I know I've been trying to get away from doing the monthly recaps, but I can justify this one because I think it'll be pretty short and easy.
(Sidenote: If you missed it, I already covered a lot of the activity of last month in these in-depth posts: Triathlon #3 - June 3, 2017 in Greenville, Trip to Boston, and Triathlon #4 - June 17, 2017 in Callaway Gardens.)
So between all of that, what else did we possibly have time for?!
Well the biggest thing of course was that Audrey turned 8! That morning before David left for work we gave her her birthday present from us: a new desk and chair for her bedroom, complete with stationary supplies. She adored it and immediately began organizing her rubber bands and new pink accessories, just as I knew she would.
She got to plan out the day from start to finish, so after I tore her away from her new desk, we began at Kids Up (where I think she and Luke quickly realized they are now too old for Kids Up. Sad.) Afterward we stopped by Jilly's Cupcakery to pick out her birthday cupcake and then came home for lunch and rest. That afternoon we went back out to Queen of Hearts (a big antique store that she loves to roam around in) and the mall, where David met us for some shopping and dinner. She chose a dress from Gymboree and hairbands and stick-on earrings from Claire's. Per her request, we searched fruitlessly for a tankini bathing suit that looked appropriate and finally gave up and rode the merry-go-round. She chose Tin Lizzy's restaurant for dinner, but obviously refused to let us tell them it was her special day, so there was no embarrassing singing. David drove the kids home in the van while I went by the Dollar Tree to grab the last few favors for her birthday party. I walked in the door around 7:25 and by 7:29 (the time of her birth), we were singing to her and enjoying our cupcakes. It was a simple but really fun day that was full of both "she's getting so old" moments (choosing shopping at the mall as your birthday activity?!) but also a feeling of "she's still firmly planted in kid world, thank the Lord" (you want to ride the merry-go-round? Of course!)
We celebrated with family and friends at her "Cartwheels and Cupcakes"-themed birthday party that Saturday held at her gymnastics gym. She had about 14 friends (mostly friends plus their little brothers!) and they spent an hour on the floor doing an obstacle course, bar work, and rope swinging. Afterward we went into the party room where they got to decorate their own cupcakes and pose for pictures with photo booth props. Audrey decided to open her presents there and it was a flurry of wrapping paper and ribbon. Before we knew it, it was time to pack up and head home. The only consolation was that my mom came back and stayed the night with us so she could start her "shift" for mine and David's trip to Boston the next morning. We had pizza and then watched Little Big Shots before turning in.
Other highlights of the month included a week of gymnastics camp for the kids, a few playdates, some trips to the pool, a splash pad gathering with our small group buddies, visits to the library, a couple of dentist appointments, a trip to the dollar movies to see Trolls, Father's day celebration meals, and a girls' night in for our small group. Our church also broke ground on their new campus, which means our days of meeting in a nearby high school are numbered. We're excited, but since we're not the ones getting up at 4:30am every Sunday to get there for set-up, it's not quite as big of a deal to us!
So I guess we did find time to squeeze in a few other things in June after all! It was a really good month with a bunch of summertime adventures, but I do hope we get a little more taste of the lazy side of the season next month. Pictures will be up on Facebook soon, so check them out there.
Triathlon #4 - June 17, 2017 in Callaway Gardens
Tuesday, July 11, 2017
A few weeks ago, David, the kids, and I loaded up and headed down to Callaway Gardens for the weekend. I was participating in a triathlon there that Saturday morning and we opted to make a family weekend out of it. We arrived around lunchtime on Friday and after searching fruitlessly (though admittedly not very long) for a picnic area, we ate our packed lunch in our hotel room. We changed into bathing suits, slathered on sunscreen, and headed to Robin Lake Beach.
The kids had so much fun splashing and swimming in the mostly shallow water. It was hot, but the water kept us cool. I was so worried about getting sunburned and dehydrated for the following day's race that I was constantly seeking shade or covering up. I joked with David that that must be what his pale-self feels like all the time! We chased fish around in the water for awhile and dug in the sand. Around 4pm, I picked up my race packet at the nearby pavilion and got the info on swim start waves. After about another hour of playtime, we went back to the hotel to shower and change for dinner.
Though we had been warned about how terrible the food onsite was, we opted to eat at our hotel's restaurant. We got some grilled chicken and fruit for Audrey and chicken fingers for Luke. I got a salad with chicken and I can't remember what David got, but it was all pretty gross. The service was great, but they the food really was as bad as we had heard. Unfortunately there just aren't any other restaurant options closeby down there. We decided to wash it down with some ice cream, so we drove back to the ice cream truck we'd seen at Robin Lake Beach earlier that day. I asked about gluten-free flavors and the lady told me that all of their ice cream had gluten in it. This is not unheard of (all of Bluebell has wheat flour in it), but it is extremely rare. Whether it was true or not, we weren't going to chance it. We slunked away and promised the kids we'd find something else.
We ended up finding a ice cream shop in a gas station center and went inside to see what they offered. They did have some GF choices, so we placed our order and climbed onto stools at a high-top. On the way back into Callaway, we decided to stop by the acrobatic circus that Florida State University students were putting on for free. We stayed about an hour, watching some pretty impressive stunts and swinging acts. It ended around 9pm and we drove back to our hotel to turn in for the night. Unfortunately, Audrey didn't sleep well (she had stomachache on top of usual insomnia) and neither did I (nerves and Audrey), so it was not ideal when my alarm clock went off at 5:30am. I dressed quietly in the dark before waking everyone else. They were grumpy, but they obliged.
As we pulled into the parking lot, I took one look at the transition area and felt panic rise in my chest. It was packed full. I'd read just days earlier that this event draws 400-500 participants, which is about 300-400 more than my other triathlons have been. YIKES. That was a LOT of elbows and feet to get hit with during the swim and a lot of bikes to pass or be passed by on the course!
We managed to find a parking spot and hauled my bike and gear to transition. I laid out all of my stuff and then went to get body marked and grab my chip timer. I walked back to transition to double and triple check that my stuff was in order before joining the growing line at the bathroom. I chatted with a few of the ladies near me, some of which had done the race before. I always like hearing their tips for the course, though sometimes they also throw in a tidbit that doesn't help my nerves at all ("Oh yeah. The run is killer." Greeeeeaaaaat.)
Before long it was time for me to walk the 1/4 mile over to the swim start. I said goodbye to the kids and got good luck hugs, but not before tearing up and whispering to David that I was super scared. My last swim on my previous tri a few weeks prior had been terrible, and my mind wasn't going to let me forget about it. He smiled and said confidently, "You're going to do great! It's shallow enough to touch!" and then sent me on my way.
I headed over and spotted a woman walking solo near me. I struck up a conversation with her and discovered it was her very first triathlon. There is nothing that will help calm your nerves faster than to get outside of your own head and encourage someone else. We talked through the course and I assured her that her training would get her through. The two of us met up with another group of ladies while standing around on the beach and soon we were all laughing and building each other up. Just one more reason I love this sport: complete strangers become friends quickly through the bond of the race. You all know what you put in to get to that point and everyone completely understands how nervous and excited you are to just get across that finish line. As with motherhood, there is a lot that is unspoken but understood in the club.
The race director made a few announcements, a local pastor said a prayer, and then the National Anthem played. Before I knew it, I was watching the mens' swim waves start. The director had explained earlier that if you were a seasoned triathlete and strong swimmer, you needed to stay to the right of the course. If, however, you were a new athlete or not a great swimmer, you were encouraged to stay to the left. As I watched wave after wave go, I realized that the middle was wide open. Hmmmm...I think I had just found my strategy.
