This trip had two main purposes and some secondary ones "while in the neighborhood". One, I wanted to attend the Toastmasters District 31 annual conference. Since I will be "living" in Boston for 14 weeks and will join a Toastmasters club there, the conference was a great chance to meet many district members. Two, I wanted to finalizxe the paperwork for my apartment and garage. The secondary items were to visit some colleges (and photograph their campus signs) and national parks. Unfortunately, the weekend I was there was also graduation week. Between the overload of traffic and a pouring rain, I was only able to get to two of the intended five campuses. The other three will wait until I arrive in July. I did get to visit the home, called "Peacefield", of Presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams. I had visited there many years ago but needed a photograph of the house for my website of all homes-libraries-museums of all U.S. Presidents through Bush #2. Obama has yet to build his library.

MASSACHUSETTS: Much planned for the Boston area -- Toastmasters District 31 conference, some college campuses and a national park slash U.S. Presidents' home
NEW HAMPSHIRE: Only came to this state on this trip to photograph the campus sign at the University of New Hampshire.
MAINE: I only went to Kennebunkport to photograph the Bush Compound (home of recently deceased Bush #1). It was rainy and the place was closed but was visible at a distance.

MISSED VISITING:
--Boston University, Northeastern University and Emerson College

OBSERVATIONS: Some observations made while traveling in this area:

• I had forgotten how slooooow the New Hampshire and Maine residents drive on the highways. They generally drive from two to ten miles under the posted speed limit.
• Spring blooms were expected in the Boston area. However, its spring green had settled in. The blooms -- yellows, reds, pinks, whites -- were found in New Hampshire and southern Maine.

The Bests:

1. The Toastmasters District 31 conference. It was very well done from the attendees standpoint (although those who worked behind the scenes wished some things were done differently). I met several dozen folks and connected via Linkedln with well over a dozen of them. When I return in July I will join one of the local clubs.
2. The Peacefield home of the Adams family. John Adams is one of my most admired people in U.S. history. History has been much less kind to him that I believe is warranted.

The Worsts:

1. New England traffic. I now know that I should plan on it taking at least double what Google Maps says it will take to get anywhere, especially in Boston.
2. Toll roads. They simply are a really bad idea. Massachusetts has many tolls.

The Totals:

• Miles Driven: 290
• Driving: 9 hours in 3 days
• States: 3 -- Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine
• Major Universities: 3 -- Tufts, Boston College, University of New Hampshire
• Pictures Taken: 283 (and deleted 91 of them)
• National Parks: 3 new ones (to make 176 visited) and one repeat: Adams' Peacefield Home (the repeat), Bush Compound, Salem Maritime, Saugus Iron Works
• Presidents: 1 new and one repeat: Adams' Peacefield Home (the repeat) and Bush Compound
• State Capitols: 0

Remaining to Visit by State
• AL - DONE
• AK - Want to visit Anchorage, also need to spend a night in a city other than Juneau
• AZ - Return as long as friend Diana lives in the state, else DONE
• AR - DONE
• CA - Want to visit the town of Truckee and revisit the town Lassen VOlvanic National Park, remaining colleges are UC-Santa Barbara and Cal Poly Tech
• CO - DONE
• CT - DONE
• DE - DONE
• FL - Still could visit high school classmate in Orlando and cousin in Orlando, AND, take the ferry to Fort Matanzas National Park
• GA - DONE
• HI - Need to visit this state #50 for me, Honolulu and Volcanic Park with helicopter ride, also spend a night in Hilo as well as Honolulu
• ID - DONE unless visit Sherry or revisit some national parks missed in the south central part of the state
• IL - DONE unless family history research in Danville and Pecatonica
• IN - DONE unless have more family history research there
• IA - DONE unless family history research in various parts of the state
• KS - I live here
• KY - DONE
• LA - DONE unless visit cousins in New Orleans
• ME - DONE
• MD - DONE
• MA - Return only if remain a member of the New England Historic Genealogical Society
• MI - DONE
• MN - DONE unless decide to visit Isle Royale National Park from Grand Portage
• MS - DONE
• MO - DONE, but I live too close to KCMO to avoid it
• MT - Want to re-visit Glacier National Park (likely in 2021)
• NE - Want to visit the panhandle portion of the state (likely in 2021)
• NV - DONE but would like to drive across the interstate through Elko and Winnemacca then go south from there through the eastern part of the state
• NH - DONE
• NJ - DONE!! Thankfully!!!
• NM - DONE, but Love Albuquerque so may want to return sometime
• NY - Many places yet to visit in this state that were missed a few years earlier
• NC - DONE
• ND - DONE
• OH - Family research in several towns, one cousin in Columbus
• OK - DONE
• OR - DONE!! Thankfully!!!
• PA - Family history research in several towns but glad to be DONE with Pittsburgh and Philadelphia
• RI - DONE
• SC - DONE
• SD - DONE
• TN - DONE unless return for either family history research or attend a game in Knoxville
• TX - Brother lives in this state and a friend lives in Houston
• UT - Some national parks (e.g. Lake Powell area), visit friends in Draper
• VT - Some colleges still to visit plus rephotograph the state capitol
• VA - DONE but cousins live near DC
• WA - Colleges in Seattle area, a friend in Seattle
• WV - Tour some scenic places in the eastern half of the state
• WI - DONE
• WY - DONE except to visit Casper area and a nearby national park (likely in 2021)