2025 Jul 12-20: Bus Trip to Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard with The Club/Diamond

Day 1, Saturday, July 12, Travel day. 

We boarded the bus around 8:00 A.M. and departed for Cape Cod, stopping at rest areas along the way. We will pay for lunch meals.

We arrived a little after 7:00 A.M., helped direct people inside the building, and ensured they signed in. Hubby helped load the bus.

The bus departed at 8:00 A.M. 

Our first stop was Love's in Columbia, TN, for a restroom break at 10:47 A.M., 9651-9652.

We stopped for lunch at Greenwood Mall in Columbia, TN, at 1:06 P.M. 

Hubby and I ordered a chicken wrap with Diet Pepsi. We had enough time to shop, so we visited Victoria's Secret and purchased five pairs of panties. We spent $31.80

9653-9655.

Our next stop was the Pilot Travel Center in Pendleton, KY, at 5:15 P.M. for a restroom break. 9656-9658 photo 

We stopped at Texas Roadhouse in Fairborn, Ohio, for dinner. Hubby ordered a Fort Worth Ribeye, salad, and baked potato. I ordered a baked sweet potato and iced tea. We spent $37.20, plus tip. We were seated in groups of four. 9659-9662 7:59 P.M. Our server was Marsha, and we sat at table 233/3.

We arrived at the Wingate Inn Dayton, located at 3055 Presidential Drive, Fairborn, Ohio, for one night and are expected to arrive around 9:15 P.M., room 328.

Took a shower and went to bed. It was a long day. 

Day 2: Sunday, July 13. Travel day and stop at the Heinz Museum 

I was up early and walked around 2 miles before breakfast. 6:01-7:05 A.M. photos 9664-9707. I walked up the street where I saw a pond full of Canada Geese. I walked past Wright State University, Wendy's, and several other restaurants. The highway was beautiful, filled with flowers. 

Breakfast was eggs, sausage, blueberry muffins, and cranberry juice at 7:09 A.M. photo 9708.

Loaded onto the bus and was leaving by 8:30 A.M. 

Our first stop was Loves Zanesville, Ohio, at 10:55 A.M. for a restroom break. 9709-9711.

We stopped at Cracker Barrel in Washington, PA, at 2:05 P.M., 9712, and spent $22.23. I ordered pinto beans, apples, & cornbread, and Hubby ordered a barrel cheeseburger and fries. 

Traveled through Pennsylvania 9713-9724 @3:01

We stopped at the Senator John Heinz History Center, located at 1212 Smallman St., Pittsburgh, PA. Pittsburgh, PA. 3:18-4:14 P.M. photos 9725-9746.

The Chautauqua Lake Ice Company constructed this building in 1898 as a warehouse to store ice. The ice was harvested from lakes in western New York. 

They also used machines to manufacture ice from distilled water.

Dinner at Bob Evans Restaurant, 153 N Breezewood Rd. Breezewood, PA. Around 6 P.M., I ate fried steak, macaroni and cheese, creamed potatoes, tea, and a chocolate chip cookie. (Threw the cookie away.)Photos 9747-9752 @6:43-7:25 P.M. Bought some Naked Bee Hand & Cuticle Salve and some Naked Bee Lotion, spent $18.93.

Travel to hotel 9753-9762 8:45 P.M.

Around 9:15 P.M., arrive at Comfort Inn & SUITES Hershey South, 1589 West Harrisburg Pike, Middletown, PA. Room 162

BIG CAMERA

843-889 @8:51 A.M. downtown Pittsburgh, PA

890-1007 @2:18-3:17 P.M. HEINZE History Museum Pittsburgh, PA

1008-1094 @3:25-5:05 P.M. Travel Pittsburgh, PA 

Day 3: Monday, July 14.Travel day 

For breakfast, I ate two sausage links, a blueberry muffin, and cranberry juice. 9708 at 7:09 A.M.

Walked around the hotel 9763-9764 @ 6:53 A.M.

We traveled in Pennsylvania, 8:36-10:58 A.M., 9765-9768 

We crossed the Delaware River, onto the New Jersey Turnpike, stopping at the Woodrow Wilson Service Area at @10:58 A.M. 9769-9774

We stopped at Rest Stop Darien, CT, at 3:01 P.M. 9776-9778

Bought a McDonald's Oreo McFlurry, spent $8.49.

Arrive around 5:31 P.M. at 99 Restaurant, 7 Airport Road, Westerly, RI 

9779-9781

I have pre-ordered the Grilled Chicken with creamed potatoes, salad, and chocolate cake. 

