CnC: Happy Birthday Jack

Today we went to visit Boston. We are staying about 40 miles south so the ride in was fairly quick, all on freeways and I got it mostly correct. Only missed one turn so that instead of going into the city proper we ended up in a long tunnel. Once out the GPA had problems knowing where it was due to the high buildings.

So we bluffed our way to Boston Common where there was a state run parking station. About to press the button and the lady called us back. "We don't allow bikes in here."

"What?" She was insistent so we had to turn around - I just rode around the barriers - and leave.

Nice welcome.

However we soon found a private parking station, parked and went for a walk. We booked a city trolley tour and a harbour tour. The trolley tour was one we could get off and back on and that turned out to be entertaining. We stopped at the harbout tour which took us across to Allentown and a museum that explained the early days of the US Navy, how and why it got started. Enlightening.

It started to rain and being so far from our bikes and wets, we had to purchase some cheap ponchos. These were necessary to get back to the boat and for walking around for a while until the weather cleared up.

We had some lobster rolls at a well-known seafood shop and sat and ate them in the drizzle. They were yummy.

Then back on the bus and off at the next stop where we were able to walk past the church from where they gave the warning "Two if by sea" and Paul Revere's house. There is also a monument to Paul Revere behind the house. This led us back to the previous bus stop so we got back on and marvelled that the stories told by the different driver were almost completely different from before. Ah well, they were entertaining,

Eventually back to the bikes we set out for "home" but the traffic got the better of us. We perservered for a while on the freeway - better named a parkway - but needed fuel so stopped for that. Then decided to take back roads the last 30 miles, so we set our GPSs to No Highways and off we went. Naturally the two Garmins couldn't agree so mine kept up a patter of "Off Route, Recalculating." until she got switched off.

We saw a heavy storm approaching and so sheltered in a SubWay for half an hour or so until the worst was over. Then it was the last 12 miles in mild rain.

We finished the day with a little celebration for Jack's birthday.

Here's pics: