At 09:50 AM 3/4/2003, Royston, Jerry wrote:
>whether there are campsites with easy access to the city.  I promise this
>will be my last posting on this subject.  If I don't hear from anyone, I
>guess I'll just book a hotel (arghh!).

That's silly, mate -- squeaky wheel gets the grease and all that, so keep
on squeaking.  Marathon runners shouldn't give up so easy. <g>  Also, a few
minutes with google will get you most all I've written below and lots of
other stuff besides...

I live in Providence, about an hour south of Boston.  You're most welcome
to come by for coffee, meal or whatever, but Providence has an overnight
parking law and our driveway has one too many cars in it already -- however
that will probably change by April, so check back with me if you're
interested, before you make final arrangements.

Hopkinton is WSW of Boston, obviously about 25 miles...the race starts
there and ends in downtown (more-or-less) Boston.  The Boston metro area
(say, everything inside Rte 128, the inner ring-road) is very congested --
the commercial campground that claims to  be closest to Boston is
http://www.blackbearcamping.com in Salibury MA, just south of the NH
border, thirty miles maybe?

The Mass state park system (fees at
http://www.state.ma.us/dem/recreate/camprate.htm ) has two campgrounds near
Boston, Harold Parker State Forest in Andover
http://www.state.ma.us/dem/parks/harp.htm and Wompatuck State Park in
Hingham http://www.state.ma.us/dem/parks/womp.htm .  Andover is due North
near Rte 93, and Hingham is on the South Shore, SE of Boston.

Parking in Boston is at a premium, much better to avoid if possible and use
the T (MBTA, i.e. subway) for in-town transportation, especially since a
Westy won't fit in many (most? all?) of the parking garages.  Hopkinton I
have no idea, except that there will be more people there for the race than
actually live in the town...I assume the organizers have
facilities/arrangements for runners?

david

--
David Beierl - Providence RI USA -- http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/
'84 Westy "Dutiful Passage"
'85 GL "Poor Relation"