While my better half went shopping in charming downtown Ogunquit, Maine, I hit the Marginal Way Trail, a mile and a quarter scenic coastline path. It was suggested by an acquaintance that lives here. My wife then met me for lunch at Splash Food & Spirits on the rainy beach. According to the GPS, a four-hour drive would take us to White Plains, NY and the home of friends we met while living in Decatur, Illinois. It turned out to be nearly six with heavy traffic and rainy conditions. We’ve visited them before, unlike our other stops on this trip spent with neighbors met in our current Islandwalk neighborhood. 

We eventually arrived in White Plains, just in time for happy hour. After getting out of the car, my left leg was incredibly stiff and sore with lots of stairs to negotiate. Dinner was across the street at Via Garibaldi, and bedtime couldn’t have come sooner. In the morning, I limped my way down the street until the muscles finally relaxed and took the pressure off my sciatica. The girls went into the city by train for a tour of the Morgan Library. The guys had lox and bagels at the White Plains Deli and took a drive out to the Hudson River Marina in preparation for the next day’s boat ride. Once we navigated our way by train and walked to the Bryant Park area, dinner was at L’Adresse before the Water for Elephants performance on the Imperial stage. Uncomfortable in the seats, I thought the show would never and the slow train back to White Plains didn’t get us home until 1a, 3-hours past my bedtime. 

Our last day in New York featured boating on the Hudson with fried chicken and Fresca, a “dining” tradition with these White Plains friends who treated us to many boating adventures back in Decatur. Maris, their dog, went with us. I finally got a black & white cookie, as we anchored near West Point. What a beautiful day on the water that ended with a fabulous sunset. We elected to stay an extra night and drive into New Jersey the next afternoon with clean laundry thanks to their Broadlawn Co-op amenities.