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 Love's 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. 

That evening, we walked to CVS (which was about 2 blocks away) to buy some spray to stop the itching from the bug bites. 

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 four 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, including 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 Carnegie built the Carnegie Museum, which opened in 1895, and featured artifacts from Egypt, minerals, exotic wildlife taxidermy, and dinosaur fossils. 

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. 

A short story about Friendship

What created the dark cloud?

Billy and John had been best friends since grade school. Everywhere you saw Billy you saw John. 

Billy was a tall lanky boy with straight yellow hair. Billy wore a size twelve-dress shoe, white button down shirt and black slacks. 

John was a tall stocky boy with straight Un-kept hair and always wore boots. John’s feet were small for his size and the bottoms of his boots were covered with dead bugs. If John ever saw a bug he would follow it. Smash! It was dead! 

For twelve years the boys rode their bicycles to school. In the summer both boys worked as lifeguards. Once John saved a small red haired, freckled faced girl from drowning.  

John’s father owned the local hardware store. 

Jones and Jones Hardware had been in the family for many generations, where you could buy a variety of items for your home and garden.  

While Billy’s father was a partner in the local bank called Smith and Barnes Branch Bank of NY.  Both Billy and John’s fathers were well liked and both were very active in the community.  

After graduation Billy went away to Harvard to study law and John went to Cornell to study Agriculture.  

Cornell is one of two private land grant universities. 

After John got his PHD in Agriculture he came back home to begin his career but he was not sure if he wanted to teach at the local university or plant his feet in the soil of farming. 

Mean while his best friend whom he had not seen or heard from in years was working for one of the top law firms in NY. 

Billy now went by the name of William James Smith III Attorney at Law.  

John was working with large farms helping them get grants from the government. Billy hated what he called second-class citizens and did everything against them. The Blue Collar workers he called them! 

John had gone to Washington DC to get a bill passed to help the farmers. 

While debating his bill in the senate John saw Billy, now called William James Smith III Attorney at Law, sitting on the opposing side. 

 Before that day ended John and Billy would become mortal enemies. The harder John fought for to get the bill passed for the farmers the more Billy fought to block the bill that John was trying to pass. Billy was acting as if he never knew John and made John look like an ass in front of his piers. 

John wanted to take a gun and blow Billy’s brains out right there on the senate floor. 

The debate went on for several days, bickering back and forth; finally the farm bill passed the senate. But needless to say Billy and John became mortal enemies. 

It was like they were living on opposite sides of the fence of life. How could someone that you had grownup with and spent endless days playing together have changed? 

How could this be? When did they change? 

By the end of the debate a dark void, emptiness, had fell over both men. A dark cloud followed both men as they left Washington DC 

Sally’s Distrust 

Greenport NY, a town where fresh air does wonders for the appetite, no smog, no pollutions, and the only thing you carry to school is your lunch.

Greenport extends its arms out to Gardiners Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, which offers sailing, swimming, boating, and fishing. 

Sally’s dad was a designer of sailboats, and his love for sailing won him many sailing contest. 

On Sundays John’s dad would close his hardware store so he could go fishing on his sizable fishing boat.

Mr. Smith was a man of leisure and he enjoyed his luxury yacht, this was Billy’s dad.

So, as you can see many hours were spent at Gardiners Bay or on the Atlantic Ocean, where 

Sally, Billy and John grew-up.

Billy was the number one quarter back at Greenport High School and their team was the number one football team in the state. 

Sally had been a cheerleader from the time she could walk, and was always cheering for Billy.   John was a reporter for the high school newspaper.

To get his foot in the door at Suffolk Times John would get up early every morning to deliver their news papers, for he thought he wanted to be a reporter. But that was not to be!

Seems like yesterday as John sits at his office desk listening to Sally on the telephone.

Sally was not a gossip but like to know what was going on in her hometown. 

Sally received a scholarship to study at Harvard in Cambridge Ma, where she received her PHD in Education and where she went on to teach History.

Sally had married Billy while they were at Harvard.

