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Repeating Visits to Our Grandchild
One of our joys as we are getting older is having grandchildren. No one has a better time with Christmas or birthdays than young kids. And as grandparents, we can give them back to their parents whenever we get tired.
We again traveled to the Northeast in December (2024) and February (2025) to visit with our grandson as well as seeing our kids. It is good for us to go as often as we can. We enjoy the visit and the area. I also went up in May to run a 5k in Rhode Island, but I really went to see my family.
We were able to get outside almost every day in December and February and explore some of the local hiking we have done in the past. We visited our son in Rhode Island, and I even played disc golf in February. It was neat to see the ducks walking on top of the water because of the ice. The thawing and freezing did make the course more challenging. And water hazards appeared on the course in some unexpected spots.
Hiking is different now that our grandson is four. He can walk and run. That does not mean that after a while he is not tired of walking and running. In order not to carry him, we all try to make being out for an adventure, a fun game for him and for us.
We are easily entertained playing inside, in the winter, with our grandson’s new toys. And if that was not exciting enough for him or us, we bundled up and enjoyed dropping by the local playground.
Our grandson has a new favorite game. We will see if he is still playing it the next time we go back. After turning four, the number four became his favorite number. He has fallen in love with playing UNO Junior and always looks for the Hippo as it has the number four on it. Each card with the number four is a hit, especially the blue hippo, as blue is also his favorite color and that card has his favorite number. We are happy he will play other games as well as with other toys.
Other fun:
We are fortunate to explore sights on the way to and from New England.
At Christmas (2024) on our drive up east, we stopped at the Cascades Valley Metro Park. We needed a break from driving, and on our hike at the park, we saw a couple carrying pumpkins. It is Christmas time and not Halloween; we were curious. They shared with us that throwing pumpkins toward the water was a fun time and a good way to get rid of the pumpkins. We agreed that the wildlife would be happy, and it was fun to watch. We also enjoyed the decorated trees along the path.
In February, we stopped to take a driving break at the West Branch State Park near Ravenna, OH, on the west branch of the Mahoning River. It was good to enjoy a walk and stretch our legs. It was near sunset and cold, and it did make us appreciate the partially frozen water on our walk around the boat dock.
On our way back home in February, we stopped in Schenectady, PA. We enjoyed walking the Lackawanna River Heritage Trail and happened to start at the entrance of the Scranton Riverwalk at the Olive Street Trailhead. We were happy to enjoy a walk of a few miles and take a break from driving. It is fun to explore along the way and discover new paths.
In May, I flew to New England for a 5k run with my two oldest. I was able to enjoy walking the Freedom Trail in Boston, even in light rain. My flight arrived early in the day, and everyone was in daycare or at work. So, why not. It had been years since I walked the Freedom Trail. I walked from the USS Constitution into Boston. I know that this is the opposite of most walking tours which properly start at the Boston Commons. I enjoyed getting to Boston Common and seeing the swan boats. I also went a little further and took in the magnificent downtown Boston library to get out of the rain for a few minutes. Since I was in the library, I walked upstairs to enjoy Bates Hall and tables as well as the architecture of this beautiful public space. Not many books were open; however, the library was busy with what looked like students.
I enjoyed spending the day with one of my sons on Narragansett Beach. It is not often I go to a beach in Rhode Island, especially as the year has been cool and rainy. The weather was good (mid-70’s) and lunch at Monahan’s Clam Shack was delicious.
See you on the road.
Running the Pig Again
The first half of the year, when the weather is “frightening” outside, I want to stay fit and in shape. Every year is a push to maintain good health; I am not getting younger. One of the ways I work on staying in shape is by running. To push myself, I again signed up to run the Flying Pig (half) Marathon in Cincinnati.
Over the years I have learned that I do better at sticking to a training plan when I am in a group. I am so happy to have once more signed up to run with the Tri-State running group. They keep me sharp with a good running plan and a series of events leading up to the event, the Flying Pig (half) Marathon.
I did spend several days in January running on a treadmill as it was icy on the sidewalks and streets. I am happy to have an alternative place to run, although I enjoy running outside so much more.
We follow a training schedule as part of the group; February has the first event to renew our familiarity with running in a crowd of runners and walkers. The local minor league hockey team sponsors the Frozen 5k/10k run. For me, back in 2020, it was one of the first times I started and ran in a crowd. I participated in the Frozen 10k run. It was a cold day, but the streets were clear.
