Spring, Summer, now Fall

Time goes by so fast. We occupy ourselves with making money, buying things, paying bills, and every once in a while we stop to smell the roses. Robert Frost but it best in “Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening,” “The woods are lovely, dark and deep./But I have promises to keep,/And miles to go before I sleep,/And miles to go before I sleep.”

I must admit, I did not take full advantage of all the days in the last few months, but I did manage a good run. First, I took a much needed vacation in the Dominican Republic and stayed at the Paradisus Resort (pictures). It was an all-inclusive deal, which worked out perfectly because my only goals were to rest, get some sun, read a book and have some coconuts with run (lots of rum). The beach was so perfect it felt like a Corona beer commercial. May is the tourist off-season so there weren’t that many people but enough to make some new friends. The strangest part is that the resort had a small zoo (which is unlocked 24hrs—long story) that included a camel and some monkeys—YES, monkeys!

My next notable experience was a weekend in Boston that included a drive with auto journalists in convertibles to the town of Kennebunkport, Maine to eat lobster. This was my second year attending this event. Strangely enough, George Bush senior has a summer home here and Martha Bush was seen leaving the Inn as we were arriving (she must have been warned). The event is known as the Ragtop Ramble and is preceded by an evening cruise of the Boston Harbor. It was pleasurable to be on a boat, beer in hand, on a cool summer evening admiring the Boston skyline. During the day, I followed the Freedom Trail and hung out at Paul Revere’s house.

Other worthy mentions: A trip to Sleepy Hollow (from which the titled story got its inspiration--the street signs have the logo of a headless horseman) and to neighboring Tarrytown, which has a “castle.” Both are very small towns surviving on tourism and make for charming one-day excursion. Another favorite event occurred in the Bear Mountain State Park, which is not too far from the West Point Military Academy. The event was a Ride and Drive for journalist to test drive FMC products. The funfest included a room which housed a working merry-go-round—nothing funnier than journalists riding a carousel when no one is looking.

The last thing I’d like to mention is my opportunity to drive the famed Ford GT from Boston to NYC. The car is amazing with 500 horses of power. I always say, if you can’t have horses, you should have horse power. The car was black and looked like a stealth bomber. But it was not stealth enough to save me from my first speeding ticket in over 10 years. Having been clocked at 90 MPH, while only in 2nd gear, I gladly accepted the ticket.