We walk from Braintree westward avoiding Blue Hills through the towns of Westwood and Randolph into Canton. Green Lodge Street seems by the map to go through, but it dead-ends at a railroad station built to accommodate fast AMTRAK Acela trains. We outflank the barriers, cross the heavy rails on concrete ties and enter the station. It offers good services and is well used. We lunch on sandwiches and coconut water.

Onward out the front of the station we find MA 135 and walk it through Needham and Wellesley to Weston Road, on which we proceed to MA9. That route goes to Pittsfield and we intend to follow thither.

On reaching it we are ready to quit for the day, but … no motel for miles!

On we trudge out of Wellesley into Natick hoping to find lodging associated with Natick or Framingham Mall. After walking most of the way through Natick we take an on-ramp to Speen Street (which crosses over MA9) to inquire at what seems to be a gas station how to phone for a taxi to take to a motel. After seeing it’s a fire station Mark looks north and cries: “Holiday Inn!” It is just across MA9 on Speen. We jump on it. Turns out to be a Hilton-affiliated Hampton Inn. We are in no mood to argue: at 28 miles it is our “longest” day.

Next day, Tuesday April 24, we start early out of Natick, thence across endless Framingham seeing en route in the eponymous mall at least one non-chain motel. Southboro, then Westboro, last town east of Shrewsbury which lies across Lake Quinsigamond from Worcester.

Bruce having lived in Worcester (1990-2007) has a cadre of friends (Timothy Hagopian, Dennis McCarthy, Joseph McEvoy, Tuck Amory) on whom we call (exhausted and with likely injury) for rescue at 4 p.m. from Westboro. Dennis scoops us (and later, Tim) up with his Mazda and delivers us to “Berki Central,” 12 Berkmans Street, Worcester, former Henry residence now owned by Tim H., where things soon evolve into to a beer-and-pizza forum on 9/11, the walk, and related topics. We crash there that night.

Next day, W April 25, we take a “better part of valor” day of R&R, brunching out with Joe McEvoy, another “forum” adding Dennis, Tim, and Tuck until the whole crew excepting Tuck goes over to meet Sue Serpa and Laurenzo Fine, Sue a famous Worcester truther of whom we have heard for months from members of Boston 9/11 Truth. In Worcester’s Tatnuck section Sue, a friendly white-haired lady, feeds the company pasta with her own sauce.

Overnight again at Berki Central then Thursday April 26 Mark and I take the 11:15 a.m. Peter Pan bus back to Pittsfield, Joe having ferried us to Worcester Union Station (train and bus) after breakfast at McDonald’s.

It is now Friday, 2018-0427. We’re back in Pittsfield reorganizing, resting at our respective homes, consulting the medical profession before rejoining the walk in Westboro, date to be determined.

– Bruce