on Hanover Pike (0.5 mi) to L on Gill (0.1 mi) to R on MD 833 E/ Black Rock Rd (1 mi) at circle 3rd exit on Lower Beckleysville (0.5 mi) -> Mt Carmel Rd (2 mi) to R on MD 137/ Mt Carmel Rd (8 mi) to R on York Rd (0.1 mi) to L on MD 138/ Monkton Rd (6 mi) to L on MD 138 (3 mi) to sharp right onto MD 23 S (2 mi) to L on Madonna Rd (3.5 mi) to R on Mt Horeb Rd (1.5mi) to L on MD 165 N (6 mi) to R on MD 543 S (4 mi) to L on MD 440 E/ Dublin Rd (6 mi) to L on US 1 crossing Susquehanna (9 mi) to R on MD 273 (9 mi) to R on MD 274 to Westminister, R on MD 272 S to Comfort Inn & Suites North East

16 Jun:  Another good night's sleep and another good morning ktogether.  We have a busy day planned, lunch with cousins and dinner with Jim and Joni.  Then we go to sleep again.  Yippee.!!  Great to see Lisa and Wayne again, great to see Jim and Joni again, great to eat twice at the Silver Diner.  But then we blew it by going to bed late again.

15 Jun:  Cynthia is scheduled to return today.  Yippee.!!  After three hours of delay, she is finally en route.  Ron spent the afternoon in the hotel working on another generation for Robert Rambo, all the way to people born this century.  Oops, this is the 21st century now; I meant the last hundred years.  Since Cynthia arrived at BWI at 7:30 instead of 4:30, Jim and Joni couldn't join us for dinner at the Silver Diner (click here).  We enjoyed our meals including Quinoa and Pineapple Pancakes and a bowl of edamane.  Their menu is quite an encouragement to enjoy healthy foods.

14 Jun, Sunday:  Bummer, Rachel and girls canceled their visit to Grandmother.  Cynthia had a great day despite that disappointment.  Ron awakened after almost enough sleep and walked around the block early today, 8:30 AM.   He sent Robert Rambo e-mail to Sistah Carol and showered, shaved and did laundry.  After that he might be able to write long-neglected postcards or work on James Lea, but instead he mended socks.

13 Jun:  Cynthia was welcomed with beautiful flowers and ferried around to eye doctors by son Jon.  We enjoyed dinner with daughter Julie and her Lamar this week.  Cynthia is in keyboard heaven with a larger IPad that functions beautifully.  It is too hot to walk outdoors because the outside temp feels 100, so she walked the aisles at Walmart and on Jon’s Nordic Track.  Ron walked around the block again.  The hills on Akers Road seemed much harder today, especially the first one that slowed him to plodding speed.  

12 Jun:  Cynthia rescheduled return is now Monday 4:20 PM.  (Let's hope she has better luck than on her flight to Texas.)  Ron is following through on the original plan to take the bike in to Bob's for new tires.  They were quick: in by 8:30 our by 10:45.  He will take James Lea to keep him busy until the mechanics have time for his bike.  Route West Falls to MD 27 S to L on Gillis Falls to R on Watersville Road to L on MD 144 to R on  Pfefferkorn to R on MD 32 S to L on US 1 N to R on Guilford to Bob's.  On the return, Pfefferkorn was not easy to see, so Ron turned on MD 144 W and stayed on it all the way to the Shell station in Mt. Airy.

11 Jun: Ron is up, exercised, breakfasted, and organized daily pills early.  Then he spent a couple of hours looking at news and watching interviews.  Around noon he finally got out the door for a 3.5 mile walk around the block (without getting lost).  It was hot and his shirt was soaked after the last mile without shade.  Jim was off and gone to work before 6:30 this morning but was highly motivated, so we installed the 80-pound bicycle hitch onto his Bronco.  Ron showered before dinner and was clean to enjoy a lovely meal of chili cum curry, fresh sourdough, steamed potatoes and salad.  If Jim and Joni keep feeding me like this, I might never leave.

10 Jun:  We both slept well although separately.  Ron got distracted by genealogy all morning, including a stint with James Lea.  Jim came home early to transfer his John Deere tractor from home to the business; Joni went shopping for salad fixings and got wet going out the door during the storm to pick up grandkids at a school bus stop.  We enjoyed a lovely dinner of salad, grilled chicken and sourdough bread.  Cynthia reports losing her I-pad, her car and her protein drink during a busy day.  All three surfaced again and the nice lady at the Verizon store showed her how to use her phone to "Find My I-pad."  She also showed Cynthia how to reset the I-pad that refuses to scroll for her.  So the challenge is whether Cynthia will make notes about it or practice it a time or two.  After she practices, she can delete this question.

9 Jun:  The very sad news is that Cynthia's flight was canceled at 11 PM after she spent the entire day waiting hopefully.  Poor dear slept only about five hours last night.  Ron went to the office with Jim to insure that his mother's WiFi could be restored, thereby enabling her medical alert device to work.  Once Jim's confidence in that outcome was firm, we enjoyed a long, gorgeous motorcycle ride over the hills and through the woods in central Maryland.  Ron's motorcycling confidence and skills are still shaky, but Jim was willing to wait at every STOP sign until Ron finally caught up.  A very good time was had by all the survivors.  Dinner at the Mt. Airy tavern with Jim and Joni was delightful, especially since we were assured that Cynthia had finally made it to Texas and was being ferried to Oscar's Bistro by her son Jon.

8 Jun:  Cynthia will get on the airplane at BWI at 11:30 and arrive safely in Houston by late afternoon, God willing.  Ron will ride to Silver Spring, Maryland to see if he can find old friends at home.  Later in the afternoon, he will ride out to Mt. Airy to visit with Jim and Joni for a few days.  The day did not go as planned for either of us.  Cynthia was still sitting in the airport at 7:30 PM due to airplane problems.  Ron found Nick at home and talked for an hour while we waited for John to return with Faith.  Dale and Harry have both passed away.  Irma said that Jerry might have some variety of mental health issues relating to aging.  John was quite animated and appeared to be healthy although quite thin.  All in all good visits with Nick and John and later with Jim and Joni at dinner.  Route: Nursery to Elkridge Landing to MD 170 S 0.3 mi to I-195 W 4 mi (terrible pavement bumps) to R on I-95 S 13 mi to R on MD 198 W 2.5 mi to MD 29 S (Columbia Pike) 3 mi to R on Musgrove 0.2 mi to L on Old Columbia Pike 0.4 mi to R on E. Randolph 1 mi to L on Billington 0.3 mi to R on Laurie 0.1 mi to L on Montclair 0.1 mi to L on Downs 0.3 mi to 1316.  Return Downs to Montclair to Laurie to Billington to L on E. Randolph 1.5 mi to R on New Hampshire N (MD 650) 13 mi to R on MD 97 (Georgia) 8 mi to L on MD 144 W 3 mi to R on Woodbine 3.7 mi to L on Gillis Falls Road 4 mi (be sure to wait for stop light at low spot) to R on MD 27 0.5 mi to L on West Falls Road 0.5 mi to 5604  This choice of roads was excellent; not a lot of traffic with nice scenery.

7 Jun, Sunday:  The plan is to arise whenever we wake up, pack and ride across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge (click here) and up I-97 to the Baltimore-Washington airport Country Inn and Suites hotel.  On the way out of town, we again ate yummy salads at the Seedbol (click here).  It was a long, slow, hot ride in a lot of Sunday afternoon traffic returning to the metropolis.  Route plan: DE 1 N 12 mi to L on DE 16 W 29 mi to R on MD 404 W 20 mi to R on US 50 W 22 mi across Bay Bridge to exit 21 R on I-97 N 14 mi to exit 15B Dorsey Rd, R on Aviation 2.8 mi to R on Elkridge Landing 1 mi to R on W Nursery Rd 0.3 mi Country Inn.  Even crossing the four mile  long bay bridge was slow at 40 mph, but at least there were no cross winds.  Unfortunately, with the bright sun in his eyes, Ron misread the signs in the heavy traffic and exited onto Maryland Highway 2 instead of I-97; this led to much wandering around until Ron realized that he had better just follow the GPS.  Upon arrival at our hotel, Ron laid down in bed while making several unsuccessful phone calls.  Dean called back an hour later to report that he was feeling fine despite the long afternoon yesterday.  Janina was the one who suffered in the heat yesterday.   Cynthia adds:  Thanksgiving is on my mind!  Not turkey and dressing, but thanks be to God for so many blessings, like surviving a motorcycle ride that started on 10 March in Texas, leading to Miami for seven weeks at Pritikin, traveling the Atlantic seaboard islands north to Rehoboth Beach, DE, and the ride today to Baltimore MD.  I could complain about the horrendous bumper-to-bumper traffic, endless traffic lights, getting cut off by drivers changing lanes, and the 86-degree temperature.  BUT, life is so good, that I should be whipped if I complain!  I am so very thankful for Ron's MIT mind that safely navigates our journeys and has traversed over a million miles without a significant motorcycle accident.  We have arrived safely at the Baltimore airport for my quick trip to Texas tomorrow.  And I am very thankful for Jon, who will pick me up in my car filled with fuel!  Most of all, thank God, our strength, shield and buckler!

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. Therefore, my heart rejoices, and I give thanks to Him with my song. (Psalm 28:7)

6 Jun:  Will Dean be recovered enough to see us today, or will we have the same question tomorow?  Aha! Dean was indeed well enough to see us!  We had a great, but hot, visit on their patio, and we stopped for a huge bowl of delicious vegetables at the Seedbol restaurant on the way home.  Today we finally repeated the pacemaker test as ordered by Dr. Dougherty, and we walked to the beach 1/2 mile along the highway to Cullen Street to beach.

