Gary-Summer: October 18, 2018 - Boston, Going to My Cousin

Thursday, October 18, 2018

October 18, 2018 - Boston, Going to My Cousin

Title: October 18, 2018 - Boston, Going to My Cousin
Hike Info : Description : Background : Extra Photo's

Trail head: Malden, MA

Hike Info:

Type: City

Description:

I got up at 7:15 and had my quiet time. Breakfast was cereal. I went to pick up the car while Sherri packed to go to my cousin. We had ordered a Toyota Camary, but they upgraded to a Hyundai SUV. We will see how it works out. It does drive nice.

Buckman Tavern

Sherri is getting used to using the Maps on my phone. This is outside of her comfort level. In many ways this is an adventure for her, which isn't that is why we are here? Just being on the East Coast is a bit outside of our comfort level, but we are learning how to navigate satisfactory. Of course, when you don't have a hard and fast itinerary, everyplace is a viable destination.

We eventually make it to Lexington. We park by the Buckman Tavern. We look inside at the gift shop, but balk at the $10 entrance fee into the museum-which even for our prolonged perusal looked like a dollar per minute. Down a little ways further we go to the village's visitor center. We spend several minutes looking through and getting warm-it is a bit cool. They recommend we go over to the Green and take a guided tour.

West view of Lexington Green

So we make our way to the Green and spy a tour already in progress. We figure we will join in mid-talk. If the guide is good enough, we will catch the start of the next one. The guide was dressed in the Revolutionary War period costume. You could tell that he was both experienced and interested in his material. He went over the formations which both the British and the militiamen used and what the dynamics of the situation were. It sounded like bloodshed could have been avoided here if only the sound of a single gun being fired, from who knows where was heard. That started the killing which carried on to leaving 8 of the militiamen dead. Our guide explained where the militia men ran off and all the confusion which accompanied this. The British regrouped and started on to Concord. We continued on with the guide and heard the start of the tour as well. After we heard the tour, we went to a memorial which our guide noted and saw the names of those who fought, died and the wounded. One thing of interest was yesterday our guide said that there were 250 British who went to Lexington. Today the guide said 800. Maybe the extra were reinforcements.

Our Guide at Lexington

Road to Concord

And now we are off to the Minute Man National Historical Park and maybe Concord. But first, we have to find it. How hard can this be. Well, if the British were going like how we did, there would not have been a Revolutionary War. We wandered around and then eventually found the visitor center. A beautiful walk in, past a pond where the leaves are reflecting. We get to the visitor center and who greets us? Alfred! The one whom we met on the Black Heritage Walk on Tuesday. He is glad to see us and he directs us over to the presentation which is about to start. This multiple media presentation called The Road to Revolution walks you through the Battles of Lexington and Concord and the retreat of the soldiers. It talks from the perspective of a Minute Man who was coming in as a reinforcement to protect the fighters in Concord and Lexington. He talks about being summoned and what happened to Paul Revere and Dawes. How the British were pushed back out of Concord and then back to Lexington, and then back to Boston. How the militia fought a guerrilla battle the whole way back against exhausted troops. Very enlightening. It got me to think more about recent history. Which side would we have been on back then? The Minute Men definitely were not fighting battles according to the rules of war for the time.

Hartwell Tavern

Our next stop was a couple of miles up the road at Hartwell Tavern. There were docents on duty explaining what life would have been like around the time of the Revolutionary War. People must have been shorter then as I had to stoop in several places or knock my head against the ceiling. But the main event was the firing of the muskets. While it was still blanks being fired, it was a pretty effective demonstration. The park is pretty narrow and there are houses on each side of it. The interpretive ranger said that the musket balls could travel about 300 yards, but only about 100’ accurately. All interesting and fun, especially the musket noise and smoke.

British Solder about to fire

But we needed to leave to get to my cousins at a reasonable time. So we put it his address into my phone to get a route. It looks like we have about a three hour trip. But first, we need to have lunch somewhere. You remember the trial we had in the beginning with the phone’s GPS? Well, we are at it again. But we see a Subway on the GPS. After circling around a bit, we find it. So we have a quick, but filling sandwich and are on our way again.

We settle down into a long drive into Connecticut, west of Hartford. The roads seem pretty good, but not like the 65-70 mph, but a seemingly slow 55mph, at least slow to this California boy. At one point, we all of a sudden get onto a turnpike with what looks like no way off-at least ot my eyes. So we go along for the ride. Which turns out to be quite lovely. I am sure if this was a journey trip instead of a destination, I would have slowed down and just enjoyed looking at the scenery.

Farmington River

I think the GPS must of lead us through every back road it could find. But we do make it to my cousin Bob’s house. Sort of feels strange. I have not seen him in 35+ years and had not met Diane his wife before. We have only recently started communicating through Facebook. But the reception is good and not stiff or tense. We soon pass by the wondering how this will work out stage.

Bob and Gary

Bob takes us along a walk along the Farmington River. This is a section where the old mills and factories of the area lay. When we look at the brickwork, you can only imagine what it was like. I do not think I would have wanted to work here, but my imagination sees possibilities for making it pleasing. We are lead along a bike path which has a gentle slope. Many of these rivers we have seen have a small dam holding back the river-maybe about 2-3’ high. They do make pretty pools, but I do not know if that is the reason for them. It is a good walk, and a good way to get reacquainted with my cousin. We walked for maybe about 2\two and a half miles total, until it started getting dark and a bit cool for those recently from California.

Farmington River

When we got back to Bob’s house, Diane, Bob’s wife, was there and finishing up getting our soup dinner. While light, it was enjoyable. This was followed by a couple of hours of conversation. So good to get reacquainted as adults-have I said that before. We get to bed after an enjoyable evening.

Gary and Sherri

Background

Reviews which were posted on Trip Advisor.

Lexington Green. First go to the visitor center just to the east of Buckham Tavern site. Find out if they are running the free tours on the Green. If so, latch onto one. The guide for our tour was knowledgeable, experienced and interested in what and how he was presenting the history surrounding the Battle of Lexington. Well worth the half an hour we stayed and listened.

Minute Man National Historical Park. First go to the visitor’s center and watch their half an hour presentation called The Road to Revolution. That will give you a good perspective of the relationship between the area and the events this park commemorates. Upon the advice of a ranger, we went up the road to Hartwell Tavern, a few miles up the road. Here we got to see a musket demonstration with an explanation of how the muskets were fired. Right by Hartwell Tavern is the road which the British used to march to Concord and get attacked on the way back. It looks both interesting and walkable, but unfortunately we did not have the time to walk it.

Extra Photo's