August 25, 2014 ~ Fall River, MA to Fishermen's Memorial State Park, RI
Urban Spoon showed a Cafe Arpeggio in downtown Fall River which supposedly opened early, but I discovered it wasn't open after I had parked and put in enough quarters for two hours. However, there was a Dunkin' Donuts nearby and I reluctantly went in there, looking longingly across the street at Argeggio. But the DD was fine with mostly mostly working class clientele. Fall River is old with a history of textile mills and Portuguese culture.
I found a table near the back after another customer immediately noticed I was looking around for a plug. At the table next to me was a guy in his 30s. I overheard him taking to what I assumed was his son. (This was the first day of school, and there were several little kids in light blue and navy uniforms in DD with their moms.) He was talking sternly, and I had an immediate negative impression so was shocked when I realized he was flirting with a tiny, very old woman with a high squeaky voice. It was sweet how much attention he was paying her. She was obviously a regular and he was joshing with her about dating and singing Elvis Presley songs to her and just generally NOTICING her. And when she left, he carried on with a little girl starting kindergarten who was with her mom. All good will and kindness, asking her about friends and gym class and how long she would be in school her first day.
The buildings and homes were nearly on the sidewalks. I saw another sweet scene: a dark-haired couple were riding a bicycle, the girl on the guy's shoulder with her hands in his curly hair in a loving way. This was about 6:30 in the morning. There was the sense of people taking care of themselves, getting up early and going to work, living community lives near large beautiful Catholic churches, of parents taking care of their kids, of generations blending and interacting. Yeah, I know, all this from a two-hour visit....
Rhode Island's seashore is an undiscovered treasure with beautiful beaches and fewer people than Massachusetts. Unfortunately, some of these beaches are barrier islands and have been developed. These structures suffered enormous damage from Sandy but most have now rebuilt, even though the deal was that if more than 50% was affected, they were not supposed to be able to salvage and rebuild. There was a ton of money available, so the refuges along the shore benefitted also and are using the monies for projects that might not have been possible without that. Certainly, the barrier islands should all be off-limits to structures of any kind, in my opinion.
I first went to Sachusest Point NWR (pronounced sash'-oo-est) and walked a couple of miles through shrub-scrub flora and along the rocky coast in the sunshine and a cooling sea breeze.
Swallows were abundant and, on the off-shore rocks, numerous cormorants along with some gulls and ducks. Ospreys and Northern Harriers hunted overhead. The VC was impressive with information and exhibits.
I came on a group of young moms with assorted kids, all clambering over the gigantic rocks on the beach while returning to the main trail. One of the women noted they looked like the von Trapp family, whereupon they began singing snatches from Sound of Music. The kids were full of glee and high spirits, noisy and exuberant.
I could see the huge mansions of Newport across Narraganset Bay and a beach in the distance with a brightly colored and concentrated mass of people, looking like a pixelated photo.
I needed to NOT do parking lot camping, at least for a night, so had a destination in mind: Fishermen's Memorial State Park. I passed through tony Narragansett and down a peninsula to Point Judith and then back to check out the camping venue, which was just what I needed. I was able to drive through and choose an available site, paid a $20 non-resident fee, popped out of my car, got a chair set up and read for hours.
I didn't use the tent as getting the camp cot out of the car is a commotion but did use my little stove with a slight mishap. Instead of measuring water in the plastic cup that attaches to the bottom of the cooking container, I just poured the water directly in and watched the cup immediately bubble and burn as plastic does ten seconds after I lit the stove. Damn.... Hoping no one was watching, I got out tools and pried the melted plastic from the metal. It of course was ruined but not the stove, so I had Chicken Teriyaki and potato chips, cheese and crackers and wine for dinner.
Still, there were very few birds even after sitting for hours, except for Gray Catbirds which I hear and see everywhere lately, like the daily Common Yellowthroats I heard / saw constantly for the first six weeks of this adventure.
It was a large park but very quiet, even though other campsites were close. I was in a tent only part and I could smell campfires as night fell. The showers required quarters (which I didn't have) so will try to remember that henceforward, but I could wash up and brush my teeth and not be fearful someone would walk into the bathroom.
The night was dark, warm and peaceful.
Rhode Island's seashore is an undiscovered treasure with beautiful beaches and fewer people than Massachusetts. Unfortunately, some of these beaches are barrier islands and have been developed. These structures suffered enormous damage from Sandy but most have now rebuilt, even though the deal was that if more than 50% was affected, they were not supposed to be able to salvage and rebuild. There was a ton of money available, so the refuges along the shore benefitted also and are using the monies for projects that might not have been possible without that. Certainly, the barrier islands should all be off-limits to structures of any kind, in my opinion.
I first went to Sachusest Point NWR (pronounced sash'-oo-est) and walked a couple of miles through shrub-scrub flora and along the rocky coast in the sunshine and a cooling sea breeze.
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| Sachuest Point NWR - RI |
I came on a group of young moms with assorted kids, all clambering over the gigantic rocks on the beach while returning to the main trail. One of the women noted they looked like the von Trapp family, whereupon they began singing snatches from Sound of Music. The kids were full of glee and high spirits, noisy and exuberant.
 |
| Sachuest Point NWR - RI |
I could see the huge mansions of Newport across Narraganset Bay and a beach in the distance with a brightly colored and concentrated mass of people, looking like a pixelated photo.
I needed to NOT do parking lot camping, at least for a night, so had a destination in mind: Fishermen's Memorial State Park. I passed through tony Narragansett and down a peninsula to Point Judith and then back to check out the camping venue, which was just what I needed. I was able to drive through and choose an available site, paid a $20 non-resident fee, popped out of my car, got a chair set up and read for hours.
I didn't use the tent as getting the camp cot out of the car is a commotion but did use my little stove with a slight mishap. Instead of measuring water in the plastic cup that attaches to the bottom of the cooking container, I just poured the water directly in and watched the cup immediately bubble and burn as plastic does ten seconds after I lit the stove. Damn.... Hoping no one was watching, I got out tools and pried the melted plastic from the metal. It of course was ruined but not the stove, so I had Chicken Teriyaki and potato chips, cheese and crackers and wine for dinner.
Still, there were very few birds even after sitting for hours, except for Gray Catbirds which I hear and see everywhere lately, like the daily Common Yellowthroats I heard / saw constantly for the first six weeks of this adventure.
It was a large park but very quiet, even though other campsites were close. I was in a tent only part and I could smell campfires as night fell. The showers required quarters (which I didn't have) so will try to remember that henceforward, but I could wash up and brush my teeth and not be fearful someone would walk into the bathroom.
The night was dark, warm and peaceful.
 |
| Sachuest Point NWR - RI |
What a wonderful thing to hear! A campsite! Loved the story of the "von Trapp" family singers :) Tiny beautiful RI!
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