We headed off today and the weather was just beautiful and the ride was thoroughly enjoyable and we got in to have plenty of time to wander about the streets. When we first arrived the streets were packed but the crowds had diminished somewhat by the time we headed out which was nice.



There were more bikes, mopeds, jeeps and everything else you could think of for hire at Martha’s Vineyard and a lot of it was just a stone’s throw from our hotel



Parked up at Oaks Bluff waiting to load on the ferry



And this was the view from where we waited to get on the ferry at Oaks Bluff



And a view of the ferry (The Governor) Sharen and Ken crossed on, we both loaded at the same time and we got on a larger one than them



This is a view of one of the docks in Newport Rhode Island, sort of a Newport Version of Constitution Dock in Hobart. There were heaps of yachts coming and going and we saw some of the New Zealand crew. Needless to say the locals are pretty stoked that the American team won the Americas Cup



A sneak peek inside the door of the Vanderbilt Grace Hotel and Spa (not staying there but looked yummy)



And this is more of the decoration at the door with the pumpkin harvest theme included which is very popular at the moment



A view down Thames Street virtually empty. When we rode up here we literally had to duck and weave through the foot traffic



And the view from our Hotel room window…very nice though we may not think so after the bar and grill next door ramps up tonight…we will see

Bits and Bobs:

Hi Cory, we saw 2 Cory Lanes today, 1 we rode on and the other we rode past.



Saw some good T Shirts which would appeal to my brother Bryan but couldn’t pick between them all. Sorry mate!



And a litter sign we have seen a lot of in Massachusetts

Last 2 night’s Accommodation:



Dockside Inn
9 Circuit Avenue Extension
Oak Bluffs, Martha’s Vineyard, MA 02557

A very nice building, comfortable room, generous inclusions with snacks and tea and coffee available all day and continental breakfast as well as a beach room (towels, eskies, deck chairs, boards, ice and ice buckets), Jacuzzi, and a welcome cookie and glass of champagne. What can I say? Bed beautifully comfortable and handy to wharf side restaurants and anything you may want like rental cars, jeeps, Vespa’s, pushbikes and tour buses but I’m glad we have our own transport. A comfortable spot to drop.

A beautifully warm day saw us exploring this intriguing little island and we loved every bit of it.



A delightful streetscape in Edgartown before the crowds arrived so we got a parking spot and didn’t have to watch where we walked. We were amazed at the number of people moving about the island all day given there is practically no one here compared to 2 weeks ago and at least half of the shops that are open now will be closed in 2 weeks’ time. Weird!



A lovely spot for coffee at a little café called ‘Amongst the flowers'.



A panoramic view across the channel to the island of Chappaquiddick including the ferry. We decided to give it a miss when we saw the queue already on the other side waiting to get back.



The lighthouse and clay cliffs at Gays Head



Lunch at Meneshma and Norm spotted this little boat so added that in honour of our little granddaughter Stella



A view along the inlet at Meneshma behind ‘The Galley’ where we got a killer BLT for lunch



And a view across the water to some more quaint houses in Oak Bluffs on our return

Bits and Bobs:

Cracked me up to see 2 particular street signs today. Bog House Way and Nip’N Tuck Lane! Seriouly, I’m not kidding.



Found outside a toy shop in Edgartown this morning



Found outside a tiny Bait and Tackle shop in Edgartown

It’s been a day of vastly different views of all description and we have enjoyed just soaking them all up. Thankfully it stayed dry in spite of looking threatening for a good part of the day and then this afternoon the sun broke through, lovely.



A church and house around the square in Falmouth a beautiful little village dating back to the 1,600’s



Coffee on the sidewalk was a delight and to prove fall /autumn has begun we had gently falling leaves around us as we sat



We walked down to the street of Woods Hole while we waited to board the ferry and this was the rear of some buildings which appealed to me. Very quirky.



A ship and tug in the harbour at Woods Hole



Some rigging work under way as we approached Oaks Bluff



Some of the beautiful houses on Ocean Avenue overlooking Ocean Park and the Bandstand



We found Hansel and Gretel’s house amongst the many hundreds of ‘Gingerbread houses’



The Methodist Tabernacle – open to the air and seats several thousand. An awesome sight



A view of the wharf in Oaks Bluff

Bits and Bobs:



Now I can understand the skateboard and mopeds but motorbikes? Come on!