5 Jun:  We fell asleep before 9 PM, but awakened when Ron got up to brush his teeth, and didn't get back to sleep until midnight-thirty.  Yay for traveling with our own oatmeal.  We enjoyed the hotel’s cooked oatmeal but we were slow to pack and got under way by 11:30.  It was a bit hot but not windy, so the ride was pleasant through the bucolic fields of the Eastern Shore.  The route towards the hotel changed quite significantly from the route towards Dean's house.  We rode north on US 13 for 40 miles into Maryland, R on US 113 N 31 mi to a R on DE 90 E (interestingly narrow and seemingly remote) 7 mi to a L onto MD 528 through Ocean City, Maryland 4 mi, then along the dunes -> DE 1 another 17 miles into Rehoboth Beach.  We had a few good ocean views, mostly from bridges.  It was a very nice and pleasant ride.  We ate immediately, immediately next door at the Rehoboth Tap House.  Their salads were very good.  Ron then rode to the Grocery Outlet for bananas, blueberries and raspberries.  No surprise that he recognized all the businesses near the condo we rented two years ago.  We enjoyed a long walk on the beach close to sunset.

4 Jun:  Breakfast at this Hilton Garden Inn in Kill Devil Hills was the worst.  Despite having a full house, there were very few breakfasters, the menu was very limited, and the chef was unwilling to hear of modifications.  Cynthia became very frustrated with the whole ordeal; Ron quickly decided to eat oatmeal in the room.  The ride went quite smoothly, north on US 158 with far less traffic than yesterday 30 mi, at Barco R on NC 168 -> VA 168 to exit 8B, R on VA 168 business (to avoid $1 toll) 16 mi, R on I-64 towards Va Beach 7 mi, R on VA 13 Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel (click here).  That is one long, long bridge with two tunnels for ship channels and a pair of high bridges for another ship channel.  I've been amazed before that all this was done by local residents without help from state or federal funding.  Apparently the $16 toll per vehicle is enough.  The rest of the trip, 52 mi, was usually through flat farmlands of the Eastern Shore.  We found cheap rates for a Hampton Inn in Exmore, Virginia.  There were good reviews for the Exmore Grill, but I disagree with the reviewers; the vegetables came straight from a can, the rubbery pancakes from a stale box, and only the egg white omelets were reasonable albeit very thin.

3 Jun:  Today we pack up and roll north on two ferries!  We were out the door, packed and rolling by 11:15, stopped at Sub Tropics (click here) for a veggie sub to eat on the ferry, and negotiated winds, bridges and traffic through Morehead City until we found ourselves on a highway practically deserted.  The rest of the day was on roads less traveled, except when we got off the ferry at Ocracoke Island.  Gosh talk about crowds of tourists.!!  The Hilton Garden Inn at Kitty Hawk is now huge, and our room has only a sliver of an ocean view.  At least we were able to walk out onto the Kitty Hawk pier while the waves were smashing violently onto the sands below.  We both agreed that we like visiting in the off season much, much better than when everyone else is here.  Somehow it doesn't seem like motorcycle riding when you spend 3 and 1/2 hours on ferries.  On the other hand, the several high bridges were remarkable, especially the one that began oriented due west into the setting sun and gradually curved around to the northeast.  Thankfully winds were light.  Traffic in Nags Head and Kill Devil Hills was maddening including one idiot who nearly succeeded in hitting us after first shoving his way perpendicular into the lane next to us.  Route US 70 N 30 mi to NC 12 N (2 1/4 hour toll ferry to Ocracoke Island 20 mi, 1 hour ferry north from island 10 mi) 100 mi & US 158 N 15 mi in Nags Head, very, very busy with crazy drivers.

2 Jun:  On this day, we pack, we walk, and we secure reservations on the Cedar Island Ferry for tomorrow.  We walked further on the beach than normal, then to the sub shop to eat.  Cynthia is beyond elated because she is sleeping and walking without hip pain.  For dinner we ate salads at Roma's pizzeria before walking the very windy beach.  Ron continues working on Volume IV.  4.80 Miles

1 Jun:  On this momentous occasion, the halfway mark of 2026, it is 9:40 AM, and we are thinking about getting up.  The June blog now has a title.  Ron has three important jobs.  At four PM, Ron has accomplished everything on his list.  The doctor's office said his Pacemaker is in the Yellow range, no emergency, just caution, and it is time for increased testing.  We walked the beach hoping to eat lunch at an outdoor restaurant, but it is closed on Monday and Tuesday.  Cynthia walked to Circle K and spent $3.09 on an XL cup of coffee for tomorrow and Wednesday.  We are expecting great-grandchild #14 in November; Eric and Emily already have a two-year-old little girl.  We had reservations at the Island Grille again.  The surf was glorious on our second beach walk tonight, and we had fun dodging the high tide until Ron got caught.  4.68 Miles