Rest stop at Invigorate Gas West Greenwich, RI, where Heather fuels the Bus. 9782-9784 @ 7:29 P.M. 9782-9784.

Arrive at Aiden by Best Western 476 MA-28 West Yarmouth, MA, around 9:45 P.M., room 125.

1097-1150 @11:33-12:28 P.M. travel through New Jersey

Day 4: Tuesday, July 15.Visiting Chatham, Eastham, and Providence Town, MA. 

Breakfast eggs, sausage, muffin, cranberry juice. 

At 7:20, we walked to CVS to buy some mouthwash and spent $8.49.

I went to the dentist before we left to file down a broken tooth that kept my mouth sore and to put some medicine on the ulcers that I had in my mouth. 

We meet our guide at @9 A.M. and embark on a tour of the Outer Cape.

Our first stop was Chatham Lighthouse at 9:28 A.M. 9786-9799.

Our next stop was the Salt Pond Visitor Center @ 10:41 to 11:00 A.M. 

Here I walked the trail and got eaten up by insects. 

We visited the Center 9800-9809.

Our next stop was Provincetown from 12:38 to 1:54 P.M., 9810-9831.

We walked around the town, stopping at the Lobster Pot Express for lunch. 

Here we ordered a Lobster roll, drink, and clam chowder. We spent $48.95.

We walked along the alleyway where we saw several art pieces. Monsters attack P-town. Shop therapy is blamed—Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. Alice meets the queen and many other pieces. 

I walked along the Macmillan Pier, stopping to get my photo made with the many colorful floats, and sat on a whale statue. 

Our next stop was at the Red Barn in Eastham, where we shopped and walked through the mini golf course. @3:06-3:28 P.M. 9832-9838.

Arrive around 5:00 P.M. at Not Your Average Joe's, 793 Lyannough Rd, Hyannis, MA, for a prepaid meal. I ordered mustard-crusted chicken with mashed potatoes. 9846-9848.

Depart for the hotel around 6:30 P.M.

Big camera

1151-11-79 @8:37-9:13 A.M. Chatham Lighthouse Chatham, MA 

1180-1187 @9:31-11:00 A.M. Eastham Windmill

1188-1279 @11:45-1:31 P.M. Provincetown, MA

1280-1281 @1:58 P.M. Red Barn Eastham, MA 

1282-1296 @3:15-3:26 P.M. Higgins Farm Windmill Brewster, MA

1197-1299 @4:08 P.M. Passenger Train (Cape Cod Central Railway) Hyannis

Day 5: Wednesday, July 16. Visiting Martha's Vineyard 

After breakfast, we meet our guide and depart at 9:30 A.M.for Stop & Shop 39 Nathan Ellis Highway, Masphee, MA Depart for Ferry to Martha's Vineyard at 9:35 A.M. Arrive at The Island Queen Ferry 75 Fallouth Heights Rd, Falmouth, MA. Depart for Martha's Vineyard at 10:30 A.M. Arrive Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard at 11:15 A.M. 

Several of us took an excursion in four different vans around the islands for 1 1/2 hours. We spent $120.00. We stopped at The Seafood Shanty in Edgartown for lunch. 

Hubby and I ordered fish and chips and spent $34.75.

Everyone was dropped off at the ferry, but didn't leave until 3:45 P.M.

We bought an ice cream at the pier.

We walked down the pier, bought a drink, and talked with the owner.

Depart for dinner at 4:30 P.M. at Valley Grille, 39 Old Barnstable Road, Mashpee, MA. We had a buffet-style meal. I got chicken, beef, veggies, roll, salad, and ice cream with a brownie. 

Depart for the hotel at 7:30 P.M. 

9852 Ferry ride 10:40 A.M. (Island Queen)

9853-9869 Excursion 11:43-12:02 P.M. 

9870-9875 lunch 12:43 P.M. (The Seafood Shanty)

9876-77 boats

9878-9885 dinner and flowers outside (Valley Grille)

1301-1409 9:33-2:50 P.M. Martha Vineyard, Oak Bluff, Edgartown

Day 6: Thursday, July 17. We visited the towns of Sandwich and Hyannis, MA

After breakfast, we will meet our guide at 9:00 A.M. and take a guided tour of Hyannis and the quaint, historic village of Sandwich. 

We visited the John F. Kennedy Museum and the John F. Kennedy Memorial in Hyannis.

We ate a lobster roll with water at Fresh Ketch, Hyannis. 9892-9894 @12:25 P.M.  