I lined up at the back of my start wave, which was the women ages 35-39 group (in USTA sanctioned events, your age group is based on what age you will turn on December 31st of that calendar year. For me this would mean a pretty big disadvantage because my birthday isn't until December 30th. However, since it put me in the bottom age of the next bracket, it probably helped me.) Anyway, I stood near the back and tried to slow my breathing while I heard them count down 3, 2, 1...
We were off. I stayed in the middle and swam slow. As I'd learned during my one open water practice swim in Lanier, I do not care for open water swims. For one thing, you can't see at all. For another, you don't get that 2-3 second break at the end of each lane to put your feet down and catch your breath as you dunk under the rope to the next lane. (For a third thing, did y'all know fish live in lakes?! BIG fish. And all you can do is pray you don't get nibbled on by one.)
I paced myself and found the right balance of concentration and distraction. You want to think about each stroke while simultaneously letting your mind wander a bit in an effort to avoid becoming terrified of what you're actually doing. Things were going swimmingly (HA!) until my googles got so fogged I was forced to pop up and try to rub them clear. As I reached to put my feet down, I realized I couldn't touch. "BUT THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE SHALLOW ENOUGH TO TOUCH! I CAN'T TOUCH!!!" I panicked. For a split second, all I could think about was my struggle in the pool at my last race. Although in this one there was no side or rope to grab. Lifeguards were nearby, but what if they couldn't see me?!
Then almost as quickly as those thoughts entered my mind, they were replaced with "You're fine, Heather. You don't actually need to touch right now. Just put your goggles back on and keep swimming. Make your way closer to the shoreline if you need to, but you are in no real danger right now." I am positive that calming peace was because of the prayers my friends and family had said and were saying for me at that very moment. I pulled my goggles down and started back. I figured that if I got kicked in the face, I would know I got too close to someone else. And if I came to a super shallow part and looked up, I would see people getting out and know I was at the end.
Sure enough, it wasn't long before I saw people around me walking. Some of them started a good ways out from the exit, so I continued to swim and kept an eye on when to stop. I remember thinking, "Was that really it? I totally could've kept going!" (Thank you, Lord!) I got to the exit, stood up, and tried to clear the lake water from my eyes. As soon as I could see straight, I searched the cheering crowd along the shore for my crew. There they were! They clapped and yelled for me as I jogged up the hill to transition area. I rushed to dry my feet, put on my socks and shoes, and unrack my bike. I hustled it along to the bike exit, mounted it while holding a GU gel in my teeth, and pedaled off.
The bike route was fairly easy. It was a good bit shorter than my previous race, so I pushed myself to go a little faster than I normally do. I ended up passing quite a few people, which is a rarity for me. I guess in a race of that size, you have more people both ahead of and behind you. It was a little annoying to have to deal with passing so much (and don't get me wrong...being passed, too!) I am used to only having a few other cyclists near me on a course. At one point the course went down a steep hill with a sharp curve at the bottom. I saw that someone had wrecked and there was a group of 6-7 other cyclists that had stopped to help. Flying by at 20 mph, I decided I wouldn't have been able to add anything to their rescue and kept going. I came to find out later that the cyclist had hit a tree and actually passed away later that day from the impact. It was unbelievably sad and sobering.
As I rode back into the transition, David and the kids waved hello to me and snapped a few pictures. I racked my bike, clipped on my hydration belt, and took off for the run. My legs were their usual jello, but I knew if I could just get through that first mile they would cooperate. Though it was flat, the run was tough. There was a long stretch without a stitch of shade and it was HOT. I encouraged others as I ran by, probably annoying the crap out of them but it distracted me for a moment. I didn't have any music or podcasts, so you just have to play mind games with yourself to keep from quitting or going insane.
I grabbed a cup of water at the hydration station and dumped it over myself. There was finally some shaded woods up ahead and I willed myself to keep putting one foot in front of the other until I got there. The quote "You don't train for a race so there won't be any pain during it. You train so that you can endure the pain" popped in my head. I started the usual bargaining I do with myself "Okay, Heather. You never, ever have to do one of these stupid awful races ever in your life again. Ever. BUT you have to finish this one."
At one point near the end, I got passed by someone. When this happens, it's natural to always look at their calf to see how old they are. This particular person happened to be a 13 year old boy. I thought to myself, "Are you really going to let yourself get passed by a 13 year old boy?!" And then I answered: "Yes. Yes you are. Because he's a 13 year old boy and, though some days you still think you are 18, you are now a 34 year old woman." And suddenly I became okay with him outrunning me.
I broke out of the woods and into the sunshine. Glancing at my Garmin watch, I knew I had to be getting close to the finish line. I tried to ramp it up a smidge as we went up a short hill. Coming down on the other side, I saw and heard the crowd. Finishers were lined up wearing their medals and cheering us on. I spotted David and the kids out of the corner of my eye as they got up to run over to the finish line. I heard David yell "GO HEATHER! GET 'ER DONE!!!" which was all I needed to sprint the last 100 yards across. I ducked my head as a volunteer put the finisher's medal over my neck. It was gorgeous...and it was hard earned.
Behind me I heard some commotion and realized someone had just proposed to his girlfriend as she came across the finish line. My first thought was "Aw! How sweet!" followed by "Good gravy, I hope she doesn't have a heart attack from being stopped and then shocked like that." I searched the crowd for my crew and heard David yelling for me. He and the kids hugged and congratulated me as we headed over to the pavilion for water and snacks. They had a ton of huge pizzas, but I couldn't quite stomach that so I got some fruit, Cerasport, and then a few minutes later, a cookie. We sat and talked about the race, but it wasn't long before I knew it was time to head back to the hotel. The kids were antsy and tired of just standing around.
Audrey helped me gather my gear and then Luke and David pushed the bike back to the van. We went to the hotel where I took a luxurious shower before we checked out and loaded up. We drove over to the bicycle rental place and I pointed out all of the trails where I'd biked just a while earlier.
After getting a short safety briefing, we climbed on our special duo-bikes (I have no idea what they're called. It's a regular bike with a long bar in the back that connects to an apparatus with another wheel, a set of pedals, and a child's seat.) I will be the first to confess that it was incredibly difficult for me to get the hang of this thing. My current road bike is lighter than Audrey's and I was obviously quite used to it. This huge monster was made of steel, which was very heavy and difficult to maneuver. Audrey braved it with me, though, and we took it VERY slow. (I may have actually walked the thing at several points.)
We got to the Butterfly House and went inside for what turned out to be an extremely quick visit. Ever been to the inland part of Florida or Georgia in August? Imagine that heat and oppressive humidity and then multiply it by about a hundred. Then add fire-breathing dragons. And some sauna steam for good measure. That was the inside of this butterfly exhibit. After our five minute tour (no joke), we actually stepped outside and felt chilled in the south Georgia heat, if that tells you anything. Of course it could have been our severe dehydration, but whatever it was, it felt delightful.
We rode back to the area where we rented bikes, this time pairing Luke with me and Audrey with David. (When I offered her the chance to switch, she jumped at it so fast that I laughed instead of being offended.) I was definitely studiER on the way back, though it still made me nervous enough to stop and put my feet down when other bikes passed us. David put the bikes in the rack and we went inside to the little cafe for lunch. I wish I could say the meal was better than what we'd had the night before but I am not a liar. We choked it down and then got back on our bikes to ride over to the chapel. It is such a gorgeous building tucked away in the peaceful woods with stained glass scenes of the four seasons along one side. A nice elderly lady that worked there encouraged us to come back for the organ "concert" in about 45 minutes and we politely nodded, knowing we'd probably choose to skip it in favor of air conditioning.
As we walked back to the bike rack, David was pushing for us to take a longer and more scenic route back. It was at this point that I reminded him, as my quads were reminding me, that I had indeed done a triathlon that morning and that I may be ready for a rest. I was about to suck it up and give in, though, until Luke piped up and said, "I have to go potty!" I know you're not supposed to have favorite children, but at the point, he kinda was mine. I mean, I was totally going to stick it out and ride farther, but Luke had to go!
