2007 Family Vacation: Day 3

Finally, a day not on the road for umpteen hours.

We woke up around 9:30 and all took showers - once the hot water started working and I got extra towels from the front desk.

We ventured out at 12:00 to get some brunch, but really looking for breakfast. Rebecca had her heart set on a cinnamon roll, but McyD's wasn't serving breakfast anoymore. We were planning to go to IHOP, but decided on a what I thought was a local dive called The Creamery. They weren't serving breakfast anymore either, so we compromised and let the kids (and Kathy) get a waffle w/ ice cream and a topping. I had the clam chowder in a boule. I had hoped it was "authentic New England clam chowder" but I think it came from a can. Still, it was OK.

From Goat Island, RI

From there we went to Goat Island where the wedding/reception will be - and where everyone else is staying. We found it in within 15 minutes and walked out on one of the docks (once we found a parking place that wasn't valet or restricted.

We went into the Hyatt to look around and ran into Diane, Jim, Chris and Rachel. Everyone introduced themselves and it was the first time Chris had met the girls and the first time we had met Rachel. The bride-to-be had a hair appointment, so we promised to get together for dinner and Chris told us where the "beach" was.

From RI National W...

We drove down the Newport coast and found two beaches, both charging $10 per car to park. Public beaches but private parking? Whatever. We kept on driving to the end of the road and came upon the Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge. We walked around and found this wonderful rocky point where the kids collected all kinds of stones (good thing we didn't fly).

From Newport, RI B...

We did stop at one of the beaches on the way back to the hotel so the kids could get their feet wet in the cold Atlantic for about 20 minutes.

We drove back to Days Inn where the kids catagorized their rocks and shells while Kathy and I took a 30 minute nap.

Bob and Gail's plane arrved on time and we went over the the Hyatt to meet them at 7:30. We decided to go to the Black Peal Tavern instead of Chris's suggestion of The Red Parrot because they were still waiting in line to be seated (they arrived at 7:15).

Jim treated us to dinner. Kathy and I both had the bluefish with bernaise sauce, while Nicholas had the bacon cheesburger (go figure) and the girls each had a grilled cheese and cup of tomato brisque. Chris, Rachel and a few of their friends came by at the end of dinner and we talked for awhile before getting back in the Hyatt's shuttle.

We went up to Bob and Gail's room for a 10 minute visit and came back to the hotel by 11:00.

Tomorrow we drive Bob and Gail around and have the rehersal dinner at 7:00.

More tomorrow night.

2007 Family Vacation: Day 2

From Day 2 - Misc

Destination:Days Inn, Middletown, RI 02842
Distance: 363 milies
Driving Time: 6 hrs. 27 min.
We knew when we left the hotel at 11:30 (on time really) that were were going to travel more miles than what we planned. A quick detour to Hershey, PA was in the agenda, but other than that we were going to wing it.

From Hershey, PA

We did get to Hershey, PA right at noon and went to Chocolate World for a free tour and some yummy samples (parking was free too!). We drove by the new, massive, Milton Hershey School which is still under construction. Back on the road by 1:15.

From Roadside America

On the way into New Jersey, we stopped at Roadside America, a tourist trap where a replica of "America" is constructed in miniatures and toy trains. Kinda neat inside. Very patriotic and leaned heavily on God's overseeing America's development. Very 50's.

It is interesting to note here, as I did to Kathy, the contract between Chocolate World and Roadside America. Hershey is very commercialized - an air of "Hershey is great, worship Hershey, make us richer.." Roadside America, while commercial in that it charged admission, it stopped there. The "city" was a labor of love and really focused on America's grit and patriotism.

From Byram, NJ

Kathy wanted to show the kids where she grew up in Byram, NJ, so we detoured 30 miles to go by her old house. When we got there, two people were standing out frot looking at the house. The street number had changed, so Kathy wasn't positive it was her old house. We pulled up to the curb and I asked if the house was for sale (hoping to get a tour), but the lady out front told us she and her husband purchased it a year ago and were planning on remodeling. We told her that Kathy grew up there 30 years ago. She offered to show us around, but Kathy declined. Too weird, she said.

We left New Jesey and drove straight through New York into Connecticut. Stopped in Stamford to find some snacks - bad move. Got a little lost in downtown Stamford. Added an hour to the trip. Ugh! Kathy did get a neat picture picture of a pair of signs that kinda spells my name.

From Day 2 - Misc

Got to the Days Inn at Rhode Island at 10:30. Checked in then got some McD's.

More tomorrow.

2007 Family Vacation: Day 1

From West Virginia

Destination:Days Inn-East/Airport, 800 S. Eisenhower Blvd., Middletown, PA 17057
Distance: 540 milies
Driving Time: 8hrs. 32 min.

Today was the first leg of our trip to Newport, RI to see Kathy's cousin's wedding. Ideally, we wanted to leave at 10:00 or 11:00 am which would ideally get us to the hotel at around 8:00 or 9:00 pm with stops to eat, bathrom, etc. True to the Norton spirit, we left at 1:30 pm in the 2007 Dodge Grand Caravan we rented.

With three kids, every rest area is a tourist attraction, so we stopped at (almost) each one. We got into West Virginia at 4:00 pm and stopped at the rest area to get a map and stretch. West Virginia speed limit is 70 mph, so we would have made really good time if there wasn't so much construction going on. Before we left WV, we stopped at a Subway and had dinner around 7:00 pm.

From Maryland

Crossed the border into Maryland around 8:00 pm. Stopped at the rest area, but the welcome center was closed. Stretched and left. Construction was heavy again. didn't make very good time.

Crossed into Pennsylvania at 9:30. No rest area because we were on a state road (US 220). We were supposed to go on US 220BR (Business Route), but road was closed. We backtracked 12 miles and finally made it to Pennsylvania Turnpike, where we were the only passenger vehicle on the road. More construction. Ugh!

Made it to the hotel at 12:00 am. We unpacked and are going to bed. Going to Hershey, PA tomorrow as a side trip before we end up in Newport, RI. Pictures and more blogging then.