Category: Travel
To Boston
The vacation had to be interrupted by a business trip to Boston to meet with the CEO of a client. Normally, I would have been able to take a pass, but the project involved an extraordinary program by this client help address the problem of hunger in America. It was the kind of project I have been seeking for years now and offered an opportunity to address a real social problem.
While getting to Boston would not be easy, as it turned out, getting back was an ordeal.
Long story short, I drove 2.5 hours to Rutland, Vermont and took a ten seater plane to Boston. As we boarded the plane, the gate agent said to the man in front of me, “you’re going to be the copilot today.” I thought he was kidding. He wasn’t. That passenger sat in the copilot’s seat.
The flight was only moderately bumpy and we never flew above 7,000 feet. Coming into Logan on that kind of plane was actually kind of a kick. See the picture below, taken from my seat.
The meeting went reasonably well, but the trip back was a nightmare. All flights to Rutland were cancelled because the weather computer was down. Their plan was to transport us by “limo,” aka shuttle van, to Rutland. After waiting around for a while, they ended up flying us to Lebanon, New Hampshire, where we were shuttled by “Gramps” to Rutland. As it turned out, Gramps only took us halfway on the hour and fifteen minute trip. We (me and another guy who had started his day in Eugene, Oregon) were transferred to into another shuttle and arrived at Rutland airport at 11 pm, 4 hours later than expected. I then started by 2.5 hour drive back to camp.
Arriving at camp at 1:30 am, I took our rickety motor boat the mile across the lake where they had lit up the main dock for me to steer toward. As I drifted into the slip, there was a huge splash to my right as a snapping turtle dove off the dock where he was presumably sleeping. He about two feet in diameter and cruised into the slip behind me. I was extra careful getting out of the boat onto the dock.
First Fish
Danny and I did a fly fishing weekend last year for a long promised bonding experience. We bought an obscene amount of equipment, including a very nice fly rod.
On our first morning at camp, I decided to give it a spin. It was a mess. I couldn’t get the casting right and was getting frustrated. Then…..bam! Caught a fish.
It was a bit of a fight as I yelled for Rita to grab the net and the camera. The fish was surprisingly small, given the fight he put up. But it was a good way to start the trip.
Dead heading
In a break from the past, we decided to go to the camp on Friday night, instead of our usual Saturday arrival. Technically, we’re not supposed to arrive before Saturday, but we learned that our cabin was empty and ready for occupancy on Friday. So, instead of our usual stopover in Albany on Friday, we decided to go all the way to camp.
We left on Friday morning at about 10:30 am, prepared for a long trip. While we would be able to get through New York City before rush hour, we’d probably hit Albany at maximum traffic time, a Friday night during summer time.
One interesting experience we had on the way had to do with the Olympics. The sister of an acquaintance of Bridget’s was actually competing that day in the 800 meter freestyle swimming competition. Bridget had watched her progress from the trials on. Her name is Katie Ledecky. In a testament to the new media world we live in, we were able to get live coverage of the Olympics on both an IPhone and my IPad. The connection was a bit spotty on the IPad, but the IPhone seemed to get a petty steady signal. So, driving in a car, up Route 87 in New York, we were able to watch Katie win the Gold Medal. Good thing Rita was driving, as I am easily distracted while driving. Rita was able to manage driving and while simultaneously watching the race.
Sure enough, we hit a dead stop in Albany. So, we pulled off the road, did grocery shopping and had a quick dinner at a Panera.
By the time we got back on the highway, traffic had cleared and it was a smooth ride from there on. We arrived at camp at 9:10 pm and Luke was there to greet us. The vacation had begun.
Adirondacks 2012 – No Change!
Wednesday, August 1
I reveal to the family that I may have to leave the Adirondacks on Monday to attend a meeting in Boston. Bridget erupts.
“Don’t you people realize that I don’t like change? I’m about to endure the biggest change of my life by going to college. The only constant is the Adirondacks. Danny’s coming late because of the Joe Kennedy campaign and now you going to leave for a day. This has to stop!”
I explain the purpose of my Boston trip and when I say, “It’s Panera.” She’s say, “You gotta go.”
Adirondacks 2012 A Journal
I’m trying something new. This will constitute my journal for our Adirondacks vacation of 2012. However, since we don’t have either Internet or cell connection on the camp, these posts will not be real time. I’ll lot them up when I return to civilization, but they will be chronological.
To refresh, we stay at the Baekeland Camp in the geographic center of the Adirondacks, about halfway between Blue Mountain Lake and Raquette Lake. Our lake is Utowana Lake, which means “Big Waves,” presumably in the Iroquois language. It is a three mile long lake in what is called the Eckford Chain. Baekeland is the only camp on Utowana. There is no road to the camp. You have to come across the lake by boat. There is no TV and spotty cell service. It is the perfect place to unplug. We essentially own the lake when we are here. It is idyllic.
Here is Bridget diving off the dock of our cabin, situated on a small cove on the north side of the lake.
Anniversary of the Vatican Reading
Today is the 7th anniversary of my family’s visit to the Vatican in Rome where I was invited to give the reading. It was the Letter from Paul to the Romans, Chapter 6, verses 3 to 11. Today, I’m starting a tradition where I will post this video every year on this anniversary. I’m assuming that anyone who stumbles across this post will have already seen it, so you can move on….
In Boston With Bridget
Bridget and the Mayah
I spent the last couple of days in Worcester and Boston with my daughter Bridget. It was for a tour of The College of the Holy Cross, to which she was admitted and from which her mother graduated. Bridget went to a couple of classes and toured the campus. Right now she’s leaning toward “The Cross,” but is still considering University of Vermont as a possibility.
Me and the Mayah
After the campus tour, we drove into Boston to visit Faneuil Hall Marketplace at Boston’s Waterfront. I was stunned to learn that Bridget had never visited the area. Continue Reading
Mass in Cantonese
On Thursday morning, I visited St. Jude’s Church for 7:15 am Mass. The celebrant was an American priest, but, otherwise, everyone in the “church” was a Hong Kong native. The Mass was in Cantonese, so I had to follow along knowing the rhythms of the Mass. I like going to Mass when I visit exotic places because it is always an opportunity to experience full local authenticity. I was not disappointed.
St. Jude’s is a combination church and kindergarten. While there is a real church, the Mass was held in what looked like a conference room with folding chairs as pews. Except for the strange language, it was the same Mass that I attend in Washington and Boston. In fact, it is the same Mass that has been celebrated in every corner of the world every day for 2,000 years. There is something remarkable about that. Upon receiving Communion, the deacon switched to English and said “Body of Christ,” for me. Nice touch.
From there, I walked the mile back to the hotel along King’s Road, which is a block in from the harbor and is a large commercial street. Got to see a typical morning with mobs of people hustling to work. Didn’t feel quite so exotic, but interesting, nonetheless.
A View of Hong Kong Harbor
I am in Hong Kong on a business trip. This is my fourth or fifth visit. And, though it never gets old, it doesn’t seem as exotic as it once was. It’s a very international city and everyone I’ve encountered so far speaks English well.
The bad news is I’ve spent most of my time in my hotel room. The good news is I have a 270 degree view of Hong Kong Harbor from my bed.
