The latest from the Gang ... 

On a cool cloudy day in Boston seventeen members of the TOHG walking group wandered on and off the Freedom Trail in Boston ending at the USS Constitution in Charleston.  Along the way we stopped at the “Old Burial Ground” and Kings Chapel.  We wandered off the Trail to visit City Hall Plaza where the city has done a major remake including a new playground.  We waited a bit at Faneuil Hall for a member to catch up and then proceeded to the North End. We stopped at the Boca Bakery for some wonderful snacks to keep us going until lunch.  On the way to the Constitution we also stopped at The Paul Revere statue and the Iraq Afghanistan Memorial. 

After crossing the bridge into Charlestown we visited the Constitution Museum and boarded the ship itself.  We were allowed to go below deck to the officers’ quarters and down again to the seamen’s berths. Below deck many of us had to be careful as there wasn’t much headroom.

We walked back through the North End to  have lunch at an Italian restaurant that could accommodate our group.   Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and there was a lot of socialization along the way and at lunch.

Meredith P

On a temperate Fall Sunday morning, five members of the Hub Mystery group took a very informative tour of The historic Abraham Browne House on Main Street in Watertown, MA (a property of the Historic New England preservation organization).  The current Browne House was built in 1698 and was resided in by the farming family of Captain Abraham Browne.  The house stayed in the Browne family until 1897 when it was sold to another family.  It ended up being so neglected after that time that it was slated to be demolished by the town of Watertown.

The house was originally a modest one-over-one dwelling with one large room on the first floor that was used for living, cooking, and sleeping and one large room upstairs for sleeping and other purposes.  The house contains rare and unique architectural features (i.e. a "bed pin/hook" high on the wall that was used to suspend a sheet or blanket to make a tent over the bed to keep in the heat).  The house was in a near ruinous state in 1919 when Historic New England founder, William Sumner Appleton, acquired and saved it, and painstakingly restored it in the first fully documented restoration of a seventeenth-century building in America.  The Abraham Browne house was featured on PBS's This Old House television program.

After the tour, the five members enjoyed a tasty lunch and lively conversation at John Brewer's Tavern just down the street from the house.

Nancy B

Mariam, Dana, Carolyn, Sheila, Kenn, Kimm, Gail

Despite the mixed forecast seven ready kayakers showed up at Foote Brothers Canoe & Kayak in Ipswich ready for an adventure on Friday morning. We headed upstream to lots of ice plants and several different species of birds. Some were lucky enough to see an owl, a great blue heron, a Kingfisher, and a hawk :-). After about an hour paddling upstream we came to a bit of a log jam and decided to head back. On our way back there were a few sprinkles and we had the wind at our face so we got our exercise for the morning.

Many folks admitted that the real reason they came on the trip was to head to the clam box for the final fried clams of the summer season. The clam box did not disappoint!

Kimm S

Six cyclists gathered at the new parking lot for the Bike Path, at the end of Kettle Point Avenue, past the University Orthopedics building.

A fresh breeze accompanied us for 12 miles to Colt State Park, where we had lunch at a table overlooking Narragansett Bay. We even had a table cloth, thank you Betty and Joan for the idea at the Fairhaven ride.

On the way back, dreams of ice cream at Dari Bee’s powered our legs... until we arrived and it was closed. But Marco, always with an eye for ice cream, spotted a sign for the Riverside Creamery just a half a mile away.  We were rewarded with delicious, creamy ice cream. From now on, this will definitely be our stop, since Dari Bee’s future does not look good, it had a “for sale” sign at its building.

Ines and Marco A

WE TOTALLY AGREE !

Dan Y, Dick r, Sheila P, Kimm S, Alan U

It was a beautiful but cool morning as 5 of us met at NARA Park in Acton to bike to the West Concord/Sudbury line. This part of the trail is being extended to Framingham next year so we’re looking forward to riding this then. The trail today wasn’t very busy. We saw a grey heron, swans and a brave woodchuck who scampered out on the trail from the underbrush. Importantly for this group Sheila and Kimm introduced the rest of us to a new coffee shop and bakery where we enjoyed some refreshment on our return. 

Alan Ulrich

Marianne, Maureen, Ines, Helgard, Barbara, Mary, Sheila, Ellen, Dick, Neal, Dana, Chip, Judith, Pat and Alan behind the camera

Larry M, Judith L, Judy T, Janet F, Dick Rai, Beverly C, Helgard K
(missing fro picture Miriam and, Alan Ulrich) behind the camera)

The third time’s a charm!  Once again this week we were blessed with blue skies and mild temps as 9 of us rode from Newburyport to Plum Island. Biking through a new section of the Newburyport waterfront park we passed a large oceangoing yacht tied up at waters’ edge.  On the road we stopped to look at “penguins” in the Merrimack River, the pink house scheduled for demolition or removal by US Park Service, and Plum Island Airport. Our ride ended at the northern tip of Plum Island where we saw the yacht underway, viewed a lighthouse, and posed for a group photo.  On the return to Newburyport we stopped for a delicious lunch at Bob Lobster. 

Alan U

Standing: Larry, Gaille, Daniel, Ilene, Larry, Alan, Dick, Betty, Susan, Dibba, Anker and Marco.
Kneeling: Mike (guest), Joan, Kate, Tina, Ines, Nancy and Ellen.
Hiding: from the camera: Miriam

It just doesn’t get any better than this. Blue skies, temps in the low 70s, a very gentle breeze and a great group of 20 Gang members!

We set out from Fort Phoenix State Reservation in Fairhaven along the southeast coast. Starting on quiet neighborhood streets we soon picked up the rail trail which led us through woods, past great ocean views, through marshes and eventually to Mattapoisett. On our way back we took a detour along a quiet country road where some of us spied two ospreys. Returning to Fort Phoenix we made the short ride to the Hurricane barrier that protects New Bedford harbour. 

We ended our day with a picnic lunch replete with tablecloths, chips, and cold drinks provided by ride leader Joan and watermelon by bike leader Betty. A great day indeed!

Alan U

Judith L, Nancy B, Sheila P, Maryann D, Alan U, Ines A, Marco A

 Thankfully the forecast was wrong - again!  This time in our favour.  

A stalwart crew of seven gang members had a great bike ride from Salem NH through Windham , ending in Derry NH. We rode through rock cuts in Windham where the temperature dropped and it felt like someone turned on the air conditioning. Riding through Windham Depot we passed the historic train depot and a B&M caboose.  Continuing north we arrived at beautiful Hood Park in Derry where we stopped for a picnic lunch and conversation  before turning around and heading back to Salem. 

Alan U

Nine TOHG members of the walking group spent a sunny but rather warm morning touring the Mt Auburn Cemetery.   We walked approximately 2+ miles on paved mostly shaded roadways. We stopped by the Mary Baker Eddy Memorial (the founder of the Scientology Church) which looks over a small pond; found Henry Wordsworth Longfellow’s tombstone and then proceeded to the Tower where some of us climbed the 95 steps for the 360 degree view including Boston.  We finished at the Chapel that overlooks the Mt Auburn Street entrance.

Afterwards we split up with some going grocery shopping at the local ethnic shops, three to a small park nearby for a bag lunch’s and conversation and a couple heading home.

Where else could you find public restrooms with stained glass windows?

Meredith P