1410-1497 ~9:07-10:22 A.M. Sandwich, MA (Canal Visitor Center), where I walked to the pier. The canal is a waterway operated by the Corps of Engineers where you can hike, fish, and watch ships. 

Big Camera

1502-1538 @10:29-10:34 A.M. JFK Museum Hyannis, MA 

1545-1578 @2:28-2:52 P.M. Veterans Park Hyannis JFK Fountain 

9895-9903 @1:40 P.M. WE traveled through Hyannis, MA

9904-9906- JFK Memorial Hyannis at 3:56 P.M. 

9907-9911 we traveled through Hyannis, MA @4:10 P.M.

9912-9916 Dinner at Grand Cafe Hyannis, MA. At 5:14-6:08 P.M. 

I ordered Grilled Salmon, a salad, creamed potatoes, veggies, and for dessert, Vanilla ice cream drizzled with chocolate syrup. 

Returned to the hotel and packed, for we are beginning our journey home. 

Lee Haygood went to the hospital during the night with a UT infection and stayed a few days. They ended up flying home. 

Carolyn went back to her room to get something before we left. She fell and hurt her shoulder. The door locked, and she could not get up to let anyone in. The master key would not work, and the fire department had to come to rescue her. She was taken to the hospital. She spent the day at the hospital. We dropped off her two sisters and sister-in-law at the hospital.

They all rejoined us for dinner. Carolyn was fine; she just got a lot of bruising. 

We had another couple decide they wanted to fly home. So when we left, we were three fewer people on the bus.

Big Camera 

1410-1497 @10:07-10:22 A.M.  Sandwich, MA  & Canal Visitor Center. 

1502-1538 @10:29-10:54 A.M. JFK Museum at Hyannis, MA

1545-1578 @2:38-2:52 P.M. Veterans Park JFK Memorial and Korean Statue Hyannis 

Day 7: Friday, July 18. Begin our journey home, and stop at Foxwood Casino

Please have your luggage ready for pickup in our room by 7:15 A.M.

9918- at 9:10 A.M., we were in Buzzard's Bay, MA, 

9919-at @9:45 A.M., we were in Fall River, MA. 

9920-@10:03 A.M., we were in East Providence, RI  

9921-9923 @ 10:30 A.M., we stopped at Invigorate to fill up with gas and use the restrooms

9924-9978 - at 11:34 A.M., we stopped at Foxwood Resort and Casino, 39 Norwich Westerly Road, Ledyard, CT., and the Tanger Outlet. 

We walked through the casino, where we saw display windows of clothes worn by different entertainers. Richie Sambora (Bon Jovi), Lita Ford, Usher, Skip Not, Britney Spears, Chris Isaac, Mondonna, John Entwistle, Dan Victory (Counting Crows), Tom Keifer (Cinderella), Felix Pappalard, Steven Van Zandt, Dukes of the Souls, Duff McKagan Guns N' Roses, & the Beatles. 

We saw several native American statues, a sucker & duck large enough to stand next to. We saw several restaurants in Hell's Kitchen and Wahlburgers.

We traveled through Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and upper New York. Stopping to spend the night in Carlisle, South, Pennsylvania.

9979-9983 @3:56 P.M., we traveled through Preston, Norton, Norwich, and the Thames River, CT. 

9985-9986 @ 5:07 P.M., we traveled through Terrytown, NY 

We arrived around 6:30 P.M.at  Golden Corral, 900 Lehigh Valley Mall Drive, Whitehall, PA. I ordered fried shrimp, hushpuppies, and fries. Dessert: Strawberry and carrot cake. 9987-9988 

9989 @11:02: We arrived at Best Western Carlisle South, 101 Alexander Spring Rd, Carlisle, PA, room 359.

9979-9983 Travel through Preston, Norwich, and the Thames River in Connecticut. 

Took a shower and went to bed. 

Day 8: Saturday, July 19, traveling home, stopping at Carnegie Museum and Flight 93.

I walked around the hotel in Fairborn 3231-3243 IPAD @6:36-6:49 A.M. 

Ate a strawberry yogurt and cranberry juice for breakfast at the hotel and left for Pittsburgh, PA, at 8:30 A.M.

9990-9991- @ 9:46 A.M. we traveled through W. Providence, PA 

9992-1007- @9:58 we traveled through Bedford, PA 

0018-0020- @ a0:06 A.M. we traveled through Napier, PA.

