Hi, I’m Scott Rabideau.
I have had a great run in life. After a tumultuous period in my early 20s, I met the love of my life, settled down, had a couple of kids, worked pretty hard, and finally had the opportunity to retire in 2025.
In my view, retirement is simply the start of a new phase in your life — a new journey, if you will. Sure, there are limitations that come with age, but if you accept them and work within those limitations, you can find exciting opportunities that were never available during your working years.
In his 2019 book, The Second Mountain, David Brooks, an opinion columnist for The New York Times, took a deep dive into the various paths that you can take in the final chapter of your life.
Without getting too deep into the book’s philosophy, his point is that most people climb their “First Mountain” during the majority of their life. A good education, a good job, a family, a home, and a successful career are all a part of the primary conquest. But once you’ve succeeded and are at the point of retirement, you stand back and say to yourself, “Is that all there is?”
Now that I don’t have the pressures associated with climbing that first mountain, I’m able to look towards the so-called “Second Mountain” on the horizon, and frankly, I cannot wait to start a climb that is free of those burdens.
So that’s what this website will be all about: My personal journey climbing the Second Mountain. I intend to explore places, themes, and activities that interest me and, hopefully, you’ll find some of my exploits interesting as well.
In today’s society, most people would simply post a video or a few pictures of a day’s activities on some social media platform, but I’ve chosen a more curated and disciplined approach. (I’ve never had a Facebook, and I don’t plan to start now!
Visiting this website provides you with the opportunity to read about my jaunts and road trips to unusual places throughout New England, see how I try to master the art and craft of stone walling, and experience the trials and tribulations of a hobby farmer. I may even throw in some stories about volunteering as a Little League umpire!
Enjoy your visit, and I hope you keep checking in.
My Latest Posts
- Little League Baseball… Under the Lights
A little league umpire sees a lot of poorly played baseball games. But every once in a while a gem emerges from the mundane. Early in any season, 10, 11 and 12 year-olds — having just come out of a cold southern New England winter — aren’t quite geared up to field, pitch and hit… Read more: Little League Baseball… Under the Lights - By The Way… Have You Seen the Byway?
My plan was simple: Take a 54-mile drive through the rolling hills of western Massachusetts on an obscure scenic byway, Route 112. The designated byway begins just north of the Massachusetts Turnpike in the town of Huntington and meanders north, eventually ending at the Vermont border. But could I find it without a GPS? That… Read more: By The Way… Have You Seen the Byway? - Beyond Putnam Pike: A Road Trip to Amenia, NY
I have always been curious to find out what lies beyond Putnam Pike in western Connecticut. I’ve traveled from Chepachet to Pomfret, and sometimes beyond, but I have never explored Route 44 as it extends west of the Connecticut River — but this time, I’m going all the way to the end. - The Last Family Cemetery
At a meeting in March 2026, the Burrillville Town Council passed a revision to the town’s code or ordinances regarding cemeteries. The new language is succinct and clear: “No cemetery or place of burial shall be established in the town on private property.” But it doesn’t go into effect until July — meaning there’s still time to create the last family cemetery in Burrillville.
Scott Rabideau 