First time to visit Newport. I had not originally planned to come here. But since it is on the ocean and one of my cousins was born here, it was worth a short visit, especially since the Boston visit got me an extra half day. It is very much like other ocean side towns I've visited, full of touristy shops and restaurants.

I headed straight from Boston to Newport. I wanted to see the ocean in The Ocean State. Highway leading into Newport from the north could use some major smoothing. Most streets in the downtown area are extra narrow. Nice shopping and dining area near the ocean. Plus, I HAD to take the Ocean View Drive where all of the old HUGE (and I mean HUGE) mansions are located. Most have high hedges to keep onlookers away. Bikers and walkers were EVERYWHERE. Literally, I must have seen at least 500 bicycles. Probably over a hundred walkers too. And of course there were the countless drivers like me stopping every couple of blocks to enjoy the view.

What sets Newport apart from the rest is the row of old HUGE mansions along Ocean View Drive. Wow. Big hedges and lots of trees only allows a few short bursts of a view of many of them. Others were obviously on prominent display for all to see and admire. I saw one guy pull out of the driveway of one of them in his Ferrari convertible and talking on the phone.

The other rich folks in the area were in their sailboats or yachts or very large speed boats. Quite a display of wealth here.

And walkers, joggers, bicyclers and driving gawkers were everywhere. I am certain I saw more bicycles in a few hours here than I saw on a two-day MS-150 in Kansas City. Usually it was couples or a small group (four or less). A few groups had ten or so. Then there was that one group of a couple of dozen serious bikers all decked out in matching outfits and riding in synchonous unity. Must be rough to have to ride along an ocean front.

Newport does get one very special honor for 2012 -- I had my annual donut there, at Dunkin's Donuts. Stood right behind a highway patrolman in line too. of course, the headquarters of Dunkin's is in a small town just south of Boston.

I wanted to take the west-then-north route out of Newport and on to Providence. I stupidly assumed that the GPS would lead me that way and stay in Rhode Island the entire way. But by the time I figured out what the GPS was doing, it was too late. No way was I driving back on that terrible highway road surface and the seemingly 200 or more traffic lights, all of them red. So I ended up back in River Falls MA then west to Providence.