After Billy passed the bar exam he started his own law firm in Cambridge and he and Sally started a family, two boys Sam, & Thomas.

The next twelve flew by and everyone was happy.

One day Billy received a telephone call offering him a partnership at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz the most prestigious law firms in New York City.

Billy accepted without asking Sally.  Sally was upset!

Billy commuted back and forth for many years from Cambridge to New York City.

There was many parties, long hours and many nights no coming home and these were the times that Sally called John.

John really enjoyed talking to Sally but hated the sound of her voice as she talked about Billy. John started getting a bitter taste for Billy’s life style. Was this when the cloud appeared or was John secretly in love with Sally?

The decision

Sally’s passion for history got her a scholarship to South Africa. She would be helping and observing the ways of life of the people in Africa especially the children.

Her plans were to live in Africa for one year.

Sally was very delighted about her up coming trip and could not wait to tell John. 

Sally and Billy had been estranged for many years and their boys were now rambunctious teenagers.

Her sons Sam and Thomas were thrilled about living in Africa. 

Both boys loved creatures both great and small especially the endangered animal.

The family would be leaving at the end of the boy’s school term, which ended May 30.

March was a bitter cold month and Sally had just a couple of months to make sure that she and her boys had everything they needed for their up coming trip.

They would need several shots to prevent diseases and passports for travel, which sometimes can take several months to receive.

Sally was going to miss her weekly calls to John. 

Sally secretly hoped that John would accept the position her University was offering.

Cambridge University wanted to send someone with a PHD in farming to Africa.  

They wanted to teach the local people to farm and harvest their vegetables with the use of irrigation.

John had just received the package from Cambridge inviting him to join the research in farming in Africa.

Sally had said that she was going to Africa to teach and her boys would be there to help who ever went on the farming scholarship.

Would John have enough time to get his passport, & shots and be able to fly to Africa with Sally and the boys?

John was troubled about making the right decision

Should he go or should he stay? His mind was muddled right now; maybe he should sleep on that thought.

John did not want Sally and the boys to go alone.

He knew she could take care of herself for she had taken several self defense classes and the boys were big and strong.

John loved farming, the environment, and people.

This would be a great opportunity for him.

John could experiment with his new farming techniques on fertile and infertile soil.

John would be receive a grant from Cambridge as well as keeping his current position.

John tossed all night, thoughts running through his mind.

The sun came streaming into his bedroom window. It was time to get up.

John had made his decision.

Going to Africa

John was on his way to Africa along with Sally and the boys.

Living in Africa would be very different from living in the states but they were all up for the challenge.

The African children were thrilled to meet the boys and the boys fit right in.

The boys could speak many foreign languages and most of the African children could speak some English.

No more suits and ties, Burma shorts and tee shirts. This was the life!

They would be living near the Atlantic Ocean and the boys loved to swim, fish, and surf.

Fun in the sun all day but first the boys had to do their chores.

Living in Africa would be hard work because there was no modern farm equipment to use.

The boys did not mind as long as they could spend there free time at the beach.

John spent long hours planning his techniques to teach the locals.

Sally spent most of he time getting the small schoolhouse ready for the children.

Sally would not only be teaching history but many other subjects.

The children would have to share books for Sally had not brought enough books to go around.

No, I Pads here!

In the distance the sounds of gunshots and missiles

In many parts of Africa there was violence.

Hopefully the rebels would not come within distance of where they were living.

The rebels hate Americans and Europeans.

It could be fatal if one got captured by the rebels.

The big cats have been driven out of their land and farmers had found carcasses of their cattle and goats.

The big cats had not harmed humans yet!

The raining season had begun and many animals had started migrating toward the once dried up water hole that now was now over flowing with water.

Now was the right time to start planting crops.

Out of the blue Sally’s husband Billy appeared!

What was he doing here? 

This was so out of character for Billy!

Billy always wore a suit, but wait what was he wearing?

Had Billy come to stay?

Had Billy come to ask Sally for a divorce?

Did Billy know that John was here with his wife?

What a dilemma for John!