Midsummer Massachusetts

The Embrace, Boston Common (Sky is AI generated)

We're just past midsummer, just over 1/3 finished with our residency in Massachusetts and, having been here over a month (we arrived July 12th), we are pretty much into our new routine.

Melanie likes her new job with Salem Maritime National Historic Site. She enjoys working as an Interpretive Ranger Wednesday through Sunday each week with Mondays and Tuesdays off. She speaks to hundreds of people each day who travel to the area for vacation. It's tiring, but rewarding work interpreting the park's historic buildings, wharf and The Friendship of Salem (currently being refurbished).

Our campsite at Cape Ann Campsite in Gloucester is about 15 miles away from Salem. It's the most convenient and available campground. There's a campground in Salem, but they don't have spots for seasonal campers so we were fortunate the folks at Cape Ann agreed to rent us a seasonal spot as late as we arrived.  Working for the National Park Service was the reason we were able to get our spot so late in the 2024 season.

Initially, we thought Melanie and I would ride our bikes from the campground each work day so she could catch light rail, the T, as it's known, (Metropolitan Boston Transition Authority) into Salem. It's a 6 mile round trip over moderately hilly terrain with moderate to light traffic.  Wingaersheek Beach is a very popular spot for vacationers so Atlantic Street, where the campground is located, can be pretty busy at times, but a bike ride was doable for us and it seemed like our best option for getting Melanie to work each day.

But. Melanie's bike was not operational on and off for the month or so after leaving Milton, Vermont for our Canadian excursion and was not usable when we arrived in Gloucester on July 12th. I'd spoken with Riverside Cycle in Manchester-by-the-Sea and they agreed to take a look at Melanie's bike and try to repair it when we arrived. Something that 2 bike shops around the Burlington area had failed to accomplish.

Since she had no bike transportation to get her to the T, I began driving her to work in Miranda each day. At first I parked in the Salem T lot and waited for her to get off work each day. That is, I didn't drive back to Gloucester, but waited each day for her to finish work before returning. I quickly found out that Cape Ann Campsite is not an ideal spot for me to walk or ride a bike from so remaining in town became preferable.

It took about 2 weeks for Melanie's bike repair to be completed and during that time we agreed driving in each day wasn't too onerous, was relatively cost effective and allowed me to take walks or bike and explore the area around Salem. The train ride takes about 2 hours round trip when it's on time, while the van ride is less than an hour round trip and we rarely encounter too much traffic despite the area being densely populated.

There's fuel and grocery stores, etc. on our route to and from Cape Ann so we can make quick stops for items when needed or have dinner on the way back to camp.

We're up each work day between 5 and 5:30 a.m. I'm usually up first and begin making our morning brew, Melanie gets up and immediately gathers her things and walks to the shower house about 50 yards away from out spot in the campground.

Upon her return, coffee made, she dresses for the day and we quickly ready the van for travel. July was pretty warm in Salem, but more importantly, it was also humid.  There were a few days in the low 90's with relative humidity sometimes in the 90's too. Unusual the locals told us.

Because of unusual warmth and humidity and the fact that T lot parking was full sun most of the day and a parking ticket finally told me parking there was not an option, I found a great spot on Salem Common to park Miranda.  I'm composing this from said spot. Plus, free parking.  My spot gets morning sun so our batteries stay charged via our solar panels and in the afternoon it's shady so the heat is not unbearable in the van.

Today so far we had mostly cloudy skies with an occasional passing rain shower. The high today will be in the lower 70's. The weather has been pretty pleasant for the past week.

The Common proved a great place to park. There are lots of people walking and riding bikes each day and, as mentioned, a great spot for me to begin a walk or bike ride, read, write, eat lunch, nap... 

Salem is very bike friendly with well-marked bike lanes and rail trails available too. I've ridden Coastal Highway 127 (Hale Street) as far out as Rocky Neck Artist Colony numerous times.  My favorite spot to stop along the way is scenic Magnolia Harbor.

I've also ridden partially on rail trail, partially on the road out of Salem to Marblehead, Swampscott, Lynn, and Nahant. Melanie and I took a portion of the Northern Strand Community  Trail, part of the Border to Boston Trail, from Lynn into Charlestown and had lunch one day.

A favorite stop in Magnolia, Massachusetts

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Sunflower, Gloucester, Massachusetts

8/25/24

Good morning from Salem Common and another bright sun shining kinda day. It's Melanie's Friday, actually Sunday, but she was excited to begin planning activity on her upcoming days off.

I've gotten out and attached the sunscreens to the front of Miranda to keep the solar effect on our windshield and side windows from overheating the van. I'm likely to get the bike out for an afternoon ride, which reminds me.

A few weeks ago I was out running an errand in Salem on my bike. After waiting for the light to change at an intersection, I attempted to make a left turn from the turn lane I'd been standing in for over a minute and was struck by a car that I now believe was attempting to pass me before I could make the left turn.

The car's side mirror struck me in the hip and was knocked off the car. My arm was cut, hip bruised, knee cut, my bike shorts ripped, and the pannier on the left side of my bike was knocked off.  After I determined my injuries weren't too bad, that my bike was not damaged, my Nikon camera in the pannier was in working order, the driver of the car (who never once apologized) and I parted ways.

During our brief exchange after the accident, I have to admit I was not kind to the man driving the car. I was angry that after standing in front and slightly to the side of him at the intersection for over a minute all he could say was "I didn't see you."  When he finally asked me what he wanted me to do, I responded, "I want you to get the f**k out of my face, leave"! I'm hoping the loss of his side mirror and hitting a cyclist are enough to ensure he pays attention in the future.

The accident was also a wake up call for me. As I thought about the accident later on, I remembered the warning from a man who sold me a new Honda motorcycle when I was 17.  "When you believe you can ride this thing," he said, "that's when it'll begin to ride you."  One can never be too vigilant or careful.

All's well..., as the saying goes.

On the home front, while we continue to enjoy living in Miranda, there are a few items needed attention. I've made an appointment with a (somewhat) local RV repair shop to have our Truma Aquago hot water heater and our Kwiki steps repaired. 

Both of those things are minor inconveniences.  The lack of hot water could have been more serious if we didn't have the bathhouse at the campground to use for showers, but I can operate Miranda with the steps out using all the caution that requires. Neither optimal, neither deal breakers.

As with all home repair projects while traveling, finding the right place or person for repairs takes a bit of work. That's part of the vagabond life especially if you're not an aspiring RV mechanic. And repairs to the motorhome have not been too onerous over the approaching 6 years we've been traveling full time and we're grateful for that.

There's still much to see and do here along the North Shore and in Boston for that matter. Watch this space.

Along the coast in Magnolia, Massachusetts