We made it back to the nature center in time and David returned the bikes while I took the kids to the bathroom. After we were in the clear, we visited the gift shop and picked out a couple of t-shirts and our traditional travel tree ornament. When we felt sure we'd seen all that the Nature Center had to offer, we drove back over near the Butterfly House to walk the hydrangea garden that we'd missed earlier (probably due to our heat stroke daze.) There was also a pioneer-era cabin that we walked through. The kids were absolutely stunned that that was once someone's entire house. The placard on display explained that the family that originally lived there had 13 children. Good gravy. For sure that generation was made of stronger stuff than ours'.
It was nearing 3pm when we decided to call it a day and begin the drive back home. The kids did great on the trek back. Luke fell asleep for a few minutes, which wasn't surprising since they'd gotten up at 6am and had a full day of walking and pedaling. We got home just in time to order pizza for dinner, which tasted especially delicious after the weekend of crummy food we'd had. I can't remember what dessert I celebrated with that night, but I'm sure I had some and I'm sure it was tasty.
So that was it. Another triathlon in the books. I haven't decided yet whether it will be my last. I don't think so, but good grief it is hard to balance and extremely time consuming to train for three different sports, even when it's "just" a sprint distance. It also leaves me no time for weight training, which is a major contributor to both how I feel about my body and keeping my weight down. It sounds counterintuitive, but I've discovered that I'm always heavier when I'm training for tris or half marathons because A) I'm hungrier B) I think I deserve to eat whatever I want and C) my muscle tone, and therefore, my metabolism, is lower. So we'll see. For now my plan is to start lifting again and keep up a baseline of about a 10k run. I'll likely continue swimming at least once a week because it is so good for the body. Cycling, however, will probably be the thing that goes by the wayside for now. It's dangerous as well as inconvenient. It takes a lot of time to get to a safe course that offers long distances.
I don't know what race I'll sign up for next, but for now I'm going to sit back and enjoy the feeling of accomplishment. I trained for four months straight and missed less than five scheduled workouts that entire time. I dealt with near daily back pain towards the end (I believe from biking). I sacrificed a lot of time, logged a lot of miles, and said a lot of prayers ("Dear God, please send a breeze." "Dear God, please don't let that car hit me.") And most importantly, I didn't drown. Always a plus.
Here are a few pictures for your enjoyment from our weekend at Callaway:
We managed to find a parking spot and hauled my bike and gear to transition. I laid out all of my stuff and then went to get body marked and grab my chip timer. I walked back to transition to double and triple check that my stuff was in order before joining the growing line at the bathroom. I chatted with a few of the ladies near me, some of which had done the race before. I always like hearing their tips for the course, though sometimes they also throw in a tidbit that doesn't help my nerves at all ("Oh yeah. The run is killer." Greeeeeaaaaat.)
Before long it was time for me to walk the 1/4 mile over to the swim start. I said goodbye to the kids and got good luck hugs, but not before tearing up and whispering to David that I was super scared. My last swim on my previous tri a few weeks prior had been terrible, and my mind wasn't going to let me forget about it. He smiled and said confidently, "You're going to do great! It's shallow enough to touch!" and then sent me on my way.
I headed over and spotted a woman walking solo near me. I struck up a conversation with her and discovered it was her very first triathlon. There is nothing that will help calm your nerves faster than to get outside of your own head and encourage someone else. We talked through the course and I assured her that her training would get her through. The two of us met up with another group of ladies while standing around on the beach and soon we were all laughing and building each other up. Just one more reason I love this sport: complete strangers become friends quickly through the bond of the race. You all know what you put in to get to that point and everyone completely understands how nervous and excited you are to just get across that finish line. As with motherhood, there is a lot that is unspoken but understood in the club.
The race director made a few announcements, a local pastor said a prayer, and then the National Anthem played. Before I knew it, I was watching the mens' swim waves start. The director had explained earlier that if you were a seasoned triathlete and strong swimmer, you needed to stay to the right of the course. If, however, you were a new athlete or not a great swimmer, you were encouraged to stay to the left. As I watched wave after wave go, I realized that the middle was wide open. Hmmmm...I think I had just found my strategy.
I lined up at the back of my start wave, which was the women ages 35-39 group (in USTA sanctioned events, your age group is based on what age you will turn on December 31st of that calendar year. For me this would mean a pretty big disadvantage because my birthday isn't until December 30th. However, since it put me in the bottom age of the next bracket, it probably helped me.) Anyway, I stood near the back and tried to slow my breathing while I heard them count down 3, 2, 1...
We were off. I stayed in the middle and swam slow. As I'd learned during my one open water practice swim in Lanier, I do not care for open water swims. For one thing, you can't see at all. For another, you don't get that 2-3 second break at the end of each lane to put your feet down and catch your breath as you dunk under the rope to the next lane. (For a third thing, did y'all know fish live in lakes?! BIG fish. And all you can do is pray you don't get nibbled on by one.)
I paced myself and found the right balance of concentration and distraction. You want to think about each stroke while simultaneously letting your mind wander a bit in an effort to avoid becoming terrified of what you're actually doing. Things were going swimmingly (HA!) until my googles got so fogged I was forced to pop up and try to rub them clear. As I reached to put my feet down, I realized I couldn't touch. "BUT THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE SHALLOW ENOUGH TO TOUCH! I CAN'T TOUCH!!!" I panicked. For a split second, all I could think about was my struggle in the pool at my last race. Although in this one there was no side or rope to grab. Lifeguards were nearby, but what if they couldn't see me?!
Then almost as quickly as those thoughts entered my mind, they were replaced with "You're fine, Heather. You don't actually need to touch right now. Just put your goggles back on and keep swimming. Make your way closer to the shoreline if you need to, but you are in no real danger right now." I am positive that calming peace was because of the prayers my friends and family had said and were saying for me at that very moment. I pulled my goggles down and started back. I figured that if I got kicked in the face, I would know I got too close to someone else. And if I came to a super shallow part and looked up, I would see people getting out and know I was at the end.
Sure enough, it wasn't long before I saw people around me walking. Some of them started a good ways out from the exit, so I continued to swim and kept an eye on when to stop. I remember thinking, "Was that really it? I totally could've kept going!" (Thank you, Lord!) I got to the exit, stood up, and tried to clear the lake water from my eyes. As soon as I could see straight, I searched the cheering crowd along the shore for my crew. There they were! They clapped and yelled for me as I jogged up the hill to transition area. I rushed to dry my feet, put on my socks and shoes, and unrack my bike. I hustled it along to the bike exit, mounted it while holding a GU gel in my teeth, and pedaled off.
The bike route was fairly easy. It was a good bit shorter than my previous race, so I pushed myself to go a little faster than I normally do. I ended up passing quite a few people, which is a rarity for me. I guess in a race of that size, you have more people both ahead of and behind you. It was a little annoying to have to deal with passing so much (and don't get me wrong...being passed, too!) I am used to only having a few other cyclists near me on a course. At one point the course went down a steep hill with a sharp curve at the bottom. I saw that someone had wrecked and there was a group of 6-7 other cyclists that had stopped to help. Flying by at 20 mph, I decided I wouldn't have been able to add anything to their rescue and kept going. I came to find out later that the cyclist had hit a tree and actually passed away later that day from the impact. It was unbelievably sad and sobering.
As I rode back into the transition, David and the kids waved hello to me and snapped a few pictures. I racked my bike, clipped on my hydration belt, and took off for the run. My legs were their usual jello, but I knew if I could just get through that first mile they would cooperate. Though it was flat, the run was tough. There was a long stretch without a stitch of shade and it was HOT. I encouraged others as I ran by, probably annoying the crap out of them but it distracted me for a moment. I didn't have any music or podcasts, so you just have to play mind games with yourself to keep from quitting or going insane.
