Nantucket, Day 3

Nantucket Harbor From the Fast Ferry Dock

We started off the day with a trip to the police station to get a clamming permit for me. I now have a lifetime permit for Nantucket - pays to be old!

The plan was to take the boat to one of David's favorite spots, but first we had to get the trailer lights working. Quite a project. The previous wirer decided to tie the ground & tail lights together, which made a dead short if the truck's lights were on. We tried using the old wiring after fixing it, but that meant using the trailer frame as a ground. It didn't work well, so we finally rewired the entire thing. By then it was too late to go clamming, so maybe tomorrow.

I forgot to tell the Guido's that coming to Nantucket on a Friday is a bad idea. The traffic held them up to the point where they got to wave at the 2:45 boat as it headed out without them. At least they didn't get their luggage on the cart. The plan now is to catch the 5:00 Fast Ferry & arrive around 6:00.

While we were text messaging back & forth (what did I do before I had unlimited texting?) I checked out the magnetic starter on the table saw. Unfortunately, it is dead, and even more unfortunately, obsolete. An exact replacement (used) is over $400.00. I don't know all that much about magnetic starters, but it looks like I can get a replacement from Amazon for around $70.00 so I'll give it a try. The worst that could happen is I'll let the magic smoke out of the starter. It should arrive before I leave, although Amazon Prime doesn't always manage to do two days on the Island.

Well, the Guido's caught the 5:00 Fast Ferry, but it wasn't so fast - it arrived at 6:12. I took a couple of harbor photos while waiting. Check today's LakeshoreImages page for more.

We ordered a bunch of pizzas for dinner. They are off David's diet, but he is allowed every once in awhile...

Until tomorrow -

Nantucket, Day 2

Not much happening today. I went for a 2 mile walk, then spent the rest of the day sitting around reading. Current book is Cuba Strait by Carsten Stroud.

Dinner will be Swordfish and rice.

Nantucket - Wednesday, August 7, 2019

Waiting For the Ferry in Hyannis

A relatively quiet, but long drive to Hyannis. I'm not used to doing 400 miles in a day, although I didn't have the trailer behind me so passing wasn't so bad. I did discover that Massachusetts doesn't have toll booths anymore. I 90 in MA is divided into sections, with a plate reader (and a EZpass reader) at each section. I hate toll roads, but it is the fastest way to get to Hyannis, and I did have a ferry to catch. They charge quite a bit more for billed mileage - I'll get the bill when I get home.

Not much sun on the drive, and a bit of light rain off & on.

I took a few photos at the Hyannis Steamship Authority building, then loaded into the ferry. While the ferry deck was full with cars & trucks (they can load a bunch of 18 wheelers in the Eagle), the snack bar section was almost empty. About a 2 1/2 hour ride.  A couple more photos at today's post at LakeshoreImages.

Nantucket traffic is as bad as usual - long waits at every at stop sign. The roads seem narrower, but that is just because the F 150 is wider, as are the towing mirrors.

Dave & I made a quick run to Stop & Shop for some supplies.

Dinner was sirloin tip, a salad, and an Amy's side dish.

Heading to Nantucket

It has been another 3 years since I've visited my brother Dave on Nantucket Island since I was on cross country trips the last 2 summers.

I've been trying to get this year's crop of blueberries harvested. They are very late this year - I had picked 8 6 cup bags by the 4th last year & while there are plenty on the bushes, most are still green this year. I did manage to put away 3 bags, and hope the birds will leave some for me when I get back to Oswego in 2 weeks.

The truck is packed (well, started) and I plan to leave around 7:00AM. That gives me an extra hour - you don't want to miss the ferry since it is heavily booked, and the cost this year is $537.00 round trip! I don't know if it is inflation or the bigger truck, but more than the last trip. It is a better deal for David coming from the Island. Round trip for natives is around $250.00. Only fair, since they have to go to the mainland for what ever you can't get on the island.

Guidos plan to arrive on Friday. I'm hauling a whole brisket for David to smoke for one of his "friends gathering". He also mentioned that the table saw is not starting, so be sure to bring my tools...

Until tomorrow -

Four Days in the Catskills

Don & Anne put together a 4 day trip to the Catskills for Don's sister Nancy & her husband Len, and I tagged along. The first day was around 204.5 miles, including a short stop at Don & Anne's to form a train. We had reservations for two nights at Mongaup Pond DEC Park, dry camping for $15.00 per night. While they have showers, they are at the park entrance; all we had near us was bathrooms with flush toilets.

We could have left from Oswego, since Don & Anne were already there for my "Thanksgiving in July" dinner, but the park was closer to Binghamton than Oswego.

In any case, the entire day (and that night) was spent in the rain. OK for us in the trailers, but a bit more of a problem for Nancy & Len in a tent. Still, they didn't get wet. We had a friendly duck that spent time wandering around the campsites. Dinner the first night was port tenderloin cooked in the rain, while we had Bubba Burgers the second night.

Len spent some time the second day after the rain stopped fishing on the lake.

The third & fourth nights were at Taconic State Park near the Massachusetts border. A 105.2 mile drive along many different secondary roads, many of which seemed to climb up & drop down each Catskill mountain. Don & Nancy's grandmother had one time owned a house that is still one of two that are privately owned within the park. We took a 3/4 mile trail from the NY parking lot to the tallest waterfall in Massachusetts; Bash Bish Falls. Uphill most of the way to the falls, which is nice because it is downhill on the way back!

Much of the rest of the time was spent relaxing around the campsite, although Don & Nancy did a walk up the stream collecting iron works slag. Some very pretty rocks. Dinner the first night was spaghetti, meatballs & sausage, while tonight we will have chicken Alfredo.

A Pileated Woodpecker was banging around in a nearby tree & I took a couple of photos:

An update:
Nancy & Len headed home Thursday in time to see Mama Mia at the Cortland Playhouse. The rest of us left Friday morning (well barely). 223.2 miles to Oswego along my usual East to West route - US 20, NY 28, & NY 69 to NY 104.

A good time had by all; only problem is it was too short.   More photos at the LakeshoreImages page for the trip.