A sign on the waterfront where many restaurants and bars are located. We saw it before we headed to Nancy’s for a delicious dinner

Last 2 night’s Accommodation:



The Windfall House
108 Main Street (Rte.130)
Sandwich Massachusetts 02563

An historic old Inn which we had the run of as we were the only guests for the first night and not a lot different the second so spread ourselves out in the sitting room which was lovely. Small quirky rooms but comfortable. Delicious breakfast included and also complimentary afternoon drink which was welcome. Comfortable bed and friendly helpful hosts with terrific dinner recommendations. A lovely stay.

Nice day of exploring today after a yummy breakfast. This is a street view in Dennis



Then coffee in Brewster. By the way we have seen many houses buildings with timber board fronts then shingles for the rest of the buildings. this was an economy option during the 1.700's. Interesting to not where the money was in that time i.e. where the all round timber buildings were / are



A whimsical shop in Wellfleet which among other things according to their advertising even sells fairy doors!



The Pilgrim commemoration tower in the background and war memorial tribute in the foreground in Provincetown



Our lunch choice in Provincetown. Chowder soup and lobster slide roll. Delicious!



A shot for the young grandchildren, a view in the Marc Jacobs store



What is left of the old wharf at Provincetown



An attractive corner in the village of Chatham which was a very pretty sight

We also drove through Hyannis which seemed a reasonably ordinary sort of Village but the ride to and from it was just beautiful with glimpses of the ocean and beautiful leafy green avenues as well as a lot of spectacular real estate which we have also experienced throughout the day. In fact, we have seen houses from the cute and quirky to the incredibly spectacularly grand and everything in between. Incredible!

Bits and Bobs:



A sign in Wellflleet…personally I think the children are running from the Acupuncture!



Also in Wellfleet. A SPECIFIC help wanted sign. Loved it!



On the wall of the Provincetown Post Office. Not sure what it is supposed to mean.

A shot of all of us (Ken, Sharen, Nola, Norm) in the foyer of Omni Parker House after breakfast this morning. A beautiful building!

We collected the bikes and got out of Boston pretty comfortably and headed for Cape Cod and arrived in Sandwich a picturesque little village which we tramped all over this afternoon. We are here for two nights so head off for a trip up to the end of the cape and back tomorrow.



A lovely house in Sandwich



The First Church of Christ, Sandwich



A view across to the outlet to the ocean from the boardwalk which was substantial



Uplands built in 1740, a beautiful house just down from our accommodation. Sandwich was first settled in 1670 and most of the historical houses have names on them and the year they were built and sometimes more history as well

Bits and Bobs:

I enjoyed the creativity of some of the mail boxes and here is a small selection below



# 1



# 2



# 3



# 4



And a sign on a private garden, self-explanatory I would think.



And a peculiar sign. Is this referring to the settlement or those IN the settlement?

Last 2 night’s Accommodation:



Omni Parker House
60 School Street
Boston Massachusetts 02108

A beautiful stately building and what a lovely experience to be here. The staff is welcoming and helpful and the rooms are comfortable if small (unless you upgrade which we didn’t’). Even so the bed was deliciously comfortable and we made good use of the space we had. Have loved the experience and gobsmacked with some of the history. A snapshot only below:
John F Kennedy proposed to Jacqueline Bouvier in Parkers restaurant and he also made his first public speech here
Malcolm Little (Malcolm X) was a bus boy in Parkers restaurant in the early 1940’s
Ho Chi Minh was a pastry cook in Parkers Kitchen from 1911 – 1913!

It has been lovely and sunny all day but the breeze is very nippy in the shade and I’ve had a quiet kickback day for my birthday, explored a little bit of the city for the second time, the first being in 1998, then got my hair done and now chilling a bit before we head for dinner with Sharen and Ken but here is some of what we saw today.



In the Botanic Gardens this is a cute sculpture immortalising a children’s story written about the ducks and gardens



A view in the Botanic gardens across a pond and bridge towards the ‘new’ Boston



A quirky carousel on the Boston Common, a public space beside the Botanic Gardens



The State Legislature Buildings



A residential street view one street behind hotels and offices



Kings Chapel



A sculpture tribute to the Irish Immigrants who have enriched the Boston Community



A quirky dog house at the dock

I like Boston it is a thriving city and yet there is an eclectic mix of commerce, space and city living all in close proximity and easily reached.

The bikes are finished ready to be collected in the morning then we all head for Sandwich for a couple of nights. The GPS is loaded with maps so we will see how it performs on the trip.

Bits and Bobs:



Loved the fire hydrant with what looks like a firemen’s helmet on the top



When a ‘No Trespassing’ sign isn’t clear enough try this one we found on the side of an apartment building

The day dawned clear and sunny but cold so after an experience of a ‘genteel existence’ over a very leisurely breakfast we headed south for Boston. We wanted to be into Boston early in the afternoon to get the bikes to the bike shop and given our late departure it was a case of keeping at it and we did.

My two big memories of the day are the huge number of bridges of all shapes sizes and design over small to huge waterways. Gosh this is a country with vast water resources and certainly highlights what a vast and dry continent Australia is.

The second observation is that we have been travelling in very remote areas and we experienced heaps more traffic than we have experienced for the last week or so, thankfully it was well behaved and predictable and the weather was dry. Makes it all so much easier.



The only photo for the day is outside the bike shop where the bikes are safely tucked away for a service and mine for a new rear tyre and Norms to get a new GPS bracket fitted for the new GPS which we have here with us and have to take outside for it to register satellites tomorrow and then we can download updates to the system and to maps from the internet so it is ready for when we head off on the 25th.

It was great to catch up with Sharen and Ken tonight and share a meal with friends they met on their tour and who head off tomorrow. Tomorrow our break is half way through…hard to believe!

Last night’s Accommodation:



The Hawthorn Inn Bed and Breakfast
9 High Street
Camden, Maine 04843

A lovely old building and we had booked a garden room so we didn’t have to lug cases upstairs which ended up basically being half in the basement so we lugged them down instead. We waited for 2 hours to get in our room and weren’t impressed and it was only half cleaned then. We were told they had 8 of their 10 suites emptied today and were struggling to manage..…I thought that was what they should consider normal. The hosts seem very gracious and make an effort to remember individual names and be welcoming and their knowledge of the local area was good and also tips to visit and dine. If I came back I’d book another room and see if it was better than what we had. Breakfast was included and was a special experience.

I told myself last night I’d go and get a photo of the Algonquin Hotel which can accommodate 1,000 but is closed for refurbishment at the moment but I forgot so this one is compliments of the internet. The Canadian Pacific Railway used to end here in times gone by and this was where anyone who was anyone stayed



A glimpse of the fall / autumn colours on the side of the road as we headed for Bar Harbour this morning before the rain set in and once it set in it was pretty much with us for the rest of the day until we got into Camden. The day was so dark that shortly after we set out this morning the GPS unit switched itself to a night time screen and it stayed on that for the rest of the day.



We set out for the via to Bar Harbour as the sky got darker and the rain got heavier so we ultimately decided we wouldn’t see any of it and instead of continuing we headed for Camden and asked Sharen and Ken to email us a photo for the blog of what we should have seen and here it is. We have loved seeing all the little islands from the shore as we have travelled along the coast and I assume this is the ship they were on. Gives a good perspective to gauge the size of it. Very impressive!



This is the Verona Bridge, looked awesome disappearing into the mist



As we were heading to the bridge from Verona Island to the mainland we saw a huge grey fortress type building to our right with a US flag flying in the centre of it and when we got across the bridge we saw a sign pointing us to Fort Knox (the original one)so we figured we’d do a quick drive by photo shoot but when we got to the spot to go in discovered it was a pay and walk scenario so given all the layers of bike gear we turned around and left. This shot of the fort and bridge is compliments of the internet and you can see both the bridge and the fort. Apparently the bridge also has an observatory in one (at least) tower, not that it would have been too effective today to see anything



Stopping for a bite of lunch and Norm thought he’d take this shot so you could see the amount of water in the paddock behind! OK so it's a river but there was an awful lot of water around.



It’s probably just as well the weather was so crappy or I would have taken forever to get here as there have been so many spectacular houses to photograph…had it been fine. This is one across the road from where we are staying and typical of many



And a view of the harbour after we checked in and showered. We came out to sunshine and drying roads, couldn’t believe it!



These are some falls which literally run under the main street and two lots of buildings. Don’t know what it’s like in a flood!



And finally a beautiful boat near where we dined tonight. Lovely outlook to dine by

Last night’s Accommodation:



The Kingswood B & B
327 Mowat Drive
St Andrews New Brunswick E5B 2P1

What an absolutely lovely home to be welcomed into! The building is a delight with spacious guest dining and siting room and our room is large light and airy and very comfortable and the bathroom has everything we need even if not huge but everything else makes up for it. Our host is both charming and helpful and has lots of tips for local sights and experiences. The décor beautifully complements the building and it all feels lovely to experience. Good value for money with a delicious included breakfast to set us up for the day and plenty of room to park. Yum. Would love to come back at another time.

Last night’s Dinner:



Niger Reef Tearoom – Looking from the tearoom to the sea
A recommendation from our host saw us eating here and the food was superb. It was a cosy little space with friendly service and superb ambience. I could imagine sitting on the veranda on a summer evening looking out over the water. The name comes about from a ship (The Niger) running aground years ago on the reef and keeling over which couldn’t be re-floated until the next high tide so as a result the reef is now the Niger Reef and there is now a flashing red light so no one else does the same thing. Life is funny, it’s always the disasters we remember and this is a typical example.