I grabbed a cup of water at the hydration station and dumped it over myself. There was finally some shaded woods up ahead and I willed myself to keep putting one foot in front of the other until I got there. The quote "You don't train for a race so there won't be any pain during it. You train so that you can endure the pain" popped in my head. I started the usual bargaining I do with myself "Okay, Heather. You never, ever have to do one of these stupid awful races ever in your life again. Ever. BUT you have to finish this one."
At one point near the end, I got passed by someone. When this happens, it's natural to always look at their calf to see how old they are. This particular person happened to be a 13 year old boy. I thought to myself, "Are you really going to let yourself get passed by a 13 year old boy?!" And then I answered: "Yes. Yes you are. Because he's a 13 year old boy and, though some days you still think you are 18, you are now a 34 year old woman." And suddenly I became okay with him outrunning me.
I broke out of the woods and into the sunshine. Glancing at my Garmin watch, I knew I had to be getting close to the finish line. I tried to ramp it up a smidge as we went up a short hill. Coming down on the other side, I saw and heard the crowd. Finishers were lined up wearing their medals and cheering us on. I spotted David and the kids out of the corner of my eye as they got up to run over to the finish line. I heard David yell "GO HEATHER! GET 'ER DONE!!!" which was all I needed to sprint the last 100 yards across. I ducked my head as a volunteer put the finisher's medal over my neck. It was gorgeous...and it was hard earned.
Behind me I heard some commotion and realized someone had just proposed to his girlfriend as she came across the finish line. My first thought was "Aw! How sweet!" followed by "Good gravy, I hope she doesn't have a heart attack from being stopped and then shocked like that." I searched the crowd for my crew and heard David yelling for me. He and the kids hugged and congratulated me as we headed over to the pavilion for water and snacks. They had a ton of huge pizzas, but I couldn't quite stomach that so I got some fruit, Cerasport, and then a few minutes later, a cookie. We sat and talked about the race, but it wasn't long before I knew it was time to head back to the hotel. The kids were antsy and tired of just standing around.
Audrey helped me gather my gear and then Luke and David pushed the bike back to the van. We went to the hotel where I took a luxurious shower before we checked out and loaded up. We drove over to the bicycle rental place and I pointed out all of the trails where I'd biked just a while earlier.
After getting a short safety briefing, we climbed on our special duo-bikes (I have no idea what they're called. It's a regular bike with a long bar in the back that connects to an apparatus with another wheel, a set of pedals, and a child's seat.) I will be the first to confess that it was incredibly difficult for me to get the hang of this thing. My current road bike is lighter than Audrey's and I was obviously quite used to it. This huge monster was made of steel, which was very heavy and difficult to maneuver. Audrey braved it with me, though, and we took it VERY slow. (I may have actually walked the thing at several points.)
We got to the Butterfly House and went inside for what turned out to be an extremely quick visit. Ever been to the inland part of Florida or Georgia in August? Imagine that heat and oppressive humidity and then multiply it by about a hundred. Then add fire-breathing dragons. And some sauna steam for good measure. That was the inside of this butterfly exhibit. After our five minute tour (no joke), we actually stepped outside and felt chilled in the south Georgia heat, if that tells you anything. Of course it could have been our severe dehydration, but whatever it was, it felt delightful.
We rode back to the area where we rented bikes, this time pairing Luke with me and Audrey with David. (When I offered her the chance to switch, she jumped at it so fast that I laughed instead of being offended.) I was definitely studiER on the way back, though it still made me nervous enough to stop and put my feet down when other bikes passed us. David put the bikes in the rack and we went inside to the little cafe for lunch. I wish I could say the meal was better than what we'd had the night before but I am not a liar. We choked it down and then got back on our bikes to ride over to the chapel. It is such a gorgeous building tucked away in the peaceful woods with stained glass scenes of the four seasons along one side. A nice elderly lady that worked there encouraged us to come back for the organ "concert" in about 45 minutes and we politely nodded, knowing we'd probably choose to skip it in favor of air conditioning.
As we walked back to the bike rack, David was pushing for us to take a longer and more scenic route back. It was at this point that I reminded him, as my quads were reminding me, that I had indeed done a triathlon that morning and that I may be ready for a rest. I was about to suck it up and give in, though, until Luke piped up and said, "I have to go potty!" I know you're not supposed to have favorite children, but at the point, he kinda was mine. I mean, I was totally going to stick it out and ride farther, but Luke had to go!
We made it back to the nature center in time and David returned the bikes while I took the kids to the bathroom. After we were in the clear, we visited the gift shop and picked out a couple of t-shirts and our traditional travel tree ornament. When we felt sure we'd seen all that the Nature Center had to offer, we drove back over near the Butterfly House to walk the hydrangea garden that we'd missed earlier (probably due to our heat stroke daze.) There was also a pioneer-era cabin that we walked through. The kids were absolutely stunned that that was once someone's entire house. The placard on display explained that the family that originally lived there had 13 children. Good gravy. For sure that generation was made of stronger stuff than ours'.
It was nearing 3pm when we decided to call it a day and begin the drive back home. The kids did great on the trek back. Luke fell asleep for a few minutes, which wasn't surprising since they'd gotten up at 6am and had a full day of walking and pedaling. We got home just in time to order pizza for dinner, which tasted especially delicious after the weekend of crummy food we'd had. I can't remember what dessert I celebrated with that night, but I'm sure I had some and I'm sure it was tasty.
So that was it. Another triathlon in the books. I haven't decided yet whether it will be my last. I don't think so, but good grief it is hard to balance and extremely time consuming to train for three different sports, even when it's "just" a sprint distance. It also leaves me no time for weight training, which is a major contributor to both how I feel about my body and keeping my weight down. It sounds counterintuitive, but I've discovered that I'm always heavier when I'm training for tris or half marathons because A) I'm hungrier B) I think I deserve to eat whatever I want and C) my muscle tone, and therefore, my metabolism, is lower. So we'll see. For now my plan is to start lifting again and keep up a baseline of about a 10k run. I'll likely continue swimming at least once a week because it is so good for the body. Cycling, however, will probably be the thing that goes by the wayside for now. It's dangerous as well as inconvenient. It takes a lot of time to get to a safe course that offers long distances.
I don't know what race I'll sign up for next, but for now I'm going to sit back and enjoy the feeling of accomplishment. I trained for four months straight and missed less than five scheduled workouts that entire time. I dealt with near daily back pain towards the end (I believe from biking). I sacrificed a lot of time, logged a lot of miles, and said a lot of prayers ("Dear God, please send a breeze." "Dear God, please don't let that car hit me.") And most importantly, I didn't drown. Always a plus.
Here are a few pictures for your enjoyment from our weekend at Callaway:
Audrey and Luke in the big Callaway Chair on Robin Lake Beach
Audrey and Luke in Robin Lake
The acrobatic show put on by FSU students
David took this shot of all of us lined up for the swim start. That's a lot of folks!
Trying to clear my eyes after the swim...
or just in deep prayer thanking God for letting me live.
Feeling pretty good as I headed out for the run
Crossing the finish line. It never gets old!
After the race with my best cheerleaders
This picture means the world to me. There is no way I could do any of my races without the
support and patience of this crew. They sacrifice time, sleep, and comfort to
endure my workout and race schedule and I do not take it for granted.
You know what's fun after a triathlon? More bike riding!
At least I had a little help pedaling this time!
Outside of the Butterfly House. Because standing inside in that heat for even
one more minute was not an option.
Stained glass art of the four seasons inside the Callaway Gardens chapel.