0021-0063- at 10:09-10:30 A.M. We traveled through Manns Choice, Shellsbury, Central City, and Stoystown 

0064-0102 @10:32-11:50 we stopped at Flight 93 National Memorial Stopystown 

0103-0128 - @ 12:51-1:32 we traveled through Quemahoning township, Friedens, Somerset, Lincoln, and Jefferson, PA 

0129-0147 @1:25-1:32 we travel to Pittsburgh, PA

0148-0171 @2:08-2:13 we visited the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 

We ate lunch at Fossil Fuels, located on the lower level of the museum, near the natural history area. We ordered a chicken sandwich, Macaroni salad, and a parfait. I ate the parfait.

Andrew built the Carnegie Museum, which opened in 1895, and included artifacts from Egypt, minerals, exotic wildlife taxidermy, and dinosaurs. 

We will depart for Fairborn., Oh, at 3:15 P.M., we will pay for lunch and dinner. 

We should arrive at the Wingate Inn Dayton Fairborn, located at 3055 Presidential Drive, Fairborn, OH, for one night.   

IPAD 

Traveled through Pennsylvania at @9:18 A.M. -3244-3258

Flight 93 Memorial and Museum @10:36-11:51 -3259-3313

Traveled to Pittsburgh @1:34- 1:37 P.M. - 3321-3334

Visited Carnegie Museum and ate lunch from @1:42-3:17 P.M. -3335-3456

Traveled through Pittsburgh, PA 3453-3522 @3:24-3:52 P.M. 

Iphone

We stopped at Steak 'n Shake at 7:20 P.M. Hubby and I split a hamburger, fries, and a Dream Cycle milkshake. 0179-0181 spent $20 

0182 - We crossed the Muskingum River at @7:26 P.M.

0183-0185 - We were in Zanesville, Ohio, at 7:30 P.M. 

Took a shower and went to bed. 

Day 9: Sunday, July 20, Travel Home, final day of travel. 

Ate a strawberry yogurt for breakfast after walking around the hotel for about 45 minutes. 0186-0197 - @ 7:16 A.M.

We stopped at Pilot in Pendleton, OH,  for a restroom break at 10:26 A.M. 

We stopped at Greenwood Mall in Bowling Green, KY, for lunch. 

I wasn't hungry, so I went for ice cream instead. Hubby ordered a Chinese plate. I went shopping at Victoria's Secret. They had a "buy two, get one free" sale. They also had 10 pairs of panties for $40. 

We picked up Fran's grandson and her dog in Nashville. 

We stopped at Buc-ee's in Athens for dinner and to drop off a passenger.

Hubby and I split a BBQ sandwich— spent $8.00

My Hubby and I helped unload the bus of everything left inside the coach. 

We should arrive home around 7:45 P.M.  

It is great to be back home. 

⛴Trip to Cape Cod

September 22, 2012

My daughter and I rode from Newington, Connecticut to Cape Cod, Mass.

We stopped at Dunkin Donuts for breakfast and ordered 8 munchkins.

We rode across the Sagamore Bridge, and facing us was the Rotary sign that said, “Welcome to Cape Cod.”

We visited the white and red Bass River Lighthouse sitting among the Townhouse in West Dennis. 

Bass River Lighthouse

We visited the Light House Inn Lighthouse that now sits on top of the Lighthouse Inn in West Dennis.

Behind the Inn was a rock wall that made a circle in the Bass River. We walked along the wall stopping to take several pictures. It was a beautiful place for a wedding. 

Light House Inn Lighthouse

Rock Wall 

We ate lunch at Kreme and Kone's a family-owned clam shack in West Dennis, where we were served the best seafood on Cape Cod

We split a plate of grilled Halibut on a bed of rice with coleslaw and a vanilla ice cream cone for dessert. 

We stopped at the Salt Pond Visitor Center in Eastham where we used the restrooms and toured the museum.

The museum had artifacts, photos, and art from the Mashpee-Wampanoag and Aquinnah tribes.

The Visitor Center also had pictures and articles showing the natural and cultural forces that created Cape Cod's beaches. 

I bought a couple of postcards, Nauset Lighthouse and Three Sisters. 

 Salt Pond Visitor Center in Eastham 

 Salt Pond Visitor Center in Eastham 

We also stopped in Eastham to take pictures of the Georgian, Late Victorian-style Eastham Windmill.  

It is the oldest windmill on Cape Cod. It was constructed in 1680 by Thomas Paine in Plymouth. 

We visited the 18 century Judith Baker Windmill, in South Yarmouth. The windmill faces west to Bass River, and nearby is a small boardwalk and beach. 

Judith Baker Windmill

In the town of Orleans, we walked along Nauset Beach, where we saw the Three Sister Lighthouses, & Nauset Lighthouse.

Three Sisters Lighthouses 

Nauset Beach 

Nauset Lighthouse

We saw the historic markers: Three Sisters lit the Way; The Nauset Lights, Pushed back by the sea; & The Long, Black Cable. 

The sun was going down behind the large sand dunes, when we reached Provincetown, Ma. My cell phone was about dead, so I did not take many pictures in Provincetown.

We stopped at Far Land Provisions located at 150 Bradford Street Provincetown, Ma 02657.

We saw the Pilgrim monument, founded in 1892, that overlooks the town. It was said that the Pilgrims spent five weeks exploring the tip of Cape Cod. 

 Pilgrim Monument

We walked several blocks taking in the sights. We saw people sitting on the benches in front of Town Hall watching the world go by. 

We saw drag queens along the streets inviting us into the drag shows, one had a southern accent. I ask the drag queen where he was from, and he said Georgia. Imagine a southern in Provincetown.

We walked along MacMillan Wharf and back through Commercial Street, where we saw shops, galleries, and a Portuguese bakery. 

We spent the night at South Wellfleet Motel. 

September 23, 2012:

We ate a hot breakfast of bacon and eggs in the Motel’s restaurant.

We walked barefoot along the sandy beaches of Chatham Harbor.

We saw the black and white Chatham Lighthouse.  

Chatham Lighthouse

Chatham Beach 

We saw a white two-story siding house with three chimneys with a red roof sitting next to the lighthouse. It was enclosed inside a wire fence. In front of the fence was the historical marker about the History of Chatham Light.  We also saw the historic marker of The Mayflower Story and The Rescue of the Pendleton. 

Nearby was the Chatham Beach-Tennis Clubhouse. 

We rode past the White building of the First Congregational Church United Church of Christ established in 1720.

The two-decker steeple had a clock face on three sides, of the church.

In Chatham on Seaview, we saw an antique building and in the downtown area, we saw a Corner Toy Store. 

At 3 Rivers Road Orleans, we visited the Jonathan Young Windmill, where we saw the interior workings of a windmill. The wind shaft in the interior is attached to the brake wheel/bull wheel (wooden gears).

Jonathan Young Windmill

We walked along the beaches of Marconi, located six miles north of Salt Pond Visitor Center. 

The waves were high and we saw men wearing rubber suits and surfing. It was too cold for swimming but not for the dogs, we saw happily, jumping into the splashing waves. 

The next morning we bought tickets to take the ferry to Vineyard Haven.

We parked the car and rode the bus to the ferry at Oaks Bluff.  

On the bus we meet a couple, they ask where we were from, and they said that they had family living in Florence on Robins Lane.

ferryboat 

Everyone got off the bus and loaded onto the ferry.

The ferry took us to Martha’s Vineyard. 

In Martha’s Vineyard, we walked to Ocean Park, where we saw a flock of geese.

In the park, we saw a bandstand, some markers, and a statue. September is the offseason and it was getting late so most of the stores were closing or closed. 

We stopped in The Good Ship Lollipop Store, where I bought some animal cookies and a diet Pepsi. 

The store owner's wife named the store The Good Ship Lollipop.  

We saw many store signs as we walked through the town, we saw Ben & Bills Chocolate, Ice Cream, and Candies, Skinn & Fat sandwiches, Bite on the Go, Pirate Jacks burgers, Sharkey’s Cantina, Oldies Memorial Fountain, Laughing bear, It’s me, Murdock fudge, Boat skipper. 

Vineyard and Vines 

We did not want to miss our ride back to the main island so we hurriedly walked back to the ferry station, but the last ferry left at 6:30pm.

We were told to take bus 13 to Vineyard Haven, it had the only ferry going back to the mainland.  

We hurriedly walked toward the first bus 13 but that bus was going in the wrong direction. We had to wait for the next bus 13, which would take us to Oak Bluffs where we could catch the next ferry.

The couple we met earlier was on bus 13.

On the ferry ride, we meet two women that lived in Johnston, RI.

Riding the ferry 

Riding the ferry 

Riding the Ferry 

One of the women said that she worked in the Art and Drama Department at the local college in Johnston and her husband owned a business.

The other woman said her husband was an angler. 

The two women were on vacation together and my daughter talked their heads off. 

We rode the bus to the parking area where everyone got off and went to their cars. 

We rode to Val’s house, he was watching the Patriots play the Baltimore Ravens. The Patriots lost by one point 30 to 31. We spent the night in Johnston.