Thursday, September 26, 2013

Weekend(ish) Report: Red Sox, Walden Pond, and Martha's Vineyard


This Weekend Report is more of a Last Week report, since I have been a bit overwhelmed by all of the things and thus have neglected blog writing. I'm sorry, but I have to prioritize, and right now it looks like 1) school, 2) sleep, 3) exercise, 4) everything else. 

So here's to the everything else!

Last week I attended my first Red Sox game ever. I am fully aware that this is baseball blasphemy, considering I spent four years of undergrad within a mile or two of Fenway Park. But better late than never, right?


I and about 30 classmates bought three rows in right field and enjoyed the game (they lost, womp womp). It was really fun, but I am about to commit further baseball blasphemy here -- I have to admit that I prefer Nats games in DC...Nats stadium is just so much better!

Next up I did another Boston-area "first" and finally saw the famous Walden Pond! I've been taking time off running (some seriously strange low-back business going on here), so last Thursday, after many many classes, I walked out if the school building, realized how gloriously autumn awesome it was outside, and made the executive decision that I needed a bike ride. I started around 4:30 pm and peddled to the end of the Minuteman Bike Path in Bedford (11 miles from my house).

I was feeling good, so I consulted the map on my phone and decided to keep going. Let me tell you guys, Walden Pond is FAR. And the route is very very hilly. I arrived there at the most beautiful time of day -- the sun was setting over the water and swimmers were lounging on the beach after evening dips (it's a legit sandy beach! Who knew?). 


Sunset = beautiful. But sunset when on a bike ride about 20 miles from home = problems. I decided to take a different, supposedly faster, route home. But the roads were windy and hilly and not at all well-marked. I got lost SO many times and kept having to backtrack to re-find my way. By the time I got to the bike path in Lexington it was completely dark out -- way too dark to be on a bike path. So I cursed into the night and wiggled my way through some neighborhoods and side streets to find my way back. (In my head: I am never going to get home and it's dark and I'm in the middle of nowhere and I'm tired and hungry and I'm going to get hit by a car and die and it's all my own stupid fault for starting too late so I can't reasonably call anyone to whine/get help! Out loud: Ugggfhhhbbbllleerrgggggg dammit Massachusetts!!!)

Well, I'm happy to report that I lived (well duh) and made it home, 43 miles later, by 8:30 pm. Lessons learned: think of about time of day when choosing to depart on a long bike ride. Also, bike lights. 

Next up (this is the actual weekend part), I went to Martha's Vineyard. I've never been to the Cape or any of the islands in that area, so this was all new to me. Guys, it was beautiful! I hardly took any pictures, so you'll just have to trust me on this. The weather on Saturday was perfect -- warm and sunny and just the right mix of summer with a hint of fall.


Andy (remember our Asian adventure?) came up to visit, and we stayed in Vineyard Haven, a tiny adorable little New England beach town (not like SE Asia at all, i.e. same same but very different.) We rented bikes to get to the ocean-side beach.

No filters on this -- the colors were really that great!
I was talked into swimming (the air and water were warm...but not THAT warm), and did not regret it. And the route to the beach was so pretty! The island is a lot bigger than expected (post-ride mapping says that it was 15 miles to the beach), and also hillier than expected, but so nice that I didn't mind the long ride at all.


We had delicious brunch at Art Cliff Diner in Vineyard Haven (I highly recommend), and amazing seafood at Larsen's in Menemsha. Can I please have lobster mac and cheese and stuffed scallops all the time? Ok thanks.


And that, my friends, is that. It was a great weekend, during which I did no homework...a decision that I am paying for this week. But I think it was worth it!