Inside the pioneer-era cabin
My beauties among the beautiful hydrangeas
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Trip to Boston
Sunday, July 2, 2017
David and I returned Wednesday night from a four day trip to Boston sans kids. It was wicked awesome...at least I think that's how you would say it. :)
When we began our planning months ago we knew we wanted to go somewhere neither of us had been before so we could discover it together. We were also in the market for more of an adventure this go round instead of spending the whole time lying on the beach. As the kids have gotten older, the work has gotten less physically exhausting so we finally felt ready to take a trip that would be a slightly more taxing than our last few oh-my-word-just-let-me-sit-in-this-beach-chair-and-don't-speak-to-me kind of trips.
After reading tons of articles, reviews, and information on attractions, we finally narrowed it down to Chicago or Boston and chose the latter because it was cheaper. Now that we had the "where" settled, we just had to figure out the "when".
It took some serious planning to find a time we could go in between Audrey's birthday and party, my triathlons, our trip to Florida with David's family, 4th of July, Father's Day, school letting out and starting back, etc. When I initially planned on leaving the Sunday after Audrey's party on Saturday, it seemed completely doable. After all, her party wasn't going to be at the house and there wasn't much to do for it. That part was true, but I kinda underestimated several other things: 1) Training for and doing two triathlons out of town with overnight stays in the weeks before 2) The amount of work it takes for me to prepare our house to host three different shifts of grandparents who would be coming in and keeping the kids 3) Timber Trek 5k work always kicks off for me in June and 4) How ridiculously hard it is to get anything done with kids at home all day. The week before we left I was thinking maybe we should've picked a beach destination after all!
Somehow it all came together and we left early Sunday morning for our flight. We landed at Boston Logan airport around 1pm and made our way to the subway. We got off the first bus and after looking fruitlessly for the next bus we were supposed to catch (we were still newbies at that point...it got better), we gave up and walked the 3/4 of a mile with our luggage through Chinatown. Along the way we saw some interesting sights, including a store front with live chickens and other birds you could buy to kill and cook. Now that's fresh!
When we arrived at the hotel our room was already available, so we dropped our bags there and headed out to explore Boston Commons and The Public Garden. The Commons were pretty, but nothing particularly noteworthy. It was just a large green space in the middle of the city full of people enjoying the pretty weather. The Public Garden, on the other hand, was really gorgeous. It had beautiful flowers and landscaping and of course the famous "Make Way for Ducklings" swan boats and statue. I loved that book as a child and have read it a hundred times to our kids over the years, so these sites were at the top of my list to see and they didn't disappoint. Though we probably would have if the kids were with us, we didn't pay the money to ride a swan boat. Instead we grabbed a hot fried dough pie from a street vendor and sat on the bench watching the boats and the ducks swim by. After we ate, we walked around the perimeter of the gardens and looked at all of the historical statues and fountains until we came to the statue of Mrs. Mallard and her ducklings. There were a bunch of children climbing all over it and I didn't want to shoo them out of the picture (okay I did, but decided against it), so I took the best shot I could and we moved along.
We passed the "Cheers" bar from the famous TV show (though there is apparently another one somewhere in the city and there is debate about which is the authentic one) and walked over to the Esplanade and Charles River. There were a ton of sailboats, kayaks, and even a gondola on the water though the sky threatened to unload at any minute. We figured if the locals were going to ignore the impending threat of storms, we would too and kept walking through the area and back along Charles Street. We ducked into a gift shop or two, but didn't find anything we couldn't live without. On the way back to the hotel, we strolled through the Public Garden one more time and crossed the bridge that spans the widest part of the pond.
Somehow we managed to make it back to the hotel without a drop of rain ever falling. We changed clothes and hurried down to the nearby subway station. We were just in time to catch our train and make it to the North End for our dinner reservations at an Italian restaurant. It was a small place, but as cute and authentic as could be. Though my chicken parmesan and "chef's choice" pasta (spaghetti that evening) wasn't great, the bread and salad were delicious and we certainly did not leave hungry. Taking our time, we strolled back around to a local comedy club where we'd purchased tickets for an improv show. We picked them up at Will Call and took our carefully-selected seats in the second row, hoping that would keep us safe from becoming unwilling participants in the act.
The show was hilarious. It ran nearly two hours long and while some of the jokes fell a little flat, the overall atmosphere and talent was great. David even threw out a hilarious suggestion when they asked the audience to contribute, which added to our fun. Not wanting to push our luck with safe public transportation at 10pm, we called for our very first Uber ride (slow adopters here) to take us back to the hotel and fell asleep quickly.
The next morning we got up and grabbed a quick breakfast in the hotel Starbucks before hitting our self-guided tour of the Freedom Trail. The trail itself is about 2.5-3 miles long and takes you through 17 famous historical sites, including the graveyard where Paul Revere, Sam Adams, and the victims of the Boston Massacre are buried; the site of the Massacre itself, The Old South Meeting House where the signal was given that started the Boston Tea Party, Paul Revere's house, the Old North Church where the lanterns that gave the "one if by land, two if by sea" signal were hung, the USS Constitution, and the Bunker Hill monument among others. Some places are open to the public (usually with a suggested donation), while others are paid admission only.
Once we got to the North End, we stopped by Modern Pastries to grab some famous dessert for lunch (adulthood is great that way) and then headed over to Paul Revere's house. I couldn't take pictures inside, but it was pretty unbelievable to be standing in the very rooms where he ate, slept, and lived. We walked onto the next stop of The North Church and then went into a nearby souvenir shop to look around and choose our traditional Christmas ornament for our travel tree. We hiked across the Charlestown Bridge and found bathrooms and an ice cream shop before psyching ourselves up for the last bit of the trail.
The USS Constitution was our next stop. We knew the ship itself was closed for tours on Mondays, but we did get a consolation prize of going aboard an old WWII Navy destroyer, the USS Cassin Young. It always amazes me to see how small those things are in person and think about the crew working, sleeping, and eating there together for months on end. After touring it and then the USS Constitution's museum, we hiked uphill to the Bunker Hill Monument.
When we arrived at the monument, I informed David that I'd read we could climb to the top. Turns out I should have been super sure that I wanted to climb the thing before I mentioned that tidbit. Oh well, at least some of that pastry and ice cream lunch was about to be worked off. As he headed back down the hill to procure us passes to climb up, I rested on a nearby bench. Nearly 300 stairs later, we stood inside the top of the tower and looked out the four sides at the stunning views of the city all around us. It was well worth the climb, just as David thought.
After making it safely to the bottom, we walked back down towards the water and caught a ferry over to the wharf and then a subway ride back to the hotel. We put our feet up for a few minutes, called to check on the kids, then caught a subway back down to the wharfs for dinner at Boston Sail Loft restaurant. We shared a cup of clam chowder, lobster mac and cheese, and a lobster roll. It was all very tasty, even for someone who doesn't love seafood. We just couldn't pass up having lobster while in Boston! After dinner we walked down to Christopher Columbus Park near the water's edge and watched the boats go in and out and the sun set. We finally tore ourselves away and made it back to the subway station then the hotel before 9pm and were asleep soon after. Even with the subway rides and water ferry, we logged nearly 11 miles on foot that day (including 300 stairs!) and saw some amazing and unforgettable sites. It was exhausting, but worth every step.
Both of us slept like rocks that night and woke up feeling refreshed the next morning. Our plan was to pick up a rental car and head to Cape Cod for the day. Even though this trip was an adventurous site-seeing one, we knew we needed to build in some down time or we'd end up feeling drained and cranky by the end. We got the car and programmed our destination into the Waze app. After making a quick stop at Walmart for some cheap beach chairs and an umbrella (since there wasn't anywhere near our beach that rented them, we decided $25 was well worth it to avoid David being scorched and our bums aching), we grabbed some bagels and headed towards "the cape."
