Whenever I make it back to the East Coast, I like to pack as much visiting as possible into the trip. This time, the plan was a two-night stay with John and Karen Conkling at their new home on Long Island before continuing on to Europe.
I booked Business
Class on Amtrak, departing Syracuse at 7:20 a.m. and arriving at New York's
Penn Station around 12:30 p.m. From there, I took the Long Island Rail Road to
Bay Shore. The connection at Babylon looked a little sketchy on paper, but in
reality it was easy enough—I simply followed the crowd of passengers making the
same transfer.
I've always
enjoyed taking Amtrak over flying when possible. The total travel time is about
the same, but the train offers far better scenery, especially along the Hudson
River.
John was waiting
to greet me at the Bay Shore station. After a tour of their new home, we spent
some time catching up before Karen finished her workday and joined us. That
evening we headed out to one of their favorite local breweries. Unfortunately,
I can't remember the brewery's name, but I do remember arriving just as
"Young Joe" was unlocking the front door. We were the first customers
of the day.
We had a great
time chatting with Young Joe behind the bar before the other Joe arrived and
the place slowly filled up. The weekend had started cold, windy, and
threatening rain—and eventually the rain arrived—but it didn't dampen our
spirits. A couple of beers and plenty of conversation made for a fun afternoon.
From there we
moved on to a cash-only local spot for some bar food and another round of
drinks before calling it a night.
Golf, Breweries, and Bay Shore Nightlife
Saturday morning
began with a steady drizzle, but around 10:30 the weather finally gave us a
break. We took advantage of it by heading to a golf course in Babylon. The
course was mostly short par-3 holes, with the longest around 180 yards and most
ranging between 100 and 120 yards.
Despite my best
efforts, I couldn't manage a par on any hole. Still, it was a blast. The round
took about two hours and featured plenty of laughs, plenty of bad shots, and
just enough good ones to keep us optimistic.
That evening we
visited another brewery and met up with friends Lorraine and Lee, whom I
remembered from previous Long Island visits. Courtney joined us as well. A band
featuring three guitarists and light percussion provided the entertainment. As
the evening progressed, the crowd grew, the music got louder, and the place
filled with families and kids running around.
Afterward we
headed into downtown Bay Shore for dinner. Our first restaurant choices came
with hour-and-a-half waits, so we settled on The Dark Horse instead. Lorraine,
Karen, and I shared three appetizers while the guys ordered entrées.
One source of
entertainment came from a nearby table filled with twenty-something women who
all seemed to be dressed from the same fashion playbook: bare shoulders,
low-cut tops, high-waisted jeans, and very little concern for the fact that it
was in the low 50s and raining outside. Fashion, it seems, requires commitment.
Eventually our
food arrived, we enjoyed a leisurely meal, and then everyone headed home for
the evening.
Onward to Europe
Sunday morning
was a quieter affair. John had to leave early for work, so Karen and I spent
some time talking while waiting for the rain to run its course. Karen later
headed to the gym, and I used the downtime to confirm travel plans and prepare
for the next leg of my journey.
We also made a
grocery run to pick up supplies that John and Karen planned to bring to a party
that evening. I had been invited as well, but my itinerary had other plans.
Later that
afternoon, Karen dropped me off at the Babylon station. From there I took the
Long Island Rail Road to Jamaica station, connected to JFK Airport, and began
the long journey to Europe.
It was a short
visit, but exactly the kind I enjoy most—good friends, plenty of conversation,
a little golf, a few local breweries, and lots of laughs before setting off on
a new adventure.