MAY BIRSARY: Together Is the Best Place To Be

Birthday Boy with the ramainder of birthday cake

31 May:  Did you notice?  Today is the last day of May; but for some of us it is Trinity Sunday!  We worshipped at Shepherd of the Sea Lutheran Church, a six-minute walk from our lodging.  We liked the warm, friendly, small congregation that used traditional worship liturgy.  Cynthia noted that her AMD vision is becoming more blurry.  With our clothes changed, we walked the beach, enjoyed the dock swing, rocked in the pier chairs, and admired the intracoastal waterway leading to the pier.  Ron is editing Volume IV.  Cynthia is pondering what to title the June blog.  We walked the beach a second time, dodging high tide except for one wet foot.  4.24 Miles.  What do I name the June blog?  Tomorrow, tomorrow, it's almost tomorrow!

30 May:  This is a SLOW SLOW SLOW DAY.  At high noon, we are low energy.  For the other partner in this enterprise, it was a lovely day to luxuriate in bed until noon.  Then we walked to the Sub Tropics (click here) for a foot-long veggie sub, which was very good, and a medium walk on the beach.  We ate lunch at the Corner Diner, enjoying a large serving of grilled flounder and veggies.  There is so much flounder we brought a Togo box home.  We walked the beach a second time, despite a windy chill, dodging the high tide.  We took the boardwalk up from the beach at the Island Grille, rembering our walks from times past on the beach to get to the restaurant.  3.6 miles.  After the morning beach walk, the observer, who will remain anonymous, noticed the energetic partner, as pictured. 

29 May:  And it is another day we are excited to wake up, although we were quite late, arising at 10:00 am, and ever so thankful for a long, refreshing night of sleep.  Now that breakfast is done, Cynthia's exercises and a walk are the next order of business.  We walked along the beach to the fishing pier (free for pedestrians), and espied enough bikinis to keep Ron happy.  On our return along the beach, Ron spotted a pod of dolphin, certainly four that were highy visible, maybe six or eight all together, but no more bikinis.  Ron walked to Food Lion for fresh fruit, etc.  Our highly anticipated dinner at the Island Grille (click here) did not disappoint, a delicious meal of salads and blackened flounder.  Afterwards, we walked in the direction of the Sands Resort Condominiums but were stymied by dead ends.  Backtracking, we stopped to chat for a few minutes with Joe and Elaine, a very entertaining couple with backgrounds at BC (Boston College), Georgetown, Duke, and military brathood.  The index for Volume IV is completed; the book totals 512 pages.  Editing the last few chapters is the next step.  We walked 4.19

28 May:  Yes! Joy Oh Joy!  We walked 2.2 miles to the Food Lion and back for nominally fresh fruit, and Cynthia chose instant coffee to avoid coffee grounds.  It was pure joy to not have any hip pain.  Our lodging includes a microwave, a bar refrigerator, and a coffee maker, so our cooking choices are limited.  (Ron notes that we avoid cooking to avoid dishes.)  We do great, cooking oatmeal with fresh fruit in the mornings.  For lunch, Cynthia ate an apple, a few grapes, spinach, broccoli and a baked sweet potato.  We ate snapper for dinner this evening at Amos Mosquito.  Ron is very happy to report that the indexing is going much faster than he imagined possible.  4.81 miles walking... 12,604 steps. 

27 May:  We have reservations for a room with a King sized bed at the Caribbe Inn (click here), which is supposed to be a rather unusual small hotel, nicely kept and run by a delightful couple, Mike and Sarah.  What a big surprise!!  They were able to give us the King bed room for seven nights at $115 per night.  It is a small room with older appointments, but perfect for us.  Oh Joy, Oh Joy.  Maybe Ron will finish the index for volume 4.  Dinner tonight was at the Island Grille (click here), a hot spot for locals because the food is the best.  We remember this restaurant, not vividly, although Cynthia does remember walking a dark alley with power lines everywhere.  Once she saw the building, memory returned of delightful evenings with the solo waitress.  The yellowfin tuna was the best ever eaten.  Cynthia is also happy because her hip pain is mostly gone until she lies down for any length of time.  Once up, and after getting synovial fluid moving in the joints, she is good for the day.  The key to happiness is having a grateful attitude.