We called back home to talk to the kids on the way over. Audrey was having a rough time missing us, so we tried to check in for a few minutes each morning and afternoon and text a trivia picture of a statue or famous site a couple of times a day to stay connected.
We made it to Mayflower Beach by 9:15am and dragged our gear down to the water's edge. I'm sure all of the locals up near the top were laughing at how many times we were going to have to move our stuff back as the tide was coming in, but we wanted to be where we could hear the very gentle waves lapping in. (Being on the cape side, there aren't many!) When the tide is out, there is a huge expanse of mostly hard sand beach with a few tide pools scattered around. The water was so cold that we only waded in up to our knees and then quickly retreated to dry off. We read and napped and talked for awhile before taking a stroll. When we returned, it was time to move our chairs out of the tide's way a little more and so the morning went until we packed up around 1pm. It was lovely and just the break we needed after the whirlwind tour of the previous day.
After researching the menus of a few local restaurants I had marked, we settled on a sandwich place in downtown Dennis. And I do use the word "downtown" very loosely. It was a quaint little area with a post office, a church, a candy and gift shop, and a library all on the same block. We split huge sandwiches and then walked over to the candy/gift store to look around. From there we drove to Scargo Tower and climbed up to the top (detecting a theme, yet?) It was only about 30 feet tall, though, so it was a much easier and quicker climb to its peak. From the top we looked out over Scargo Lake and, beyond that, the Cape Cod Bay. I took a few pictures before we climbed down and headed back into downtown Dennis to walk around the churchyard and grab some ice cream at The Ice Cream Smuggler, a beloved spot among locals.
After ensuring our blood sugar would carry us through, we visited a couple more shops and then hit Hwy. 6A/King's Hwy for an incredible scenic drive back towards Boston. The houses were exactly as you would imagine with their cedar plank siding and impressive gardens. Each one was cuter and cozier than the last. We pulled off to do a quick hike at the Murkwood Conservation Area in East Sandwich and then again at Boardwalk Beach to walk the long planks through the marshland and down to the ocean. It was very windy, but warm enough if you didn't get in the water.
Feeling confident we'd gotten a genuine taste of the Cape, we drove through traffic back into the city. We returned the car, leaving a nice donation of two beach chairs and an umbrella in its trunk, and walked back to our hotel just as they skies opened up with a fierce storm. It was after 8pm by the time we changed clothes and hurried out to the subway to head up to Beacon Hill for dinner. We'd picked out a couple of restaurant spots to check out in person, but ended up tossing those ideas aside and ducking into Harvard Gardens across from Mass General Hospital. With the live music going and the historic photographs lining the walls, it had just the feel we were looking for. We split some pizza and dessert while checking out the Boston Red Sox on the TVs. They kept stopping for rain delays, which we could see proof of outside the restaurant windows. We opted to call Uber to pick us up at the door and take us back to the hotel, safe and dry. We turned in for the night, a little sad that the next day would be our last but a lot satisfied at how amazing the trip had been so far.
In the morning we got ready and packed up. We dropped our bags at the hotel desk for them to keep and rode the subway up to a place called Thornton's for breakfast. It was cold (60 degrees, I think?) and windy, but I could not have been happier about having goosebumps in June. After filling up, we called the kids to say hello and then strolled over to the Boston Public Library. It is a huge building with both an older and newer section. The original area is full of amazing architecture: impressive murals and artwork, statues, marble floors and staircases, nooks, elaborately adorned ceilings, a fantastic reading hall, and a courtyard with beautiful landscaping and a fountain. I was awestruck walking through and taking in all of the unbelievable art and history. Though much newer of course, I imagine it to be on par with most any work you'd see in Italy...at least to this novice's eye.
Crossing the street we entered the Old South Church and looked at the beautiful stained glass scenes and gigantic organ. The woodwork and decor was much darker and the look was more traditional than the churches we had seen along the Freedom Trail a few days earlier. We walked back outside and headed down the street into the heart of Copley Square. After searching for a good souvenir store and finally figuring out the map was taking us inside a mall, we found it and bought a couple of t-shirts and some lobster suckers for the kids (thankfully they weren't flavored like lobsters...only shaped!) We had just enough time to walk the mile to Fenway Park. Since it wasn't peak lunch hour or game time, we got to go into the Bleacher Bar, which offers a view right into the stadium. Even though neither of us are big baseball fans, it was definitely cool to see the oldest ballpark in America where the likes of Babe Ruth, Cy Young, and Roger Clemens all played.
We caught the subway one last time back to our hotel to pick up our bags and then Ubered to the airport. We got there early and went through security without any problem. Once we'd redressed ourselves (seriously...being native Atlantans we have learned to basically just stand there in our underwear and follow the herd) we split a tasty burger and some onion rings at Wahlburgers. After lunch we found an empty gate to sit at and read. I could barely keep my eyes open and ended up taking a catnap on David's shoulder. He woke me up around 3pm to go get some Pinkberry frozen yogurt. I checked the flight status screen one more time and discovered that our flight had been delayed about thirty minutes. "Not too bad," we told each other, as if we were naive enough to believe that 30 minutes was all we would have to wait.
Sure enough, we didn't board until 5:15pm, an hour after our originally scheduled departure. Then we proceeded to sit on the runway for another 45 minutes. To me the journey to somewhere is part of the adventure and the experience...a leg of the trip to be enjoyed. The journey back is just about getting home as quickly and efficiently as possible. I tried hard to be patient, but there were a ton of kids on board that were about to put me over the edge. (I know, I know...as a parent I should be sympathetic. But if you have not brought ANY toys, entertainment, snacks, etc. and are letting your kid jump up and down in the seat, slam the tray up and down over and over again, and then proceed to change his pull-up IN THE DADGUM ROW, it makes me kinda want to slip your kid some Benadryl and then punch you in the face. Call me judgmental if you want.)
Anyway.
I somehow lived through the terrible turbulence without tossing my hamburger and we eventually landed safely, though shaken up. We high-tailed it to baggage claim and then ground transportation, where we rode our shuttle to our car and got home around 10:15pm. We caught up with David's parents for just a minute before they left and then made ourselves sandwiches and went to bed. After sneaking in to kiss the kids goodnight first, of course.
Not the best ending, but man oh man was it a fantastic trip. I can't explain what it felt like to stand on those hallowed grounds and imagine people like Paul Revere, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Adams, and John Hancock standing there before us. It made me incredibly proud of their work and our American history, but also a little saddened by how far removed we must be from what they hoped for us. As I hang up a few 4th of July decorations this weekend, I do so with a little more appreciation for what it took to give us that independence. I dare anyone to visit Boston and not walk away with a renewed sense of patriotism.
On a personal relationship level, we had the best time discovering a new city and having so much consecutive uninterrupted time to ourselves. We laughed hard together, we figured out public transportation together, we tried new foods and new things together. We also came away with a bunch of just-for-us memories and, combined with all I shared here, the whole experience brought us closer. It was better than I imagined and we'll ride the high of it for quite some time. If you haven't traveled with just your spouse lately, I highly recommend it. Even if you have to eat ramen noodles for two months straight just to save enough for a weekend at the lake, DO IT.
Special thanks to the grandparents for taking such great care of the kids while we were away! We wouldn't have done it without you.
Now I'll leave you with a few pictures while I go start dreaming about our next adventure.
P.S. Before the trip, I read two books that I highly recommend. Both gave me a refresher on the history, offered a great perspective, and made the sites we saw so much more real to me: "The Fifth of March: A Story of the Boston Massacre" and "The Secret of Sarah Revere" both by Ann Rinaldi.
When we began our planning months ago we knew we wanted to go somewhere neither of us had been before so we could discover it together. We were also in the market for more of an adventure this go round instead of spending the whole time lying on the beach. As the kids have gotten older, the work has gotten less physically exhausting so we finally felt ready to take a trip that would be a slightly more taxing than our last few oh-my-word-just-let-me-sit-in-this-beach-chair-and-don't-speak-to-me kind of trips.