While I was in New England, I went running with my oldest son in Rhode Island as a part of my training plan. We went for an eight-mile run along parts of the East Bay bike path and into India Point Park. This is part of a run we will do together in May as well.
Training does not stop for us older guys when we are out of town. I even trained on a cinder track in Massachusetts for part of my training program in February. It was good to do the 400 repeats on a track.
The long run for March is the Heart Mini Marathon. It was cold and raining. We started late due to lightning in the area. I have not had good weather in the five years I have run the Heart Mini. We all took off our hats, and the skies opened up just as the Start Spangled Banner was sung, so we were all soggy for this run. Looking back, I am glad that I completed this rainy Heart Mini, a 15-k run in Cincinnati, as a part of preparation to run the Flying Pig. Training in the rain was good.
We stopped in the Charlotte area to visit my daughter and son-in-law on the way home from Florida in April after our anniversary trip. It was good to go for a few runs with my daughter and one of her running buddies.
A few days prior to the run, Cincinnati hosts the Flying Pig expo. It is a nice way to pick up the race day packet and see various vendors. With over thirty thousand runners at the weekend events, it is great to walk around and get excited about the run. The run organizers do a wonderful job in having exciting things to do, not just picking up the packet for the run. This year I was able to make a bobblehead.
The Flying pig starts at 6:30 AM; by the time I get to the starting line it is almost 20 minutes later—due to the crowd and my slower pace. I had a great run and set a PR. I was hoping to finish under 2 ½ hours and I finished just over 2 hours and 25 minutes. Yes—it was about 48 degrees, misting/raining the whole time I was running. So, the training in the rain paid off.
Running fun:
I did several runs while we were in Florida for our anniversary celebration. I did find a good place to run on the sidewalks, although I went longer than expected on the first day as I was not sure how the roads all connected. Google maps are handy.
We did a long practice run in mid-April, running most of the course with the running group. Here I am overlooking the Ohio River. I went by this spot on the event but did not stop to take a picture during the race.
My two oldest children and I ran the Rhode Island 5k and half marathon in May, two weeks after the Flying Pig. I ran the 5k, having already participated in a half marathon in May. My buddies tell me it would be no problem for me, but I was happy to run on the bike path and streets for a 5k and not the half marathon.
Next stop, a few 10ks and other fun events. See you on the road.
Cherryville in the fall
The fall was a great time to visit the Charlotte area. The oppressive summer heat was over. We were fortunate to leave town just prior to Hurricane Helene hitting the Charlotte area. We made it out of town prior to the hurricane that hit Asheville. We travel right by Asheville on the highway. On our next drive to Cherryville, we will need to find an alternative route. Our daughter and son-in-law lost power for a few days and were otherwise well off compared to several in their area.
We enjoy hiking, and one of our daughter’s favorite hikes in the area is Crowder Mountain. We had a good day for a hike, although it was foggy. We went several miles, and since we had been on the trail before, we knew what we were missing in the background. I am sure we will get back to hike this trail again.
We saw the murals again walking in downtown Cherryville. We delighted in the historical park just off downtown and again took advantage of delicious ice cream as a family prior to heading back home.
We did a side trip to Shelby, NC, and walked the newest rail trail. It does not go very far. We also stopped at the Earl Scruggs Center. A lot to see and do in Shelby.
Other Fun:
I was able to play a round of disc golf at the home of the college disc golf championship, Winthrop University, in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
I did not know a lot about the Revolutionary War history with Charolotte. We took the Charlotte Liberty Walk and had the bonus of it being an art weekend. When we were done with the walk, we felt we knew a little more about the area’s history and had a better appreciation for the art culture in the area. The Liberty Walk was good, and we recommend you go if you have a chance. It was like a scavenger hunt to find the markings that the website displays.
My daughter and I were able to go running again in Cherryville. A few more sidewalks are in the downtown area, so we began and ended our running there.
Back at home I was able to play taps as a bugler for Bugles Across America for Revolutionary War heroes. Madison, Indiana, was having a 250-year presentation by the Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution.
No biking on this trip. We did go biking on Labor Day in Loveland, Ohio.
See you on the road.
Germany River Cruise and Bike Ride
We biked along the Rhine and Neckar Rivers in June on a Bike and Boat Tour, and it was an unforgettable experience. The tour we decided to join was a beautiful cycling and cruise tour which explored the famous valleys of the German Rhine and Neckar Rivers. I have heard that on a cruise ship you gain about 10 pounds in a week. I get it; the food was great! If you are able to combine the cruising with bike riding in Germany, you may stay about the same weight, although it will be a close run thing.