26 May:  We are up, and Ron called the library to discover that their copy of Van Stille's manuscript is older than Ron's, so we don't need to stop there.  We also don't need to go to the LDS Family History Library since they are only open from 10 am to 2 pm on Tuesdays but close during any week with a holiday.  Consequently, we can go straight to Ruby Tuesday for lunch before heading north up the Atlantic Coast.  Who knows how far we will get this afternoon.  Cynthia would like to find a simple beach cottage for ten days to finish the index on volume Four and to walk.  Ron wanted to find a nice room with an ocean view for $125 per night.  We settled on a Doubletree hotel room at twice that cost but located the Caribbe Inn where we can walk daily for three nights at $125 per night.  Unless they have a cancelation, we will have to leave and take a couple of ferries to Ocracoke Island (click here) and beyond.  Route: R on US 17 N 50 mi passing Fort Lejuene to R on NC 24 E 21 mi to NC 58 S 20 mi to DoubleTree.  later Carribe Inn (pronounce Carribean).

25 May:  Ron joined Hans on his typical morning walk through town looking for loose change that falls from the sky every night.  Cynthia and Audrey surprised us by honking instead of running us over after they visited the church where Audrey and Hans worship.  Right at the crack of noon, we were on the bike going north on US 701 towards Tater, North Carolina where we ran into a miles long traffic jam and wet roads.  Ron opted to get off the bypass and take the business route through town, which went quickly.  We continued east on US 76 and found even wetter roads as we arrived in Wilmington, NC by two PM.  Fortunately the rain had stopped but our GPS misdirected us, so we had to scout around to find the Hilton Garden Inn hidden a mile away behind other buildings.  We searched on-line and found a Ruby Tuesdays only six miles from the hotel.  By three PM we were happily seated and eating lots of salad.  Route: US 701 N use bypasses 23 mi, R on US 76 E 47 mi into Wilmington, L on US 17 to Hilton Garden Inn (hidden in Mayfaire Town Center).  To Ruby Tuesday: R on US 17 E&S 5 mi to L on College S 5 mi.

24 May, Sunday:  Rain is forecast and the skies turned greyer and greyer as we approached Hans and Audrey's house.  As we rode through Loris, a few small raindrops hit us and wet Ron's glasses, but we pulled into the driveway dry and happy.  Audrey welcomed Cynthia into the house and suggested that Ron park in the barn.  Before he got back to the bike, the heavens opened up, and a deluge poured out on Ron, who was immediately drenched, but did manage to ride the bike into the barn quickly.  Audrey found him a towel, and we sat on the patio enjoying the rainfall while we waited for Hans to return home from a trip to Lowes.  Despite short notice, Audrey was able to find salad fixing (including home grown lettuce) and noodles to fix us appropriate to our diets.  Route: I-26 S 5 mi to I-20 E 88 mi to I-20 BS into Florence -> US 76 E 22 mi, just before Marion, R on SC 576 S&E 4 mi, exit R to US 501 N 3 mi to Dillon, R on Bluff Rd/ SC 34-19 -> Old Stage 8 mi, L on SC 41 N briefly (0.1 mi) to R on SC 917 S 16 mi,(I missed the L on Business 9/ SC 410 N 0.4 mi, R on SC 103 2 mi) instead -> SC 9 into Loris, L on US 701 N.  Had I not missed the turn, we would have arrived a couple of minutes earlier and I might not have gotten drenched.

23 May:  After so many days without ice cream of any flavor, Ron decided to walk to Trader Joe's for sorbet.  It was good but not impressive.  Immediately afterward, Clark and Elizabeth again picked us up in the Tesla so that Cynthia could again have a front row seat to see what self driving entails.  (You just select a destination from prompts and punch a button to make the car take you there.)  Lunch with Mary, Clark, Elizabeth, Cheryl, Tom, and Dick at Ruby Tuesday's Restaurant in Lexington reminded us all of the good old days.  We have all survived despite the outrageous slings and arrows of Old Man Time, so we thank God for survival.  Clark continued to give Cynthia Tesla driving lessons on the way back to our Hilton Garden Inn.

22 May:  Elizabeth, Clark and Dick joined us for breakfast.  Ron walked to Walmart for vitamins and berries

21 May:  We rode from Athens to Columbia, South Carolina following old route 378, stopped in McCormick, SC for lunch, and were quite surprised by a sudden, quick, brief rainstorm at St. Peters Drive in Lexington.  We ducked underneath a big tree and walked to a store in the light rain that followed and waited for half an hour for the rain to quit, then continued on to the Hilton Garden Inn in Irmo.  Clark, Elizabeth, Dick, Mary and Cheryl joined us for dinner at Ruby Tuesday in Lexington.  Thanks to Clark and Elizabeth for driving us.  Ron rode shotgun on the way there and insisted that Cynthia ride up front on the return to see how a self-driving Tesla works.  Route: L on Hawthorne 2 mi to R on Prince 0.3 mi, L on GA 10 E -> US 129 E 3 mi to US 29 N 1 mi to R on GA 72 E 49 mi cross river into SC, R on SC 81 S 17 mi -> SC 28 into McCormick, L on US 378 E 60 mi until just W of Lexington, L on St. Peters Rd 1 mi, at circle R on Old Cherokee Rd 5 mi to L on SC 6 E 6 mi to Columbiana Drive and Hilton Garden Inn

20 May:  Athens, GA .. a quiet morning with a delicious spinach and salmon salad at Hilltop House and a lovely afternoon visit with cousins Sharon and Quint.