We headed for the ferry in the moonlight and the glimpses of ocean looked spectacular. Thankfully there weren’t any Moose or Deer to glimpse in fact the only glimpse we have had was of a doe nonchalantly grazing on the side of the road a few days ago. In any case this is a view of the sunrise from the ferry terminal at Digby



And one across the traffic as we lined up to get on the ferry. Note the moon is still visible over the cliff top



Approaching Saint John and the sun is shining and looking good for a ride



Heading in search of a lighthouse on the coastal route we spotted this quirky little shed on the way into Chance Harbour and by the time we turned around the sky was getting grey and threatening



And this was the view across Chance Harbour



Since rain is supposed to be on the cards for tomorrow and we were in relatively early we decided to explore the town this afternoon in case we missed the chance for taking photos in the morning and we found a lighthouse after riding in and out of bays and coves on the way where there was supposed to be an elusive lighthouse…unless it was the Cove trail!



HMS Transportation Building. They have limousines and stretch limousines (most of which have ‘For Sale’ signs on them) and all sorts of other bits and pieces as well as an awesome old workshop but shut up this afternoon



A main street view in St Andrews



A pretty quirky mural on the side street to the wharf



Looking from the wharf back to the town

Last night’s Accommodation:



Garrison House Inn
350 St George Street
Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, Canada B0S 1A0

An absolutely charming little Inn lovingly maintained and decorated and topped off by a lovely warm welcome by our hosts. We had a spacious room on the first floor with a comfortable bed and our own bathroom. There is a bar and restaurant on site and the food for dinner was delicious and it was good to see a good number of meals being served. There is also a lovely closed in veranda area which would be ideal in hot weather. Breakfast was included but we had an early ferry trip so our host supplied us with some delicious muffins and bananas to take with us to fill the gap which we were grateful of and they were also delicious. Room to park out back out of sight. Good value for money.

Well we started the day with a fortress and cemetery ended it with another two. This is at the Halifax Citadel just up the hill from our hotel, the fourth fort to be built on the site and it is very impressive. As we were leaving we followed a huge white limousine out of the site.



Norm has always had a fascination with the story of the Titanic and last year when we were in Belfast we visited the Titanic Museum. Today we completed the circle and visited the Fairview Cemetery to visit the gravesites of those who drowned on the Titanic to pay our final respects and it was overrun by tourists as it has been since the movie apparently. Such a shame, it was a lovely peaceful place apart from the tour groups and guides so this picture gives a better perspective of the place….and a couple of bikes as well. We beat the limousine to the cemetery



A tip from Sharen and Ken was to visit Peggy’s Cove as they had been bussed there from their ship and what a treat it was. It’s a quaint old time fishing port locked in time and the many little communities and coves on the way there are also delightful. This is actually at Peggy’s Cove



And so is this one and we met the limousine coming into the cove as we were leaving



One in French Village



And then lunch at Mahone Bay and this is the quirky little main street. We lunched in the Pub to the right (first floor)



A view from the balcony across the water to a couple of summer houses literally floating on the water and moored….told you it was quirky and yep you guessed it, the limousine trailed in behind us so we’ve obviously seen all the ‘must sees’



And if money is no object you can own your own island. This was just off the shore coming out of Mahone Bay



Annapolis Royal Fort is directly opposite our accommodation tonight as well as two ancient cemeteries. It is beautifully maintained



A view across the inlet. Would have liked to stroll along the boardwalk at sunset but we just didn’t have time



And this is a bird sculpture at the front of some magnificent gardens we were too late to get into

Bits and Bobs:



Another interesting Canadian road sign



And finally a shot for Kevin of the two bikes and Louisiana rego plates in the car park at the hotel this morning. That would be the underground ‘heated’ car park….something Louisiana residents would be unlikely to even imagine. Ha ha

Last night’s Accommodation:



Cambridge Suites Hotel, Halifax
1583 Brunswick Street
Halifax Nova Scotia B3J3P5

Lovely spacious room and nice and private with sink, fridge and microwave so possible to be self-contained if you want to be. Seemed funny to be so quiet after a few B&B’s with less than soundproof walls. The restaurant was nice, staff helpful and dinner superb. There is also an onsite pub but we didn’t visit. There is also a business centre as well as a mini mart with snacks, TV dinners and all the things you forget to pack Very impressive. Yet another comfortable bed and lovely hot shower. Parking underneath so we were very warm by the time we headed off.