Rhode Island Business Trip: Day 2

So on the second day, the the training session ended at 5 PM. But that meant that it was still 2 PM on the West Coast. So while everyone went out for dinner, I had to put out a couple of fire drills back at the hotel room. On the way back to the motel, I cam across this house. It is the Arnold House and it was built back in 1693. For a point of reference, this house was built 73 years after the Pilgrims landed in Plymouth. I found history at every turn. To find a house that is almost 320 years old is simply amazing.

I also found Lincoln Woods Park, not very far from the Arnold House. It had a beautiful covered bridge. This park reminded me much of Georgia. Very lush and green. You could hear tree frogs and cicadas in the tree.

I was done with my fire drills just before 7:00. That meant that I could hop in the car and drive up to Boston, just 50 minutes away.

Boston is one weird city. It has the history of course, but it is a blend of New York and suburban Los Angeles. The highway and bridge system is like someone had been playing Sim City too much. I drove through the Big Dig, a huge tunnel under the city that dumped you out onto one of its many bridges. I ended up in Chelsea.

Not really having a plan and it getting dark, I decided to drive down to Plymouth.

I got to Plymouth at about 9:00 PM. Since it was summer, most of the town was surprisingly still open. Plymouth is a beautiful town that bridges its history and charm with the reality that it is a tourist attraction. Off in the distance, I could see the lighthouses out on Cape Cod.

I got to see a replica of the Mayflower (the Mayflower II). I had always known that the Mayflower was not that big of a ship. I was amazed though that it is about the same size as the pirate ship in the Pirates of the Caribbean ride.

A nighttime view of the Mayflower II

While I was looking at the boat, I was noticing that there was a school of small fish surfacing. I knew that they were being chased by something bigger, and I was right. The big fish, what ever they were, were chasing the fry towards the shore. These were big fish, probably 3 to 10 pound fish. I wish it could have been daylight so I could see what they were.

I also got to see Plymouth Rock, which is now housed in a building on the shore. The funny thing is that this is only a portion of the rock.  It had been moved from the original spot back in the 1800's.   What I really wondered is how do they know it was specifically that rock?

After I was done, I drove back to the hotel, getting lost a couple of times. The "highways" in New England are not well marked and I would end up on a road that would just end. I finally got back to the hotel at 11:00, ready for my next day of meetings.

Rhode Island Business Trip Day 1: Wakill Bethel

There have been a lot of changes lately at work, a lot in transition. I was asked to take a trip out to Rhode Island at one of our sister AAA clubs.  This was for training on a new reporting tool we are adopting and to develop a consensus of how to use this tool.  The closest I have ever been to New England was when I was in New York when I had the privilege of working at Brooklyn Bethel.  So I was allowed to fly in a day early and was able to see some of the country.  It also allowed me to go and see Wakill Bethel. 

I first have to say, since Georgia, I probably make one business trip a year.  I do not like it much, especially leaving Beth and the kids at home when I am so far away.  Beth does not much like either.  So I can say I was a bit hesitant with this trip.  That said, it will probably a few years if ever I make it out that way again, so I did want to be able to some of this country.

Being 3 hours away, it is a pretty easy trip to make.  It allowed me to see Rhode Island and Connecticut as well as reacquaint myself with Upstate New York.  I have come to the conclusion, due to the amount of humidity that the North East gets, that the entire East Coast is one big jungle, green and lush.

There is so much history in the area too.  I drove through New Haven, CT. and saw Yale.  I saw historical markers in Newburgh, NY for Westpoint, Washington's and Knox's headquarters.  This is just on the way.  On the way back I saw further signs of the Revolutionary War, the Gillette Mansion.

My main reason for this day was to go to Wakill Bethel.  I had been at Brooklyn Bethel 20 years ago.  It is really hard for me to actually say that it has been that long.  Since most of the publishing has been moved from Brooklyn to Wakill, I was excited to see the changes.  Also, I have only been to Wakill once, when I went with my best friend Jamie Everitt's family.

So much has changed, and then again stayed the same.  I will say Wakill Bethel is now huge!!!  There are acres of resident buildings. The grounds are such a beautiful garden and I couldn't help but think what paradise will be like.

 The factory was awesome.  I was particularly interested in the bindery.  I had worked on the burst binder. 20 years ago.   In Brooklyn, this machine was one of many machines used in producing the literature.  Now, there is one machine that handles the entire process from burst binder to cover.  And since the process is pretty much more automated, there is very little chance for error, thus less waste.

So with all of the new equipment, it was nice to see some of the old machines there too.  I saw the shrink wrap machine I worked on.  I also saw the old burst binder working in another area.  The deluxe bible department operated pretty much as it did with the exception of the old sanding room.

The Printery was awesome also.  Everything is so organized.  I am amazed on how much gets done with less machinery.

It was nice also to see the dining area.  It brought back many of my  memories of family worship, the morning text, and LIVER and STRAWBERRY FROSTING CAKE!!!!  Talking with the brother, I found out that they had just ended dish duty 6 months ago. 

This is a sample breakfast menu.  The food was always very good.

I took the tour with three brothers from Hershey, PA.  They too had taken a three hour drive to get there.  One was an elder who had attended Gilead in the early years.  It was definitely upbuilding and encouraging.

On the way back to Rhode Island, I drove by Patterson Bethel.  By that time it was 6 PM. 

It has always been amazing to me and I continue with awe how organized the work is and how Jehovah makes sure that the good news is provided at the proper time.

 I drove through Hartford, CT. Then drove along the Long Island Sound, through many of the seaside communities.  I could help but think about movies like Jaws.  The main purpose of this was to end up in Mystic, CT.  To be honest, maybe it was because I was tired, maybe because I had built it up in my head, but Mystic was a bit of a disappointment.  I took a picture of the Mystic Pizza restaurant.  But it really was not that impressive.

I got back on the road and back to my motel.  It was 10 minutes away from the Club.  I had come across this hotel on Trip Advisor and boy the reviews were dead on.  This was a lovely place.  It was away from Providence, but was in a great location.

There was a grocery store nearby and I got my breakfast and snack foods.   

This was day one. 

Two trivia notes:

1.  There are more Dunkin Donuts than Starbucks and probably any other fast food restaurant.  Literally there is a Dunkin in every strip mall and corner in the state.

2.  Rhode Island is not the official name of the state.  Its true name is The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.  How about that mouth full.