
ON THE ROAD: Leg Four - Sleeping In, One Last Haul, and Arrival at Rich’s Retreat
After a big day on the water and a night of slide races and sugar highs, sleeping in felt like the real luxury. No alarm clocks, no bait buckets, no 6 AM dock calls—just soft morning light, snoring Shibas, and the promise of a slower start.
The day began with one last bike ride and hugs all around before Tim’s brother and nephew packed up and pulled out. Goodbyes were exchanged, along with the familiar bittersweet dance of figuring out when we’ll see each other again—being a thousand miles apart never makes that easy. But we soaked in the time we had, and it made the farewell feel full, not empty.
We eventually rolled out and made our first essential stop: Dunkin’. This time, we made it. Iced coffees, breakfast sandwiches, and redemption. The final stretch to Rich’s Retreat wasn’t long, but it still had a little fight left in it. One last toll road—the good ol’ Massachusetts Turnpike—gave us one more chance to dig for change (or thank the toll pass gods) before spitting us out into the hills.
Unlike other spots we’ve stayed, there was no gravel driveway crunching beneath the tires on arrival—just a wide-open welcome from Kristen’s dad, Rich, who greeted us with the kind of volume and joy that only a dad reunion can bring. And let’s be honest, he was most excited to see Monty and Gadget.
The Shibas, for their part, immediately took one look at the huge fenced-in yard and knew this was their kind of place. They activated full selective hearing mode. There were chipmunks to investigate—a novelty for our South Carolina pups who don’t get much rodent variety at sea level. Gadget immediately went on patrol, nose to the ground, sweeping for movement, while both Monty and Gadget made it their mission to check every inch of the fence line, making sure the perimeter was secure (and fully sniffed).
Set-up went quickly—we’re pros at this point—and soon chairs were out, shoes were off, and a frosty beverage or three found their way into our hands. The evening settled into a soft rhythm of reminiscing around the fire with family and friends sharing stories, swapping updates, and soaking in the satisfaction of being here.
Tomorrow, we officially shift into slow mode. There’s no schedule. No alarms. Just family, friends, good food, lots of laughs, and a few more chipmunk stakeouts.
More soon from the backyard woods—
Tim, Kristen, Monty & Gadget 🐾🐾
P.S. The Shibas are thriving in Retreat Mode. If they ever hear us again, it’ll be a miracle.



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