For those who are keeping up with these blogs in sequential order, I made that train by the skin of my teeth! With two minutes til train time, I realized the ticket I had from my March NY visit was no longer valid! Yikes! Thankfully I have a feeling this happens often, so no one laughed too hard and my scramble to pay for a new one and mad dash across the pedway then onto the train, literally JUST BEFORE THE DOORS CLOSED. Whew! Feeling like a New Yorker, today. 🙂
Anyway, back to the weekend. Sunday was all about boats! I know NOTHING about sailing, but I was pretty stoked to check out something completely new to me – The America's Cup, which is apparently a pretty big deal if you spend your life on the water. Rhode Island played host to some of the events this year, and when we visited back in March, Adam and Lisa suggested we come back up for this. Why not!?!? Anyone who knows much about the size of Rhode Island will understand that dropping a gajillion people in this TINY piece of America = conjestion, so in order to avoid major traffic delays, our merry band of four (Rocky had to stay behind for this one) opted to BIKE to the event! Despite my excitement to do so, I'll assure you my legs are paying for it today! Pictures are sparse from this event (it would have helped if I'd known what I was watching) but there are a few for your enjoyment, and then there are a couple from the road trip back to Hartsdale! After this weekend full of new experiences, old friends and great times, I was WORN OUT but so thankful for another chance to travel and see this awesome world God has given us! Hope you enjoy!
After a four mile bike ride (note the styling hairdo post helment!), we finally made it to the America's Cup event site. I'm basically mesmerized by the ocean in any atmosphere, but pepper it heavily with sailboats and there is a whole new magesty about the sea! Adam and I stopped for a breather and to take in the awesome view.
Here's a close-er-up view of one of the racing sail boats we were watching. These things FLY across the water (with 6 men on-board) and when they turn, one side of the boat goes WAY up in the air. I would be scared to death; Charlee, who is quite in her element here, has vowed to take me sailing some day. I'm already nervous!
Post race, it was back to the bikes! I've got just a little bit more riding experience, so I tried to stay behind the VBBF to "protect" her, just in case. We're now laughing at the bruises all over my legs from all the sudden stops I was forced to make when she would brake unexpectedly! I took out a bush or two (to keep from taking her out) but hey, what are friends for?
I assure you, it takes just a little bit of talent and a whole lot of good fortune to snag a self-pic while riding a bike down a highway! Probably owe God a big thank you for safety on this one!
Spotted this phenomenal house while we were pulled over for a rest. I've decided post World Race, I'll be in search of one of these (and a means of paying for it!) 😉
Adam took us to the school where he trained in Boat Restoration. It was so awesome to see the various stages these ships were in – from just coming in all battered and broken, to finished products ready to head back out to sea!
View of the nearby pier in Newport from inside the school.
You may be familliar with a popular children's book called "Good Night Moon." We ducked in a small shop in Newport and I found a serious of "Good Night ….. you name it" but I was most excited about this one. I was tempted to purchase it for my WAY-IN-THE-FUTURE children, but I kept myself from it, and instead took this shot to remind me when the time comes! So cute!
Somewhere in Massachusetts on the way home, we got SUPER excited when we thought we'd found a Ponderosa… only to discover that it had long since closed and been boarded up. 🙁 Charlee told me that when she was a kid, she loved their spaghetti and I shared about how when I was three years old, my Pa Henry got tired of me eating the majority of his and instead ordered me my very own Teriyaki Steak! I miss those things so much!!!
We opted for Five Guys instead, and both of us marveled at this Coke dispenser! It's complete touch screen, where you select your beverage of choice (from a massive menu!) and whichever chosen comes from the individual dispenser shown. Innovation at it's best! 🙂
All in all, summing this one up as a great weekend! Can't wait to get back to Rhode Island (post World Race) and have some more awesome adventures!
Be Blessed,
Ashlee