19 May:  Angi and Michael hosted us for a delicious dinner last night.  Today we rode to Athens, GA, riding first through the high end homes east on Northside 0.5 mi to L on Mt. Paran Rd 2.6 mi (towards less expensive properties), L on US 19 N 1 mi to R on I-285 E 7 mi to I-85 N 11 mi to R on GA 316 E -> US 29 E 18 mi to L on Patrick Mill Road to R on bus US 29 into Winder to Ruby Tuesday, business 29 becomes Atlanta Highway -> business US 78 into Athens, GA and Country Inn & Suites.

18 May:  Oh, my!  Cynthia got three hours of sleep when we arose to meet Danielle, Camille and their dad for breakfast at 6:30 AM.  Our time together was all too brief, but wonderful.  From there, we returned to our hotel to take care of things, packed up, and rode to Sandy Springs, GA, to make the statement, "Together is the best place to be" in Ruby Tuesday's restaurant.  We ate way too much.  Now we will overnight at Michael and Angi's. 6497 days.  Route: I-75 N 20 mi to left exit 156 I-475 N (bypassing Macon) 16 mi to I-75 N 81 mi to exit 261 R on Delk Road (2 mi after crossing I-285 don't exit before seeing Delk Road, there are several earlier exists) to Ruby Tuesday 1 mi then continuing E 1 mi to R on Powers Ferry Drive S&E 3.2 mi to R on Northside Drive (don't miss sharp left turn) 2 mi

17 May, Sunday:  We have been together 6496 days, Or 17 years, 9 months, 14 days, excluding the end date.  Or 213 months, 14 days, excluding the end date. Almost 24/7.  After leaving the security of Pritikin menus and fitness trainers a week ago, we are on our own, scavenging for food as we travel north.  We spent two wonderful days celebrating Ron’s 79th birthday and our fifteenth wedding anniversary on Hutchison Island, one of Florida’s barrier islands.  The mother sea turtles are nesting, so we had to be careful walking the beach and close our drapes at night because they need darkness.  It was astonishing to see five huge pelicans with vast wing spans hovering in an updraft of wind, like drones.  We visited the effervescent former Pritikin Medical Director, whose passionate interest in longevity is at the cellular and molecular level now.  The three of us dialogued about how to bring about change, to wake people up to make much better food choices that allow much more enjoyment as we age.  We visited a cousin and his wife, who surprised us by praying for the President.  That was a very pleasant thing to hear instead of the raging hate.  Ellen made wonderful whole wheat sourdough bread.  We visited our 93 year old cousin Don who was praying he would see us once again before he died.  And yes, he was so happy to see us.  And now we have arrived in Perry, Georgia to visit my two grand nieces, Danielle and Camille at 6:30 AM tomorrow for breakfast.  The best news is that I am walking great without pain!  The platelet rich plasma therapy in my torn hip tendons worked.   Route: another simple one: US 341 N 167 mi to L on I-75 S one exit to Holiday Inn Express in Perry, Georgia

16 May:  "Together is the best place to be" according to the tee shirt at Surcheros (click here).  And together we enjoyed a fun afternoon with our distant cousin Don in Brunswick, GA; great conversation about genealogy, cemeteries, DNA, hobbies and AI before we boogied out to lunch.  Don drove us several miles into town in the comfort of his Cadillac, which car he doesn't drive often.  Afterwards we drove to the cemetery to visit Doris' grave; she passed last Christmas Eve.  We said our goodbyes (with hugs) and returned to the Comfort Inn for the night.

The intrepid travelers, seated, belted, and ready to ride.

15 May:  We had a lovely breakfast with three other pastors.  One pastor is Cynthia's longtime friend from Iowa, a medical doctor and missionary.  The other two missionary pastors are parents of the current pastor in charge of college age youth at a local congregation.  The minimum distance Steve and Melanie will ride their Honda Goldwing on a trip is 1000 miles (to get out of Florida or Nebraska).  After breakfast we rode north on the barrier islands on A1A.  The best scenery was on Flagler Beach where we had great views of the breakers for miles and saw several flights of pelicans floating on updrafts over the dunes almost motionless as they sped towards us.  Closer to Jacksonville, we rode west on FL 206 to I-95 and then north to Brunswick, GA.  Our stop at the Georgia Welcome Center proved helpful in getting reservations for the night, plus we met the most delightful young woman whose dad had her on a motorcycle while she was still in diapers.  We are so very thankful for this pleasant day.  No matter what life brings, choose to have a gratitude attitude.  I think of Corrie Ten Boom in a Nazi concentration camp thanking God for the lice, or St Paul, imprisoned and beaten.  I choose to have a merry heart.   Route: R on Tomoka Farms Road (continuing north) to R on Taylor Rd -> Dunlawson Ave to the Sands on the Beach restaurant, then continuing on Dunlawson to L on S Atlantic 6.7 mi -> Ocean Shore 2.8 mi -> A1A 7.2 mi to L on FL 206 W 5.9 mi, R on I-95 N to exit 333, FL 9B N to I-295 to I-95 again N to GA exit 36 B, US 341 N, L on Crispen Rd to R on Stately Oaks

