December 2021 Cover

Submitted by Travis B. Sheaffer, FoMoCo Times Editor

Just a week before the Lower Midwest Regional Meet, Upper Northeast Regional Director Jim Rock held his fall Regional Meet.  On Wednesday, September 15th I put the ‘Do Not Disturb” sign on my office door and snuck out of the office to drive to Detroit to the airport.  I arrive at Logan Airport in Boston a little after 8:00pm.  I went to hail a cab and the cabbies that I had the opportunity to ride with were the scariest, most mobbed up guys in greater Beantown.  It was Jim Rock and Jay Baptista!  We made the short trip to their house and sampled some of the local wines.

On Thursday morning, I made a pilgrimage to the Dunkin Donuts down the block.  Since we didn’t have any club activities planned for that day, Jim and I decided to take an adventure out to Spectacle Island in the middle of Massachusetts Bay.  To start the adventure, we took the train to Boston Harbor.  Once we got there, we boarded a ferry for the 30-minute ride out to Spectacle Island.  The water was smooth, and the sights were awesome.

Spectacle Island used to be where the City of Boston deposited their trash.  It was originally two islands.  Several decades ago, the city and a bunch of volunteers cleaned up the island and made it into a nature preserve.  Now both of the two original islands are one.  Around the edge of the island was a couple of mile walking path where you could observe the foliage and get different views of the Bay.  Jim and I spent a couple of hours walking around the island.  We made it back to the dock in time for the last Ferry of the day to depart.  We safely made it back to shore and took the train back to Lynn, Massachusetts.

On Friday, Jay decided to join Jim and I as we headed to Minuteman National Park at Concord, Massachusetts.  Once we got there, we visited the Visitor’s Center and then started walking down the paths that Paul Revere and his cronies traveled on letting everyone know that the British were coming.  We hiked a few miles and then headed back to the base station for dinner.

Ralph Chadsey Chicken Wings

Saturday was the Regional Meet.  I was happy to see my friend, Ralph Chadsey, show up.  Jay made up chicken wings with Laurie the Witch’s secret recipe. They didn’t last long at the table!  Hamburgers and other delicious foods were scarved down and joyous conversations were held.  Further in this issue, Jim Rock writes more about the meet.

Early Sunday afternoon, my cabbies took me back to Logan Airport for my trek back to Detroit.  Once I landed, I made the short drive home and began to pack for the Lower Midwest Regional Meet which would happen the next weekend.  If you missed it, that story is in the November issue.