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New England has its big cities , but away from the urban areas is a lot of countryside , a lot of woods . After picking up the Glide , I thought I ’ d hang around Boston for a bit , take in some sights I had not seen for a while . However , in truth , the traffic was so jammed , midweek at midday , that I decided to move on ... this from a person who was driving a cab in that city in 1980 . Times have changed , the population has increased , and even the newer roads can ’ t really handle all the cars and trucks . Wanting to get away from the freeways , I decided to pile some miles on and head south to Rhode Island . I had been told that Sakonnet , in the very southeastern corner of the state , was a worthwhile ride . Seeing the sign for Adamsville , which is on the way to Sakonnet , off I turned , and in minutes it seemed like I had slipped back 50 years , with a two-lane road running between rock walls and trees . The Glide was happy chugging along , no need for overdrive .
The English colonists came here back in the 1600s , finding the soil good for farming , the waters good for fishing . Adamsville is home to the oldest general store in the entire country , Gray ’ s , but it closed a few years ago — having been in business from 1788 until 2012 . I imagine it will morph into an antique emporium if the family decides to sell the place .