After reading tons of articles, reviews, and information on attractions, we finally narrowed it down to Chicago or Boston and chose the latter because it was cheaper. Now that we had the "where" settled, we just had to figure out the "when".
It took some serious planning to find a time we could go in between Audrey's birthday and party, my triathlons, our trip to Florida with David's family, 4th of July, Father's Day, school letting out and starting back, etc. When I initially planned on leaving the Sunday after Audrey's party on Saturday, it seemed completely doable. After all, her party wasn't going to be at the house and there wasn't much to do for it. That part was true, but I kinda underestimated several other things: 1) Training for and doing two triathlons out of town with overnight stays in the weeks before 2) The amount of work it takes for me to prepare our house to host three different shifts of grandparents who would be coming in and keeping the kids 3) Timber Trek 5k work always kicks off for me in June and 4) How ridiculously hard it is to get anything done with kids at home all day. The week before we left I was thinking maybe we should've picked a beach destination after all!
Somehow it all came together and we left early Sunday morning for our flight. We landed at Boston Logan airport around 1pm and made our way to the subway. We got off the first bus and after looking fruitlessly for the next bus we were supposed to catch (we were still newbies at that point...it got better), we gave up and walked the 3/4 of a mile with our luggage through Chinatown. Along the way we saw some interesting sights, including a store front with live chickens and other birds you could buy to kill and cook. Now that's fresh!
When we arrived at the hotel our room was already available, so we dropped our bags there and headed out to explore Boston Commons and The Public Garden. The Commons were pretty, but nothing particularly noteworthy. It was just a large green space in the middle of the city full of people enjoying the pretty weather. The Public Garden, on the other hand, was really gorgeous. It had beautiful flowers and landscaping and of course the famous "Make Way for Ducklings" swan boats and statue. I loved that book as a child and have read it a hundred times to our kids over the years, so these sites were at the top of my list to see and they didn't disappoint. Though we probably would have if the kids were with us, we didn't pay the money to ride a swan boat. Instead we grabbed a hot fried dough pie from a street vendor and sat on the bench watching the boats and the ducks swim by. After we ate, we walked around the perimeter of the gardens and looked at all of the historical statues and fountains until we came to the statue of Mrs. Mallard and her ducklings. There were a bunch of children climbing all over it and I didn't want to shoo them out of the picture (okay I did, but decided against it), so I took the best shot I could and we moved along.
We passed the "Cheers" bar from the famous TV show (though there is apparently another one somewhere in the city and there is debate about which is the authentic one) and walked over to the Esplanade and Charles River. There were a ton of sailboats, kayaks, and even a gondola on the water though the sky threatened to unload at any minute. We figured if the locals were going to ignore the impending threat of storms, we would too and kept walking through the area and back along Charles Street. We ducked into a gift shop or two, but didn't find anything we couldn't live without. On the way back to the hotel, we strolled through the Public Garden one more time and crossed the bridge that spans the widest part of the pond.
Somehow we managed to make it back to the hotel without a drop of rain ever falling. We changed clothes and hurried down to the nearby subway station. We were just in time to catch our train and make it to the North End for our dinner reservations at an Italian restaurant. It was a small place, but as cute and authentic as could be. Though my chicken parmesan and "chef's choice" pasta (spaghetti that evening) wasn't great, the bread and salad were delicious and we certainly did not leave hungry. Taking our time, we strolled back around to a local comedy club where we'd purchased tickets for an improv show. We picked them up at Will Call and took our carefully-selected seats in the second row, hoping that would keep us safe from becoming unwilling participants in the act.
The show was hilarious. It ran nearly two hours long and while some of the jokes fell a little flat, the overall atmosphere and talent was great. David even threw out a hilarious suggestion when they asked the audience to contribute, which added to our fun. Not wanting to push our luck with safe public transportation at 10pm, we called for our very first Uber ride (slow adopters here) to take us back to the hotel and fell asleep quickly.
The next morning we got up and grabbed a quick breakfast in the hotel Starbucks before hitting our self-guided tour of the Freedom Trail. The trail itself is about 2.5-3 miles long and takes you through 17 famous historical sites, including the graveyard where Paul Revere, Sam Adams, and the victims of the Boston Massacre are buried; the site of the Massacre itself, The Old South Meeting House where the signal was given that started the Boston Tea Party, Paul Revere's house, the Old North Church where the lanterns that gave the "one if by land, two if by sea" signal were hung, the USS Constitution, and the Bunker Hill monument among others. Some places are open to the public (usually with a suggested donation), while others are paid admission only.
Once we got to the North End, we stopped by Modern Pastries to grab some famous dessert for lunch (adulthood is great that way) and then headed over to Paul Revere's house. I couldn't take pictures inside, but it was pretty unbelievable to be standing in the very rooms where he ate, slept, and lived. We walked onto the next stop of The North Church and then went into a nearby souvenir shop to look around and choose our traditional Christmas ornament for our travel tree. We hiked across the Charlestown Bridge and found bathrooms and an ice cream shop before psyching ourselves up for the last bit of the trail.
The USS Constitution was our next stop. We knew the ship itself was closed for tours on Mondays, but we did get a consolation prize of going aboard an old WWII Navy destroyer, the USS Cassin Young. It always amazes me to see how small those things are in person and think about the crew working, sleeping, and eating there together for months on end. After touring it and then the USS Constitution's museum, we hiked uphill to the Bunker Hill Monument.
When we arrived at the monument, I informed David that I'd read we could climb to the top. Turns out I should have been super sure that I wanted to climb the thing before I mentioned that tidbit. Oh well, at least some of that pastry and ice cream lunch was about to be worked off. As he headed back down the hill to procure us passes to climb up, I rested on a nearby bench. Nearly 300 stairs later, we stood inside the top of the tower and looked out the four sides at the stunning views of the city all around us. It was well worth the climb, just as David thought.
After making it safely to the bottom, we walked back down towards the water and caught a ferry over to the wharf and then a subway ride back to the hotel. We put our feet up for a few minutes, called to check on the kids, then caught a subway back down to the wharfs for dinner at Boston Sail Loft restaurant. We shared a cup of clam chowder, lobster mac and cheese, and a lobster roll. It was all very tasty, even for someone who doesn't love seafood. We just couldn't pass up having lobster while in Boston! After dinner we walked down to Christopher Columbus Park near the water's edge and watched the boats go in and out and the sun set. We finally tore ourselves away and made it back to the subway station then the hotel before 9pm and were asleep soon after. Even with the subway rides and water ferry, we logged nearly 11 miles on foot that day (including 300 stairs!) and saw some amazing and unforgettable sites. It was exhausting, but worth every step.
Both of us slept like rocks that night and woke up feeling refreshed the next morning. Our plan was to pick up a rental car and head to Cape Cod for the day. Even though this trip was an adventurous site-seeing one, we knew we needed to build in some down time or we'd end up feeling drained and cranky by the end. We got the car and programmed our destination into the Waze app. After making a quick stop at Walmart for some cheap beach chairs and an umbrella (since there wasn't anywhere near our beach that rented them, we decided $25 was well worth it to avoid David being scorched and our bums aching), we grabbed some bagels and headed towards "the cape."
We called back home to talk to the kids on the way over. Audrey was having a rough time missing us, so we tried to check in for a few minutes each morning and afternoon and text a trivia picture of a statue or famous site a couple of times a day to stay connected.
