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Daily Log 10.18.96 Milepost 71,326
Foxboro, Massachusetts
The leaves are still clinging to the trees in a riot of color, and Indian summer is bathing New England in warm sunshine. Today we're heading northwest from Foxboro on an exploration into the area around Fitchburg.

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Daily Log 10.19.96 Milepost 71,435
Amesbury, Massachusetts
We prowled the streets of Lynnfield, MA, in search of the home of Alan & Robin Brown, friends we met early in the Phoenix One adventure. Alas, Robin and Alan were not home, but the time spent in the search ensured our timely arrival at Trader Alan's 5th Wheel bar at a truck stop off Interstate 495. We enjoyed live music by the country/western band "Stampede," and also met Randy, a long-haul trucker from Georgia. Schedules and weather permitting, we hope to go on a leaf-appreciation road trip with Randy into the White Mountains of New Hampshire today.

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Daily Log 10.20.96 Milepost 71,747
Amesbury, Massachusetts
We took Randy Spearman, the long-haul trucker we met yesterday, on a 300-mile "busman's holiday" to enjoy the
last of the autumn leaves in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Randy made every attempt to spot one of the elusive moose that innumerable road signs warned us not to hit, but they all seemed to know that moose-hunting season began yesterday and stayed invisible. After a look at New Hampshire's granite mascot, "The Old Man of the Mountain," we headed south, battling our way into an approaching Nor'easter. Gale-force winds rocked the Phoenix and the twenty 18-wheelers parked near us all night long. The storm hasn't let up yet, so we're hunkering down until it blows over.

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Daily Log 10.21.96 Milepost 71,747
Amesbury, Massachusetts
Yesterday was consumed by one of those unplanned layovers. The Nor'easter that blew in from the south is entering its thirty-first hour, and we've been enjoying the non-stop wind and rain with a couple dozen big rigs in an unpaved truck stop that now features some chasms deep enough to rival the Grand Canyon. Marvin looks like a drowned rat, and we don't look much better. Nobody who has a choice is driving, but at last we're noticing that the winds are subsiding. We'll be heading south towards Worcester today, rain or otherwise.

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Daily Log 10.22.96 Milepost 71,836
Sutton, Massachusetts
The storm headed up to Maine, and we went in the opposite direction. We managed to dry out in Sutton, Massachusetts, before more rain came along. We enjoyed an evening with our friends Andrea, Tom, Ivy and Alex Martin. It included a a baritone sax performance by Andrea and a terrific Chinese dinner in the town of Oxford. Tomorrow we hope to visit Alex's school before we head south.

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Daily Log 10.23.96 Milepost 71,855
Sutton, Massachusetts
Today we visited Northbridge Primary School in Whitinsville, Massachusetts, where we met the students and their famous traveling teddy bear Rosie. Rosie visited almost every state last year-- even Alaska and Hawaii. She sent post cards back to her school from each place she visited. We'll be keeping in touch with our new friends at Northbridge by e-mail!

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Daily Log 10.24.96 Milepost 71,972
Branford, Connecticut
Last night we visited Sutton High School in Sutton, Massachusetts, where we heard Andrea Martin perform on the baritone sax with the jazz band. Today we woke up to find ourselves on the front page of the Worcester Telegram-Gazette! Now we're moving south on Interstate 95. We'll be making a stop in Darien, and after that-- tune in tomorrow, because we won't know until then!