We left the boat each morning on our seven-day cruise for a ride up the river bike paths. The boat then sailed upstream to meet us at the next planned stop. The boat was a floating hotel where we slept, had breakfast and dinner as well ask some fun. The boat did not travel on the river at night as we were at a dock. Being docked at night allowed us to explore the quaint towns and villages after dinner. The barge, or cruise ship, had 61 bike riders and was pretty full (seven open riding spots) as we went on our way. The boat was clean and comfortable; we enjoyed our time on board.
Highlights:
Castle Watching—don’t blink and miss one along the river…
We began our first riding day with a two-hour boat ride from Koblenz along the Rhine passing through the beginning of one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. We then rode on the trail and saw more than 40 castles and fortresses and many wine villages along the way. There were too many castles for me to even attempt to photograph.
You have to see it in person to understand just how impressive each view is as you stop or ride by. We did walk up to a few castles and explore the ruins. 
Being on top of the castles, we realized why they looked so imposing from the river as we had a great views from the top and could easily make out people, cars and boats along the river.
Vineyards on the Rhine River—we passed several vineyards and took an evening tour.
This was much different than our trip to Napa Valley and biking. The vines are on a hill from the top to the river. We learned that the wine that comes from the plantings at the bottom is the cheapest in quality and the wine at the top is the best. Makes sense! We enjoyed magnificent views. The wine was excellent, along with the grape juice that they began our tour with.
Nierstein vineyard tour
Quaint Towns and Villages
Each town reminded us of why we wanted to come to Germany. We took advantage of walking tours and our stay at all of the towns along the way.
One of our fun stops was spending the night at Heidelberg. In Heidelberg we managed to climb to the top of the Heidelberg Castle and walk along the Old Bridge. We also walked the end-to-end mile long pedestrian shopping street. The university dominates the old town and was fascinating to view and experience.
The variety of flowers, shops and museums was fun to experience. Like the castles, it is too much to show here, you need to go see it for yourselves.
Each town along the way had several characteristics that made them unique as well as part of what we expected to see along the river. We saw a variety of architectural styles of churches; most were massive and ornate, and we wondered how the local people could afford such a building or buildings as well as build them so long ago.
We ate at several ice cream shops, and spent time looking at the souvenirs (crafts) along with sampling some of the local food and beer. We even went by the Dr. Carl Benz Museum.
Rivers and Locks
With its many castles lined up on the hill tops, our tour along the river was full of Rhine romanticism. Our guide told us the story of the river bend and how it inspired the famous poem “Lorelei.” Kim tested the waters at the point mentioned in the poem.
We enjoyed the peaceful river and views from the banks of the rivers and the towns. These made for great spots for a break or to eat a picnic lunch. Next time we will bring a blanket or rug with us. 
The Neckar River had several locks; we rode over some and saw ships, including our barge, go through the locks. It was a fun experience. The locks have apparently prevented some of the flooding that was prevalent in the area along the Neckar River.
Lessons learned:
- Stop and enjoy the scenery.
- We were not in a race, and with a seven-speed bike we were not breaking any speed records.
- The initial part of our journey from Koblenz on the Rhine was loaded with castles; almost every bend or turn on the river had one and sometimes two. I do not know about you, but I do not see castles daily on my normal bike rides.
- At each stop we would walk and explore the town where we were parked for the night. Dinner ended on board about 8 PM and it was light until about 10 PM. We needed the walk after so many good dinners.
- Anyone can ride along the Rhine. Of the 61 riders, we were on the young end age wise. The route was mostly flat, with some inclines that were easily overtaken with the e-bikes. The e-bikes were a popular option with the travelers on the barge. We did not ride e-bikes.
- Trail riding is a good way to get outside and see the countryside. Some of the views were hidden from the road and others were a short bike ride into town for an Eis (ice cream) or a Bier (no translation needed).
- Make friends. We sat each evening with the same group — a couple from Argentina and a couple from Australia. We enjoyed the conversation with our table companions as well as those from the group that we met on board and along the way.
Other highlights:
We ran across a new WWII monument noting the American army crossing the Rhine River—just put up in 2017.
Activity statistics:
- We rode for six days, about 150 miles total. The planned mileage for the bike tour was less, as we explored and enjoyed the area.
- In the towns at night we walked between 5-7 miles and enjoyed exploring the towns.