14 May:  We spent a very lovely day with cousin Monte and Ellen in Port Orange, FL enjoying the most delicious and nutritious food. Mmmm!  Ellen's whole wheat sour dough bread is divine!  They grow many of their own veggies.

13 May:  The ride through the Barrier Islands was lovely; we arrived at Monte and Ellen's spacious home for a two night visit.  Route: Jimmy Buffett Memorial Highway to Atlantic Beach Hwy 43 mi to US 192 W to I-95 N 70 mi to mile marker 249, L on FL 44 W  5 mi to R on Tomoka Farm Road (FL 415) N  4 mi to R at second "A Quiet Place In The Country" sign, Country Circle Drive East 0.4 mi  to R on Lakeside Drive E (dead end)

Ron, final gasps of a wave that threatened him

12 May:  Ron's birthday and our anniversary... the ANNABIRSARY!  We walked the beach and enjoyed a lazy day.  Here is the route to get here from Jupiter, Florida:   We crossed the inlet on US 1 to R on S Beach Road N 21 mi to L on SE Bridge Road, R on Dixie Hwy, Jimmy Buffett, Old Dixie Hwy 10 mi to R on FL 714 E (SE Monterey Rd 1.6 mi to R on SE Ocean Hwy N 6 mi to Hutchinson Resort and Spa (click here), 3793 in Jensen Beach

Ron and Cynthia photo taken by Dr. Fruge

11 May:  We left Pritikin early enough to take the scenic route by Lake Ocachobee en route to Jupiter, FL to visit Dr. Fruge.  She is doing a million things now besides having a concierge wellness practice that goes so far as FaceTime exercise sessions with her patients.  We finally said our goodbyes around 5 PM, rode across the inlet and onto barrier islands for a while before coming onto the mainland for several miles following A1A back onto the barrier islands to the Nicholson Shore Resort for our anniversary.  Route:  This has to be the most pleasant way to escape from Miami: N on 87th St to L on US 27 NW 63 mi to R on FL 827 E 2 mi, R on 287A N to Belle Glade 4 mi to FL 80 N to FL 15 N 4 mi to US 98 N 6 mi to R on FL 76 E 11 mi to R on FL 710 (Indiantown) SW 7 mi to L on FL 706 16 mi to L on US 1 N 2 mi to R on A1A S 0.2 mi to L on Love Street to 1111 and Square Grouper Tiki Bar.  (The route after 5 PM is recorded above on May 12.)

10 May, Sunday: HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!

9 May:  We celebrated Ron's birthday at Pritikin!

8 May:  We had doctor appointments with gold star lab results.

7 May:  Oh my gracious.  We walked a total of 5.33 miles throughout the day.  That is too much.  Ron did extreme cardio!  Cynthia had a fitness class with a personal trainer and we had three lectures.  Ron knows the topics so well he could give the lectures.  Cynthia is organizing her saddlebag for Monday's departure.  She is hopeful for a pleasant Mothers Day by packing early. 

6 May:  Another good day in paradise.  Ron had help from two other Pritikin guests to finish the jigsaw puzzle in record time.  He did his cardio after dinner in two installments, 20-minute interval workout followed immediately by a 22-minute steady state.  One would think that his legs are getting much, much stronger.

5 May:  Pritkin celebrated Cinco de Mayo with a festive, colorful dinner with mahi and bison tacos; we wondered where the mariachi band was.  We did a lot of exercise today; Cynthia had a fitness class and Ron is always moving.  The PGA temporary units are being torn down.  Cynthia is looking forward to the next part of the travel but she is also sad to be leaving this healthy and safe place for her torn tendons and back issues.  Ron is close to completion of this 1000-piece puzzle.

4 May:  Moving Day.  Our villa is going to be remodeled, so we are being moved next door to the Gary Player villa.  We packed everything before breakfast.  Our new unit is much smaller.  Both of us have been doing workouts.  The puzzle is proceeding quickly, 1000 pieces.

3 May, Sunday:  We have never been more well-protected.  The President arrived last night; security outside was extremely tight.  Our morning walk was pleasant despite the crowds.  We saw endless numbers of Secret Service police.  Cynthia is hopeful to get LDL below 70 by eliminating fruit after lunch and not eating fruit first or alone.  "Fruit needs Friends."  Ron started the new puzzle.

