Daytrip - May 14, 2020 - India Point Park + Wickenden Street

Last year, I decided to go rogue and NOT find traditional employment (aka a desk job) and instead, pursue a longtime dream of being my own boss.  Going at it alone is a scary endeavor in a number of ways including having freak out thoughts about 'what about paying taxes?' and 'you have to pay for your own health insurance!'.  Yes, these two things alone are enough to freak out anyone wishing to be self-employed but then again, a day like today kind of makes it all worth it.

As a self-employed person, I can take the morning off.  Whenever I want to.  I don't need to put in a leave request with anyone.  Ever.  So today, knowing that we were expecting spectacular weather in Providence, Rhode Island, I made a plan: daytripping to India Point Park!

I've lived in the Ocean State for almost two years now.  I so love it here.  I have so much to discover which is one of my favorite past times as I am an explorer at heart.

India Point Park is over on the east side of Providence, not to be confused with East Providence:

"India Point Park is a park in the Fox Point neighborhood of Providence, Rhode Island at the confluence of the Seekonk River and Providence River. The park takes its name from the maritime activity connecting Providence with the East and West Indies. The East Bay Bike Path begins at the eastern end of the park, and crosses over the Washington Bridge before heading to Watchemoket Square in East Providence and continuing on to Bristol and the Mount Hope Bridge. The park is also a part of the Washington–Rochambeau Revolutionary Route."

I parked at Wickenden & East Streets to access the pedestrian bridge to get to the park.  There were a few people there and it does include a playground for the eventual day children can gather to play.  For cyclist enthusiasts, there is the East Bay Bike Path access point:

"The East Bay Bike Path is a 14.5-mile paved rail trail in Rhode Island. The path begins at Providence and India Point Park, crosses the Seekonk River via the George Redman Linear Park and Washington Bridge and continues southeast to Bristol along the shoreline of Narragansett Bay. The path passes through the city of East Providence, the hamlet of Riverside, and the towns of Barrington and Warren. It is part of the East Coast Greenway, a 3,000-mile system of trails connecting the Canada–US border in Maine to Key West and provides access to Haines State Park, Brickyard Pond (Barrington), and Colt State Park. It is used annually by 1.1 million people."

This was a super exciting discovery - not because I ride a bike but because I've spotted this path while visiting Bristol and now may be motivated to get on a bike to make the ride!

Well, back to the park....I took my good ole time walking around and was delighted by some of the scenic opportunities including the view of an osprey hunting for lunch in the Green Jacket Shoal (which is a shoal and ship graveyard!).  It was a spectacular situation.  I mean, I am in the city and here is a bird prey dive bombing several times to get a fish.  On the third try, it had success and I cheered.

 

And, get this: I walked onto a wharf of sorts and had to do a triple take because there were hundreds of fish swimming by! This is not the best video, but can you see them?

As I headed back to my car, I decided to seek out a nice cappuccino.  I popped into Coffee Exchange but they were not serving espresso.  The nice fellow shared that The Shop, where I was conveniently parked across the street from, was offering it.  But I did pick up some roaster beans since he was so generous in sharing that with me and supporting his fellow business neighbors.  

 

I sure do love my PVD. Our lives have been disrupted by this virus that will not be named but I feel lucky to have access to explore the Ocean State and beyond over the summer months.  Until next time, if we happen to cross paths, What Cheer Netop!

Resources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India_Point_Park
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Bay_Bike_Path
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Jacket_Shoal

Warren, RI + Bristol, RI

I went exploring again.  This time another visit to Colt State Park in Bristol, RI. It is often called the the 'gem' of the state's park system and it became clear as to why: expansive greenspace with a panorama view of Narragansett Bay. I accidentally stumbled upon in last month when Uncle Liam came east for a visit.  We were driving back from Newport, RI and decided to meander our way back to Providence. But more on the park later!

 

We also discovered Warren, RI that is a quaint town just north of Bristol and has one of the sweetest libraries I've been in. It is called the George Hail Free Library and it was established in 1888. Actually, it started in 1871 as an association but later this Romanesque Revival styled structure was built using a substantial donation by George's widow, Martha. At first glance, I thought it was church turned into a library but staff shared with me that it has always been a home for books. You can read about its history here.

Well, I was so smitten with both experiences, I decided to take another daytrip down to both locations.  I stopped in Warren to grab a coffee before driving down to the park last Sunday morning.  I had a grand plan: take walk around parts of the 400+ park and then sit my butt down in my chair by the bay, to read and even nap.

My walk started along the water's edge and then I came upon a rocky beach which reminded me so much of the Oregon Coast. I sat for a few quiet moments to smell the briny air and feel the cool breeze on my face.

 

I continued my stroll into the woods and towards a structure I caught a glance of the last time I was at the park.  As it turned out, it is the park office, believe it or not.  Originally, it was the barn for the former landowner's prized cows and horses.  The offices are in the former trophy room.  

I patiently waited for the older gentleman in the room to finish his very important report on the 'strange truck he saw driving in the area' and asked for a bit of history on the property and structure.  I was given a very informative handout but in summary, Samuel P. Colt built the farm.  He comes from the DeWolf family who developed the port of Bristol and were very powerful.  They also carried on the Slave Trade after it was outlawed by Rhode Island.  They pretty much owned the town and when things imploded in the 1840s, they also dragged the whole town into bankruptcy. 

Many years later Samuel restored the family's money and erased much of their bad reputation. He purchased several parcels of land that would eventually become Colt Farm and it was something to behold.  It had a main house, barns, a party casino, and stables. Statues of mythical Greek gods and goddesses could be found all over the grounds. 

And he loved his cows.  No expense was spared in the care of his beloved bovines: each cow had its own designated caretaker who would polish its horns and wash its tails, everyday. Cork and rubber covered the concrete floors where the cows stood.  It was spotless and heated in the winter season. 

There is a historic farm called Coggeshall that has been in operation since 1750 (!) that I plan to visit when I return to the area.

After my history chat, I walked back to the water and plopped myself down to read and take a nap.  As I did so, the park filled with hundreds of people hosting baby showers, barbecues, family reunions, and just hanging out by the bay for the day. It was an idyllic space and with that cool wind coming off the water, I was in heaven. So many different languages and I was also surrounded by laughter. I even sketched the scene before me of deep blue water, puffy white clouds, and a sprinkle of sailboats.  What a day!

 

Well, fast forward about a week's time and I was back in Warren with my friend, Ellen.  We headed down to check out some music but as it turned out, we messed up on the time but no worries, we came up with a tasty Plan B: Blount Clam Shack on the Waterfront.  O.M.G. - was that lobstah roll, delish. If they aren't world famous, they should be. I can't wait to go back!

If you ever plan on visiting Rhode Island, be sure to check out Bristol and Warren. Oh, and you better call me so we can go get ourselves a lobstah roll, okay?