I have been asked if we would do the bike tour again. Of course, yes! We would likely pick another tour to explore a new area. We really enjoyed the support and the tour. Thank you to Lyn and John who shared their bike adventure in Europe with us prior to our booking the trip in December.
Celebration, Certification and Caves
It is true; I am now retired and have begun traveling.
Celebrations:
My first travel begins with celebrations.
- Although not a far drive…Thursday night June 29th, after “work” saw many of us “pre-retirees” gathered at 300 Magellan. It was a great get together and I was unable to buy myself a drink.
- A fun time was had by all, what a great send off!
- Some, who retired earlier in the year, and others, who retired a few years before, came out to wish us well.
- On Friday, our official last day at work, I grabbed my last free cup of coffee and turned in my badge and work computer. It was official; I was retired.
- After going home briefly, I left town for St. Louis for additional celebrations with my in-laws.
- Yes, I spent my first night of retirement celebrating with my in-laws who took me out to a great dinner in St. Louis.
Webster Groves had the start of their local 4th of July celebration on Saturday near the in-laws and we saw a few good bands at the bandstand on Saturday. A good celebration.
- On Monday, after traveling to Arkansas on Sunday, I went
out to eat and celebrate retirement with my mom and sister at the Marketplace Grill. It was fun and tasty. Especially the desert we shared with my mom!
Certification:
The point of my travels back to St. Louis was to complete the Spinning® Instructor Certification class that was cancelled the month before on the biking, shooting and drinking trip.
- This month the class ran as scheduled from 8:30 AM until 5:30 PM Saturday with 30 minutes for lunch and 2 one hour Spins® included. A great day.
- After the class, I did manage a swim in their Olympic pool.
- Received my certificate after passing the on-line exam once I got back in town.
- I guess I have to apply for a job now…
Caves:
Since I was in St. Louis, I thought I would continue the celebration tour and visit my mom who is in Arkansas. She turned double snowmen this year and is doing great. On the way I stopped at Meramec Caverns in Sullivan, Missouri.
- I enjoyed seeing the Jesse James hideout and walking and exploring the caverns.
- The entire area was flooded earlier this year and water shut down the entire cavern for a week. Wow! Water is crazy.
The caverns are a great sight to see if you are driving along highway 44 near St. Louis—year around it is 58 degrees in the caverns. I wore a sweatshirt to keep warm. The tour moved us along and we walked for about 90 minutes underground.
Closings:
I returned on Thursday night (July 6) in time to close on our long time residence in Kentucky and move to a new (right size) home nearby. All went well on Friday and we moved into our new home on Tuesday of the following week.
Contemplation:
While on the road, I listened to a fun book on my drive: The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax .
- The unexpected part for me is that it had a great retirement question at the beginning of the story. A doctor asks Mrs. Pollifax: Isn’t there something you have always longed to do? Something you have never had the time or the freedom for until now?
- The doctor adds that it is terribly important for everyone at any age to live to his full potential, otherwise a kind of dry rot sets in. I thought that was great retirement advice.
- Spoiler alert, Mrs. Pollifax does have something she has always wanted to do, instead of living the sensible life she has created. Her response: when growing up she planned to become a spy!
- I recommend reading the book and pondering the questions she answered. I am still working on my answers.
As a part of the visit, I asked “How do you do this retirement thing?”
- My brother-in law, who has been retired for a few years, said to find something to do that you love. He also noted that it changes. He began a business and is now making plans to give up the part time vocation in favor of other ventures.
- My sister works for a bike trail organization; she said she needed to work once her husband retired to stay active. The key for her is finding the balance of time at home and at work.
I did go for a 42.5 mile bike ride with my sister on Monday (July 3) on the Razorback Greenway and went for a mile swim on Tuesday as it was raining all day on the fourth of July. I left Wednesday and I think she was pleased to take a day off of the activity.
Trip by the numbers:
Travel days: Friday, June 30, through Thursday, July 6, and Saturday, July 8, all by car (1700 miles all in).
First sinkhole, noticed by me, on the way to St. Louis in Indiana at the Nancy Hanks Rest Area on highway 64.
Activity statistics:
- Biking miles: 95.8 miles, 4 rides, longest 42.5 miles.
- Swimming: 1.5 miles
- Trumpet playing at Webster Gardens with their brass group at the 8 AM service and at Abby and Andrew’s wedding.
- Disc Golf in Kentucky while moving. Too much rain on the trip to make it work while on the road.
States visited: Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas.
Retirement Travel with Glen 