Lexington/Concord

We stayed close to our campsite and enjoyed biking around the historical sights in the area the last two days.  Perfect biking weather, sunny in the low 70's.  Yesterday we rode on this great bike trail from our campsite to Lexington.  We did a tour of the Hancock-Clarke House which is the house where Sam Adams and John Hancock were staying.  This was a minister's home who was related to John Hancock.  We were in the bedroom they were staying in and saw the door that Paul Revere knocked on to alert them.  The children liked learning about the chamber pots and that the term sleep tight comes from a method they used to pull the rope webbing under the bedding tight.  We visited Lexington Green and the tomb of the fallen patriots.  It takes on a whole new meaning seeing it and experiencing the predicament the colonists were facing.


Today, we went back to Minute Man National Park and rode the entire battle road as they had their once a year festival where all the houses were open for touring.  Many people were dressed in period costumes and performing their particular craft.  Our favorite was Captain William Smith's House who was the leader of the Lexington Militia and also the brother of Abigail Adams (wife of future President John Adams).  Abigail was there today and I enjoyed visiting with her and asking about her life.  Janae and Stefan loved dressing up in period clothes and reenacting activities of the time.  It was so fun riding from house to house.  It was such a beautiful day and the area is so nice.  The stone fences line the "road" and the scenery is quite lovely.  One farm we rode past had a whole field of pumpkins waiting to be picked and we loved smelling the sweet vegetation as we rode by.  Our last visit was to the Wayside Home in Concord.  This home had housed the Alcott family, Nathanial Hawthorne and then the Lothrop's (author of the children's
 book series Five Little Peppers and How They Grow).  It was very interesting learning about their lives and the challenges they faced.
We finished the day by returning to the visitor center where Janae and Stefan received another Jr. Ranger Badge.


Tomorrow we are going back to Boston one last time to finish up the Freedom Trail and to go to church again at Park Street.  Monday we will take a break from history and head to Maine to explore the beauty of Acadia National Park.  I am ready for a little peace and quiet.  We have had a wonderful stay here but our campground is right next to the airport.  Planes fly over constantly from 7 a.m. sharp-midnight.  Stefan loves sitting in the front watching them and thinks it's great but mama needs some more sleep.

Lexington Green (the rock is where the Patriots  stood there ground, the  pole is where the  Regulars  were)

The Wayside