December 15 -- GRAND FINALE

For the first time, on this trip’s last leg, I had a passenger! Leslie is a high-end real estate broker and someone with whom I have a great time doing fun things here in NYC. We first met about ten years ago through friends.
It was cold, clear and sunny when we set out for Amy’s wedding in the Boston area. This is a drive that I must have done more than 100 times over the years.

Many high-flying Manhattanites are collected at their doors in full-size black SUV’s. Happily, Leslie was content to be picked up in a pint-size Mini (photographed to make it look as BIG as possible).

We headed up the West Side Highway past barges and other ship traffic on the Hudson River. Over the Henry Hudson Bridge at the top of Manhattan, through Riverdale and the Bronx, and then up through Westchester on the Saw Mill River Parkway to Rt. 684. From 684, we got on I-84, which took us into Connecticut.

Via Waterbury.

Through Hartford, with Trinity College chapel in the distance and dirty snow on the road.

The last fuel stop of the trip! Northern Connecticut, the ground getting pretty white.

Captured on camera at the wheel for the first (and only) time in almost 10,000 miles, just before arriving at my parents' house, our home base for the wedding.

My parents.

Amy’s wedding took place at the Congregational Church in Concord, MA. It was lovely! In addition, Amy’s new husband Walter is a wonderful guy. Afterwards, the couple had their reception in a beautiful old house at the Lyman Estate in Waltham. Little mushroom toasts to die for.

It was a great time! This is Amy and a bunch of us old college classmates horsing around before an official photo.

The happy couple.


The . . .