Brooklyn, New York to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts
Hugs, a teary “see you soon” and all the siblings waving in the middle of the Brooklyn streets as our van rolled on, started the day. Leaving New York was hard to do with such amazing memories and the comfort of home, but knowing we were headed toward our best friend Nika made it easier. Once we entered Connecticut, trees and little inlets with sail boats, dotted the drive. The sun was beating on the van, sticky with sweat we took a dinner break to cool off in Chipotle’s AC. Back on the road, a drive Google Greta estimated to take five hours, with traffic, quickly turned to seven and a half. We rolled into Cape Cod, MA fifteen minutes shy of the last ferry to Martha’s Vineyard. Looks like we would be sleeping on the mainland one more night to board the boat in the morning. After thoroughly exhausting our potential parking options including every grocery store in town, we decided to sleep in the van in the ferry parking lot.
Sunday, we woke up to the clouds breaking and sun peaking through. Packed our backpacks with our NapSacks (sleeping bags you can wear- an awesome gift from Maura) Locked up Robin and hoped the ferry to Martha’s Vineyard. It was a spectacular ride, breezy and beautiful. Off the boat we touched the Atlantic for the first time all trip! Jumped for joy when Nika pulled up in her turquoise Japanese beetle 😉 she drove us through her home island; hair wiping through the open window, tan as ever from her year of adventure since seeing her last. Down a sweet bumpy dirt drive lined with trees and wild flowers we pulled up to Nika’s sweet shingled abode. Chickens scurried throughout the yard as we set the dining table outside for a delicious breakfast prepared by Matteo, a traveler friend of Nika’s from Italy. After delightful crepes and conversation we drove across the island for the five minute ferry ride to Chappawidick, a tiny separate island of Nika’s heritage and family farm. A tasty egg salad lunch made by Carol, Nika’s momma, and her aunties, we enjoyed sitting in the green grass, tree lined field with gorgeous New England style house and barn! A walk to the beach topped it all off. Explored Nika’s family roots and childhood places of adventure. Back on Martha’s Vineyard we splurged on some theater candy at the local candy shop and hit the movie scene at the adorable hole in the wall cinema. The Great Gatsby was awesome and all we could talk about as we crawled into our Nap Sacks for bed.
A rainy Monday on the island called for dates with the coffee shop and library while we waited for Nika to get off work. Wandered around town through the cutest plant shops and nurseries looking for the perfect plants to accompany Nika’s new diggs. Headed back home for another delicious meal made by Matteo. After dinner we drove to town in the dark to devour the most delicious apple fritter donuts straight from the oven of Back Door Donuts. Sticky fingers and stuffed tummies we headed home for sleep.
Rise and shine its a beautiful day to go to work with Nika!!! A day spent walking the gorgeous private beaches of Martha’s Vineyard sounds perfect to me, especially with bird watching involved! Off to save the day of the Piping Plovers, Oystercatchers, and Least Terns we walked across the beaches to specific sites pin pointed by the Biodiversity Works employees as nesting sites in need to extra efforts to protect the off spring of the endangered birds. Building low-predator fences, counting as many birds as possible, gazing gleefully at the teeny Plover cotton ball chick with legs, and sweeping for tracks filled our fabulous island beach day in the sun. After “work” we made famous Chicken Enchiladas to share with a great group of friends at a potluck on Lamberts Cove Beach. Great food, good conversation, lots of laughter, fishing on the shore, and harmonica playing, an awesome recipe to encourage two travelers to stay awhile.
On Wednesday we packed up our things, hugged our Nika a billion times and boarded the ferry back to Robin on the mainland. No joke, we almost took the next ferry back to the Vineyard to stay the rest of the season, filled up with the first hand experience of the life we know we want, simple and beautiful. But the shores of Maine called our names so we rolled up the road past Portland to the sweetest organic farm and amazing group of people. But not before a dinner stop at the hot spot Friendly Toast, a quirky little joint, felt like we were dinning in the fifties. Made it to the farm, with the best welcome to date: Beau Baker walking up a sleepy dirt road to meet us, huge smile on his face he asked us to dim the headlights, instantly the fields lit up with little sparkles of light! Fireflies!!!! Thousands of them dancing on the tops of the knee high grass in the dark, sprinkling joy on the land and a flutter of aliveness in my heart! What an adventure.