We made it to Mayflower Beach by 9:15am and dragged our gear down to the water's edge. I'm sure all of the locals up near the top were laughing at how many times we were going to have to move our stuff back as the tide was coming in, but we wanted to be where we could hear the very gentle waves lapping in. (Being on the cape side, there aren't many!) When the tide is out, there is a huge expanse of mostly hard sand beach with a few tide pools scattered around. The water was so cold that we only waded in up to our knees and then quickly retreated to dry off. We read and napped and talked for awhile before taking a stroll. When we returned, it was time to move our chairs out of the tide's way a little more and so the morning went until we packed up around 1pm. It was lovely and just the break we needed after the whirlwind tour of the previous day.
After researching the menus of a few local restaurants I had marked, we settled on a sandwich place in downtown Dennis. And I do use the word "downtown" very loosely. It was a quaint little area with a post office, a church, a candy and gift shop, and a library all on the same block. We split huge sandwiches and then walked over to the candy/gift store to look around. From there we drove to Scargo Tower and climbed up to the top (detecting a theme, yet?) It was only about 30 feet tall, though, so it was a much easier and quicker climb to its peak. From the top we looked out over Scargo Lake and, beyond that, the Cape Cod Bay. I took a few pictures before we climbed down and headed back into downtown Dennis to walk around the churchyard and grab some ice cream at The Ice Cream Smuggler, a beloved spot among locals.
After ensuring our blood sugar would carry us through, we visited a couple more shops and then hit Hwy. 6A/King's Hwy for an incredible scenic drive back towards Boston. The houses were exactly as you would imagine with their cedar plank siding and impressive gardens. Each one was cuter and cozier than the last. We pulled off to do a quick hike at the Murkwood Conservation Area in East Sandwich and then again at Boardwalk Beach to walk the long planks through the marshland and down to the ocean. It was very windy, but warm enough if you didn't get in the water.
Feeling confident we'd gotten a genuine taste of the Cape, we drove through traffic back into the city. We returned the car, leaving a nice donation of two beach chairs and an umbrella in its trunk, and walked back to our hotel just as they skies opened up with a fierce storm. It was after 8pm by the time we changed clothes and hurried out to the subway to head up to Beacon Hill for dinner. We'd picked out a couple of restaurant spots to check out in person, but ended up tossing those ideas aside and ducking into Harvard Gardens across from Mass General Hospital. With the live music going and the historic photographs lining the walls, it had just the feel we were looking for. We split some pizza and dessert while checking out the Boston Red Sox on the TVs. They kept stopping for rain delays, which we could see proof of outside the restaurant windows. We opted to call Uber to pick us up at the door and take us back to the hotel, safe and dry. We turned in for the night, a little sad that the next day would be our last but a lot satisfied at how amazing the trip had been so far.
In the morning we got ready and packed up. We dropped our bags at the hotel desk for them to keep and rode the subway up to a place called Thornton's for breakfast. It was cold (60 degrees, I think?) and windy, but I could not have been happier about having goosebumps in June. After filling up, we called the kids to say hello and then strolled over to the Boston Public Library. It is a huge building with both an older and newer section. The original area is full of amazing architecture: impressive murals and artwork, statues, marble floors and staircases, nooks, elaborately adorned ceilings, a fantastic reading hall, and a courtyard with beautiful landscaping and a fountain. I was awestruck walking through and taking in all of the unbelievable art and history. Though much newer of course, I imagine it to be on par with most any work you'd see in Italy...at least to this novice's eye.
Crossing the street we entered the Old South Church and looked at the beautiful stained glass scenes and gigantic organ. The woodwork and decor was much darker and the look was more traditional than the churches we had seen along the Freedom Trail a few days earlier. We walked back outside and headed down the street into the heart of Copley Square. After searching for a good souvenir store and finally figuring out the map was taking us inside a mall, we found it and bought a couple of t-shirts and some lobster suckers for the kids (thankfully they weren't flavored like lobsters...only shaped!) We had just enough time to walk the mile to Fenway Park. Since it wasn't peak lunch hour or game time, we got to go into the Bleacher Bar, which offers a view right into the stadium. Even though neither of us are big baseball fans, it was definitely cool to see the oldest ballpark in America where the likes of Babe Ruth, Cy Young, and Roger Clemens all played.
We caught the subway one last time back to our hotel to pick up our bags and then Ubered to the airport. We got there early and went through security without any problem. Once we'd redressed ourselves (seriously...being native Atlantans we have learned to basically just stand there in our underwear and follow the herd) we split a tasty burger and some onion rings at Wahlburgers. After lunch we found an empty gate to sit at and read. I could barely keep my eyes open and ended up taking a catnap on David's shoulder. He woke me up around 3pm to go get some Pinkberry frozen yogurt. I checked the flight status screen one more time and discovered that our flight had been delayed about thirty minutes. "Not too bad," we told each other, as if we were naive enough to believe that 30 minutes was all we would have to wait.
Sure enough, we didn't board until 5:15pm, an hour after our originally scheduled departure. Then we proceeded to sit on the runway for another 45 minutes. To me the journey to somewhere is part of the adventure and the experience...a leg of the trip to be enjoyed. The journey back is just about getting home as quickly and efficiently as possible. I tried hard to be patient, but there were a ton of kids on board that were about to put me over the edge. (I know, I know...as a parent I should be sympathetic. But if you have not brought ANY toys, entertainment, snacks, etc. and are letting your kid jump up and down in the seat, slam the tray up and down over and over again, and then proceed to change his pull-up IN THE DADGUM ROW, it makes me kinda want to slip your kid some Benadryl and then punch you in the face. Call me judgmental if you want.)
Anyway.
I somehow lived through the terrible turbulence without tossing my hamburger and we eventually landed safely, though shaken up. We high-tailed it to baggage claim and then ground transportation, where we rode our shuttle to our car and got home around 10:15pm. We caught up with David's parents for just a minute before they left and then made ourselves sandwiches and went to bed. After sneaking in to kiss the kids goodnight first, of course.
Not the best ending, but man oh man was it a fantastic trip. I can't explain what it felt like to stand on those hallowed grounds and imagine people like Paul Revere, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Adams, and John Hancock standing there before us. It made me incredibly proud of their work and our American history, but also a little saddened by how far removed we must be from what they hoped for us. As I hang up a few 4th of July decorations this weekend, I do so with a little more appreciation for what it took to give us that independence. I dare anyone to visit Boston and not walk away with a renewed sense of patriotism.
On a personal relationship level, we had the best time discovering a new city and having so much consecutive uninterrupted time to ourselves. We laughed hard together, we figured out public transportation together, we tried new foods and new things together. We also came away with a bunch of just-for-us memories and, combined with all I shared here, the whole experience brought us closer. It was better than I imagined and we'll ride the high of it for quite some time. If you haven't traveled with just your spouse lately, I highly recommend it. Even if you have to eat ramen noodles for two months straight just to save enough for a weekend at the lake, DO IT.
Special thanks to the grandparents for taking such great care of the kids while we were away! We wouldn't have done it without you.
Now I'll leave you with a few pictures while I go start dreaming about our next adventure.
Boston Public Garden
"Make Way for Ducklings" Statue!
Charles River
Gravesite of the victims of the Boston Massacre
Old South Meeting House
Faneuil Hall
Paul Revere's House
Bunker Hill Monument
View from the top of the monument
View from the top of the monument
USS Cassin Young
Aboard the USS Cassin Young
USS Constitution
View from the ferry on the ride back to our side of town
Sunset by the water after a lobster dinner
Cape Cod
Mayflower Beach on Cape Cod
Marshland meets beach at Boardwalk Beach on Cape Cod
Hydrangeas (one of my favorite flowers) were everywhere on the cape
and they were gorgeous! I'd never seen so many color on one bush.
Nearly 11 miles of sightseeing in one day.
I think our other city days were closer to 9 miles.
Inside the Boston Public Library
The reading room in the Boston Public Library
Fenway Park
Complete album of pictures: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10103666980159387.1073741907.22619877&type=1&l=2313bd60f2
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