Row Row Row your boat....

quickly down the Charles. Faster, Faster, Faster, Faster to beat the other teams.

This past weekend Scott and I flew to Boston to watch my brother in-law Ryan and my cousin Kayla row in the Head of the Charles for Iona College. Scott and I both rowed in the HOTC throughout school and it is a thrilling row down the river for many reasons. Of the 3 miles you row, you go under 7 bridges that are packed with people cheering, the excitement/fear of potentially colliding under the bridge with another crew, seeing the beauty that Boston on one side and Cambridge on the other has to offer, the gorgeous trees all changing color and the pure adrenaline rush you just get from a race.

Saturday morning started the day of races and the first race for us was my brother in laws race in which was the Men's Open 4+ (you ask what the plus means? It means with a coxswain...the person who is stereotyped as the person screaming at the crew). Of the 43 boats that were in the race they finished 21st which was great since that guarantees them a bid into the race again next year. Following that race was the Women's open 4+ in which my cousin was rowing. They just missed the cut-off for getting a guaranteed bid for next year but she loved the race and was glad to experience it.

Ryan is sitting in seat 2, the 2nd from the back of the boat.

After the races we headed back to the hotel to rest a little before going out for dinner. We went to John Harvard's in Cambridge for dinner and seeing that the HOTC and the Red Sox game were on, the place was PACKED.

Sunday is was up for breakfast, a good bye to the parents and then off to Harvard. We walked around the campus that morning with Ryan, Kayla and Jules and then headed off to Bean Town.

Some pictures of Harvard!

Now time for Boston:

After walking through Quincy Market and Faneuil Hall we went into Cheers for a beer and some NFL games. It was now approaching 3:30 in the afternoon and Ryan, Kayla and Jules made their way to South Street Station to take the bus back to NYC and Scott and I headed back to Harvard Square to watch the 4pm NFL games at John Harvard's. We ended our trip with a wonderful dinner which was Buffalo Chicken style Macaroni and Cheese!