2 May:  It was wonderful to sleep late.  Ron participated in the Stretch Class before we watched part of the PGA tour and continued our jaunt through the golf grounds for exercise.  Then chaos erupted when Cynthia could not find her purse.  She thought she hung it on a hook in the restroom.  We searched everywhere before assuming it was gone. The faith-filled PGA sentry told Ron that Cynthia would find it.  And just like that, Sophia, the wait staff manager, motioned Cynthia to the patio where the purse was sitting on a lounge chair.  Cynthia hugged the manager and the sentry. 

1 May:  Wishing everyone May baskets of bountiful blessings.  We are at Pritikin for eleven more days.  Ruthie gave Ron a new puzzle to do

April in Miami

30 Apr: This has been a great month! We lovee Pritikin and what it does for us. Our days are so crazy busy that we forget to blog. Tonight, we met with Frank for several hours and with that good understanding of Cynthia’s spine and tendon issues we have a plan for pain management and healing. ZZzzzz Good night. 

29 Apr: Ron is delighted that he lost two pounds despite eating huge quantities of food! He is working out on the arc trainer and walking, too.  Cynthia had an excellent fitness session and iced her shoulder. We received tickets for the PGA event on May 2. Today is day 20 post PRP. 

28 Apr: We walked a lot, almost five miles. The PGA opens tomorrow. We'd see mighty impressed with the village of temporary A/C rooms set up on the edge of the golf course. 

27 Apr: Cynthia and Ron are approaching their 15th wedding anniversary, and she received this message from Ron, a copy of a post from 25 Dec 2016 filled with love. Aaahhhhhh! “ From Ron's Christmas card: To me beloved wee-fee, "I couldn't be happier - than with you. I love how lovely you are-- appearance, heart, and soul.  I love how happy we are together-- and wouldn't change a thing about you-- even if I could. Here's wishing you a Merry Christmas and many, many more. Love, Smooch. ”

26 Apr: Sunday. We did indeed have a marvelous day. 

25 Apr: Today, we are saying goodbye to Karl, Rosemary, and Didme. Wah!   The cooking class was delicious, chocolate cheesecake!

24 Apr: Some of the loveliest people are here this week!  We walked to the golf instructor's school this morning,  then walked again tonight. In between walking, we had three classes and greatly enjoyed our fellow Ptitikin participants. Everyone got a big hoot of Ron's explanation about doing exercises before we get out of bed. He showed them the exercises and got a huge round of applause!  

23 Apr: Cynthia's LDL increased a bit, and HDL decreased this week. 

22 Apr: Corrie's birthday. 

21 Apr: Cynthia had early morning labs: she lost a pound, but her BP is slightly elevated. We met a delightful man named Daniel, an MD from north of Miami.  He and Ron are out walking. Three weeks are left before we begin our journey north.  We had a lovely day; a special time sitting in the patio with a gentle breeze, grateful to be here. Ron did Tai Chi.

Ron only last a few minutes at the Tai Chi class; too much choreography

20 Apr: Ron successfully completed the pacemaker test. Cynthia started personal fitness training again.  The hip pain is considerably lessened. 

19 Apr, Sunday:  Ron’s Pacemaker test is due today.  We had a very lovely conversation with Karl-Erik, a psych professor, at lunch.  He is such a nice guy, and the lunch was marvelous.  We also met a lovely Turkish woman.  Such fun. We especially enjoyed the salmon-stuffed mushroom and the warm berry pie.  We are fed a tremendous variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, and I OVERATE. 

18 Apr:  Our days are busy!  Ron had two tough workouts on the Arc Trainer and is enjoying humongous salads for lunch.  Cynthia is in the inflammation stage of PRP, which means it is normal to be sore.  This process is slow; it will take 3-six month to strengthen the gluteal tendons.  But she is an adult and can do tough things.  

17 Apr:  Cynthia had platelet-rich plasma therapy one week ago today; she is doing swimmingly great, but she must continue to rest and do easy movements.  Ron completed two puzzles and is amazing folks by lifting one off the table and returning it to the table intact. 

16 April… I accidentally deleted the entire month of April posts. Yikes.  We are so crazy busy, all is well.

10  Apr:  We hired a driver to take us to Fort Lauderdale for Platelet Rich Plasma therapy for Cynthia's torn gluteus medius and minimus tendons.  The prescription is rest for two weeks.  

1 Apr:  Our Pritikin days are very busy, so the blogging is quite limited.  Ron checked today and discovered that we first visited Pritikin in April of 2017 and again in September.  Ditto for 2019.  We skipped 2021 because of East Coast Covid over-reaction and visited again once in 2022 and once in 2024.  So this is now our 7th time to enjoy the health education, food and company at the Pritikin Longevity Center.  My cardioversion was in Philadelphia 2015 and caused my heart to stop for 15 seconds.